Rhode Island Senate President Dominick Ruggerio is shown on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, during Gov. Dan McKee’s State of the State address in the House chamber. (Photo by Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current)
Rhode Island Senate President Dominick Ruggerio will not attend Tuesday’s legislative session due to illness — his third absence this year — according to an email sent from the Senate leadership team and obtained by Rhode Island Current.
“The Senate President has contracted a touch of pneumonia,” the email reads. “He is on the mend and doing well, but will not be in session today.”
The email was sent from Ruggerio’s General Assembly email address and is signed by “Donny, Val and David,” referring to Senate Majority Leader Valarie Lawson and Senate Majority Whip David Tikoian.
Since lawmakers began meeting on Jan. 7, Ruggerio has missed the Jan. 28 and Feb. 11 sessions. Last week, the legislature was on break.
Senate Democrats have been divided over how to respond to the absences and health challenges faced by their longtime leader. Ruggerio was forced to miss large chunks of the 2024 legislative session due to illness. He staved off a challenge for the president role from his former Majority Leader, Sen. Ryan Pearson, in November, though nearly one-third of Senate Democrats sided with Pearson in the caucus.
Greg Pare, a Senate spokesperson, said in an email Tuesday afternoon that Ruggerio was “recovering well and resting up.”
Pearson in a text Tuesday said he wished Ruggerio a speedy recovery.
Since January, the Senate has met weekly, rather than the typical twice per week.
Next week, the Senate will hold floor sessions on Tuesday and Thursday, according to the email from Ruggerio, Lawson and Tikoian.
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