Louis DiPalma

Sponsored a law, signed on July 2, 2025, that regulates deceptive AI-made images, audio and video in election ads.

July 2, 2025Supports AI Regulation

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill to set up a program importing lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada. It passed the Senate on May 28, 2024, but did not become law.

May 28, 2024Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill barring the state and health plans from paying more than a set reference price for certain costly drugs. It passed the Senate on May 23, 2024, but did not become law.

May 23, 2024Supports Healthcare Affordability

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on June 18, 2026, that requires state education and health officials to set rules for giving seizure rescue medicine to students with epilepsy.

June 18, 2026Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted to ban plants that burn or chemically break down waste and plastics into fuel at the Quonset industrial park until June 2027. It passed the Senate 29-9.

June 10, 2026Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: legiscan.com

Voted to make kratom legal to sell to adults 21 and over, with labeling rules and a ban on mixing it with harmful substances. It passed the Senate 23-10.

June 21, 2025Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: legiscan.com

Voted to replace the 10-member coastal council with a 7-member board whose members must have environmental expertise. It passed the Senate 25-10.

June 20, 2025Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: legiscan.com

Voted to require that cosmetic procedures at medical spas be done by a doctor or by staff a doctor supervises on site. It passed the Senate 28-9.

June 17, 2025Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: legiscan.com

Voted to keep Rhode Island's supervised drug-use centers open two more years, to March 2028. The centers are meant to prevent overdose deaths. It passed the Senate 27-7.

May 13, 2025Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: legiscan.com

Sponsored a law, signed on June 26, 2024, that requires health care facilities to keep a working heart defibrillator and at least one person trained to use it.

June 26, 2024Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on June 25, 2024, that requires all recovery housing for people leaving addiction treatment to register with the state and meet national standards by 2026.

June 25, 2024Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on June 27, 2022, that extended the Green Buildings Act to buildings of every city, town and state agency and to large private projects, with public reports.

June 27, 2022Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted for a two-year pilot of supervised sites where people can use drugs under medical watch to prevent overdose deaths. It passed the Senate 30-7.

July 1, 2021Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted for the 2021 Act on Climate, which made the state's greenhouse gas reduction targets mandatory. It passed the Senate 28-9.

April 6, 2021Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on October 5, 2017, that expanded the Green Buildings Act to cover more public projects and added newer green standards for neighborhoods and sites.

October 5, 2017Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on June 30, 2017, that limits what the electric utility may charge to connect renewable energy projects and sets deadlines for that work.

June 30, 2017Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on July 6, 2016, that improved the state's prescription drug monitoring database with weekly updates, data analysis and data from other states.

July 6, 2016Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, which took effect on June 22, 2012, that set up a state health department food allergy awareness program that restaurants must follow.

June 22, 2012Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on June 16, 2010, that requires public school health classes to teach how to prevent and treat Lyme disease.

June 16, 2010Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored the Green Buildings Act, signed on November 9, 2009, which requires new and renovated public buildings, including schools, to meet LEED silver green building standards.

November 9, 2009Supports Environment and Public Health

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted to raise the minimum wage from $11.50 to $15 an hour over four years. It passed the Senate 29-7.

May 18, 2021Supports Reduce Wealth Gap

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted to raise the state minimum wage to $7.75 an hour starting in 2013. It passed the Senate 26-11.

June 7, 2012Supports Reduce Wealth Gap

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, which took effect on June 26, 2025, that protects the right of state education department professional, administrative and clerical staff to bargain over all terms of their jobs.

June 26, 2025Supports Labor Rights

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted to widen who counts as an employee under the state labor relations law. It passed the Senate 29-5.

June 4, 2025Supports Labor Rights

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted to treat a police officer's heart disease, stroke or high blood pressure as a job-related disability, as firefighters are already treated. It passed the Senate 29-8.

May 15, 2025Supports Labor Rights

Source: legiscan.com

Sponsored a law, signed on June 21, 2022, that requires publicly funded job training programs to give workers verified digital copies of their credentials.

June 21, 2022Supports Labor Rights

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill to raise pay for home care and home nursing workers. It passed the Senate on June 29, 2021, but did not become law.

June 29, 2021Supports Labor Rights

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted to raise the minimum wage from $11.50 to $15 an hour over four years. It passed the Senate 29-7.

May 18, 2021Supports Labor Rights

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted to require employers with 18 or more workers to give paid sick days. It passed the Senate 27-8.

June 28, 2017Supports Labor Rights

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted to raise the state minimum wage to $7.75 an hour starting in 2013. It passed the Senate 26-11.

