Paiva Weed, Ruggerio Re-Elected Legislative Leaders
Thursday, November 06, 2014
The Rhode Island Senate’s Democrats unanimously endorsed M. Teresa Paiva Weed as their nominee for reelection to the Office of President of the Senate at a Democratic Caucus held today in the Senate Lounge at the State House.
The Senate Democrats also unanimously re-elected Dominick J. Ruggerio to a third term as Senate Majority Leader.
“The Senate is comprised of many talented and passionate public servants who come to the State House each day and work tirelessly to make our state a better place to raise a family and run a business,” said Senator Paiva Weed. “Working together with our outstanding Majority Leader, Dominick Ruggerio, and all the members of the Senate, we will continue to confront the serious challenges facing Rhode Island.”
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTPaiva Weed bio
Paiva Weed is completing her third term as President of the Senate. She previously served for five years, from 2004 through 2008, as Senate Majority Leader. She is the first woman in Rhode Island history to serve in either of these offices. She is also the first woman to chair the Senate Judiciary Committee (1997-2000).
Paiva Weed served as Vice Chairwoman of the Senate Finance Committee from 2002 to 2004, and as Deputy Chairwoman of the Senate Finance Committee’s Subcommittee on Public Safety and the Environment from 2000 to 2002.
First elected to the Senate in 1992, Senator Paiva Weed in recent years worked with business leaders to develop the “Moving the Needle” package to improve the state’s economic competitiveness, and the “Rhode to Work” action plan to overhaul job training and skills development systems. She led efforts to reduce bureaucratic hurdles faced by small businesses, creating a Senate Small Business Task Force and developing the Senate’s “Making it Easy to do Business inRhode Island” initiatives, including creation of the Office of Regulatory Reform.
She sponsored the Rhode Island Retirement Security Act of 2011, which was co-sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Dominick J. Ruggerio.
“I am extremely honored by the confidence that my colleagues have placed in me,” said Ruggerio. “Working together over the next two years, we will get Rhode Islanders back to work and get our economy moving. We will enact fair, compassionate and responsible budgets. We will preserve the environment, promote quality of life and protect the vulnerable. The challenges facing our state are significant, but so too is the resolve to address them by this tremendous group of senators under the outstanding leadership of President Teresa Paiva Weed.”
Ruggerio bio
Ruggerio championed the legislation establishing the I-195 Redevelopment Commission to bring investment into the capital city, create good paying jobs and invigorate new industries. He has sponsored initiatives to reform economic development in the state, including the requirement for long term economic planning, as well as legislation to remove bureaucratic hurdles facing small businesses. Other initiatives Senator Ruggerio has sponsored to help make Rhode Island more competitive include the law, enacted in 2007, allowing automobile dealerships to open on Sundays.
Ruggerio has sponsored legislation to preserve the environment, including new laws to institute recycling and collection programs for products such as paint, batteries, and mercury used in automobiles and to improve collection and disposal rules for mercury thermostats and mattresses. He has been named an “Earth Day Champion” by Clean Water Action and Ocean State Action.
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