Rhode Island House of Representatives
General Information
Party control:	Democrat
Session start:	January 7, 2025
Session end:	June 20, 2025
Term length:	2 years
Term limits:	None
Redistricting:	Legislature-dominant
Salary:	$19,037/year
Members
Total:	75
Democrats:	64
Republicans:	10
Other:	1
Vacancies:	0
Leadership
Speaker:	K. Joseph Shekarchi (D)
Maj. Leader:	Christopher Blazejewski (D)
Min. Leader:	Michael Chippendale (R)
Elections
Last election:	November 5, 2024
Next election:	November 3, 2026

TheRhode Island House of Representatives is thelower chamber of theRhode Island General Assembly. Alongside theRhode Island State Senate, it forms the legislative branch of the Rhode Island state government and works alongside thegovernor of Rhode Island to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the Rhode Island House of Representatives include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes.

The Rhode Island House of Representatives meets in the State House inProvidence, Rhode Island.

This page contains the following information on the Rhode Island House of Representatives.

• Which partycontrols the chamber
• The chamber'scurrent membership
• Partisan control of the chamberover time
• Elections in the chamber and how vacancies are filled
• Adistrict map
• Howredistricting works in the state
• Legislation currently under consideration
• Legislative session dates
• Legislative procedures, such as veto overrides and the state budget process
• A list ofcommittees

Party control

Current partisan control

The table below shows the partisan breakdown of the Rhode Island House of Representatives as of November 2025:

Members

Leadership

The speaker of the House is the presiding officer of the body.^[1]

Leadership and members

• Speaker of the House:K. Joseph Shekarchi (D)
• Majority leader:Christopher Blazejewski (D)
• Minority leader:Michael Chippendale (R)

Salaries

See also:Comparison of state legislative salaries

Swearing in dates

See also:When state legislators assume office after a general election

Rhode Island legislators assume office the first Tuesday in January.^[3]

Membership qualifications

See also:State legislature candidate requirements by state

A candidate for theRhode Island General Assembly must:^[4]

• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be a registered voter
• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be a state resident for at least 30 days preceding the election
• Be a resident of the district the candidate is running to represent

Historical party control

Democrats won control of the Rhode Island House of Representatives in 1940. In2024, they won a 64-10-1 majority.

The table below shows the partisan history of the Rhode Island House following every general election from 1992 to 2024. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin'sParty Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

Trifecta history

Astate government trifecta is a term that describes single party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Between 1992 and 2023, Rhode Island was under the following types of trifecta control:

• Democratic trifecta: 1992-1994, 2013-2023
• Republican trifecta: None
• Divided government: 1995-2012

Elections

Elections by year

Rhode Island state representatives servetwo-year terms, with all seats up for election every two years. Rhode Island holds elections for its legislature in even years.

2026

See also:Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2026

Elections for theRhode Island House of Representatives will take place in 2026. The general election is onNovember 3, 2026. The primary isSeptember 8, 2026. The filing deadline is June 24, 2026.

2024

See also:Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2024

Elections for theRhode Island House of Representatives took place in 2024. The general election was onNovember 5, 2024. The primary wasSeptember 10, 2024. The filing deadline wasJune 26, 2024.

In the 2024 elections, the Democratic majority decreased from 65-9 to 64-10, with one seat held by an independent.

2022

See also:Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2022

Elections for theRhode Island House of Representatives took place in 2022. The general election was on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for September 13, 2022. The filing deadline was July 15, 2022.

In the 2022 elections, Democrats maintained a 65-seat majority. Republicans lost one seat, and one seat was won by an independent.

2020

See also:Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2020

Elections for the office ofRhode Island House of Representatives took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for September 8, 2020. The filing deadline was June 24, 2020.

In the 2020 elections, the Democratic majority decreased from 66-8 and one independent to 65-10.

2018

See also:Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2018

Elections for theRhode Island House of Representatives took place in 2018. Ahybrid primary election took place on September 12, 2018, and the general election was held on November 6, 2018.^[5] The candidate filing deadline wasJune 27, 2018.^[6]

In the 2018 elections, Democrats increased their majority in the Rhode Island House of Representatives from 64-11 to 66-9.

