Government of Rhode Island
The government of the state of Rhode Island is prescribed from a multitude of sources; the main sources are the Rhode Island Constitution, the General Laws, and executive orders. The governmental structure is modeled on the Government of the United States in having three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial.
 | |
| Polity type | Presidential Republic |
|---|---|
| Constitution | Constitution of Rhode Island |
| Legislative branch | |
| Name | General Assembly |
| Type | Bicameral |
| Meeting place | Rhode Island State House |
| Upper house | |
| Name | Senate |
| Presiding officer | Dominick J. Ruggerio, President of the Senate |
| Lower house | |
| Name | House of Representatives |
| Presiding officer | Nicholas Mattiello, Speaker |
| Executive branch | |
| Head of State and Government | |
| Title | Governor |
| Currently | Gina Raimondo |
| Appointer | Election |
| Cabinet | |
| Leader | Governor |
| Deputy leader | Lieutenant Governor |
| Headquarters | State House |
| Judicial branch | |
| Name | Judiciary of Rhode Island |
| Courts | Courts of Rhode Island |
| Rhode Island Supreme Court | |
| Chief judge | Paul Suttell |
| Seat | Providence County Courthouse, Providence |
Legislature
Pursuant to Articles VI, VII, and VIII of the Rhode Island Constitution, the legislature is vested in the Rhode Island General Assembly. The General Assembly is bicameral, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The House of Representatives has a total of 75 members currently. The House of Representatives holds the only Libertarian Party elected state legislator in the United States. The Senate has 38 members. The General Assembly meets in the State House.
Executive branch
- Elected Executive Officials of Rhode Island
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The state elects a governor, a lieutenant governor, a secretary of state, a General Treasurer, and an attorney general. The governor appoints a Sheriff, who, unlike most other sheriffs, has statewide jurisdiction. The governor appoints many officers to act as commissioners, directors, or other officers.
The executive authority is vested in the governor, typically through various directors and commissioners. The lieutenant governor, though nominally in the executive branch, is a largely ceremonial position. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected on separate tickets by the electorate of Rhode Island. The governor's offices are located in the State House. Rhode Island is one of the few states that lacks a governor's mansion.
Departments and agencies
Rhode Island government has numerous departments, agencies, and divisions. The major ones are:
- Department of Corrections
- Department of Transportation
- Department of Administration
- Department of Public Safety
- Department of Health
- Department of Revenue
- Division of Motor Vehicles
- Division of Taxation
- Department of Environmental Management
- Department of Children, Youths, and Families
Judicial branch
The judicial branch of the state government consists of the Rhode Island Supreme Court and the lower courts, which consist of the Superior Court, Family Court, District Court, Workers' Compensation Court and the Rhode Island Traffic Tribunal.
