Lawson elected President of the Rhode Island Senate – Ciccone elected Majority Leader

And – Democratic Caucus chooses Frank A. Ciccone III as new Majority Leader

The Rhode Island Senate on Tuesday elected Valarie J. Lawson (D-Dist. 14, East Providence) as Senate President (24-8-4), succeeding the late Dominick J. Ruggerio. Additionally, the Senate’s Democratic Caucus elected Frank A. Ciccone III (D-Dist. 7, Providence, Johnston) as its Majority Leader, a post in which he succeeds Sen. Lawson.

“The trust my colleagues have placed in me means more than I can express. Serving as President of the Rhode Island Senate is an awesome responsibility, one that I will work tirelessly to uphold. I congratulate Majority Leader Ciccone and look forward to working alongside him. As the Senate enters the final, busy weeks of the legislative session, we are still in mourning. As we acknowledge the tremendous loss our chamber has experienced in recent years, we will honor the memory, friendship, and incredible service of our cherished colleagues by working together for our constituents, our communities, and our state,” said President Lawson.

“I am humbled to be chosen by my colleagues as Majority Leader of the Rhode Island Senate. I want to congratulate President Lawson, and I look forward to working with our leadership team and our entire membership as we enter this critical phase of the legislative session. We all bring different ideas and priorities to our work together, and I have tremendous admiration and respect for all my colleagues. Together, let us work through our differences to honor the memory and legacy of our friend, Dominick Ruggerio,” said Leader Ciccone.

President Lawson was first elected to the Senate in 2018. She has been an active voice on a range of issues, including education, public health, protections for senior citizens, and the East Providence community. She has also led efforts to expand paid family leave through the Temporary Caregiver Insurance, or TCI, program.

President Lawson is a lifelong resident of East Providence and earned both a Bachelor’​s Degree and a Master’s Degree from Rhode Island College. She taught in East Providence public schools for 32 years and is the former President of the East Providence Education Association. In 2023, she was elected President of the National Education Association Rhode Island.

Leader Ciccone was first elected to the Senate in 2002. He has been active on many issues during his time in the General Assembly, including labor, health care and conservation. He sponsored a 2022 law extending driving privileges to undocumented Rhode Islanders and the 2021 Forest Conservation Act to help protect the state’s forests. He has also advocated for increases in the minimum wage and the expansion of multilingual learning opportunities. Most recently, he served as Chair of the Senate Committee on Labor.

A graduate of Hope High School, Leader Ciccone attended Bryant College. He served in the Rhode Island Army National Guard and has been active in various community organizations. He formerly served as Business Manager of Rhode Island Judicial, Professional, and Technical Employees Local Union 808.