2016

See also:Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2016

Elections for theRhode Island House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on September 13, 2016, and a general election would have taken place on November 8, 2016, if no candidate had won a majority of votes in the primary. The candidate filing deadline was June 29, 2016. All75 seats in theRhode Island House of Representatives were up for election in 2016.

Heading into the election, Democrats held a 61-12 majority with one Independent member and one vacancy. Democrats gained three seats in the election, giving them a 64-10 majority with one Independent member.

Click [show] to see election information dating back to 2000

2014 See also:Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2014 Elections for theRhode Island House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on September 9, 2014. The general election was held onNovember 4, 2014. Thesignature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 25, 2014. Heading into the election, Democrats held a 69-6 majority. Democrats lost six seats in the election, giving them a 63-11 majority with one Independent member. Rhode Island House of Representatives Party As of November 3, 2014 After November 4, 2014      Democratic Party 69 63      Republican Party 6 11      Independent 0 1 Total 75 75 2012 See also:Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2012 Elections for the office of Rhode Island House of Representatives took place in 2012. The primary election was held on September 11, 2012, and the general election was held onNovember 6, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was June 27, 2012. All75 seats were up for election. Heading into the election, Democrats held a 65-10 majority. Democrats gained four seats in the election, giving them a 69-6 majority. Rhode Island House of Representatives Party As of November 5, 2012 After the 2012 Election      Democratic Party 65 69      Republican Party 10 6 Total 75 75 During the2012 election, the total value of contributions to the 160 House candidates was $2,318,319. The top 10 contributors were:[7] 2012 Donors, Rhode Island House of Representatives Donor Amount Tetzner, Stephen C $45,000 Costantino, Gregory J $36,401 Uht, Augustus K $28,175 Campo, Steven Anthony $25,000 Smith, Mary Ann Shallcross $22,040 Gamba, Sharon L $20,100 Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers $19,900 Rhode Island Federation of Teachers $18,725 Cranston Fire Fighters Local 1363 $17,875 National Education Association Rhode Island $17,550 The following table details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6 general election. 2012 Margin of Victory, Rhode Island House of Representatives District Winner Margin of Victory Total Votes Top Opponent District 30 Antonio Giarrusso 1% 7,473 Mark Schwager District 72 Linda Dill Finn 1.4% 7,106 Daniel Reilly District 26 Patricia Morgan 4.5% 5,467 Nicholas Denice District 31 Doreen Costa 5.9% 7,268 Steven Campo District 46 Jeremiah O'Grady 6.1% 7,113 Matthew Guerra District 39 Larry Valencia 7.1% 6,238 Clay P. Johnson District 32 Robert Craven Sr. 8.3% 7,532 Laurence Ehrhardt District 47 Cale Keable 8.7% 5,894 Donald Fox District 35 Spencer Dickinson 8.7% 4,559 James Haldeman District 67 Jan Malik 10.2% 6,599 Peter Costa Jr. 2010 See also:Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2010 Elections for the office of Rhode Island House of Representatives took place in 2010. The primary election was held on September 14, 2010, and the general election was held onNovember 2, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was May 28, 2010. All75 seats were up for election. Heading into the election, Democrats held a 69-6 majority. Democrats lost four seats in the election, giving them a 65-10 majority. Rhode Island House of Representatives Party As of November 1, 2010 After the 2010 Election      Democratic Party 69 65      Republican Party 6 10 Total 75 75 During the2010 election, the total value of contributions to the 186 House candidates was $2,455,054. The top 10 contributors were:[8] 2010 Donors, Rhode Island House of Representatives Donor Amount Schadone, Gregory J $54,200 Rhode Island Education Association $29,375 Mitchell, Kevin J $23,733 Corvese, Arthur J $22,600 Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers $17,200 Cranston Fire Fighters Local 1363 $15,850 Rhode Island Laborers $15,625 Operating Engineers Local 57 $14,700 Rhode Island Laborers Public Employees $14,175 Rhode Island State Association of Fire Fighters $12,575 2008 See also:Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2008 Elections for the office of Rhode Island House of Representatives consisted of a primary election date on September 9, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008. All75 seats were up for election. During the 2008 election, the total contributions to House candidates amounted to $2,494,379. The top 10 contributors were:[9] 2008 Donors, Rhode Island House of Representatives Donor Amount Rhode Island Laborers District Council $31,500 National Education Association Rhode Island $26,575 New England Regional Council of Carpenters & Joiners $25,975 Corvese, Arthur J $21,600 Little, Christopher H $20,000 Rhode Island House Democratic Leadership Cmte $19,750 Jones, Thomas K $19,672 Rhode Island Federation of Teachers & Health Professionals $16,430 Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers $16,225 Rhode Island State Association of Fire Fighters $12,775 2006 See also:Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2006 Elections for the office of Rhode Island House of Representatives consisted of a primary election date on September 12, 2006, and a general election on November 7, 2006. All75 seats were up for election. During the2006 election, the total value of contributions to the 130 House candidates was $2,552,006. The top 10 contributors were:[10] 2006 Donors, Rhode Island House of Representatives Donor Amount Pacheco, Richard A $23,756 Rhode Island Laborers $17,625 National Rifle Association $16,050 Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers $15,950 Rhode Island Education Association $15,825 Rhode Island Association of Realtors $14,900 Rhode Island Dental Association $14,540 Rhode Island Medical Society $13,720 Rhode Island Federation Of Teachers & Health Professionals $13,260 Mumford, Carol A $11,466 2004 See also:Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2004 Elections for the office of Rhode Island House of Representatives consisted of a primary election date on September 14, 2004, and a general election on November 4, 2004. All75 seats were up for election. During the2004 election, the total value of contributions to the 166 House candidates was $2,593,762. The top 10 contributors were:[11] 2004 Donors, Rhode Island House of Representatives Donor Amount Rhode Island Republican Party $37,901 Rhode Island Education Association $21,047 Caprio, David A $21,000 Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers $20,750 Rhode Island Medical Society $20,325 Singleton, Richard W $20,000 Rhode Island Laborers Public Employees $18,725 Rhode Island Laborers $17,850 National Rifle Association $17,685 Rhode Island Federation of Teachers & Health Professionals $16,910 2002 See also:Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2002 Elections for the office of Rhode Island House of Representatives consisted of a primary election date on September 10, 2002, and a general election on November 5, 2002. All75 seats were up for election. During the2002 election, the total value of contributions to the 142 House candidates was $954,182. The top 10 contributors were:[12] 2002 Donors, Rhode Island House of Representatives Donor Amount Trillo, Joseph A $46,560 Schadone, Gregory J $34,583 Jones, Thomas K $23,142 Petrarca, Peter J $22,132 Lima, Charlene $21,000 Caprio, David A $20,950 Dennigan, Elizabeth M $16,432 Anderson, Jon M $14,745 Lenihan, George F $13,598 Corvese, Arthur J $12,665 2000 See also:Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2000 Elections for the office of Rhode Island House of Representatives consisted of a primary election date on September 12, 2000, and a general election on November 7, 2000. All100 seats were up for election. During the2000 election, the total value of contributions to the 136 House candidates was $603,900. The top 10 contributors were:[13] 2000 Donors, Rhode Island House of Representatives Donor Amount Fernstrom, Kenneth L $14,237 National Rifle Association $12,885 Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers $12,300 Demeule, Wilfred R $10,078 Trillo, Joseph $9,300 National Education Association Rhode Island $8,910 Coogan, Brian G $8,300 Rhode Island Laborers $7,500 Rhode Island Afl-Cio $7,485 Rhode Island Troopers Association $6,250

Vacancies

See also:How vacancies are filled in state legislatures

If there is a vacancy in theRhode Island General Assembly, a special election must be held to fill the vacant seat. Thesecretary of state must call for an election to be held anywhere from 70 to 90 days after the vacancy occurred. No election can be held if the vacancy happens after the first Monday in February during an election year. The person elected to fill the seat serves for the remainder of the unfilled term.^[14]

See sources:Rhode Island Gen. Laws § 17-3-6

District map

See also:Rhode Island state legislative districts

The state of Rhode Island has 75 state House districts. Each district elects one representative.

