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View all Recent Press Releases
    
11/07/2025
MEDIA ADVISORY: House and Senate oversight committees to meet to question officials on Washington Bridge
The House Committee on Oversight is scheduled to convene jointly with the Senate Committee on Rules, Government Ethics and Oversight next week to investigate the circumstances around the failure, demolition and reconstruction of the westbound side of the Washington Bridge. The meeting was prompted by the recent release of a forensic audit and other new public details about the bridge, which spans the Seekonk River along the Interstate 195 corridor.

  
11/07/2025
Speaker Shekarchi appoints Rep. McEntee as chairwoman of House Judiciary Committee
Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee (D-Dist. 33, South Kingstown, Narragansett) has been appointed by Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi as the new chairwoman of the House Judiciary Committee. She has served as the committee’s first vice-chair for the last several legislative sessions.


  
10/27/2025
Shekarchi’s request to support workers impacted by government shutdown approved by PUC; RI Energy to assist affected Rhode Islanders
Rhode Island Energy has granted House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi’s request to provide relief to Rhode Island households impacted by the government shutdown by agreeing to not impose utility shutoffs through payment holds without interest or penalty.



  
10/23/2025
Former U.S. Attorney Cunha to assist joint Oversight Public Hearing Being Planned for November 13
Prompted by the recent release of the forensic audit and other new public details about the Washington Bridge, Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and Senate President Valarie J. Lawson announced today that a joint hearing of the House and Senate oversight committees is being planned for the afternoon of Thursday, Nov. 13.


  
10/23/2025
Shekarchi calls on Rhode Island Energy to support federal workers impacted by government shutdown
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi is calling on Rhode Island Energy to provide relief to Rhode Island households impacted by the government shutdown by agreeing to not impose utility shutoffs and through payment holds without interest or penalty, mirroring a similar program in Massachusetts.



  
10/21/2025
Speaker Shekarchi, Governor McKee launch first wave of housing bond programs
Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi joined Governor Dan McKee and Secretary of Housing Deborah Goddard today to announce the launch of the first wave of programs supported by Rhode Island’s historic $120 million housing bond approved by voters.


  
10/21/2025
State leaders break ground on 124 housing units at Walker Lofts
House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, Sen. Jacob E. Bissaillon and Rep. Mary Ann Shallcross Smith joined other state and local officials, project partners, housing advocates, community members yesterday to break ground on Walker Lofts, an adaptive reuse project transforming the long-vacant Sayles Company Dye House in Lincoln into vital housing for Rhode Islanders.



  
10/17/2025
Speaker Shekarchi, President Lawson and 195 District mark major milestone with new Life Sciences Building
Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) and Senate President Valarie J. Lawson (D-Dist. 14, East Providence) were joined today by representatives of the 195 District and numerous dignitaries to mark the completion of the 150 Richmond building with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting. 


  
10/17/2025
Speaker Shekarchi, Rep. Fogarty join officials at ribbon cutting of new URI track and field facility
Speaker of the House K. Joseph Shekarchi and Rep. Kathleen A. Fogarty (D-Dist. 35, South Kingstown) joined URI Director of Athletics Thorr Bjorn and other officials at the groundbreaking ceremony for URI’s new track and field facility Thursday.

  
10/16/2025
Shekarchi, Lawson join officials at opening of state-of-the-art cyber range training facility
Speaker of the House K. Joseph Shekarchi and Senate President Valarie Lawson joined other officials at the Institute for Cybersecurity & Emerging Technologies at Rhode Island College Wednesday for the grand opening of a new, state-of-the-art cybersecurity range, powered by IBM.

  
10/14/2025
Noret, Appollonio join governor for signing of law requiring universal changing stations in new public buildings
Rep. Thomas E. Noret and Sen. Peter A. Appollonio Jr. joined Gov. Dan McKee today for a ceremonial bill signing of legislation they sponsored that requires universal changing stations in new public buildings.

  
10/14/2025
MEDIA ADVISORY: Revenue & Caseload Estimating Conference scheduled
The Revenue & Caseload Estimating Conference is scheduled to take place Monday, Oct. 27 through Monday, Nov. 10.


