Government

Rhode Island General Assembly to convene on New Year’s Day

The Rhode Island General Assembly will convene on Tuesday, January 1, at 4pm as members of the Rhode Island State Senate and House of Representatives are sworn into office. Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea will administer the oath of office to the legislators, including 14 new representatives and seven new senators, in their respective chambers. The rare New Year’s Day

Rhode Island News: Rhode Island General Assembly to convene on New Year’s Day

December 27, 2018, 6:46 pm

By Uprise RI Staff

The Rhode Island General Assembly will convene on Tuesday, January 1, at 4pm as members of the Rhode Island State Senate and House of Representatives are sworn into office. Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea will administer the oath of office to the legislators, including 14 new representatives and seven new senators, in their respective chambers.

The rare New Year’s Day session is due to the state constitution, which calls for the General Assembly to meet on the first Tuesday of January, making no distinction for the holiday. The last time the opening of session fell on New Year’s Day was 2013. It won’t happen again until 2030.

Per state law, the senior representative from Newport, Representative Marvin Abney (Democrat, District 73, Newport, Middletown), will preside over the House at the beginning of the session. Representative Nicholas Mattiello (Democrat, District 15, Cranston) is expected to be re-elected to his third full two-year term as Speaker of the House.

Likewise, the senior senator from Newport, Senator Dawn Euer (Democrat, District 13, Newport, Jamestown), will preside over the Senate. Senator Dominick Ruggerio (Democrat, District 4, North Providence, Providence) is expected to be re-elected to his first full two-year term as Senate President.

The House of Representatives will be composed of 66 Democrats and nine Republicans, while the Senate will be composed of 33 Democrats and five Republicans.

Among the representatives-elect are:

  • Rebecca Kislak (Democrat, District 4, Providence)
  • Mario Mendez (Democrat, District 13, Johnston, Providence)
  • Chris Millea (Democrat, District 16, Cranston)
  • Thomas Noret (Democrat, District 25, Coventry, West Warwick)
  • James Jackson (Democrat, District 26, West Warwick, Coventry, Warwick)
  • George Nardone (Republican, District 28, Coventry)
  • Justine Caldwell (Democrat, District 30, East Greenwich, West Greenwich)
  • John Lyle (Democrat, District 46, Lincoln, Pawtucket)
  • David Place (Republican, District 47, Burrillville, Glocester)
  • Bernard Hawkins (Democrat, District 53, Smithfield, Glocester
  • Karen Alzate (Democrat, District 60, Pawtucket)
  • Jose Serodio (Democrat, District 64, East Providence)
  • Liana Cassar (Democrat, District 66, Barrington, East Providence)
  • Terri Cortvriend (Democrat, District 72, Portsmouth, Middletown)

Among the senators-elect are:

  • Sam Bell (Democrat, District 5, Providence)
  • Valarie Lawson (Democrat, District 14, East Providence)
  • Gordon Rogers (Republican, District 21, Foster, Coventry, Scituate, West Greenwich)
  • Jessica de la Cruz (Republican, District 23, North Smithfield, Burrillville, Gloucester)
  • Melissa Murray (Democrat, District 24, North Smithfield, Woonsocket)
  • Mark McKenney (Democrat, District 30, Warwick)
  • Bridget Valverde (Democrat, District 35, East Greenwich, Narragansett, North Kingstown)

The opening day House session will be broadcast live by Capitol TV, seen on Channel 15 for Cox Communications and Full Channel, Channel 1013 for Cox HD, and Channel 34 for Verizon, with the Senate session set to air immediately afterward. They will both be live streamed.

[From a press release.]