Kathleen Fogarty

Kathleen A. Fogarty (D) was first elected in November 2014 to the seat in House District 35, South Kingstown. Appointed as the First Assistant Speaker in May 2026, she is the chair of the House Rules Committee, the first vice chair of the House Municipal Government and Housing Committee, and a member of the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee and the House Health and Human Services Committee. During the 2025 session, Representative Fogarty introduced a law that establishes several consumer protections related to Medicare Supplement Insurance , or Medigap. These plans help Medicare patients cover out-of-pocket costs that their original plans do not cover. She also sponsored a law that creates a license for the harvesting of green crabs , an invasive species in Rhode Island's coastal waters. Like many invasive species, the green crab poses a threat to the ecosystem and is particularly harmful for shellfish and eelgrass habitats, which serve as nurseries for native marine species. During the 2024 session, she sponsored legislation to create the Primary Care Training Sites Program to provide training for physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants within…