Rhode Island State House Representative Lauren Carson has announced that she will run for reelection for her seat representing Newport in House District 75.
Carson was first elected in 2014 to the House of Representatives. In her time at the State House, she has been particularly active on issues related to the environment, small business, tourism, and government transparency. She currently serves as Deputy Majority Leader and as the second vice chair of the House Innovation and Internet Committee. She is a member of the House Environment and Natural Resources, Small Business and Oversight Committees.
In 2015, she sponsored and chaired two RI House study commissions, one to study the economic impact of sea rise on Rhode Island, and another to study ways to expand tourism through effective statewide branding efforts. In 2019, she organized the Aquidneck Island Climate Caucus to focus the island’s efforts concerning sea level rise, which has been very active since its creation and throughout the pandemic. In 2017, she sponsored a law requiring education on flooding and sea rise for local planning board members and creating a unified statewide application process for solar panel permitting.
This session she has introduced a wide range of legislation on topics including environmental protections, education, food safety, protections for special education students, seniors, and tax benefits for Newport residents. She has also been actively involved in implementing her landmark Act on Climate, which was passed in 2021. The short-term rental regulations she sponsored and passed will take effect this year.
She has sponsored and passed legislation that eliminated the state income tax on Social Security benefits; created a public internet portal at the RI State Treasury that reports on State pensions and pension performance; she secured funding in the 2019 State Budget to create an Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC); and created a program establishing small business support during RI DOT road projects – as a result, Newport businesses located near the Newport Pell Bridge are receiving support throughout the bridge realignment process.
She has been honored as a Champion for Seniors by the Edward King House in Newport and Legislator of the Year by the RI Audubon Society, the RI Hospitality Association, and the State Conservation Districts. She has also served on the Advisory Board of the Alliance for Livable Newport, the Newport Energy & Environment Commission, and the Environmental Council of the Rhode Island Educational Fund Board.
Carson said, “The upcoming election session will be busy. When the House concludes its 2022 session in June, I will be around town and I hope that we might meet so we can talk about our State government and your vision of our shared future. I promise to be available and to respond to your needs.”
Carson obtained a Master’s degree in History from the University of Rhode Island in 2008 and her Master in Business degree from URI in 1992, and earned a BA in sociology in 1976 from Ramapo College in New Jersey. She is a graduate of Benedictine Academy in New Jersey. Born on February 26, 1954, she is the mother of a son, Andrew. She has lived in Newport for over twenty years. For more information about Carson’s background and plans for her fifth term, you can contact her directly at 401-523-1143 or laurenhcarson@gmail.com.
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