Representative Scott A. Slater
Deputy Majority Leader
First Vice Chair, House Finance Committee
Member, House Rules Committee
Member, House Special Legislation Committee
Scott A. Slater (D) has served the people of Providence in District 10 since winning a special election in November 2009 to fill the seat after the passing of his father, Thomas Slater. He is a Deputy Majority Leader. Representative Slater is the first vice chair of the House Finance Committee and chairs that committee's Education Subcommittee. He also serves as a member of the House Rules Committee and the House Special Legislation Committee. Representative Slater is also a member of the Permanent Joint Committee on State Lottery.
After many years of advocacy, in 2022,
Representative Slater’s legislation to legalize recreational adult use of cannabis was signed into law.
He also introduced a bill in 2022 which would
establish an income-sensitive tiered subsidy program to ensure that home energy utility costs are affordable for eligible low-income households, and he cosponsored legislation which would limit rate increases by electric distribution companies to either 5.5% annually or be no greater than the increase in the Consumer Price Index.
During the 2021 session, Representative Slater sponsored a new law, the Nursing Home Staffing and Quality Care Act, which sets minimum staffing levels for Rhode Island nursing homes. He also sponsored two other new laws to reclassify simple possession of 10 grams or less of certain controlled substances as a misdemeanor charge, punishable up to two years, rather than a felony, and that upon its own motion or upon request of a parolee, the Parole Board is enabled
to terminate a parolee's supervision and legal custody order in accordance with certain guidelines.
In the 2020 legislative session, Representative Slater successfully sponsored a law which creates a new process with standards to be utilized when deciding whether an applicant's past conviction of a crime should disqualify the applicant from receiving an occupational license, permit, certificate, or registration issued by the state. He also sponsored a bill which mandates minimum staffing levels and standards for quality care for nursing homes with penalties for violations, grants for enhanced training, and wages adjusted for inflation.
Representative Slater also sponsored a bill that amends the state's medical marijuana program by creating a hardship designation for patients on SSDI and Medicaid, establishes a discount medicine program, eliminates plant tagging, allows unlimited compassion center licenses, redefines debilitating condition, and reduces the compassion center license fee to $5,000.
Aside from his legislative duties, he works as a budget analyst for the City of Providence. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Bryant University. Born on May 28, 1975, he is married to Bianca Rodriguez and they have two daughters, Mia and Madeline.