Use the interactive map below to find your district.

Redistricting

See also:Redistricting in Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, both congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn by theRhode Island General Assembly. These lines are subject to veto by thegovernor.^[15]

An 18-member advisory commission established in 2011 can recommend congressional and state legislative redistricting plans to the state legislature. The legislature may "adopt, modify, or ignore the commission's proposals." The composition of the commission is as follows:^[15]

1. The majority leader of theRhode Island State Senate chooses four commissioners who are state legislators and three who are not, for a total of seven commissioners.
2. The majority leader of theRhode Island House of Representatives chooses four commissioners who are state legislators and three who are not, for a total of seven commissioners.
3. The minority leader of theRhode Island State Senate chooses two commissioners who are state legislators.
4. The minority leader of theRhode Island House of Representatives chooses two commissioners who are state legislators.

TheRhode Island Constitution requires that state legislative districts be compact.^[15]

State statutes require that congressional and state legislative districts meet the following criteria:^[15]

1. Districts should be contiguous.
2. Districts should "reflect natural, historical, geographical, and municipal and other political lines, 'as well as the right of all Rhode Islanders to fair representation and equal access to the political process.'"
3. "The lines of state House, state Senate and congressional districts [should] coincide–or at least, if they do not overlap completely, they should avoid creating voting precincts with distinct ballot options where the precinct has fewer than 100 people."

2020

See also:Redistricting in Rhode Island after the 2020 census

Rhode Island enacted new legislative district boundaries on February 16, 2022, when Gov.Dan McKee (D) signed redistricting legislation approved by the General Assembly. The State House of Representatives passed the new maps by a vote of 57-6 and the State Senate approved them, 29-9, on February 15, 2022. In a press release issued after Gov. McKee signed the legislation, State RepresentativeRobert Phillips (D), co-chair of the state's legislative Reapportionment Commission, said, "It was an honor and pleasure to work with such a dedicated group of individuals on this commission. I’m particularly proud of the fact that we obtained so much input from citizens around the state, holding our meetings in several cities and towns to make it more accessible to everyone. Reapportionment can be daunting and complex, but I’m glad we took everyone’s concerns into account and came up with a fair and equitable system of reapportionment.”^{[16][17][18][19]}

The Providence Journal's Patrick Anderson and Katherine Gregg wrote "Although some district boundaries changed a lot, the new maps did not put any incumbent General Assembly members in the same district, forcing them to run against each other. But the maps did draw some would-be challengers out of their current districts, potentially protecting incumbents from a tough reelection battle.^[20] Edward Fitzpatrick of theBoston Globe wrote that "critics have said both Democratic and Republican incumbents were allowed to shape their districts during private meetings with the state’s long-time redistricting consultant."^[21]

2010

See also:Redistricting in Rhode Island after the 2010 census

Rhode Island received its census data on March 23, 2011. The state had a growth rate of 0.4 percent, which was below the national average of 9.7 percent. The five counties ranged from -3.0 to 2.8 percent growth. The population change rate of its five most populous cities were as follows: Providence grew by 2.5 percent, Warwick decreased by 3.7 percent, Cranston grew by 1.4 percent, Pawtucket decreased by 2.5 percent, and East Providence decreased by 3.4 percent.^[22]

On February 1, 2012, the Senate and House passed a proposal that the commission had released and approved in December 2011. Gov.Lincoln Chafee (I) signed the maps into law on February 8, 2012.

Sessions

Legislation

The legislation tracker below displays all legislation that the Rhode Island House of Representatives has approved in its most recent legislative session—this includes legislation that has been sent from the House to the Senate and legislation that has already been approved by both chambers and signed by the governor. The table below includes the bill number, its name, progress, most recent action date, and sponsor. Scroll up and down and side to side to see more. Click the bill number to read the bill text and see its voting history. Click the headings to sort the content. Rearrange the order of the headings by clicking and dragging them. Click the magnifying glass in the bottom left corner to search for specific terms. The legislation tracker is maintained and updated byBillTrack50.

