Representative John J. Lombardi
Second Vice Chair, House Special Legislation Committee
Member, House Small Business Committee
Member, House Veterans' Affairs Committee
John J. Lombardi (D) has served the residents of Providence in District 8 since first being elected in November 2012. He is the second vice chair of the House Special Legislation Committee and is a member of the House Small Business Committee and the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.
In 2026, he sponsored legislation that would permit the Family Court to award possession of household pets to the plaintiff in a domestic abuse complaint. He also sponsored a bill that would enable the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) to work with the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) to allow commuter rail passes to be used as dual passes for both RIPTA and MBTA.
During the 2025 legislative session, Representative Lombardi introduced legislation that would prohibit landlords from inquiring about an applicant's prior incarceration and from discriminating against those who have been released from prison. He also introduced a bill that would require school committees to provide transportation for any students who reside two or more miles from school.
Born on April 30, 1952, Representative Lombardi graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in Providence in 1970 and tearned his bachelor's degree from Rhode Island College in 1975. He earned a master's degree in education from RIC in 1982 and a law degree from Suffolk University in Boston in 1987.
In addition to his duties as a legislator, Representative Lombardi is employed as an attorney and was named the Chief Judge of the Providence Municipal Court in January 2023. He served as an Associate Judge in the Municipal Court since 2014. He served on the Providence City Council for more than 26 years, including one year as acting mayor and eight years as council president. He is the former president of Federal Hill House and Zuccolo Recreation Center.
Representative Lombardi resides in Providence with his wife, Denise.