Opening Day: RI General Assembly Kicks Off 2015-16 Session Tuesday

The 2015-2016 session of the Rhode Island General Assembly is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, January 6, when the 75 members of the House of Representatives and the 38 members of the Senate are sworn into office. The membership includes 15 new Representatives and three new Senators.

The opening-day session of both the Senate and the House of Representatives will begin at 4 p.m.

Rhode Island’s newly-inaugurated Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea will deliver the oath of office in separate ceremonies in the two legislative chambers.

As part of the opening day proceedings in the House, Rep. Nicholas A. Mattiello (D-Dist. 15, Cranston) is expected to be re-elected for his first full two-year term as Speaker of the House. Mattiello, who was first elected Speaker on March 25, 2014, will address House members following the vote.

The Senate, as part of its opening day activities, is expected to re-elect Sen. M. Teresa Paiva Weed (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown) as President of the Senate for the new session. Following that formal vote, she will address Senate members.

As with all General Assembly sessions, the media and public are invited to attend.

The opening day House session will be broadcast live by Capitol TV (Channel 34 for Cox Communications and Full Channel, Channel 1013 for Cox HD and Channel 15 for Verizon), with the Senate session shown on tape immediately afterwards. (Both sessions will be streamed live on the General Assembly website.

The House of Representatives, with its 15 new members, will be comprised of 63 Democrats, 11 Republicans and one Independent. The Senate, with its three new members, will be made up of 32 Democrats, five Republicans and one independent.

Following is a list of the individuals who will be inaugurated into their first term in their respective chamber:

• Rep. Jean Philippe Barros (D-Dist. 59, Pawtucket).
  
• Rep. Lauren H. Carson (D-Dist. 75, Newport).
  
• Rep. David A. Coughlin Jr. (D-Dist. 60, Pawtucket).
  
• Rep. Blake Anthony Filippi (I-Dist. 36, Charlestown, New Shoreham, South Kingstown, Westerly).
  
• Rep. Kathleen A. Fogarty (D-Dist. 35, South Kingstown).
  
• Rep. Robert B. Lancia (R-Dist. 16, Cranston).
  
• Rep. Shelby Maldonado (D-Dist. 56, Central Falls).
  
• Rep. Daniel P. McKiernan (D-Dist. 7, Providence).
  
• Rep. Robert A. Nardolillo III (R-Dist. 28, Coventry).
  
• Rep. Justin Price (R-Dist. 39, Hopkinton, Exeter, Richmond).
  
• Rep. Aaron Regunberg (D-Dist. 4, Providence).
  
• Rep. Daniel Patrick Reilly (R-Dist. 72, Middletown, Portsmouth).
  
• Rep. Sherry Roberts (R-Dist. 29, West Greenwich, Coventry).
  
• Rep, Joseph J. Solomon Jr. (D-Dist. 22, Warwick).
  
• Rep. Carlos E. Tobon (D-Dist. 58, Pawtucket).
  
• Sen. Cynthia Armour Coyne (D-Dist. 32, Barrington, Bristol, East Providence).
  
• Sen. Mark W. Gee (R-Dist. 35, East Greenwich, Narragansett, North Kingstown,South Kingstown).
  
• Sen. Elaine J. Morgan (R-Dist. 34, Charlestown, Exeter, Hopkinton, Richmond,West Greenwich).
  

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