PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s part-time, $17,626.63-a-year legislators re-elected their leaders on Tuesday on opening day of a 2023-24 session that started with pledges of bipartisan cooperation within the closely Democrat-dominated Home and Senate – and a renewed dedication to fixing the state’s “housing and homelessness disaster.”
After trouncing Rep. Michael Chippendale, the chief of the small Home GOP, on a 63-to-8 largely party-line vote, newly reelected Home Speaker Okay. Joseph Shekarchi instructed colleagues, within the ready textual content of his remarks:
“Whereas Mike and I could not all the time agree on each difficulty, we’ve got all the time proven mutual respect for one another … and we each share a deep respect for this Home. Mike, I sit up for working with you and your caucus.”
Equally, Dominick Ruggerio – a state legislator since 1981 – simply received re-election as Senate president, a submit he has held for the reason that March 2017 mid-session resignation of his predecessor. Senate Republicans didn’t nominate an alternative choice to Ruggerio and the lone no vote was solid by Windfall Democrat Sen. Sam Bell.
“In the present day you get sworn in. Tomorrow you get sworn at,” Ruggerio stated, half-joking, in his opening day speech.
In a day crammed with pomp and circumstance, Supreme Court docket Justice Maureen McKenna Goldberg – the spouse of outstanding lobbyist Bob Goldberg – swore Shekarchi into his second two-year time period in what has been described because the state’s strongest political place.
Supreme Court docket Justice – and former state Sen. Erin Lynch Prata – administered the oath to Ruggerio after he received reelection as Senate president on a 36-to-1 vote.
In his personal tone-setting speech, Shekarchi, a 60-year-old Warwick Democrat and land-use lawyer, recalled his pledge two years in the past “to make this a member-driven physique” and usher in “a brand new spirit of collaboration – not solely throughout the Home, but in addition with companions in authorities in any respect ranges. ”
Trying again, he credited that “sturdy spirit of collaboration” with “unprecedented investments in housing… passage of the historic Act on Local weather” and what he described as “strategic tax aid that impacts just about all Rhode Islanders, together with the everlasting elimination of the automobile tax.”
Trying forward, he stated: “We’ve got made progress in tackling Rhode Island’s housing disaster. Nonetheless, we have to do far more… There could be little question [Rhode Island has] a housing disaster and a homelessness disaster. So long as there are folks with out protected and everlasting housing, our work isn’t performed.”
He stated he awaits the suggestions of two legislative commissions – that bought began in 2021 – “to have a look at lots of the obstacles to housing manufacturing in Rhode Island,” with a watch in direction of the introduction of laws “to aggressively and creatively sort out this crucial difficulty. “
“As our commissions have already heard, a few of the obstacles to housing manufacturing should be addressed on the native degree,” he stated, with out giving any additional clues as to how far the legislature may really be keen to go to beat native zoning restrictions – and NIMBY resistance.
Different Shekarchi targets might also sound acquainted: “There is no such thing as 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 grow to be a hub for all times sciences. “
Solely one of many 9 Republicans within the Home voted for Democrat Shekarchi: Rep. Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung, the spouse of former Cranstom Mayor Allan Fung who ousted the previous Home Speaker, Nicholas Mattiello, of their Cranston home-district two years in the past.
Ruggerio – the 74-year previous retired administrator of a New England arm of the Laborers Worldwide Union of North America recognized to his colleagues as “Donny” – sounded comparable themes:
“We’ve got unfinished enterprise…Making certain each scholar, in each metropolis and city, receives a high quality schooling and a powerful basis for future success. Making certain each Rhode Islander can entry well being care … particularly the psychological well being sources which might be wanted now greater than ever.
“Making certain our youngsters inherit a cleaner, extra resilient atmosphere…And making certain our small companies can create jobs and thrive.” he stated in an advance textual content of his remarks, that additionally positioned housing excessive on his listing.
Much more particularly, he renewed his earlier vow to attempt to persuade his budget-writing colleagues within the Home to think about an overhaul of R.I.’s education-financing formulation and fund each “common pre-kindergarten entry” and the alternative of all lead pipes.
“These are a few of the challenges we are able to … and can … handle collectively within the session that lies forward,” he promised.
The Home opened with 65 Democrats, 9 Republicans and one impartial (who has indicated he’ll caucus with the Democrats) and the Senate with 33 Democrats and 5 Republicans, which Senate spokesman Greg Paré has describes because the “most numerous Senate [class] in historical past” with a complete of seven minority members, together with the primary two Asians within the Rhode Island legislature.
Three lawmakers abstained on the vote to elect the speaker who will preside over the Home for the following two years: Reps. Brianna Henries, Jennifer Stewart and Enrique Sanchez.
Whereas the legislature historically meets three days per week, as soon as it will get rolling, the Senate solely plans to satisfy on Tuesdays in the beginning, and the Home on Tuesdays and Thursdays, although committees (but to be appointed) will meet extra typically.
