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Rhode Island Speaker of the House Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy is pictured with outgoing President Robin Vos, Wisconsin Speaker of the House, Wednesday in Indianapolis.

 

Rhode Island Speaker of the House Pro Tempore

Brian Patrick Kennedy to Lead NCSL

 

STATE HOUSE — House Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Patrick Kennedy (D-Dist. 38, Hopkinton, Westerly) was elected to become the president of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) at the annual Legislative Summit in Indianapolis. He is the first member of the Rhode Island General Assembly to serve as president of the organization.

Kennedy previously served as vice president and president-elect for NCSL. He succeeds Wisconsin Speaker Robin Vos (R) who previously served as the 48th and 51st President of NCSL from 2019 to 2021 and again in 2022-2023. NCSL, a bipartisan organization that serves the nation’s 7,386 state lawmakers and more than 30,000 legislative staff, alternates its leadership annually between the two major political parties. 

“NCSL stands as the premier bipartisan organization and the laboratory to democracy for legislators and legislative staff. I am profoundly honored to spearhead NCSL during this critical juncture, where fostering collaboration and bipartisanship is of utmost importance,” said Kennedy.

Kennedy has served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives since November 1988. He has led several committees, is the Dean of the House and currently serves as the chamber’s Speaker Pro Tempore.

He has been active with NCSL for decades and has served on the Executive Committee, the NCSL Foundation, and previously served as Co-chair of the Communications, Financial Services and Interstate Commerce Committee and the NCSL Executive Task Force on Insurance.

Kennedy, a real estate broker and appraiser, earned a master’s degree in business administration from Anna Maria College in 1987. He received his Bachelor’s degree with a double major in history and general social studies from Providence College in 1983.

 

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