Woonsocket Radio News Room

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This week at the

General Assembly

 

STATE HOUSE — Here are the highlights from news and events that took place in the General Assembly this week. For more information on any of these items visit http://www.rilegislature.gov/pressrelease

 

 

§  General Assembly convenes 2019 session
The General Assembly began its 2019 session with 14 new representatives in the House and seven new senators. Democrats increased their ranks by two members in the House, which is now made up of 66 Democrats and nine Republicans. The Senate remains at 33 Democrats and five Republicans. More women were elected to both chambers. The House, which had 23 women in the previous term, now includes 26 women, and the Senate includes 16, up from 13 at the end of the previous session.

§  Mattiello re-elected Speaker of the House for new term
Rep. Nicholas A. Mattiello (D-Dist. 15, Cranston) was re-elected speaker of the house for the 2019-20 legislative session. First elected to the House in 2006, Speaker Mattiello was elected to lead the chamber in March 2014 after having served as Democratic majority leader since 2010.
Click here to see news release.

§  Ruggerio re-elected President of the Senate

Sen. Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence) was re-elected to the office of president during opening day ceremonies in the Rhode Island Senate. He was first elected to the position in March 2017, and began his first full term in the chamber’s top post after being sworn into office. He previously served as Senate majority leader.

Click here to see news release.

 

§  Senate re-elects Metts as president pro tempore, Crowley as deputy

The Rhode Island Senate re-elected Sen. Harold M. Metts (D-Dist. 6, Providence) as president pro tempore and Sen. Elizabeth A. Crowley (D-Dist. 16, Central Falls, Pawtucket) as deputy president pro tempore during the opening day ceremonies of the Senate. 

Click here to see news release.

 

§  House Democratic Caucus re-elects Majority Leader Shekarchi and team

The House Democratic Caucus in November elected Rep. K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) as majority leader for the 2019-20 legislative session. The caucus also elected Rep. John G. Edwards (D-Dist. 70, Tiverton, Portsmouth) as majority whip, Rep. Christopher R. Blazejewski (D-Dist. 2, Providence) as deputy majority whip, Rep. Charlene M. Lima (D-Dist. 14, Cranston, Providence) as deputy speaker; Rep. Brian P. Kennedy (D-Dist. 38, Hopkinton, Westerly) as speaker pro tempore; and Rep. Grace Diaz (D-Dist. 11, Providence) as Democratic Caucus chairwoman.

Click here to see news release.

 

§  House Republicans elect Minority Leader Filippi, Whip Chippendale

The House Republicans in November elected Rep. Blake A. Filippi (R-Dist. 36, New Shoreham, Charlestown, South Kingstown, Westerly) as minority leader for the 2019-20 legislative session. The caucus also elected Rep. Michael W. Chippendale (R-Dist. 40, Foster, Glocester, Coventry) as minority whip, Rep. Justin K. Price (R-Dist. 39, Richmond, Hopkinton, Exeter) as senior deputy minority leader, Rep. Sherry Roberts (R. Dist. 29, Coventry, West Greenwich) as deputy whip; and Rep. Robert Quattrocchi (R-Dist. 41, Scituate, Cranston) as deputy minority leader.

Click here to see news release.

 

§  Senate Democrats re-elect Majority Leader McCaffrey

Senate Democrats in November re-elected Sen. Michael J. McCaffrey (D-Dist. 29, Warwick) as majority leader for the 2019-20 legislative session.

Click here to see news release.

 

§  Senate Republicans re-elect Minority Leader Algiere, Whip Morgan

Senate Republicans in November re-elected Sen. Dennis L. Algiere (R-Dist. 38, Charlestown, South Kingstown, Westerly) as minority leader for the 2019-20 legislative session. The caucus also named Sen. Elaine J. Morgan (R-Dist. 34, Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Richmond, West Greenwich) as minority whip and Sen. Thomas J. Paolino, (R-Dist. 17, Lincoln, North Providence, North Smithfield) as senior deputy minority leader.

Click here to see news release.

 

House names Rules Committee
House Speaker Nicholas A. Mattiello appointed the 17-member House Rules Committee, which will be led by Chairman Arthur J. Corvese (D-Dist. 55, North Providence). The committee will discuss and propose to the full House membership a set of rules and procedures for the chamber in the 2019-2020 session.                 

                                   

 

 

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For an electronic version of this and all press releases published by the Legislative Press and Public Information Bureau, please visit our Web site at www.rilegislature.gov/pressrelease.

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TikTok faces a ban in the U.S. A Senate bill tied to a broader foreign aid package expected to clear the chamber tonight. The legislation would force TikTok's China-based parent company ByteDance to sell the app or face a ban from U.S. devices and networks.        FBI Director Christopher Wray is disputing Donald Trump's promise to investigate his political rivals. The former President has vowed to order the Department of Justice to investigate his opponents if he wins the 2024 election. On Tuesday, NBC News spoke with Wray, who said he wouldn't allow his agents to conduct any investigation that doesn't comply with the FBI's rules, procedures, best practices, or core values.       Pro-Palestinian protests are growing on college campuses around the country. Demonstrators at Columbia University say they want the Ivy League school to divest from companies they say profit from Israel's violations of international law and Palestinian rights. Police made arrests at Yale and New York University yesterday as some protests turned violent.        A nationwide search is underway for a former police officer accused of killing his ex-wife and underage girlfriend in Washington state. That's according to the New York Post. Elias Huizar is accused of killing his ex Amber Rodriguez at the elementary school where she worked on Monday and a second victim, identified as a 17-year-old he had been dating. The alleged murders took place on the same day Huizar was set to appear in court for allegedly raping two 16-year old girls.       The NBA Playoffs continue with three games tonight. First, the Phoenix Suns will take on the Timberwolves in Minnesota in game two of their series. The Timberwolves currently hold a one-to-nothing series lead. Then, the Indiana Pacers will take on the Milwaukee Bucks for game two. The Bucks lead that series one-game-to-zero. Lastly, the Dallas Mavericks will look to avoid going down two-games-to-none against the Clippers in Los Angeles in game two of their series.       A new Johnny Cash album is coming out more than two decades after his death. Universal Music is issuing "Songwriter," a collection of 11 previously unreleased demos the country legend recorded in 1993. According to "Variety," all of them are self-written originals by Johnny Cash.        

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