Guided By Values
Dear Neighbor,
It has been a privilege to serve as your state representative for District 24 during the past five and a half years. I’m writing to ask for your support this November, to send me back to the General Assembly so that I can keep working on behalf of every family in District 24.
This year District 24 has expanded to include several neighborhoods in East Greenwich. Having lived in East Greenwich for a time prior to being married and buying my first home in Warwick, I’ve long been tuned in to the issues which affect our EG neighbors. At the State House, I’ve partnered with the East Greenwich... More
I’m excited to officially announce that I am seeking re-election for a fifth term in House District 24 (Warwick/East Greenwich). Eight years ago, I announced my first run for public office and committed to serve with honesty, empathy, kindness, respect, personal responsibility, and a strong work ethic. Guided by these values, I have earned a reputation as a consensus builder and worked hard to deliver tangible results for the people of Warwick and East Greenwich.
Next year, Warwick is breaking ground on the construction of two new high schools with the state paying $314 Million of the projected $350 million bill. East Greenwich is also slated to invest $150 million in new or refurbished schools with the state paying up $82.5 million of the costs. In addition, the FY2025 budget increased education spending by $75million.
The car tax is gone, veterans pension tax is gone, the tangible tax has been eliminated for seventy-five percent of businesses, and annuities and pensions are now tax exempt up to $50,000.00 annually.
In the last two years alone, the General Assembly has passed over two dozen bills aimed at addressing the state’s housing crisis. By eliminating red tape and streamlining the permitting process, we have made it easier for builders to expeditiously increase our housing supply.
We passed consensus legislation requiring safe storage of firearms and reforming the law enforcement officers bill of rights.
We dramatically increased Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements to stop the exodus of medical providers and ensure that Rhode Islanders have access to quality healthcare.
After years of work, we finally passed my legislation to create the Rhode Island Secure Choice Retirement Savings Program State of Rhode Island General Assembly (rilegislature.gov) This gives all Rhode Islanders access to a 401(k) style retirement savings plan through voluntary automatic payroll deductions. Employers also have the opportunity to contribute to their employee’s retirement savings and no longer have to bear the cost of administering their own plans.
Another bill I sponsored for seven years finally crossed the finish line in June: The Rhode Island Data Transparency and Privacy Protection Act (2024-H 7787A, 2024-S 2500): State of Rhode Island General Assembly (rilegislature.gov). After six years of working on this issue, Rhode Islanders will finally have a right to know who is collecting and selling their personally identifiable information.
In 2021, I was appointed to serve as Chair of the House Committee on State Government and Elections. In this role, I have sought to ensure that our voting laws strike an appropriate balance between convenience, security, and efficiency. In the last two years, among other things, we allowed independent voters that choose to vote in primary elections to automatically disaffiliate and established a clear process for reporting and investigating cases of suspected signature fraud involving candidates’ nomination papers.
There is more work to be done in the coming two years. We need to ensure that necessary funds are available to rebuild the Washington Bridge and hold those responsible for its demise accountable. We also need to make sure that school construction projects in Warwick and East Greenwich are not delayed or derailed by unexpected additional costs. We need to make sure that all kids have access to pre-k, eliminate the state income tax on social security, protect our environment, and continue to work with teachers and school districts to make sure that our schools are training students to enter the workforce or thrive at institutes of higher learning.
I promise to continue to advocate for Warwick and East Greenwich and humbly ask for your vote on November 5th. As always, I am accessible via phone (440-3493) or email (shanleyforRI@gmail.com) to hear your feedback and help you navigate any issues you might have with any aspect of our state government.