Dates of legislative sessions in Rhode Island by year

2025

See also:2025 Rhode Island legislative session andDates of 2025 state legislative sessions

In 2025, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 7, 2025, and adjourn on June 20, 2025.

Click [show] for past years' session dates.

2024 See also:2024 Rhode Island legislative session andDates of 2024 state legislative sessions In 2024, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 2, 2024, and adjourn on June 14, 2024. 2023 See also:2023 Rhode Island legislative session andDates of 2023 state legislative sessions In 2023, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 3, 2023, and adjourn on June 16, 2023. 2022 See also:2022 Rhode Island legislative session andDates of 2022 state legislative sessions In 2022, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 4, 2022, and adjourn on June 23, 2022. 2021 See also:2021 Rhode Island legislative session andDates of 2021 state legislative sessions In 2021, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 5, 2021, and adjourn on July 1, 2021. 2020 See also:2020 Rhode Island legislative session andDates of 2020 state legislative sessions In 2020, the legislature was scheduled to convene on January 7, 2020, and adjourn on August 30, 2020. Effect of coronavirus pandemic See also:Changes to state legislative session dates in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020 Coronavirus pandemic Select a topic from the dropdown below to learn more. Political responses overviewState reopening plansDocumenting America's Path to RecoveryElection changesChanges to vote-by-mail and absentee voting proceduresFederal responsesState responsesState executive ordersStay-at-home ordersMultistate agreementsNon-governmental reopening plansEvictions and foreclosures policiesTravel restrictionsEnacted state legislationState legislative session changesSchool closuresState court closuresInmate releasesLocal government responsesDiagnosed or quarantined politiciansBallot measure changesArguments about government responsesThe 1918 influenza pandemicPandemic Response Accountability CommitteeUnemployment filingsLawsuitsBallotpedia's polling on the coronavirus pandemicSubmit Several state legislatures had their sessions impacted as a result of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. 2019 See also:2019 Rhode Island legislative session andDates of 2019 state legislative sessions In 2019, the legislature was in session from January 1, 2019, through June 30, 2019. 2018 See also:2018 Rhode Island legislative session andDates of 2018 state legislative sessions In 2018, the legislature was in session from January 2, 2018, through June 25, 2018. To read about notable events and legislation from this session, clickhere. 2017 See also:Dates of 2017 state legislative sessions In 2017, the legislature was in session from January 3, 2017, through June 30, 2017. Session reconvened September 19, 2017, over the budget and vetoes. Click [show] to read about the 2017 budget conflict. A debate over motor vehicle taxes between Democratic leadership in the Rhode Island state Senate and House led Rhode Island to enter the 2018 fiscal year without a budget in place. Leading up to the deadline on June 30, 2017, House SpeakerNicholas Mattiello (D) had advocated for a six-year-phase repeal of motor vehicle taxes in Rhode Island. The House approved the repeal in a budget plan—which also included a proposal backed by Gov.Gina Raimondo (D) for tuition-free community college—on June 23, 2017, in a 64-11 vote. When the Senate took up the budget on June 30, 2017, it voted 30-5 in favor of an amendment that would suspend the car-tax repeal if state revenues prove lower than projected or if the economy declined. Mattiello protested the amendment, calling it a last-minute change and dismissed the House for summer recess before a vote could take place. Senate PresidentDominick Ruggerio (D) stated that Mattiello was aware of concerns voiced in the Senate about the financial sustainability of repealing the motor vehicle tax. Mattiello later said he had no plans to call the House back from recess. In a press conference on July 5, Raimondo stated that she intended to find new revenue sources to cover the $2.75 million needed for the free community college plan that she supported throughout the regular session. She also criticized the Legislature over its standoff. On July 6, 2017, Ruggerio stated in an op-ed that the House proposal for the motor vehicle tax repeal did not do enough to protect the state’s rainy day fund, and he called on Mattiello to call the House back into session:[23] “ The budget adopted by the House of Representatives did not protect the state’s rainy day fund from Speaker Nicholas Mattiello’s car tax phaseout in the event of a future recession or cuts to federal aid. … No one, not even the speaker, wants to see this phaseout succeed more than I. … We encourage the speaker to reconvene the House to take up these matters. In the meantime, the Senate will thoroughly review all legislation that comes before us and pass that which we deem is in the best interest of all Rhode Islanders.