June 7, 2012Supports Labor Rights

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted to widen binding arbitration for teacher contracts to include pay and to move teacher layoff notices from March 1 to June 1. It passed the Senate 20-17.

June 29, 2011Supports Labor Rights

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted to apply prevailing wage rules to debris removal at public works sites. It passed the Senate 26-10.

April 6, 2011Supports Labor Rights

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on June 23, 2026, that lets the state retirement board take away or cut the pension of a public worker convicted of a felony sex crime tied to their job.

June 23, 2026Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored the Rhode Island Anti-Bid-Rigging Act, signed on June 30, 2025, which targets bid rigging on public contracts.

June 30, 2025Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on June 29, 2022, that bars state vendors with a conflict of interest from bidding on state requests for proposals, including audits of their own work.

June 29, 2022Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on July 9, 2015, that requires state agencies and public corporations to set up internal controls and financial reporting rules to cut fraud and errors.

July 9, 2015Supports Anti-Corruption

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on July 19, 2017, that requires every state request for proposals for an information technology project to have an assigned project manager.

July 19, 2017Supports Government Efficiency

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on July 9, 2015, that requires state agencies and public corporations to set up internal controls and financial reporting rules to cut fraud and errors.

July 9, 2015Supports Government Efficiency

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on July 1, 2014, that lets the state bureau of audits review the security of government computer systems and keeps weak spots it finds out of public view.

July 1, 2014Supports Government Efficiency

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted to let Providence raise its property tax levy by up to 8 percent in one year, above the usual state cap. It passed the Senate 28-7.

June 20, 2025Opposes Cost of Living Reduction

Source: legiscan.com

Voted to bury part of a high-voltage power line in Providence and East Providence. Electric customers in those two cities pay the extra cost through their bills. It passed the Senate 28-9.

June 18, 2025Opposes Cost of Living Reduction

Source: legiscan.com

Voted to keep federal immigration agents at least 200 feet from any polling place while voting is going on. It passed the Senate 29-8.

June 9, 2026Supports Immigration

Source: legiscan.com

Voted to bar state and local agencies from voluntarily helping with federal civil immigration enforcement, except under a court warrant or order. It passed the Senate 30-8.

June 3, 2026Supports Immigration

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted to let residents who cannot prove legal immigration status get a Rhode Island state ID card. It passed the Senate 27-9.

June 15, 2023Supports Immigration

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted to let the state help finance a new minor league ballpark in Pawtucket. It passed the Senate 26-9.

January 16, 2018Opposes Government Spending Reduction

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted for the Rhode Island Retirement Security Act, the 2011 overhaul that cut pension benefits for state and city workers. It passed the Senate 34-2.

November 17, 2011Supports Government Spending Reduction

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on June 18, 2026, that makes it a felony to take or try to take a gun, other weapon or radio from a police officer.

June 18, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted to make it a crime for a prisoner to use force or a weapon to resist a lawful order from a corrections officer. It passed the Senate 25-13.

June 11, 2026Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: legiscan.com

Voted to create a new crime for delivering illegal drugs that cause someone's death. It passed the Senate 24-11.

May 29, 2018Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on July 13, 2016, that lets police chase a vehicle into another town for any traffic violation and gives them the same powers there.

July 13, 2016Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on July 15, 2013, that created a state database to find uninsured drivers and check that car owners carry required insurance.

July 15, 2013Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on July 15, 2013, that lowered the legal blood alcohol limit for drivers aged 18 to 20 charged with drunk driving from 0.10 to 0.08.

July 15, 2013Supports Public Safety and Crime Control

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on June 30, 2025, that split the state's definition of affordable housing into categories by whether it is paid for with private, state or federal money.

June 30, 2025Supports Housing Affordability

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted to make towns answer a written zoning question within 20 days instead of 15, and to let the applicant appeal that answer. It passed the Senate 28-7.

June 21, 2025Supports Housing Affordability

Source: legiscan.com

Voted to require town zoning rules to allow attached single-family homes, such as townhouses, in designated districts. It passed the Senate 23-12.

June 20, 2025Supports Housing Affordability

Source: legiscan.com

Voted to define co-living housing, where residents rent a private room and share a kitchen or bath, and let towns allow it. It passed the Senate 25-10.

June 20, 2025Supports Housing Affordability

Source: legiscan.com

Voted to require town zoning rules to allow homes in commercial districts, including apartments above shops. It passed the Senate 25-10.

June 20, 2025Supports Housing Affordability

Source: legiscan.com

Voted to require town zoning rules to allow housing other than detached single-family homes in sewered areas inside the urban services boundary. It passed the Senate 23-12.

