President Ruggerio Makes Leadership Appointments, Names Committee Chairs
STATE HOUSE — Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio (D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence) has made several appointments to the Senate leadership team.
Sen. Maryellen Goodwin (D-Dist. 1, Providence) will once again serve as Senate Majority Whip, a position she has held since 2011.
Sen. Ana B. Quezada (D-Dist. 2, Providence) has been appointed to serve as Deputy Whip. First elected in 2016, Senator Quezada will also serve as Secretary of Education and as a member of the Judiciary Committee.
Sen. James A. Seveney (D-Dist. 11, Bristol, Portsmouth, Tiverton) and Sen. Valarie J. Lawson (D-Dist. 14, East Providence) will both serve as Deputy Majority Leaders. Senator Seveney, who was first elected in 2016, will also serve as Vice Chairman of the Senate Rules, Government Ethics and Oversight Committee and as a member of the Committees on Finance; Education; and Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs. Senator Lawson, who was first elected in 2018, will serve as Secretary of the Health and Human Services and Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs committees.
Sen. Joshua Miller (D-Dist. 28, Cranston, Providence), who chairs the Health and Human Services Committee, has been reappointed Democratic Policy Chairman.
“I am proud to be working with such a dynamic team of colleagues,” said President Ruggerio. “The Senate will take on the serious issues facing our state with a bipartisan team of committee leaders and with the most diverse Senate this state has ever known.”
President Ruggerio appointed committees today, including several new committee chairpersons. Sen. V. Susan Sosnowski (D-Dist. 37, South Kingstown, New Shoreham) will helm the Commerce Committee; Sen. Sandra Cano (D-Dist. 8, Pawtucket) will lead the Education Committee; Sen. Dawn Euer (D-Dist. 13, Newport, Jamestown) will chair the Environment and Agriculture Committee; Sen. Ryan W. Pearson (D-Dist. 19, Cumberland, Lincoln) will chair the Finance Committee; Sen. Cynthia A. Coyne (D-Dist. 32, Barrington, Bristol, East Providence) will chair the Judiciary Committee; and Sen. Louis P. DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Newport, Tiverton, Little Compton) will head up the Rules, Government Ethics and Oversight Committee.
Four committee chairs were reappointed, including Sen. Joshua Miller (D-Dist. 28, Cranston, Providence), Health and Human Services Committee; Sen. Frank S. Lombardo III (D-Dist. 25, Johnston), Housing and Municipal Government; Sen. Frank A. Ciccone III (D-Dist. 7, Providence, North Providence), Labor; and Sen. Walter S. Felag Jr. (D-Dist. 10, Bristol, Tiverton, Warren), Special Legislation and Veterans Affairs.
The Supreme Court is considering whether Donald Trump is immune from criminal prosecution for acts he took in office. The case before them today centered around Trump's federal election interference charges. Trump's attorney argued prosecuting a president for official acts "incompatible" with Constitution. The special counsel attorney argued the Constitution does not grant a president absolute immunity. 
