Representative John J. Lombardi
Second Vice Chair, House Special Legislation Committee
Member, House Small Business Committee
Member, House Veterans' Affairs Committee
John J. Lombardi (D) has served the residents of Providence in District 8 since first being elected in November 2012. He is the second vice chair of the House Special Legislation Committee and is a member of the House Small Business Committee and the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.
In 2024, Representative Lombardi sponsored a new law that allows other residents of a residential dwelling unit to extend the term of the rental agreement for a period of three months after the death of the lessee. He also sponsored bills that prohibit landlords from inquiring about an applicant's prior incarceration, from discriminating against those who have been released from prison, and that allows expungement of multiple felony convictions for non-violent felonies 10 years after a sentence is completed.
During the 2023 legislative session, Representative Lombardi introduced legislation which would prohibit the practice of patient brokering and provide penalties and enforcement. He also sponsored a bill which would require mandatory training standards for police officers and trainees in identifying, responding, and handling all incidents involving any person with a developmental disability. He also introduced a bill which would make possession of a used catalytic converter a felony and require recycling service providers to maintain certain records relative to catalytic converters.
Born on April 30, 1952, Representative Lombardi graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in Providence in 1970, and then earned his bachelor's degree from Rhode Island College in 1975. He earned a master's degree in education from RIC in 1982 and a law degree from Suffolk University in Boston in 1987.
In addition to his duties as a legislator, Representative Lombardi is employed as an attorney and was named the Chief Judge of the Providence Municipal Court in January 2023. He served as an Associate Judge in the Municipal Court since 2014. He served on the Providence City Council for more than 26 years, including one year as acting mayor and eight years as council president. He is the former president of Federal Hill House and Zuccolo Recreation Center.
Representative Lombardi resides in Providence with his wife, Denise.