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PROVIDENCE -- The 23 newly elected members to the Rhode Island General Assembly -- 16 in the House of Representatives and seven in the Senate -- will participate in an all-day orientation session today in the House Chamber at the State House.
The Biennial Legislative Orientation Seminar will begin at 9 a.m. and run until 3 p.m.
Speaker of the House William J. Murphy and the incoming President and current Majority Leader of the Senate, M. Teresa Paiva-Weed are expected to speak to the new legislators. Also expected to speak are House Majority Leader Gordon D. Fox, incoming Senate Majority Leader Daniel P. Connors, House Minority Leader Robert A. Watson and Senate Minority Leader Dennis L. Algiere.
The seminar will include presentations by the directors of various legislative offices, including the Joint Committee on Legislative Services, Legislative Council and House and Senate fiscal offices. A representative of the Rhode Island Ethics Commission will also speak to the legislators-elect.
The legislators will be sworn into office on the first day of the 2009 General Assembly session, Jan. 6. Lawmakers will confront a deep economic recession and a budget deficit of nearly $360 million for the year ending in June. It's one of the worst budget gaps in the country
-- With reports from the Associated Press
The following legislators expected to attend:
Senator-elect Michael J. Pinga (D-Dist. 9, West Warwick)
Senator-elect Louis P. DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Little Compton, Newport, Tiverton)
Senator-elect Elizabeth A. Crowley (D-Dist. 16, Central Falls, Cumberland, Pawtucket)
Senator-elect Edward J. O'Neill (I-Dist. 17, Lincoln, North Providence, Pawtucket)
Senator-elect Frank A. Devall Jr. (D-Dist. 18, East Providence)
Senator-elect Erin P. Lynch (D-Dist. 31, Warwick)
Senator-elect Francis T. Maher Jr. (R-Dist. 24, Exeter, Charlestown, Hopkinton, Richmond, West Greenwich)
Representative-elect John M. Carnevale (D-Dist. 13, Providence, Johnston)
Representative-elect Scott J. Guthrie (D-Dist. 28, Coventry)
Representative-elect Michael A. Rice (D-Dist. 35, South Kingstown)
Representative-elect Samuel A. Azzinaro (D-Dist. 37, Westerly)
Representative-elect Rod Driver (D-Dist. 39, Richmond, Charlestown, Exeter)
Representative-elect Scott M. Pollard (D-Dist. 40, Foster, Coventry, Glocester)
Representative-elect Michael J. Marcello (D-Dist. 41, Scituate, Cranston)
Representative-elect Mary Ann Shallcross Smith (D-Dist. 46, Lincoln, Pawtucket)
Representative-elect Brian C. Newberry (R-Dist. 48, North Smithfield, Burrillville)
Representative-elect Christopher M. Fierro (D-Dist. 51, Woonsocket)
Representative-elect Karen L. MacBeth (D-Dist. 52, Cumberland)
Representative-elect Roberto DaSilva (D-Dist. 63, East Providence, Pawtucket)
Representative-elect Joy Hearn (D-Dist. 66, Barrington, East Providence)
Representative-elect John G. Edwards (D-Dist. 70, Tiverton, Portsmouth)
Representative-elect Deborah L. Ruggiero (D-Dist. 74, Jamestown, Middletown)
Representative-elect Peter F. Martin (D-Dist. 75, Newport)