[24] ” On July 8, Mattiello released his own op-ed, in which he stated that Ruggerio had backed out of a deal and that the Senate amendment was neither needed nor appropriate:[25] “ It is unfortunate that Senate President Dominick Ruggerio and his leadership team reneged on a commitment to pass the state budget as negotiated, and did so at the eleventh hour, without warning. These last-minute shenanigans only increase public distrust and threaten our ability to serve citizens responsibly. … The Senate’s budget amendment would stop the car-tax phaseout if a very specific series of events occurred. This limit does not apply to any other budget measure, nor is it appropriate in this case. Future legislatures will consider the full array of state spending and revenues when facing any downturn. I do not favor language that, at the outset, would subordinate car-tax relief to other priorities.[24] ” Mattiello and Ruggerio held a meeting on July 18, 2017. After the meeting, both released statements describing it as productive. Rhode Island Public Radio reported that Ruggerio was considering having the Senate take up the original House version of the budget without the Senate amendment. Mattiello, on the other hand, was reportedly considering holding a special session in the Fall to consider other legislative initiatives that the budget standoff held up.[26] The standoff concluded on August 3, 2017. After a series of meetings in late July and early August, Mattiello and Ruggerio reached an agreement in which the state Senate would pass the original budget without the amendment if the state House agreed to pass legislation requiring the state Department of Revenue to conduct an annual study of tax repeal beginning in 2021. The Senate vote was 30-5. Gov. Gina Raimondo (D) signed the budget shortly after receiving it.[27] Background information In 2004, Rhode Island enacted a law allowing the state to continue operating at the previous year’s spending levels when a budget is not passed by the June 30 deadline.[28][29][30] In Rhode Island, the governor has the power to call the Legislature into a special session. In 2017, the legislature was in session from January 3 through June 30. An annual motor vehicle excise tax in Rhode Island fluctuates among municipalities in the state. It is highest in Providence—Rhode Island’s biggest city—where residents pay $60 for every $1000 that the vehicle is worth. Revenue generated from car taxes provides roughly $220 million per year for Rhode Island municipalities. That money accounts for as much as 14 percent of a town’s revenue, on the high end, and as low as 2.9 percent on the low end. Earlier in 2017, Raimondo proposed an alternative to the full repeal supported by Mattiello. She advocated for a 30 percent cut to the tax.[31] The budget standoff left several other pieces of legislation in limbo, including a proposal granting paid sick leave for private sector employees and a proposal to limit access to firearms for individuals with histories of domestic abuse. Groups such as theNational Rifle Association campaigned against the latter measure.[32] 2016 See also:Dates of 2016 state legislative sessions In 2016, the legislature was in session from January 5 through June 18. Major issues in 2016 Major issues during the 2016 legislative session included truck tolls to fix the state's bridges, drivers' licenses for undocumented immigrants, gun control, and gambling.[33][34] 2015 See also:Dates of 2015 state legislative sessions In 2015, the legislature was in session from January 6 through June 25. Major issues in 2015 Major issues during the 2015 legislative session included a budget deficit estimated at $200 million, social security tax reform, a structural deficit expected to reach $400 million by 2019, education funding, and ending homelessness among the state's veterans.[35] 2014 See also:Dates of 2014 state legislative sessions In 2014, the legislature was in session from January 7 through June 23. Major issues in 2014 Major issues during the 2014 legislative session included a budget deficit estimated at $100 million, pension reform, raising the minimum wage, reducing corporate income taxes, and raising bridge tolls.[36][37] 2013 See also:Dates of 2013 state legislative sessions In 2013, the legislature was in session from January 1 to July 5. Major issues in 2013 Major issues in the 2013 legislative session included a budget deficit estimated at $69 million, legalization of same-sex marriage, gun control, and economic development.[38] 2012 See also:Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions In 2012, the legislature was in session from January 3 through June 13. Major issues in 2012 The legislature had to address a $120 million budget deficit. Legislators wanted to cut spending to close the gap whileGovernorLincoln Chafee (I) pushed for a tax raise. Major issues also included reducing municipal pension costs and reducing regulations to spur economic growth.[39] 2011 See also:Dates of 2011 state legislative sessions In 2011, the legislature was in session from January 4 to July 1. The legislature held a special session in October 2011 over the pension crisis. 2010 See also:Dates of 2010 state legislative sessions In 2010, the legislature was in session from January 5 to June 11.[40]

