2020 -- H 7007

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LC003319

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

WISHING THE HONORABLE SHELBY MALDONADO WELL IN HER NEW POSITION

AS THE HISPANIC OUTREACH DIRECTOR OF THE AMERICAN ISRAELI PUBLIC

AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (AIPAC) AND THANKING HER FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY

RECORD OF PUBLIC SERVICE TO THE CITIZENS OF CENTRAL FALLS AND THE

STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Representatives Mattiello, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Lima, and Diaz

     Date Introduced: January 07, 2020

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, The Honorable Shelby Maldonado is leaving the Rhode Island House of

Representatives and the State of Rhode Island after a varied and distinguished public service

career; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Maldonado, a graduate of Central Falls High School and the

University of Rhode Island, served as a member of the United States Peace Corps in Zambia,

Africa, from 2011 to 2013. She began her distinguished public service career in 2013 when she

was elected to the Central Falls City Council, and quickly garnered notice and praise for her

tireless devotion to her community; and

     WHEREAS, In 2014, Shelby Maldonado was elected to serve the constituents of District

56, Central Falls, in the Rhode Island House of Representatives. She immediately impressed her

colleagues and observers with her integrity, work ethic, preparedness and her eloquence. In

recognition of these attributes, she quickly assumed leadership positions. She was named a

Deputy Majority Leader in January of 2019, and served as the Second Vice-Chairwoman of the

House Committee on Municipal Government and the House Committee on Conduct. She was

also a member of the House Committee on Health, Education and Welfare, the House Committee

on Small Business and the House Committee on Special Legislation. In addition, she chaired a

Special Commission to study the Minimum Housing Act; and

     WHEREAS, As a member of the House, Representative Maldonado was a passionate

supporter of civil rights for women and of due process in the criminal justice system. She

sponsored legislation that prohibited employers from discriminating against, and failing to

provide reasonable accommodations for, employees due to pregnancy or medical conditions

related to pregnancy or childbirth. She also sponsored legislation that removed the requirement

that an individual convicted of and sentenced for a crime, be presently serving in prison prior to

requesting forensic DNA testing, and she successfully championed the Uniform Act on the

Prevention and Remedies for Human Trafficking, which established harsh penalties and remedies

to combat human trafficking; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Maldonado also sponsored legislation that continued the

status quo relating to operator and chauffer’s licenses to approved recipients under the Deferred

Action for Childhood Arrivals program, introduced a justice-reform bill that requires Rhode

Island Cities and Towns to comply with certain procedures when prosecuting defendants, such as

the right to counsel, and introduced an education-reform law that establishes the College Crusade

of Rhode Island, a nonprofit organization that will administer and operate all program services

and manage scholarship resources; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Maldonado has fought tirelessly on behalf of workers' rights.

She introduced two bills that were signed into law. The first created a statutory vehicle for the

creation and functioning of workers’ cooperatives which are corporations and democratically

owned by their members, and the second amended the worksharing law by allowing employers

more flexibility in the reduction of work hours among their employees and by allowing more

leeway on the start date of an adopted worksharing plan; and

     WHEREAS, In 2016, Representative Maldonado was one of 48 state leaders across the

United States that were selected for the prestigious Henry Toll Fellowship Program sponsored by

the Council of State Governments; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Maldonado most recently worked as the Director of

Communications for Local 51, and was attending the Roger Williams University School of Law.

She has accepted a new position as the Hispanic Outreach Director of the American Israeli Public

Affairs Committee (AIPAC), and plans to transfer to a law school in the New York area. Her

sterling record of achievement and integrity in public service has left a legacy to be admired and

emulated by all; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby wishes our colleague, the Honorable Shelby Maldonado, good

luck and much success in all her future endeavors; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Honorable Shelby Maldonado.

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