Tampa—Rhode Island Speaker Pro Tempore Brian Kennedy has been elected vice president of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), a bipartisan organization serving the nation’s 7,383 state lawmakers and legislative staff. Kennedy took office on Friday, Nov. 5, at NCSL's Legislative Summit in Tampa, Fla.
Kennedy will serve one year as vice president, ascend to president-elect the following year, and then become president at the Legislative Summit in 2024. NCSL leadership alternates between parties every year.
"I appreciate the opportunity to serve as vice president and look forward to working with my colleagues from around the country,” said Kennedy. “NCSL has afforded legislators and staff an unrivaled opportunity to learn from the experiences of other states, exchange ideas and come up with policy solutions that can help propel our respective states and, ultimately, our entire nation forward. I also look forward to working with our Washington office to ensure federal policies are in line with state priorities.”
Kennedy has served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives since November 1988. He has led several committees since being elected and most recently serves as the Speaker Pro Tempore. He has also been an active member of NCSL and has served on numerous NCSL committees including the Executive Committee, Communications, Financial Services and Interstate Commerce Committee, most recently serving as co-chair of the NCSL Executive Task Force on Insurance.
Kennedy, an estate broker and appraiser for Kennedy Realty Appraisal, has a master’s degree in business administration from Anna Maria College in 1987. He earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Providence College in 1983. He is a member of Chariho Regional High School’s Class of 1979. He was born Jan. 3, 1961.
NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the states, commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system.