RI Legislature's Budget of $45.6M Unchecked - House GOP Leader Calls for Transparency

RI Legislature's Budget of $45.6M Unchecked - House GOP Leader Calls for Transparency

For as long as House Minority Leader Blake Filippi has served in the House of Representatives, the Joint Committee on Legislative Services (JCLS) — complete with a $45.6 million budget — has never met, he says. 

“JCLS has not met since I was elected to the House,” says Filippi, who was elected in 2012.

All of the decisions over the State House hiring, firing and raises are made without public meetings, agendas, minutes or recorded votes.

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Filippi says the structure needs review. “It (JCLS) needs to reform. It needs transparency,” said Filippi, who has served as GOP Leader since 2019.

 

Latest Controversy

The latest controversy related to the JCLS is the claim by Speaker Mattiello’s office that the legislature’s push for an audit of the Rhode Island Convention Center was the result of an action of the JCLS. Filippi said that the audit wasn't initiated by the members of the JCLS -- as the committee has not met.

The call for an audit by Mattiello’s office took place simultaneously to Mattiello’s close friend James Demers, the controversial head of security at the Rhode Island Convention Center and Dunkin’ Donuts Center, was placed on administrative leave tied to a personnel issue.

Demers is retired from the Rhode Island State Police. Also working for the Speaker is Demers' son Garrett, who serves part-time as an Assistant Clerk for the House Judiciary Committee according to State records. He earns $45,000 for a part-time job.

As previously reported, the younger Demers is at the center of another major controversy and lawsuit involving the Rhode Island State Police.

Rhode Island State Police Lt. Michael Casey alleges in a lawsuit that top brass at the State Police told him to falsify the records of the younger Demers when he was an applicant for the Rhode Island State Police. 

 

Membership of JCLS

The Committee is comprised of five House and Senate leaders with Democrats controlling the body by a margin of three to two.

Representative Nicholas A. Mattiello,  Chairman

Senator Dominick J. Ruggerio, Vice Chairman

Senator Dennis L. Algiere, Member

Representative Blake Filippi, Member

Representative K. Joseph Shekarchi, Member

 

By all accounts, all of the decisions take place in Mattiello’s office.

According to its official description, “Under the direction of the Joint Committee on Legislative Services, the JCLS Administrative Office is responsible for the overall day-to-day operations of the General Assembly. Matters pertaining to personnel, payroll and benefits, operations, purchasing and accounts payable are handled through this office”

“The JCLS office prepares and submits the annual budget and oversees the finances of the Legislature. The operations staff is responsible for the purchasing function, the upkeep and maintenance of the legislative offices in the State House, the disbursement of supplies to the various offices of the JCLS, and is responsible for repairs to equipment and furnishings of the Legislature."