Representative Brianna Henries
Member, House Labor Committee
Member, House Special Legislation Committee
Brianna E. Henries was elected on November 3, 2020 to represent the people
of District 64 in East Providence. She is a member of the House Labor
Committee and the House Special Legislation Committee.
A lifelong Rhode Islander who represents a working-class district and who
has experienced homelessness herself, her focus at the State House is on
lifting people out of poverty and ensuring that income doesn't determine a
person's basic human rights. Her legislative work focuses on expanding
housing availability, particularly for those with low incomes; raising the
minimum wage; giving marginalized communities the opportunity to thrive,
ensuring that affordable health care is available and accessible to all,
changing school funding so that Zip codes do not determine the quality of a
student's education, and advocating for small business entrepreneurs,
especially those in the beauty industry.
In her first term in the House, the General Assembly adopted her legislation
requiring that newborn
health screenings include tests
for all conditions for which there is a medical benefit to early detection
and treatment, as well as her bill granting an income tax
exemption for artists within
the East Providence art district. She was a cosponsor of the 2022 laws prohibiting
tip theft by
employers and establishing trauma-informed
practices in
schools statewide. She was the sponsor of the 2023 legislation that
designated
Juneteenth
as a state holiday.
Born February 27, 1991, Representative Henries is a 2009 Classical High
School graduate. A makeup artist by trade, she is involved in several small
business ventures, including bridal services and freelance makeup, branding
and social media management. She volunteers writing and assisting with
productions at Valiant Arts Studio in Pawtucket.
She and her fiancé live in East Providence with their dog, Cooper.