About legislative sessions in Rhode Island

TheTenth Amendment of theU.S. Constitution declares that any power not already given to the federal government is reserved to the states and the people.^[41] State governments across the country use this authority to hold legislative sessions where a state's elected representatives meet for a period of time to draft and vote on legislation and set state policies on issues such as taxation, education, and government spending. The different types of legislation passed by a legislature may include resolutions,legislatively referred constitutional amendments, and bills that become law.

Article VI of the Rhode Island Constitution establishes when theRhode Island General Assembly, of which the House of Representatives is a part, is to be in session. Section 3 of Article states that the General Assembly is to convene its regular session on the first Tuesday of January in each year.

Legislative roles and procedures

Every state legislature throughout the country features its own internal procedures that it uses to govern itself and how it interacts with other parts of state government. Ballotpedia's coverage of internal state legislative procedures includesveto overrides,the role of the legislature in the state budget, andprocedures for filling membership vacancies.

Veto overrides

See also:Veto overrides in state legislatures

State legislatures can override governors' vetoes. Depending on the state, this can be done during the regular legislative session, in a special session following the adjournment of the regular session, or during the next legislative session. The rules for legislative overrides of gubernatorial vetoes in Rhode Island are listed below.

How many legislators are required to vote for an override? Three-fifths of members in both chambers.

Authority:Article IX, Section 14 of theRhode Island Constitution.

Role in state budget

See also:Rhode Island state budget and finances

Rhode Islandon

Check outBallotpedia articles about policy in your state on:

Budgets •Civil liberties •Education •Elections •Energy •Environment •Healthcare •Pensions

The state operates on an annual budget cycle. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:^[42]

1. Budget instructions are sent to state agencies inJuly of the year preceding the start of the new fiscal year.
2. Agencies submit their budget requests to thegovernor byOctober 1.
3. Agency hearings are held inNovember and December.
4. The governor submits his or her proposed budget to thestate legislature inJanuary. A newly elected governor has until thefirst Thursday in February.
5. The legislature typically adopts a budget inJune. The fiscal year beginsJuly 1.

In Rhode Island, the governor has no veto authority over the budget.^[42]

The governor is constitutionally required to submit a balanced budget proposal. Likewise, the legislature is required to pass a balanced budget.^[42]

Committees

See also:List of committees in Rhode Island state government

Every state legislature and state legislative chamber in the country contains several legislative committees. These committees are responsible for studying, amending, and voting on legislation before it reaches the floor of a chamber for a full vote. The different types of committees include standing committees, select or special, and joint.

• Standing committees are generally permanent committees, the names of which sometimes change from session to session.
• Select or special committees are temporary committees formed to deal with specific issues such as recent legislation, major public policy or proposals, or investigations.
• Joint committees are committees that feature members of both chambers of a legislature.

Ballotpedia covers standing and joint committees. The Rhode Island House of Representatives has 16 standing committees:

Constitutional amendments

In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process forreferring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states,initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are alsomany other types of statewide measures.

The methods in which the Rhode Island Constitution can be amended:

See also:Article XIV of the Rhode Island Constitution andLaws governing ballot measures in Rhode Island

There are two paths by which theRhode Island Constitution can be changed: thelegislatively referred constitutional amendment and theconstitutional convention. Rhode Island residents do not have the power ofinitiated constitutional amendments.