  
10/03/2025
Speaker Shekarchi, President Lawson Begin Planning Oversight Hearing
Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and Senate President Valarie J. Lawson met yesterday to discuss the logistics of a joint hearing of the House and Senate Oversight Committees on the Washington Bridge, which they are planning for November. Due to the ongoing litigation related to the Washington Bridge, Speaker Shekarchi and President Lawson have consulted with Attorney General Peter Neronha.   
09/29/2025
In light of forensic audit, Speaker and Senate President call for another oversight hearing on Washington Bridge
Statement from Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) and Senate President Valarie J. Lawson (D-Dist. 14, East Providence):


  
09/25/2025
Shekarchi, LaMountain join officials to celebrate ribbon cutting of new housing units in Warwick
Speaker of the House K. Joseph Shekarchi and Sen. Matthew L. LaMountain (D-Dist. 31, Warwick, Cranston) joined Gov. Dan McKee, other officials and GoodHomes Communities to cut the ribbon on The Presley Apartments. A former Sheraton hotel, the Presley has 190 studio and one-bedroom rentable units priced for middle-income individuals and families.

  
09/23/2025
Baby Bonds bill sponsored by Sen. Murray and Giraldo highlighted in State House ceremony
State leaders and advocates gathered at the State House yesterday for a ceremony honoring the signing of legislation sponsored by Sen. Melissa Murray and Rep. Joshua Giraldo to create the Rhode Island Baby Bonds Trust.


  
09/23/2025
Sponsors join General Treasurer and state leaders to celebrate Resilient Rhody Infrastructure Fund law
Sponsors Senate Majority Leader Frank A. Ciccone III and Rep. Terri Cortvriend yesterday joined General Treasurer James A. Diossa, the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank and the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns as Gov. Dan McKee ceremonially signed into law legislation creating the Resilient Rhody Infrastructure Fund.
 

  
09/19/2025
Legislative sponsors join governor for ceremonial signing of Alzheimer’s and dementia awareness law

Deputy Majority Whip Mia A. Ackerman and Sen. Pamela J. Lauria joined Governor Dan McKee today for a ceremonial signing of legislation they sponsored to improve public health education about Alzheimer’s and dementia.


 

  
09/12/2025
Legislative sponsors join Governor for ceremonial signing of health care legislation
Senate President Valarie Lawson and fellow legislative sponsors Rep. Brandon Potter, Sen. Melissa Murray, Rep. Michelle McGaw, Rep. Kathleen Fogarty, Sen. Peter A. Appollonio Jr., and Sen. John P. Burke joined Gov. Dan McKee Friday for a ceremonial signing of new health care bills from the 2025 legislative session.



  
09/12/2025
Read, Raptakis attend signing of law to allow teachers to conduct a moment of silence in schools on Sept. 11
Rep. Earl A. Read III and Sen. Leonidas P. Raptakis joined Gov. Dan McKee Thursday for a ceremonial signing of legislation that allows teachers in public schools to hold a brief moment of silence to recognize the anniversary of the tragic attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

  
09/08/2025
Lawmakers join officials in recognizing National 988 Day
Rhode Island legislators joined the state’s 988 Call Center, Gov. Dan McKee, federal and state officials, representatives from the New England Patriots and local community members today to officially launch 988 Day.

  
09/05/2025
Noret, Tikoian join governor for signing of law to put safety cameras on school buses
Legislators who sponsored a bill that requires Rhode Island school buses to be equipped with video systems to help monitor traffic violations and keep students, aides, and bus drivers safe joined Gov. Dan McKee today as he ceremonially signed the legislation (S0568A/H5421Aaa) at Pleasant View Elementary School in Smithfield.

  
09/04/2025
Speaker Shekarchi and Senate President Lawson statement on Revolution Wind lawsuit
“We applaud the lawsuit filed today by Attorney General Peter Neronha to overturn President Trump’s unjustified stop-work order of the Revolution Wind project that is 80 percent completed. 


  
09/02/2025
Ceremony held for ‘PURPLE Alert’ bill for missing individuals with disabilities
Legislation sponsored by Rep. Tina L. Spears and Sen. Todd M. Patalano to establish a “PURPLE Alert” system to help quickly find missing adults with serious disabilities whose health and safety is at risk was ceremonially signed into law by Governor Dan McKee today.



  
09/02/2025
Legislative leaders join kickoff of Attendance Matters campaign
Rep. Jospeh M. McNamara, chairman of the House Education Committee, and Senate President Valarie J. Lawson (D-Dist. 14, East Providence), joined state officials today to kick off the Attendance Matters RI campaign for school year 2025-26 with a third consecutive year of decreased chronic absenteeism.