The Issues

Economy

The success of Rhode Island’s economy is directly tied to the quality of basic government services. That’s why I strongly support efforts to maintain and improve our infrastructure, strengthen the quality of public education for all our kids, and maintain strong public safety that operates with integrity and professionalism. I also strongly support anti-poverty efforts so that we can live in dignity.

When we maintain and improve those things that make Rhode Island a great place to live and work, we create the environment for robust economic investment and activity.

I also strongly support any effort to make it easier for businesses to access and utilize government services. Our businesses thrive when we make sure we reduce regulatory requirements and make it easier to comply with those requirements. I also support all efforts to reduce any cost that government places on businesses beyond basic taxation. Too often we look to license fees and other regulatory fees as a source of revenue without taking into account that we can very easily nickel-and-dime businesses to death. That is a practice we must stop.

Taxes

I support a taxation system that puts us on the same footing with the other New England states so that we are a competitive place to do business. I also support eliminating wasteful and low performing government programs—such as most of the Commerce Corporations corporate welfare programs—to free up money for our social service agencies, such as DCYF, which is under-resourced year after year.

Reproductive Rights

I am committed to reproductive freedom.

In 2019 I proudly voted to protect abortion rights in Rhode Island, codifying Roe into state law. This was essential as this year the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision has stripped that right away from most women in America.

However, nearly 100,000 Rhode Islanders don't have access to the full range of reproductive health services because their insurance plans (Medicaid and the State Employee Health plan) ban abortion coverage.

I support the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act which would allow all Rhode Islanders to receive the same coverage, regardless of their insurance.

A right without any access is a disservice to all. We must change this.

Environment

I will always take the necessary steps to protect our spectacular environment, particularly Narragansett Bay, and adapt to the changes brought on by climate change.

Through my membership on the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee I have supported several pieces of legislation designed to protect Rhode Island's fragile environment including the Act on Climate bill which passed in 2021 and will reduce our greenhouse emissions to net zero by 2050, a renewable energy standards bill which passed in 2022 to make Rhode Island 100% powered by renewable energy by 2030, and a statewide plastic bag ban.

I also enthusiastically supported legislation to prevent the construction of a new plastic incineration plant in the western part of the state.

The environment is a key component to nearly every aspect of public life in Rhode Island. We must protect and maintain it for the benefit of all Rhode Islanders and future generations of Rhode Islanders.

Education

Education is the key to the future for all Rhode Island children. It is our responsibility to ensure that we are providing a quality education to every child, regardless of what town they live in.

I support amending the state constitution to include the right to an adequate education. That simple change would force the General Assembly to treat education as a statewide issue with statewide implications. We won't fully reach our potential as a state until we tackle our education crisis head on.

Firearms

I support common sense gun laws designed to reduce and minimize gun violence. Since I was first elected I have voted for bills to take away firearms from convicted domestic abusers, ban ghost guns, ban bump stocks, improve background checks, and ban high capacity magazines.

I personally sponsored and passed legalization to make "straw purchases" illegal, blocking the primary method by which prohibited persons are able to obtain a gun. I also support legislation to ban assault weapons and will continue to work towards its passage in RI and bring RI inline with our surrounding states.

We can and must address the public health threat caused by gun violence. We can never let up.