Freedom Index

A Legislative Scorecard Based on the Principles of the U.S. Constitution

Legislative Scorecard Based on the U.S. Constitution

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

Legislative Scorecard

Based on the U.S. Constitution

RI Scorecard 2021-2022

The Legislative Scorecard is a nationwide educational program of The John Birch Society. Its purpose is to create an informed electorate on how state legislators are voting. The Scorecard is nonpartisan; it does not promote any candidate or political party. Bills are selected for their constitutional implications and cost to the taxpayers.

Please share this Scorecard in your district to inform people about your legislator's record on key votes.
U.S. Constitution, Amendment I --- 11 C.F.R. §114(4)(c)(4) --- 616 F.2d 45 (2d Cir. 1980)

The following scorecard lists several key votes in the Rhode Island General Assembly in 2021 and 2022 and ranks state representatives and senators based on their fidelity to (U.S.) constitutional and limited-government principles.

This is our first state-level Scorecard; the selected votes may not be reflective of legislators’ overall records. Their cumulative scores will change as we add more votes. Please check regularly for updates.

House of Representatives

1. "Driver Privilege Cards" for Illegal Aliens

Good Vote: No
H7939 "Driver Privilege Cards" for Illegal Aliens (passed 55 to 15 on 6/22/2022). Allows the division of motor vehicles to issue “driver privilege cards and permits” to applicants “unable to establish legal presence in the United States.”

2. Expanding Government Wiretapping

Good Vote: No

S2706 Expanding Government Wiretapping (passed 66 to 0 on 5/31/2022). Grants the ability to apply ex parte for a court order authorizing the “interception of any wire, electronic, or oral communications” based on alleged felony violations of the Uniform Act on Prevention for Human Trafficking.

3. Permanent Early, Mail-In Voting

Good Vote: No

S2007 Permanent Early, Mail-In Voting (passed 55 to 10 on 5/25/2022). Permits early voting by mail without an excuse, removes the requirement that mail ballots be signed by a notary public or two witnesses, and directs every municipality to maintain at least one ballot drop box.

4. Gun-Free School Zones

Good Vote: No

S0073 Gun-Free School Zones (passed 67 to 1 on 7/1/2021). Prohibits the possession of firearms on school grounds, except for peace officers, retired law enforcement officers, persons under contract to provide school security services, and unloaded firearms in locked containers or a locked rack in a motor vehicle.

5. Forced Minimum Wage Increases

Good Vote: No

H5130 Forced Minimum Wage Increases (passed 58 to 16 on 5/6/2021). Increases the minimum wage from $11.50 per hour to $15.00 per hour, over a 4-year period.

6. 2021 "Act on Climate"

Good Vote: No

H5445 2021 "Act on Climate" (passed 53 to 22 on 3/23/2021). Mandates a statewide enforceable target of “net-zero” emissions by 2050, including an “equitable transition to climate compliance for environmental justice populations.”

Legislator Scores
[ + ] Pro-liberty Vote[ - ] Anti-liberty Vote[ . ] Did not Vote
Name Party District Score 123456
Marvin Abney D HD-073 0% ------
Mia Ackerman D HD-045 0% --.---
Edith Ajello D HD-001 0% ------
Karen Alzate D HD-060 0% ------
Gregg Amore D HD-065 0% ------
Samuel Azzinaro D HD-037 20% ---.-+
Jacquelyn Baginski D HD-017 17% +-----
Jean Barros D HD-059 0% ------
Jose Batista D HD-012 0% --..--
David Bennett D HD-020 0% ------
Nathan Biah D HD-003 0% ------
Christopher Blazejewski D HD-002 0% ------
Justine Caldwell D HD-030 0% ------
Edward Cardillo D HD-042 17% +-----
Lauren Carson D HD-075 0% ------
Stephen Casey D HD-050 20% --.--+
Julie Casimiro D HD-031 0% ------
Liana Cassar D HD-066 0% ------
Michael Chippendale R HD-040 60% +.+--+
Terri-Denise Cortvriend D HD-072 0% ------
Arthur Corvese D HD-055 60% +--.++
Gregory Costantino D HD-044 NA ....++
Robert Craven D HD-032 0% -.----
Grace Diaz D HD-011 0% ------
Susan Donovan D HD-069 0% ------
John Edwards D HD-070 0% ------
Leonela Felix D HD-061 0% ------
Deborah Fellela D HD-043 17% +-----
Barbara Ann Fenton-Fung R HD-015 40% +-.-+-
Blake Filippi R HD-036 50% --+-++
Kathleen Fogarty D HD-035 0% ------
Joshua Giraldo D HD-056 0% ------
Arthur Handy D HD-018 0% ------
Bernard Hawkins D HD-053 50% +---++
Brianna Henries D HD-064 0% -.----
Raymond Hull D HD-006 0% ------
Katherine Kazarian D HD-063 0% ------
Brian Kennedy D HD-038 0% ------
Rebecca Kislak D HD-004 0% ------
Jason Knight D HD-067 0% ------
Steven Lima D HD-049 33% ...--+
Charlene Lima D HD-014 40% -.-+-+
John Lombardi D HD-008 0% ------
Alex Marszalkowski D HD-052 0% ------
Hagan McEntee D HD-033 0% ------
Michelle McGaw D HD-071 0% ------
James McLaughlin D HD-057 33% ----++
Joseph McNamara D HD-019 0% --.---
Mary Messier D HD-062 0% ------
David Morales D HD-007 0% ------
Patricia Morgan R HD-026 80% +-+.++
George Nardone R HD-028 67% +-+-++
Brian Newberry R HD-048 60% +-+-.+
Thomas Noret D HD-025 25% ..---+
William O'Brien D HD-054 17% ----+-
Ramon Perez D HD-013 20% --.--+
Robert Phillips D HD-051 80% +-+.++
David Place R HD-047 67% +-+-++
Brandon Potter D HD-016 0% ------
Justin Price R HD-039 67% +-+-++
Robert Quattrocchi R HD-041 67% +-+-++
Marcia Ranglin-Vassell D HD-005 0% -..---
Sherry Roberts R HD-029 60% .-+-++
Deborah Ruggiero D HD-074 0% ------
Patricia Serpa D HD-027 17% +-----
Maryann Shallcross-Smith D HD-046 0% ------
Evan Shanley D HD-024 0% ------
Joseph Shekarchi D HD-023 0% ------
Scott Slater D HD-010 0% ------
Joseph Solomon D HD-022 0% ------
June Speakman D HD-068 0% ------
Teresa Tanzi D HD-034 0% ------
Carlos Tobon D HD-058 NA ....+-
Camille Vella-Wilkinson D HD-021 33% ----++
Anastasia Williams D HD-009 17% -----+

Average Constitutional Score by Party

Party Score
Democrat 8.2%
Republican 61.8%