June 20, 2025Supports Housing Affordability

Source: legiscan.com

Sponsored a law, signed on June 25, 2024, that lets some mobile and manufactured homes count as affordable housing under state housing goals.

June 25, 2024Supports Housing Affordability

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted to make turning commercial buildings into homes an allowed use under local zoning. It passed the Senate 27-9.

June 15, 2023Supports Housing Affordability

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, which took effect on July 10, 2021, that bars cities and towns from raising a home's assessed value just because it sold, outside their normal revaluation schedule.

July 10, 2021Supports Housing Affordability

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on June 18, 2026, that requires state education and health officials to set rules for giving seizure rescue medicine to students with epilepsy.

June 18, 2026Supports Public Education Quality

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on July 9, 2021, that requires every school superintendent to report each year on the academic progress of students in foster care.

July 9, 2021Supports Public Education Quality

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored the statewide virtual education law, signed on June 18, 2012, which promotes quality online courses as part of public schooling.

June 18, 2012Supports Public Education Quality

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on July 13, 2011, that raised the age students must stay in school from 16 to 18, with waivers for students over 16 on an approved alternative learning plan.

July 13, 2011Supports Public Education Quality

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on June 22, 2010, that made Rhode Island a member of the interstate compact that helps children of military families move between school systems.

June 22, 2010Supports Public Education Quality

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on June 16, 2010, that requires public school health classes to teach how to prevent and treat Lyme disease.

June 16, 2010Supports Public Education Quality

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on March 16, 2010, that allowed more charter public schools to open and let the state revoke a charter if a school shows no success after three years.

March 16, 2010Supports Public Education Quality

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on June 18, 2026, that requires shooting ranges to post signs with the 988 suicide and crisis hotline number.

June 18, 2026Supports Gun Control

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored the Rhode Island Assault Weapons Ban Act of 2025, signed on June 26, 2025, which bans the sale, manufacture and purchase of assault-style weapons in the state.

June 26, 2025Supports Gun Control

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted to ban the sale, manufacture and purchase of assault-style firearms in Rhode Island starting July 2026. It passed the Senate 25-11.

June 20, 2025Supports Gun Control

Source: legiscan.com

Voted to require gun owners to store firearms safely, with civil and criminal penalties. It passed the Senate 30-7.

June 6, 2024Supports Gun Control

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted to ban buying a gun for someone who may not legally have one and to raise penalties for lying on gun purchase forms. It passed the Senate 26-12.

June 30, 2021Supports Gun Control

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted to ban guns on school grounds, except for police, retired officers and school security. It passed the Senate 28-10.

June 30, 2021Supports Gun Control

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted to shield Rhode Island providers of abortion and gender-affirming care from legal action by other states. It passed the Senate 30-7.

May 2, 2024Supports Women's Reproductive Rights

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted against covering abortion in Medicaid and state employee health plans. It passed the Senate 24-13.

May 18, 2023Opposes Women's Reproductive Rights

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted against the Reproductive Privacy Act, which wrote abortion rights into state law. It passed the Senate 21-17.

June 19, 2019Opposes Women's Reproductive Rights

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a bill creating a "Choose Life" special license plate. It passed both chambers, and the governor vetoed it on July 16, 2013.

July 16, 2013Opposes Women's Reproductive Rights

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted to keep federal immigration agents at least 200 feet from any polling place while voting is going on. It passed the Senate 29-8.

June 9, 2026Supports Election Integrity

Source: legiscan.com

Sponsored a law, signed on July 2, 2025, that regulates deceptive AI-made images, audio and video in election ads.

July 2, 2025Supports Election Integrity

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored the Rhode Island Data Transparency and Privacy Protection Act, which became law on June 28, 2024, giving residents privacy protections for personal data companies collect.

June 28, 2024Supports Data Privacy

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

As Senate oversight chairman, led a hearing on the RIPTA data breach and said on February 1, 2022, that state cybersecurity rules left out many quasi-public agencies.

February 1, 2022Supports Data Privacy

Source: bostonglobe.com

Sponsored the Identity Theft Protection Act of 2015, signed on June 26, 2015, which requires businesses and agencies holding personal data to protect it and report breaches.

June 26, 2015Supports Data Privacy

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on July 1, 2014, that lets the state bureau of audits review the security of government computer systems and keeps weak spots it finds out of public view.

July 1, 2014Supports Data Privacy

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted to let voters with disabilities and military voters use ballots sent electronically. It passed the Senate 25-12.

June 22, 2022Supports Civil Rights

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on May 26, 2021, that bars the state from opening an investigation of a family based only on a parent's disability.

