2022 -- H 8371

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LC006154

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

HONORING AND THANKING REPRESENTATIVE MARCIA RANGLIN-VASSELL FOR

HER SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Representatives Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Fogarty, Shallcross Smith,
Carson, Cortvriend, Cassar, Ajello, Donovan, and Speakman

     Date Introduced: June 23, 2022

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, The Honorable Marcia Ranglin-Vassell, elected as Representative for

District 5 in Providence in November of 2016, is stepping down at the end of the 2022 legislative

year. Most currently, she has been a member of the House Education Committee, the House

Environment and Natural Resources Committee, and the House Small Business Committee.

     WHEREAS, Over the course of Representative Ranglin-Vassell’s tenure in the General

Assembly, she has championed numerous initiatives that have made a real difference in the lives

of countless Rhode Islanders including support for a $15 living wage, access and reimbursement

for doula services, ending gun violence through a number of bills, dismantling of the school-to-

prison pipeline, fighting for the Resilient Rhode Island Act on Climate, and access to free high

speed Internet, which became critical to students success during the COVID pandemic; and

     WHEREAS, A teacher by vocation, Representative Ranglin-Vassell strongly believes

that all children and adults should have access to the same opportunities in education,

employment, and overall quality of life. To that end, she has sponsored legislation requiring

school districts to provide for alternative programs and classroom space to reduce the number of

out-of-school suspensions, a waiver of all fees for taking an examination required in order to be

licensed and certified as a teacher, free lunches for all elementary and secondary students

attending Rhode Island's public schools, and a study on the impact, outcome, and needs of

children who have one or both parents incarcerated; and

     WHEREAS, Representative Ranglin-Vassell has also sponsored and co-sponsored

legislation to protect seniors, exempt natural hair braiders from licensing requirement, and

provide fair housing for those in need and referrals for families in need of emergency housing;

and

     WHEREAS, Born in Jamaica, Representative Ranglin-Vassell began her life overcoming

poverty, fighting for justice, and demonstrating for and against myriad essential issues, and she

has become an author, a motivational speaker, a content developer and a poet, the founder of

Barrels, Books and Butterflies, a teacher, and a State Representative; and

     WHEREAS, Respected for her accomplishments, Representative Ranglin-Vassell has

earned numerous honors including, acceptance as a Fellow by the National Conferences of State

Legislatures Child and Maternal Health, The Dr. Rose Butler Browne Award from Rhode Island

College, the YWCA Women of Achievement Award, YWCA Women Holding Office-Isabelle

Ahearn O’Neill Award, the Rhode Island College Alumni Award in Community Health, the

Yallahs High School Alumni Excellence in Education Award, the Rhode Island Black Business

Association Change Agent Award, the African Heritage Women in Education and Empowerment

Excellent Leadership Award, and the Bread of Life Government Mountain of Influence award;

and

     WHEREAS, Although the Honorable Marcia Ranglin-Vassell will be stepping down as a

State Representative, her numerous other responsibilities will most assuredly benefit from her

continued guidance and the additional time she will surely have; now, therefore be it

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

honors and thanks Representative Marcia Ranglin-Vassell for her service to the people of our

State and moreover wishes her the best of luck and good health in the years to come; and be it

further

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

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Honorable Marcia Ranglin-Vassell.

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LC006154

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