Representative Christopher R. Blazejewski
House Majority Leader
Christopher R. Blazejewski (D) was first elected in November 2010 and represents District 2 in Providence. He was first elected by his Democratic colleagues to serve as the House Majority Leader in November 2020, and re-elected in November 2022. As a representative, Leader Blazejewski has championed housing affordability, environmental protection, public education, civil rights, senior services, health care, and economic opportunity for working families.
Representative Blazejewski led passage of legislation aimed at improving housing affordability for Rhode Islanders of all income levels, including historic levels of funding to build more affordable housing for low and moderate income residents and support for people experiencing homelessness. He also cosponsored and led passage of laws banning housing rental application fees as well as housing discrimination on the basis of source of income, including housing vouchers, veteran's benefits, and Social Security income.
Representative Blazejewski cosponsored and led passage of the Act on Climate, requiring the state to reach net zero emissions based on current climate science and providing for an equitable and just transition and inclusion of environmental justice communities most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. He also led passage of the most robust renewable energy standard in the country, setting Rhode Island on course to 100% renewable electricity by 2033, and funding to help Rhode Island transition to a clean energy future.
Representative Blazejewski led passage of legislation to rebuild and repair our public school buildings and school infrastructure so students can learn in schools that are warm, safe, dry, and equipped for 21st century learning. He also led passage of additional state funding for public education, including for early childhood learning, multi-language learners, special education, and higher poverty school districts.
Representative Blazejewski cosponsored and led passage of the Reproductive Privacy Act, which protects reproductive rights in Rhode Island by codifying in state law the privacy rights and reproductive freedoms in Roe v. Wade. He cosponsored and led passage of the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act, which provides access to reproductive health care for all Rhode Islanders regardless of where they get their health insurance.
He also cosponsored and led passage of laws prohibiting high capacity firearms magazines, banning firearms from school grounds, and banning untraceable firearms - “ghost guns" and 3D-printed guns - in Rhode Island.
Representative Blazejewski cosponsored and led passage of legislation ensuring pay equity for Rhode Island workers regardless of sex, race, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, or country of ancestral origin. He sponsored a law making noncompetition agreements unenforceable against hourly and low-wage employees, children, and college students.
He sponsored the Wavemaker Fellowship program, which aims at attracting and retaining graduates in the fields of science, technology, engineering, design, education, and medicine through tax credits for student loan payments. He also cosponsored the fair chance licensing law protecting Rhode Islanders from being denied occupational licenses because of unrelated criminal convictions.
Representative Blazejewski led passage of legislation aimed at lowering the cost of prescription drugs and treatments, including codifying the federal Affordable Care Act into Rhode Island law, limiting out-of-pocket costs for specialty drugs and insulin, and making HIV-prevention medications free and accessible to qualifying patients. He also sponsored laws creating the Deborah DeBare Domestic Violence Prevention Fund and expanding the crime victims' compensation fund to assist domestic violence survivors and their children and families.
Representative Blazejewski graduated from Harvard University in 2002 and received his law degree from Harvard Law in 2005. An attorney, he works for Sherin and Lodgen LLP. He is licensed to practice law in Rhode Island and Massachusetts and is a member of the Rhode Island Bar Association.
Representative Blazejewski was born on Dec. 3, 1979. A lifelong Rhode Islander, he resides in Providence with his wife, Ami Gada, their daughter, Aria, and their son, Liam.