May 26, 2021Supports Civil Rights

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on June 28, 2019, that requires respectful language about disability in state job descriptions and laws.

June 28, 2019Supports Civil Rights

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted against the bill letting same-sex couples marry in Rhode Island. It passed the Senate 26-12.

April 24, 2013Opposes Civil Rights

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted to let same-sex couples enter civil unions in Rhode Island. It passed the Senate 21-16.

June 29, 2011Supports Civil Rights

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on July 15, 2019, that brought virtual currency businesses under the state's money transmitter licensing rules.

July 15, 2019Supports Corporate Accountability

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a net neutrality bill requiring internet providers to treat all online traffic equally. It passed the Senate on April 30, 2019, but the House did not act on it.

April 30, 2019Supports Corporate Accountability

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted to bury part of a high-voltage power line in Providence and East Providence. Electric customers in those two cities pay the extra cost through their bills. It passed the Senate 28-9.

June 18, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: legiscan.com

Voted to let Rhode Island's electric utility buy nuclear power and sign long-term contracts for it. It passed the Senate 23-14.

June 18, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: legiscan.com

Sponsored a law, signed on July 15, 2019, that lets the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank fund projects that make infrastructure more resilient to storms and flooding.

July 15, 2019Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored the Small Cell Siting Act, signed on September 27, 2017, which sets how towns may regulate small wireless antennas used for cell networks.

September 27, 2017Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted for the RhodeWorks plan to toll large commercial trucks, and not cars, to pay for bridge repairs. It passed the Senate 25-12.

February 11, 2016Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored the complete streets law, signed on June 20, 2012, which requires the state transportation department to design roads for all users, including walkers and bike riders, and to report on it.

June 20, 2012Supports Public Infrastructure

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted for a three-year pause on approving new or expanded charter schools, starting with the 2026-2027 school year. It passed the Senate 31-6.

June 4, 2026

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Received the Rhode Island AFL-CIO's endorsement for his 2026 Senate District 12 race.

May 5, 2026

Source: rhodeislandaflcio.org

Sponsored a law, signed on June 21, 2023, that set rules for registering and driving low-speed vehicles on Rhode Island roads.

June 21, 2023

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted for a bill raising campaign contribution limits and the threshold for reporting donors. It passed the Senate 22-14.

June 14, 2023

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Was appointed chairman of the Senate Finance Committee for the 2023-2024 session by Senate President Dominick Ruggerio.

January 10, 2023

Source: whatsupnewp.com

Was appointed to the board of directors of New York City REIT, Inc., a public real estate company, on December 14, 2022, while serving as a state senator.

December 14, 2022

Source: sec.gov

Voted against the Rhode Island Cannabis Act, which legalized marijuana for adults 21 and older. It passed the Senate 32-6.

May 24, 2022

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted for the 2022 redistricting plan that redrew state legislative and congressional district lines. It passed the Senate 29-9.

February 15, 2022

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted against a 2021 bill to license and tax sales of marijuana to adults. It passed the Senate 29-9.

June 22, 2021

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Was appointed chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules, Government Ethics and Oversight for the 2021-2022 session, which reviews how public bodies perform.

January 12, 2021

Source: whatsupnewp.com

Sponsored a law, signed on March 17, 2020, that lets the state film office waive the rule that most filming happen in Rhode Island for productions spending at least $10 million here.

March 17, 2020

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on July 2, 2018, that lets taxpayers give part of their state income tax refund to a substance use and mental health council.

July 2, 2018

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on July 8, 2014, that created a program to protect military bases in Rhode Island and a fund and advisory commission to support defense-related communities.

July 8, 2014

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on July 15, 2013, that renewed Rhode Island's ban on cloning a whole human being while keeping research on cloned cells, genes and tissues legal.

July 15, 2013

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, signed on July 11, 2013, that sets rules for how active-duty military members can end a lease when they are deployed or transferred.

July 11, 2013

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Sponsored a law, which took effect on June 25, 2010, that tells the state purchasing officer to pick an in-state vendor when all other parts of competing bids are the same.

June 25, 2010

Source: webserver.rilegislature.gov

Voted against asking voters to allow state-run casino gambling at Twin River and Newport Grand. It passed the Senate 21-14.

June 11, 2010

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted against the Education Adequacy Act, which set a new state formula for paying for public schools. It passed the Senate 26-9.

June 10, 2010

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov

Voted for the state budget for the fiscal year that began July 1, 2010. It passed the Senate 26-12.

June 9, 2010

Source: votes.rilegislature.gov