Representative Joshua J. Giraldo
First Vice Chair, House Health and Human Services Committee
Member, House Education Committee
Member, House Veterans' Affairs Committee
Member, House Special Legislation Committee
Joshua J. Giraldo (D) was first elected in March 2020 to the seat in
House District 56 in Central Falls in a special election, and then won
re-election in November 2020 and November 2022. He is a member of the
House Education Committee, the House Health and Human Services
Committee, the House Small Business Committee and the House Special
Legislation Committee. He is the vice chair of the House’s Housing
Affordability Commission.
A strong advocate for opioid policy reform, he sponsored a law during the
2023 session that allows
the collecting of information from overdose deaths to aid in prevention
strategies. He also received the John Fogarty Award from the Governor’s
Commission on Disabilities for his sponsorship of a law that
removes harmful disability-related language in state law, implementing
the use of appropriate disability language by replacing outdated terms.
In 2022, he sponsored a new law that require
state employees to undergo cultural competency training in a program
created by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Opportunity. He also
sponsored legislation that requires
specifically reserved parking spaces for individuals transporting
young children under the age of three years old in baby strollers.
During the 2021 session, he sponsored a law that authorized the City of
Central Falls to issue bonds of $5.76 million to finance
the construction and renovation of schools in the city. Central
Falls voters later approved the referendum.
He also sponsored a new law that prohibits the waiving of rules and
regulations relating to minority-owned
businesses involved with state contracts during periods such as a
declared state of emergency. He also sponsored a law that prohibits
discrimination against a potential organ transplant recipient based
solely on a physical or mental disability.
Representative Giraldo is the Chief of Human Capital for Blackstone
Valley Prep Mayoral Academy. He served as chief of staff for Central
Falls Mayor James Diossa from October 2015 to July 2020. Before that, he
worked as a teacher at Blackstone Valley Prep Mayoral Academy and as a
family literacy instructor at Dorcas Place Family Learning Center. He
also served as director of the Central Falls Department of Parks and
Recreation for two years before becoming chief of staff.
A graduate of Central Falls High School in 2004, he earned a bachelor’s
degree in elementary and secondary education from Providence College in
2008.
Representative Giraldo, who was born on November 18, 1986, resides in
Central Falls with his wife Maité and their daughters, Valentina,
Catalina and Isabella.