Senate President Ruggerio back in the hospital days before scheduled return to State House

Senate President Dominick Ruggerio is back in the hospital days before he was scheduled to return to the State House for the home stretch of the legislative session.

The news was first reported by The Providence Journal, and confirmed to Rhode Island Current Friday afternoon by Greg Paré, a spokesperson for Ruggerio.

Paré was unable to confirm what date Ruggerio was readmitted to Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, but said it was due to a reaction to a treatment he was undergoing for his cancer diagnosis.

“They’re working to help him regain his health,” Paré said.

Senate President Ruggerio takes more time off to focus on ‘rebuilding his strength’

The news comes five weeks after Ruggerio, 76, was last released from the same hospital’s rehabilitation center after a bout with pneumonia. The North Providence Democrat has been absent for a majority of the 2025 sessions, attending just four of the 17 regularly scheduled Senate gatherings since January. He last presided over the chamber’s regular session on March 25. Ruggerio declined recent interview requests about his health, though Pare said he was doing better, with plans to focus on “rebuilding his strength” ahead of the final stretch of the session.

An email sent from Ruggerio’s Senate email address to lawmakers at 1:39 p.m. Friday, and obtained by Rhode Island Current, stressed the need for the chamber to address the primary care doctor shortage, noting recent actions by insurance companies and Gov. Dan McKee. The email is signed “Donny, Val and David,” referring to Ruggerio, Sen. Majority Leader Val Lawson and Senate Majority Whip David Tikoian. 

Less than 90 minutes later, Paré sent another email to senators letting them know Ruggerio was back in the hospital ahead of the news being publicly reported.

Ruggerio originally planned to return to the chamber following its April recess this week. Paré was unsure when asked Friday whether that was still the plan, given his hospitalization. 

Additional information regarding his condition from Fatima hospital was not immediately available. 

The full Senate will meet again at 4 p.m.  on April 22.