Valarie Lawson - Wikipedia

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Val Lawson

4th President of the Rhode Island Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office April 29, 2025
Preceded by	Dominick J. Ruggerio
Majority Leader of the Rhode Island Senate
In office January 7, 2025 – April 29, 2025
Preceded by	Ryan W. Pearson
Succeeded by	Frank Ciccone
Member of the Rhode Island Senate from the 14th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 2019
Preceded by	Daniel Da Ponte

Personal details
Born	(1966-08-14) August 14, 1966 (age 58) East Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	Rhode Island College (BA, MA)
Website	Campaign website

Valarie Lawson (born August 14, 1966) is an American politician and a Democratic member of the Rhode Island Senate, representing District 14 since January 2019.^[1]^[2]

Lawson is also an educator at East Providence High School where she teaches U.S History and civics.^[3] She is also the Vice-President of the National Education Association of Rhode Island, she will become the president of this teachers union in 2023.^[4]^[5]

Lawson was elected as majority leader of the Rhode Island Senate in November 2024 and as president in April 2025 following the death of Dominick J. Ruggerio.^[6]^[7]

References

[edit]

^ "State of Rhode Island General Assembly". www.rilegislature.gov. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
^ "Biography". Providence, Rhode Island: Rhode Island Senate. Retrieved October 31, 2020.
^ "Val Lawson – Val Lawson for Senate". valarielawson.com. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
^ "President of NEA of Rhode Island to retire later this year". ABC6. June 30, 2022. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
^ Gregg, Katherine. "Ethics Commission dismisses GOP complaint against state senator, teachers union official". The Providence Journal. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
^ "Lawson has her lesson plan ready for the R.I. Senate". www.rhodeislandcurrent.com. Retrieved May 4, 2025.
^ "Lawson, Ciccone tapped to lead RI Senate after death of Ruggerio". www.wpri.com. Retrieved May 4, 2025.

Rhode Island Senate
Preceded by Ryan W. Pearson	Majority Leader of the Rhode Island Senate 2025	Succeeded by Frank Ciccone
Political offices
Preceded by Dominick J. Ruggerio	President of the Rhode Island Senate 2025–present	Incumbent

v t e Statewide political officials of Rhode Island
U.S. senators	Jack Reed Sheldon Whitehouse
State government	Dan McKee, Governor Sabina Matos, Lieutenant Governor Gregg Amore, Secretary of State Peter Neronha, Attorney General James Diossa, Treasurer
Senate	Valarie Lawson, President Hanna Gallo, President pro tempore Frank Ciccone, Majority Leader Jessica de la Cruz, Minority Leader
House	Joe Shekarchi, Speaker of the House Brian Patrick Kennedy, Speaker pro tempore Christopher Blazejewski, Majority Leader Michael Chippendale, Minority Leader
Supreme Court (appointed)	Paul Suttell, Chief Justice Maureen McKenna Goldberg William P. Robinson III Erin Lynch Prata Melissa A. Long, Associate Justices

v t e Presidents of state senates
United States Senate: ▌JD Vance (R), ▌Chuck Grassley (R)
AL ▌Ainsworth (R), ▌Gudger (R) AK ▌Stevens (R) AZ ▌Petersen (R), ▌Shope (R) AR ▌Rutledge (R), ▌Hester (R) CA ▌Kounalakis (D), ▌McGuire (D) CO ▌Coleman (D), ▌Jenet (D) CT ▌Bysiewicz (D), ▌Looney (D) DE ▌Gay (D), ▌Sokola (D) FL ▌Albritton (R), ▌Brodeur (R) GA ▌Jones (R), ▌Kennedy (R) HI ▌Kouchi (D) ID ▌Bedke (R), ▌Anthon (R) IL ▌Harmon (D), ▌Cunningham (D) IN ▌Beckwith (R), ▌Bray (R) IA ▌Sinclair (R), ▌Rozenboom (R) KS ▌Masterson (R) KY ▌Stivers (R), ▌Givens (R) LA ▌Henry (R), ▌Barrow (D) ME ▌Daughtry (D) MD ▌Ferguson (D), ▌Augustine (D) MA ▌Spilka (D), ▌Brownsberger (D) MI ▌Gilchrist (D), ▌Moss (D) MN ▌Champion (DFL), ▌Rest (DFL) MS ▌Hosemann (R), ▌Kirby (R) MO ▌Wasinger (R), ▌O'Laughlin (R) MT ▌Regier (R), ▌Bogner (R) NE ▌Kelly (R), ▌Arch (R)* NV ▌Anthony (R), ▌Dondero Loop (D) NH ▌Carson (R), ▌Abbas (R) NJ ▌Scutari (D), ▌Turner (D) NM ▌Morales (D), ▌Stewart (D) NY ▌Delgado (D), ▌Stewart-Cousins (D) NC ▌Hunt (D), ▌Berger (R) ND ▌Strinden (R), ▌Bekkedahl (R) OH ▌McColley (R), ▌Reineke (R) OK ▌Pinnell (R), ▌Paxton (R) OR ▌Wagner (D), ▌Manning (D) PA ▌Davis (D), ▌Ward (R) RI ▌Lawson (D), ▌Gallo (D) SC ▌Alexander (R) SD ▌Venhuizen (R), ▌Karr (R) TN ▌McNally (R), ▌Haile (R) TX ▌Patrick (R), ▌Creighton (R) UT ▌Adams (R) VT ▌Rodgers (R), ▌Baruth (D) VA ▌Sears (R), ▌Lucas (D) WA ▌Heck (D), ▌Conway (D) WV ▌Smith (R), ▌Boley (R) WI ▌Felzkowski (R), ▌Testin (R) WY ▌Biteman (R) Federal districts: DC ▌Mendelson (D)* Territories: AS ▌Fruean (I) GU ▌Blas (D)* MP ▌Dennis C. Mendiola (R) PR ▌Rivera Schatz (NPP/R), ▌Ríos (NPP/D) VI ▌Potter (D)*
Italics indicate presidents pro tempore *Unicameral body

v t e Members of the Rhode Island Senate
President of Senate Valarie Lawson (D) President pro tempore Hanna Gallo (D) Majority Leader Frank Ciccone (D) Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz (R)
▌Jake Bissaillon (D) ▌Ana Quezada (D) ▌Sam Zurier (D) ▌Vacant ▌Sam Bell (D) ▌Tiara Mack (D) ▌Frank Ciccone (D) ▌Lori Urso (D) ▌John Burke (D) ▌Walter Felag (D) ▌Linda Ujifusa (D) ▌Louis DiPalma (D) ▌Dawn Euer (D) ▌Valarie Lawson (D) ▌Meghan Kallman (D) ▌Jonathon Acosta (D) ▌Thomas Paolino (R) ▌Robert Britto (D) ▌Ryan Pearson (D) ▌Brian Thompson (D) ▌Gordon Rogers (R) ▌David Tikoian (D) ▌Jessica de la Cruz (R) ▌Melissa Murray (D) ▌Andrew Dimitri (D) ▌Todd Patalano (D) ▌Hanna Gallo (D) ▌Lammis Vargas (D) ▌Pete Appollonio (D) ▌Mark McKenney (D) ▌Matthew LaMountain (D) ▌Pamela Lauria (D) ▌Lou Raptakis (D) ▌Elaine Morgan (R) ▌Bridget Valverde (D) ▌Alana DiMario (D) ▌Sue Sosnowski (D) ▌Victoria Gu (D)
▌Democratic (33) ▌Republican (4) ▌Vacant (1) Rhode Island General Assembly Rhode Island House of Representatives Rhode Island Senate

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