Representative William W. O’Brien
Deputy Majority Leader
Chair, House Finance Public Safety Subcommittee
First Vice Chair, House Corporations Committee
First Vice Chair, House Rules Committee
Member, House Finance
Committee
William W. O'Brien (D) has served the residents of North Providence in District 54 since first being elected in November 2012. He was named a Deputy Majority Leader in April 2014. Representative O'Brien is a member of the House Finance Committee and chairs its Public Safety Subcommittee. He also serves as the first vice chair of both the House Corporations Committee and the House Rules Committee, and is the chair of the Permanent Joint Committee on State Lottery.
Representative O'Brien sponsored two new laws in 2025 that address his long-term efforts to protect animals in the state: one bill prohibits the declawing of cats, a painful procedure, unless medically necessary to save a cat's life, and another bill stiffens the penalties for animal abuse, particularly the practice of holding animal fights.
In 2025 he also he sponsored a new law that allows retired teachers to substitute in excess of 90 days and up to 180 days in a single school year in certain instances to help with Rhode Island's teacher shortages, and a law that requires all full-time lifeguards, park and forest rangers who work at any public beach or facility to be trained in administering opioid antagonists, such as Narcan.
In 2024, Representative O'Brien introduced a new law that stiffens penalties for dog abuse. He was also the sponsor of a new law that allows liquor stores to offer unlimited free samples once during the month of August.
Also in 2024, Representative O'Brien was instrumental in the passage of Article 8 in the FY 25 state budget that restored several million dollars of proposed education aid cuts. Additionally, he was elected as chairman of the Permanent Joint Committee on State Lottery.
During the 2023 session, Representative O'Brien introduced a new law which addresses lead pipes in homes by creating a lead water supply replacement program for both public and private service lines, with a requirement that all affected lines are replaced within 10 years. He sponsored another new law that will help address the current shortage of educators in Rhode Island schools by temporarily removing the limit on the number of days that retired teachers, administrators, and staff members can return to work as substitute employees during any school year. He also reintroduced legislation to mandate the arming of campus police officers at the state's public colleges.
One of Rep. O'Brien's areas of focus has been on improving the quality and affordability of public education. His legislation that created dual enrollment programs at Rhode Island schools enables students to enroll at a college or university as non-degree students and have the courses be recognized toward degree completion at both the college and high school levels.
Born on July 27, 1969, he is a 1987 graduate with honors from North Providence High School and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor's degree in mathematics from Rhode Island College in 1991. He later studied at Providence College, the University of Rhode Island, and Florida International University.
Representative O'Brien was a math teacher in the Providence public school system for 20 years; for the past five years he has served as a truancy officer there. He served in the Peace Corps in South Africa from 1998 to 2000 and was a North Providence Jets youth football coach for 12 years. He is engaged to Jacqueline Celeste.