Thanks to Speaker Professional Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy and Consultant Leonela Felix on your type phrases in inserting my title into nomination.
Brian is beginning his thirty fifth yr within the Home, and as I advised the freshmen at their Orientation, he’ll nonetheless be on this chamber lengthy after they’re gone! In the present day can be Brian’s birthday… Comfortable birthday Brian!
To all those that supported me as we speak, I sincerely thanks. I’m honored and humbled, and can attempt to dwell as much as the belief you have got positioned in me.
I’d particularly prefer to thank Majority Chief Chris Blazejewski for being my associate in authorities, my trusted advisor, and good friend.
The Home has had so many unbelievable accomplishments over the previous two years – and these couldn’t have been performed with out the onerous work and cautious steerage of Chief Blazejewski.
To Minority Chief Mike Chippendale – as you start your first session in your new position, I give you my congratulations and best needs.
Whereas Mike and I’ll not at all times agree on each subject, now we have at all times proven mutual respect for one another … and we each share a deep respect for this Home. Mike, I look ahead to working with you and your caucus.
I’d additionally prefer to thank Supreme Courtroom Justice Maureen McKenna Goldberg for once more swearing me in, and my good good friend and former Home colleague, Secretary of State Gregg Amore, for administering the oath of workplace to all of us.
And to my sister Mary, thanks for standing with me as we speak, and to all of my household, I recognize your assist as effectively.
Thanks all.
Two years in the past, when Chief Blazejewski and I stood earlier than lots of you, we pledged to make this a member-driven physique, and dedicated to a brand new spirit of collaboration – not solely throughout the Home, but additionally with companions in authorities in any respect ranges.
Since that first day, now we have labored to convey individuals collectively and now we have targeted on constructing consensus in pursuit of the widespread good. On the finish of the day, no matter the place we stand on the various points we face, all of us come into this room with one of the best pursuits of our personal constituents — and all the state — at coronary heart.
I consider a powerful spirit of collaboration has helped us accomplish a lot: the previous two-year time period was one of the vital productive in latest historical past.
The laws we handed was the results of many, many hours of onerous work. For that, I thanks. I’m so proud to guide this extremely numerous and gifted group of lawmakers.
Over the past two years, we laid a strong groundwork and have achieved a lot:
- Unprecedented investments in housing – greater than $250 million {dollars}, and the institution of the first-ever everlasting funding stream for inexpensive housing in Rhode Island
- One of the best two years of environmental policy-making in Rhode Island historical past, together with passage of the historic Act on Local weather
- And, up to now two years, now we have handed three truthful and balanced budgets through which now we have not raised taxes.
- In actual fact, now we have applied strategic tax reduction that impacts just about all Rhode Islanders, together with the everlasting elimination of the automobile tax
As we embark on a brand new legislative time period, we have to construct upon that basis. We’ll proceed to satisfy the wants of as we speak whereas placing ourselves in one of the best place to unravel the issues of tomorrow.
We’ve got made progress in tackling Rhode Island’s housing disaster. Nonetheless, we have to do rather more. Our state’s lack of inexpensive housing has been uncovered in latest months. There might be little doubt now we have a housing disaster and a homelessness disaster. So long as there are individuals with out protected and everlasting housing, our work isn’t performed.
Within the final session, we created two commissions, which have been working diligently to have a look at most of the limitations to housing manufacturing in Rhode Island. One fee, led by Chairwoman June Speakman, is learning the state’s Low and Average Earnings Housing Act; the opposite fee comprised of a wide range of material consultants is learning land use extra usually.
I’m extremely happy with the work of each commissions, and look ahead to receiving their suggestions, which we hope will result in much more housing laws this yr to aggressively and creatively deal with this vital subject.
With the intention to discover options to our housing disaster, we have to convey all events to the desk, together with cities and cities. As our commissions have already heard, a few of the limitations to housing manufacturing have to be addressed on the native degree.
Whereas now we have constructed and funded a strong framework over the previous two years, now we should make sure that the directives now we have set forth are executed as swiftly and effectively as attainable.
Because the stewards of the state’s price range, our single most necessary responsibility as a Home, we should make sure that taxpayer sources are leveraged judiciously.
We’ve got allotted unprecedented investments in housing, healthcare, and human companies. We should guarantee these {dollars} are deployed successfully, expeditiously, and prudently.
We have to be steadfast in guaranteeing that the laws and funding now we have all labored so diligently to craft is applied.
As a result of, whereas now we have weathered the storm of COVID-19, there may be one other actual and impending storm on the horizon: the recession of 2023.
Whereas we proceed working to strengthen our financial system now, we should anticipate and put together for the financial system of tomorrow.
There isn’t a cause why Rhode Island can’t be a pacesetter within the bioscience discipline. Our world-class healthcare and better schooling establishments, mixed with our proximity to different metropolitan areas, uniquely positions Rhode Island to develop into a hub for all times sciences.
The rising inexperienced financial system additionally presents a number of alternatives for us to create new jobs whereas we transfer away from reliance on carbon fuels. I wish to construct on our final two years of historic accomplishments in environmental initiatives.
We should proceed striving to satisfy the renewable vitality objectives and the rules outlined within the Act on Local weather.
We additionally have to make it possible for the following era of our workforce is educated and prepared – we should make sure that all of our college students are capable of obtain and are ready for fulfillment.
As we construct on the accomplishments of the final two years, we’ll proceed to take care of the transparency that has been the hallmark of my speakership. We higher serve the general public when our authorities is open and accessible.
I ask you to hitch me in committing to those beliefs.
This can be a very special occasion for our freshmen members and their households. Thanks to all the new members’ households for sharing them with us – you all have most likely already discovered how a lot onerous work goes into being a State Consultant!
I’m very impressed with this class of 12 freshmen – their vitality, ardour, and dedication to the problems! This can be a GREAT class.
And, they’re becoming a member of a GREAT Home.
To my colleagues on this chamber, I consider in you. I’m excited to proceed the work we’ve began, and to perform much more nice issues — working collectively to get issues performed this session.
Thanks. God Bless you all.
