Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Yesterday I was officially sworn into office at the RI State House! I’m honored and humbled to have the opportunity to serve our community, and as everyone says- now the real work begins.

I firmly believe that our democracy is stronger when we are informed and engaged, so I want to make sure that people have opportunities to stay involved. My contact info is (401) 388-0696 / victoria4ri@gmail.com and here are a couple ways you can stay in touch so that we can problem-solve together:

1. Making state agencies work better for you: Whether it’s an issue with a license or benefit you’re applying for, or you would like to see some changes with a state-run parking lot or other facility, we have a team of people who can help. You can either call or email me, or reach out to Constituent Services directly at jbaxter@rilin.state.ri.us / (401) 276-5556

2. Giving feedback on pending bills: You can call or email me anytime between when a bill is drafted, when a bill is up for vote in a committee that I sit on (we will be getting our committee assignments next week), and when a bill is up for a full senate vote.

3. Giving testimony on a bill pending before a committee: Personal stories are powerful and can help a lot during a bill hearing. You can write a paragraph or a full letter and then email it to the full committee and CC me if you’re in my district. Committees will also take in-person testimony on bills. If you want more information about the in-person testimony process, contact me.

4. Doing a deeper dive on a statewide issue: Your ideas and feedback on new state initiatives and funding needs could all potentially make its way into a state bill or budget request. There is a bill submission deadline in mid-February, so please get your ideas in at least 3 weeks before then.

5. Coming to a town hall: I’m planning my first town hall at the end of January to give updates on the major legislative issues and get your feedback. I’ll send out information on the date and time via email, social media, radio, and plenty of other ways. If you can’t make it or have anything you want to send me right away, please send it to victoria4ri@gmail.com

Priorities for 2023

I am already meeting with stakeholders on some of the important big-picture issues facing our district, including housing, climate change and climate resilience, and much more. I will also, of course, be putting in a lot of work to build support for the shoreline access bill H-8055. Education is also going to be a big priority for the Senate leadership and myself, including changes to how RI is spending $1 billion in state aid to school districts each year. 

One of the things I am learning is the dynamic between the House and Senate. There is always a give-and-take between what House leadership prioritizes, what the Senate leadership prioritizes, and also what individuals or groups of senators and representatives want to prioritize. To read about the priorities of our House and Senate leadership, check out these stories:

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/politics/2022/12/13/ri-house-legislative-session-leadership-2023-priority-k-joseph-shekarchi/69720760007/

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/12/21/metro/ri-senate-leaders-look-ahead-2023/

Thank you, District 38

I want to thank each and every one of you who shared your stories with me at the door and everyone who came out to vote, volunteer, or donate. It speaks volumes about how committed people are to this community, and it gives me a lot of hope for the future.

In future newsletters, I will include some upcoming events in the community, updates on legislation pending before the Senate, and programs you can apply for. Thank you for reading and Happy New Year!