Dominic Ruggerio, RI Senate president, has died
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But last week Pare said in a statement that the senator had been admitted to Our Lady of Fatima Hospital in North Providence after experiencing 'a reaction to a treatment he is undergoing.'
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Rhode Island Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio, left, speaks with Senator Jake Bissaillon prior to Thursday's Senate session.
Edward Fitzpatrick
Mr. Ruggerio, a North Providence Democrat, was considered the 'dean' of the Senate, the chamber's longest-serving member, first winning election in 1985 when he succeeded Senate Majority Leader Rocco Quattrocchi, his one-time father-in-law. He previously served in the state House of Representatives from 1981 to 1984.
Mr. Ruggerio had served as Senate president since March 2017. He served as majority leader from 2010 to 2017, and as majority whip from 2003 through 2010. He retired as an administrator of the New England Laborers Labor Management Coop Trust.
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In the Senate, Mr. Ruggerio served as a powerful advocate for union legislation, but he was also an outspoken advocate for business tax cuts and economic development proposals. And while he held conservative views on issues such as abortion and gun control, he played a key role in the passage of legislation that provided for health insurance coverage for abortions and limits on the size of gun magazines.
Mr. Ruggerio represented Senate District 4, which includes portions of North Providence and Providence. 'Rhode Islanders are struggling under the weight of inflation, which is why a chief focus for me has been providing relief to struggling residents and businesses,' he said in launching his 2024 reelection campaign. 'Serving in the state Senate is a tremendous honor. I work each day to deliver results for the people of North Providence and Providence.'
Providence, RI - 1/07/2020 - Rhode Island State House opens its 2020 legislative session. Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio pictured. - (Barry Chin/Globe Staff), Section: Metro, Reporter: Edward Fitzpatrick, Topic: 08Rhode Island Politics, LOID: 5e13ef545908010001a4332e.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff/The Boston Globe
Last year, Mr. Ruggerio withstood a leadership challenge from former Senate Majority Leader Ryan W. Pearson. 'For the sake of our beloved Senate institution, and for the sake of our constituents, it's time to move past our differences and to come together to work on many issues facing our state,' he said at the time.
Mr. Ruggerio took offense when Pearson
When the 2025 legislative session commenced in January, the 38-member
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On Feb. 25, the Senate said Mr. Ruggerio would be absent because had '
Providence, RI - 1/07/2020 - Rhode Island State House opens its 2020 legislative session. Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio pictured. - (Barry Chin/Globe Staff), Section: Metro, Reporter: Edward Fitzpatrick, Topic: 08Rhode Island Politics, LOID: 5e13ef545908010001a4332e.
Barry Chin/Globe Staff/The Boston Globe
Mr. Ruggerio was known for advocating for tax cuts. In 2023, he
Mr. Ruggerio previously co-sponsored the legislation that slashed the top state income tax rate from 9.9 percent to 5.99 percent. And he regularly
In 2023, Mr. Ruggerio also championed legislation that now
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Over the years, Mr. Ruggerio regularly
For years, Mr. Ruggerio received an 'A' rating from the National Rifle Association for his opposition to proposed gun control laws, and he described himself as a 'Second Amendment person.' But in 2022, he played a
For years, Mr. Ruggerio maintained that any ban on assault-style weapons should be enacted on the federal level rather than by the state legislature. But during
Mr. Ruggerio has been endorsed by the Rhode Island Right to Life Committee and opposed abortion rights in the past. But in 2023, he voted for the
Mr. Ruggerio backed legislation aimed at addressing climate change. In 2022, he championed legislation putting Rhode Island on track to be the first state to require
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Mr. Ruggerio addressed the state's
Mr. Ruggerio also was concerned about animal welfare and has received The Humane Society of the United States' Humane Legislator Award. He sponsored new laws to put an end to the curbside sale of cats and dogs, and to allow the Rhode Island Family Court to issue restraining orders to protect animals.
Born in Providence in 1948, Mr. Ruggerio graduated from La Salle Academy in 1966. He attended Bryant College and received a bachelor's degree from Providence College in 1974. He served on the board of the Wanskuck Library and as a member of the Sons of Italy, Loggia Vittoria, and the DaVinci Center Development Committee.
Mr. Ruggerio was the father of two children, Charles and Amanda, and the grandfather to Ava, Mia, Natalie, and Jameson.
Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at
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