Government of Rhode Island

The State House in Providence is the seat of power for the state, and is often referred to as "Smith Hill".

The government of the state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations 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.

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 Senate Chamber is the chamber where the Senate Meets.

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

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 has numerous departments and agencies. The major ones are:

• Department of Corrections
• Department of Transportation
• Department of Administration
• Department of Public Safety
• Department of Environmental Management
• Department of Taxation
• Department of Revenue
• Department of Children, Youths, and Families.

Judicial branch

The judicial branch of the state government consists of the Rhode Island Supreme Court and lesser courts.

External links

• Rhode Island General Assembly
• Governor's Office
• State Website

Governors of Rhode Island
Cooke Greene Collins A. Fenner H. Smith Wilbour J. Fenner Jones Knight Gibbs J. Fenner Arnold Francis Sprague III King Dorr J. Fenner Jackson Diman Harris Anthony Allen Dimond Hoppin Dyer Turner Sprague IV Cozzens J. Smith Burnside Padelford Howard H. Lippitt Van Zandt Littlefield Bourn Wetmore Davis Taft Ladd Davis Ladd Brown C. Lippitt Dyer Jr. Gregory Kimball Garvin Utter Higgins Pothier Beeckman San Souci Flynn Pothier Case Green Quinn Vanderbilt McGrath Pastore McKiernan Roberts Del Sesto Notte J. Chafee Licht Noel Garrahy DiPrete Sundlun Almond Carcieri L. Chafee Raimondo