Joseph J. Solomon Jr.
Chair, House Corporations Committee
Member, House Oversight Committee
Member, House Veterans' Affairs Committee
Joseph J. Solomon Jr. (D) was first elected in November 2014 as the State
Representative from District 22, Warwick. Representative Solomon is the chair of
the House Corporations Committee and is a member of the House Oversight
Committee and the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
During the 2023 session, he sponsored legislation that allows nursing home
residents more
money to pay for their monthly personal needs. That bill became part of
the adopted state budget. He also sponsored a law that increased the amount
of costs for
repairs that a tenant may deduct from their rent.
Rerpresentative Solomon sponsored legislation that created a special
commission to study the reasons for the state’s
diminishing quahog catch. He currently serves as co-chairman of that
commission.
In 2022, he introduced a law designed to help curb the
theft of catalytic converters. He also introduced legislation to
construct safety barriers on Rhode Island bay bridges to deter suicide
attempts. That proposal made its way into the
2022-23 state budget, which includes funding to study the feasibility of
the project.
A strong advocate for the elderly, Representative Solomon sponsored a new
law in 2021 that
requires financial institutions to report suspected financial
exploitation of seniors to the Office of Healthy Aging.
In 2019, he sponsored a law to create the
Rhode Island Small Business Development Fund, which is designed to
encourage the formation of private capital investment in small business by
federally licensed investment companies.
During the 2018 session, he sponsored a law to allow existing sexual education
curriculum to incorporate age-appropriate elements of effective and
evidence-based programs on the law and
meaning of consent in the context of existing family life courses.
In 2017, Representative Solomon introduced an
animal-protection law which requires that the sheltering and nourishment of
dogs conform to the industry standards established by the Tufts Animal Care and
Conditions Scale. He also successfully introduced a Justice Reinvestment reform
bill that allows those individuals with prior convictions for possession with
intent to deliver or crimes of violence to be eligible for the drug court
program in Superior Court.
Representative Solomon has received the Golden Paw Award from Animal Rescue
Rhode Island for his advocacy for animals. He was also presented with the Humane
Heroes Award by Defenders of Animals. Additionally, he was recognized by the
Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine for his efforts in sponsoring
legislation to ban the ongoing, lethal use of animals in medical training.
An attorney and business owner, he is licensed to practice law in Rhode Island,
Massachusetts and the District of Columbia, as well as the U.S. District Courts
in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. He is a member of the Rhode Island Bar
Association.
Born September 4, 1983, Representative Solomon graduated in 2001 from Bishop
Hendricken High School, received his Bachelor’s degree in accounting from
Providence College in 2005, and obtained his Juris Doctorate degree from New
England Law Boston in 2008.