The Rhode Island Senate is the upper house of the Rhode Island General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island, the lower house being the Rhode Island House of Representatives. It is composed of 38 Senators, each of whom is elected to a two-year term. Rhode Island is one of the 14 states where its upper house serves at a two-year cycle, rather than the normal four-year term as in most states. There is no limit to the number of terms that a Senator may serve. The Rhode Island Senate meets at the Rhode Island State Capitol in Providence.
Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal U.S. Senate, the Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to executive departments, commissions and boards and Justices to the Rhode Island Judiciary.
Senate leadership The President of the Senate presides over the body, appointing members to all of the Senate's committees and joint committees, and may create other committees and subcommittees if desired. Unlike most other states, the Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island does not preside over the Senate, and is instead active in other areas such as state commissions on health and businesses. In the Senate President's absence, the President Pro Tempore presides.
Democratic leadership Valarie Lawson (D) - President of the Senate Frank Ciccone (D) – Majority Leader David Tikoian (D) – Majority Whip
Republican leadership
Jessica de la Cruz (R) – Minority Leader Gordon Rogers (R) – Minority Whip
Committees Committee ChairArtificial Intelligence and Emerging TechnologiesVictoria Gu (D)CommerceRobert Britto (D)EducationHanna Gallo (D) Environment and AgricultureV. Susan Sosnowski (D) FinanceLouis DiPalma (D) Health and Human ServicesMelissa Murray (D) Housing and Municipal GovernmentJake Bissaillon (D)JudiciaryMatthew LaMountain (D)Labor and GamingJohn Burke (D) Rules, Government Ethics and Oversight Mark McKenney (D) Special Legislation and Veterans' AffairsWalter Felag (D)
Make-up of the Senate 2025–2027 Legislative Session
AffiliationParty (Shading indicates majority caucus)TotalVacantDemocraticRepublicanIndependent2011-2012 298 1 3802013-2014 325 1 380Begin 2015 325 13802015-2016 33 0Begin 2017 33503802017-2019 32 1Begin 2019 335 0 38 0Begin 2023 335 0 38 0Begin 2025 3440 38 0April 21, 2025 33 37 1August 5, 2025 34 38 0Latest voting share
Members of the Rhode Island Senate DistrictNamePartyMunicipalitiesCountiesStart1DemProvidenceProvidence20232DemProvidenceProvidence20163DemProvidenceProvidence20214DemProvidence, North ProvidenceProvidence20255DemProvidenceProvidence20186DemProvidenceProvidence20207DemJohnston, ProvidenceProvidence20028DemPawtucketProvidence20249DemWest WarwickKent202010DemBristol, Tiverton, WarrenBristol, Newport199811DemBristol, PortsmouthBristol, Newport202212DemLittle Compton, Middletown, Newport, TivertonNewport200813DemNewport, JamestownNewport201714DemEast ProvidenceProvidence201815DemPawtucket, ProvidenceProvidence202016DemCentral Falls, PawtucketProvidence202017RepLincoln, North Providence, North SmithfieldProvidence201618DemEast Providence, PawtucketProvidence202219DemCumberland, LincolnProvidence201220DemWoonsocket, CumberlandProvidence202421Rep Coventry, Foster, Scituate, West GreenwichKent, Providence201822DemSmithfield, Lincoln, North ProvidenceProvidence202223RepBurrillville, Glocester, North SmithfieldProvidence2018 24DemNorth Smithfield, WoonsocketProvidence201825DemJohnstonProvidence202426DemCranstonProvidence202427DemCranston, West WarwickKent, Providence199828DemCranston, ProvidenceProvidence202429DemWarwickKent202430DemWarwickKent201831DemCranston, WarwickKent, Providence202232DemBarrington, Bristol, East ProvidenceBristol202233DemCoventry, West GreenwichKent201234RepCharlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Richmond, West GreenwichKent, Washington201435DemEast Greenwich, North Kingstown, Narragansett, South KingstownKent, Washington201836DemNarragansett, New Shoreham, North KingstownWashington202037DemSouth KingstownWashington199638DemCharlestown, South Kingstown, WesterlyWashington2022
Past composition of the Senate
See also Rhode Island State Capitol Rhode Island General Assembly Rhode Island House of Representatives List of Rhode Island General Assemblies
Notes
References
External links Downloadable Rhode Island District Maps