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1/31/2023
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Rep. Donovan to lead Health and Human Services Committee
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 STATE HOUSE – Rep. Susan R. Donovan has been named chairwoman of the House Health and Human Services Committee, House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi announced today.
The Health and Human Services Committee deliberates matters relating to the health care system, human services and children and families.
Representative Donovan (D-Dist. 69, Bristol, Portsmouth) previously served as the committee’s second vice chairwoman, and has served on the committee — which was known as the Health, Education and Welfare Committee until 2021 — since she first became a member of the House in 2017.
“I am very eager to lead the work of a committee that has the ability to make profound, positive differences in the lives and wellbeing of every Rhode Islander. We are fortunate to have a very dedicated committee of representatives with a wide-ranging experience within the realms of health and human services. I look forward to the interesting and enlightening exploration of ideas we will undertake together this year to improve public health and services,” said Chairwoman Donovan.
Much of Chairwoman Donovan’s legislative work has been within the areas of health and human services. In 2021, she was the sponsor of a law that boosts the use of electronic medical records and another to allow patients to protect their privacy by having their health care mailings directed to themselves instead of a spouse or parent. She has sponsored or cosponsored numerous bills to improve the lives of children and families, including a law to help ensure effectiveness of Child Opportunity Zones and another that bans conversion therapy for minors. She backs many measures to help seniors, including a new law that streamlines the SNAP application process for those 60 and older.
Additionally, Chairwoman Donovan will continue to serve as a member of the Education Committee, which considers matters related to education; the House Oversight Committee, which reviews the operation and efficiency of various state departments and agencies; and the Veterans’ Affairs Committee, which handles all legislation impacting the lives of Rhode Island veterans and those currently in military service.
A retired public school teacher, Chairwoman Donovan earned the 2007 Governor’s Award for Wellness Innovation in the school category and in 2008, she was named Bristol Warren Teacher of the Year. She has also worked as an education consultant at the Brown University Institute of Community Health Promotion.
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-1923
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