PROVIDENCE – The death of Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio, D-North Providence, not only leaves a void in the 4th District he represented for more than 40 years, but will bring about a succession process never before seen in Rhode Island political life.
Although a House speaker has been enshrined for centuries, the title of Senate president in the R.I. General Assembly wasn’t created until constitutional amendments went into effect in 2003 that downsized the legislature from 100 representatives and 50 senators and transferred Senate presiding officer duties from the lieutenant governor.
According to Common Cause Rhode Island Executive Director John Marion, the process to replace a sitting president that died while in office will be a first in the history of the Rhode Island Senate.
Indeed, Ruggerio was only the fourth Senate president in the state’s history.
"I'm not aware of any legislative leader dying while in office," said Marion.
But Marion said replacing a legislative leader for other reasons is nothing new on Smith Hill.
The state’s first Senate president, William V. Irons, resigned in 2004 amid an ethics probe regarding his insurance clients. He was succeeded by Joe Montalbano, who ended up losing his seat in 2008. Former Senate President Theresa Paiva-Weed, who was succeeded by Ruggerio, resigned her seat in 2017 to become president of the Rhode Island Hospital Association.
Former House Speaker Gordon Fox, who was elected in 1992 and elevated to House Speaker in 2010, resigned before he was convicted and later sentenced to federal prison for stealing campaign contributions and accepting bribes. And there was former House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello, who served as leader until losing his seat to Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung in 2020.
As with the death of any General Assembly member, state law mandates a special election be called by the R.I. secretary of state unless the vacancy occurred "after the first Monday in February in the second year of the biennial period for which a general assembly was chosen."
If a vacancy occurs after that time, the seat remains vacant until the next regularly scheduled election.
R.I. Secretary of State spokesperson Faith Chybowski on Monday declined to offer a possible time frame, but cited R.I. General Law mandating the election be held on a Tuesday between 70 and 90 days.
As for the next Senate president, Senate rules last adopted in March only say a replacement must be chosen during a Democratic Caucus presided over by the president pro tempore, currently Sen. Hannah Gallo, D-West Warwick, prior to an official vote on the Senate floor.
When that caucus will take place is undetermined. During a brief press conference Monday, Senate Majority Leader Valarie J. Lawson, D-East Providence, said the Senate has
canceled all its official business “until further notice.”
"We are mourning our dear friend and we ask you to respect that process," she said.
(Correction:Corrects Ruggerio fourth Senate president in state’s history in 4th paragraph, corrects timeline and names of other three Senate presidents in 7th paragraph.)
Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com .
