Rhode Island Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio, left, has been absent from the State House since the end of April while recovering from a virus. He is shown in December 2023 with Senate Majority Leader Ryan Pearson, right foreground. (Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)
For over a month, Senate President Dominick Ruggerio has been absent from the chamber floor — and now we know why.
Ruggerio, 75, issued a statement Wednesday afternoon announcing he contracted a virus, and has “had subsequent health complications stemming from this affliction.” The statement did not specify what kind of virus he has.
“Unfortunately, those complications have prohibited my return to the Senate at this time, but I am receiving treatment and hope to return soon,” he said.
Ruggerio, who was first elected to the State House in 1980 and the Senate in 1984, had acknowledged in April that he is battling an unspecified type of cancer.
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“I have every intention of running for re-election this year and, if successful, will again ask my colleagues for their support to continue to serve as President of the Senate in 2025,” Ruggerio said. “I stated at the time that I have a good prognosis, and I expect to fully recover from this insidious disease.”
Ruggerio’s last appearance on the Senate floor was April 25, confirmed chamber spokesperson Greg Paré. Since contracting the virus, Ruggerio has missed nine session days — along with a scheduled appearance at a State House health care summit Tuesday morning.
The Senate president’s absence does not mean he has been out of the loop, Ruggerio said.
“I am deeply engaged in all aspects of Senate business by telephone throughout the day on an everyday basis,” he said. “I am in regular contact with our incredible committee chairs and my colleagues in the Senate, the outstanding Senate staff, and the Speaker of the House, Joseph Shekarchi.”
Ruggerio has also voted by proxy since his absence, Paré added.
“This began during the pandemic but continued in a different form to allow senators who are out due to illness to vote by proxy,” he said. “The signed and notarized proxy voting forms are included in each day’s Senate journals.”
Ruggerio thanked Senate President Pro Tempore Hanna Gallo, a Cranston Democrat, and Deputy President Pro Tempore Matthew LaMountain, a Warwick Democrat, for presiding over the chamber in his absence.
“I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of support I have received throughout this difficult, but temporary, setback,” he said. “Unfortunately, I am unable to attend the Senate session in person at this point in time, but I am very eager to return and look forward to being back.
The statement makes no reference to Senate Majority Leader Ryan Pearson, a Cumberland Democrat who Ruggerio picked to be his number two, presiding over all Democratic caucuses and conferences. The Senate majority leader is also responsible for the assignment of legislation to committees and serves as an ex-officio member of all standing committees of the Senate.
Pearson was by Ruggerio’s side in news interviews at the end of last year when Ruggerio outlined the chamber’s priorities for the 2024 legislative session. The Providence Journal reported in April that Pearson had visited Ruggerio to outline a succession plan.
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The post Where has Senate President Ruggerio been for the last month? Out sick with a virus. appeared first on Rhode Island Current.