Legislature

See also:Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

A simple majority vote is required during one legislative session for theRhode Island State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 38 votes in theRhode Island House of Representatives and 20 votes in theRhode Island State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

Convention

See also:Convention-referred constitutional amendment

According tosection 2 of Article XIV of theRhode Island Constitution, a simple majority vote in one legislative session is required for the state legislature to place a constitutional convention question on the ballot. A simple majority vote of the electorate is required to call the convention. The state constitution also requires that a state constitutional convention question is provided to voters at least 10 years after the prior question. Rhode Island is one of 14 states that provides for an automatic constitutional convention question.

The table below shows the last and next constitutional convention question election years:

See also

Elections	Rhode Island State Government	State Legislatures	State Politics
Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2024 Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2022 Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2020 Rhode Island House of Representatives elections, 2018	Rhode Island General Assembly Rhode Island State Senate Governor of Rhode Island Rhode Island Supreme Court	State legislative elections, 2025 State legislative elections, 2024 State legislative elections, 2023 State legislative elections, 2022 State legislative elections, 2021 State legislative elections, 2020 State legislative elections, 2019	State government trifectas State government triplexes State executives State courts Ballot measures The State Legislative Decade

External links

• Rhode Island House of Representatives

Footnotes

v • e State legislatures Legislatures Alabama (H,S) ·Alaska (H,S) ·Arizona (H,S) ·Arkansas (H,S) ·California (A,S) ·Colorado (H,S) ·Connecticut (H,S) ·Delaware (H,S) ·Florida (H,S) ·Georgia (H,S) ·Hawaii (H,S) ·Idaho (H,S) ·Illinois (H,S) ·Indiana (H,S) ·Iowa (H,S) ·Kansas (H,S) ·Kentucky (H,S) ·Louisiana (H,S) ·Maine (H,S) ·Maryland (H,S) ·Massachusetts (H,S) ·Michigan (H,S) ·Minnesota (H,S) ·Mississippi (H,S) ·Missouri (H,S) ·Montana (H,S) ·Nebraska ·Nevada (A,S) ·New Hampshire (H,S) ·New Jersey (GA,S) ·New Mexico (H,S) ·New York (A,S) ·North Carolina (H,S) ·North Dakota (H,S) ·Ohio (H,S) ·Oklahoma (H,S) ·Oregon (H,S) ·Pennsylvania (H,S) ·Rhode Island (H,S) ·South Carolina (H,S) ·South Dakota (H,S) ·Tennessee (H,S) ·Texas (H,S) ·Utah (H,S) ·Vermont (H,S) ·Virginia (H,S) ·Washington (H,S) ·West Virginia (H,S) ·Wisconsin (A,S) ·Wyoming (H,S) 2026 State legislative elections (2026) •State legislative special elections (2026) • Primary dates and filing requirements •2026 Session Dates 2025 State legislative elections (2025) •State legislative special elections (2025) •Primary dates and filing requirements •2025 Session Dates 2024 State legislative elections (2024) •State legislative special elections (2024) •Primary dates and filing requirements •2024 Session Dates 2023 State legislative elections (2023) •State legislative special elections (2023) •Primary dates and filing requirements •2023 Session Dates Historical elections 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 •2018 •2017 •2016 •2015 •2014 •2013 •2012 •2011 •2010 •2009 •2008 •2007 •2006 •2005 •2004 •2003 •2002 •2001 •2000 Features of state legislatures How vacancies are filled in state legislatures •States with a full-time legislature •State legislatures with term limits •Comparison of state legislative salaries •When state legislators assume office after a general election •Population represented by state legislators •State constitutional articles governing state legislatures •State legislative sessions •Resign-to-run law •State legislature candidate requirements by state •Official names of state legislatures •State legislative chambers that use multi-member districts •Factors Affecting Competitiveness in State Legislative Elections State senates Length of terms of state senators •State senators •Partisan composition of state senates •State senators sorted by year first elected State houses Length of terms of state representatives •State representatives •Partisan composition of state houses •State representatives sorted by year first elected Leadership positions President of the Senate •President Pro Tempore •Senate Majority Leader •Senate Minority Leader •House Majority Leader •House Minority Leader •State Speaker of the House

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