Elected Officials

M. Teresa Paiva Weed

M. Teresa Paiva Weed (D - District 13, Jamestown, Newport ) was first elected to the Rhode Island Senate in 1992. In January 2004, Senator Paiva Weed was unanimously elected by her Democratic colleagues to serve as Senate Majority Leader. Now in her third term as Majority Leader, Senator Paiva Weed is the first woman in Rhode Island 's history to serve in this capacity. As Majority Leader, Senator Paiva Weed is an ex officio member of all Senate Committees. She is responsible for running the Senate floor and leading her Democratic colleagues.

Before becoming Majority Leader, she served as Vice Chairwoman of the Senate Finance Committee from 2002 through January 2004. From 2000 to 2002, she served as Deputy Chair of the Finance Subcommittee on Public Safety and the Environment. From 1996 through 2000, she served as the Senate's first woman Chair of the Judiciary Committee. Prior to her election to the Senate, Ms. Paiva Weed was Chairwoman of the Newport Affordable Housing Commission, and still serves as a member of the Newport Democratic City Committee, a position she has held since 1988.

In her second Senate term, Senator Paiva Weed led the legislative effort to reform the Rhode Island welfare system. During her tenure as Chairwoman of the Judiciary Committee, she was instrumental in the passage of legislation that changed the manner in which judges are selected to a merit-based process. As Vice Chairwoman of the Finance Committee, she was involved in sensitive state budget negotiations. In addition, she has won passage of many landmark bills, such as the Family Independence Act, and legislation restructuring the Victim's Compensation Fund.

Senator Paiva Weed has served on the Senate Commission on Judicial Selection, the Senate Oil Spill Commission, the Rhode Island Trust and Investment Commission, the Rhode Island Blue Ribbon Task Force, the Rhode Island Commission on Judicial Tenure and Discipline, the Supreme Task Force to Examine the Administrative Adjudication Court, the Governor's Juvenile Justice Task Force, and the Senate Select Commission on Quasi Public Agencies.

Majority Leader Paiva Weed has been recognized by the Governor's Council on Disabilities, the Governor's Council on Tourism, the National Association of Social Workers, the Center for Hispanic Policy and Advocacy, the Newport County National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), United Way, the Rhode Island Council of Community Mental Health Centers, the Rhode Island Association Ambassador of Hospitality and Tourism, and the Newport and Jamestown Business and Professional Women's Club.

Leader Paiva Weed is an attorney with Moore, Virgadamo and Lynch, Ltd. She resides in Newport with her husband, Mark.

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