Economy, Homeless, Healthcare, 2023 Legislative Session RI Senate Minority Leader Jessica De La Cruz

Jessica de la Cruz is a Republican State Senator representing Rhode Island's 23rd Senatorial District -Burrillville, Glocester, and North Smithfield. First elected to the Senate in November 2018, she was named Senate Minority Whip following her reelection in 2020 and most recently elected Senate Minority Leader in July of 2022. During her time in the legislature, Sen. de la Cruz has been a leading voice on issues surrounding Eleanor Slater Hospital, specifically the Zambarano Unit in Burrillville, and secured over $100 million in funding to rebuild and revitalize Zambarano Hospital. She has been an advocate for the hospital's patients, who are among the state's most vulnerable residents and have nowhere else to turn. Jessica has been a strong leader and an advocate for constitutional rights. Unwavering in the face of strong opposition. She sponsored and passed into law Senate Bill S-2219, which closed a major loophole in RI state law that allowed those in positions of authority to engage in sexual relations with children as young at 14-years-old. Sen. de la Cruz was a leading voice among those advocating to end the Disaster Declaration (State of Emergency) that extended executive powers over the last two years. She persistently urged the General Assembly to fully resume its lawmaking powers and its constitutional function as a check on the Executive Branch. Through a bipartisan effort, she advocated with federal and state leaders for the overdue Route 146 infrastructure projects. Also, worked to move up Route 94 in priority, with work now beginning this year. She's worked tirelessly against wasteful spending and regressive policies. And in 2021, Sen. de la Cruz was chosen to deliver the Republican response to the governor's State of the State address. In it, she advocated for school choice, returning Rhode Island to constitutional norms, providing aid to small businesses, and prioritizing Rhode Island's infrastructure needs.​ Sen. de la Cruz has worked to ensure that our state government is more accountable, more accessible, and more responsive to the taxpayers and residents of our state.