Rhode Island General Assembly

Rhode Island General Assembly
Coat of arms or logo
Seal of the State of Rhode Island
Type
Type
HousesSenate
House of Representatives
History
FoundedOriginal Charter
July 8, 1663
(361 years ago)
 (1663-07-08)

Modern Form
January 20, 1987
(37 years ago)
 (1987-01-20)
New session started
January 3, 2023 (2023-01-03)
Leadership
President of the Senate
Dominick J. Ruggerio (D)
since March 23, 2017
Senate president pro tempore
Hanna M. Gallo (D)
since January, 2021
Senate Majority Leader
Ryan William Pearson (D)
since January 3, 2023
Senate Minority Leader
Jessica de la Cruz (R)
since August 2, 2022
Speaker of the House
K. Joseph Shekarchi (D)
since January 5, 2021
House Majority Leader
Christopher R. Blazejweski (D)
since January 5, 2021
House Minority Leader
Michael W. Chippendale (R)
since June 23, 2022
Structure
Seats
  • 113 voting members
    • 38 senators
    • 75 representatives
Senate political groups
Majority (33)
  •   Democratic (33)

Minority (5)

House of Representatives political groups
Majority (65)

Minority (10)

Elections
Last Senate election
November 8, 2022
November 8, 2022
Next Senate election
November 5, 2024
November 5, 2024
Meeting place
Rhode Island State House
Providence
Website
Rhode Island Legislature
Constitution
Constitution of Rhode Island

The State of Rhode Island General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. A bicameral body, it is composed of the lower Rhode Island House of Representatives with 75 representatives, and the upper Rhode Island Senate with 38 senators. Members are elected in the general election immediately preceding the beginning of the term or in special elections called to fill vacancies. There are no term limits for either chamber. The last General Assembly election took place on November 3, 2020.

The General Assembly meets at the Rhode Island State House on the border of Downtown and Smith Hill in Providence. Smith Hill is sometimes used as a metonym for the Rhode Island General Assembly.[1]

  1. ^ Gregg, Katherine. "On Smith Hill, Senators-elect learn the ropes on lawmaking". providencejournal.com. Retrieved April 29, 2020.