Sen. Thompson sworn in as General Assembly convenes
STATE HOUSE — Sen. Brian Thompson (D-Dist. 20, Woonsocket, Cumberland) was formally sworn into office today as the 2025-2026 term of the Rhode Island General Assembly convened.
Senator Thompson was one of six new members of the Senate who took the oath of office, which was administered to all 38 Senate members by Rhode Island Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore.
The Senate began its legislative year with a program of activities that included the re-election of Dominick J. Ruggerio as president of the Senate.
Prior to his election to the Senate, Senator Thompson served a two-year term as a member of the Woonsocket City Council.
Originally from Massachusetts, Senator Thompson has lived in Woonsocket for more than 20 years. He works as a general foreman for a sheet metal contractor. He and his wife, Christine, have six children who have attended Woonsocket’s public schools.
Senator Thompson was appointed to serve on the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and the Senate Labor Committee, which is expected to be changed to the Committee on Labor and Gaming.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee handles all legislation and matters relative to public health and welfare; health care and human service access and quality; health and human service professional standards of practice, and facility standards of care. The Senate Labor and Gaming Committee deliberates legislation relating to workers’ compensation and labor laws in addition to laws regarding gambling and games of chance.
Forecasters say tropical flooding is coming to the Gulf Coast. Flood warnings are being posted from the Florida Panhandle to south-central Louisiana, which could receive over a foot of rain at a rate of up to three inches per hour both today and Friday. A high flood risk is also possible in the coastal cities of Mobile, Alabama and Gulfport, Mississippi, where heavy storms could linger and soak the region with several inches of rain. 
