| Robert E. Craven (D) has served the residents of North Kingstown in District 32 since first being elected in November 2012. He is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and is a member of both the House Innovation, Internet and Technology Committee and the House Small Business Committee.
In 2024, Chairman Craven sponsored two new laws that will help spur more crucial home production in Rhode Island. He also introduced another new law that will help make the process of changing an individual's name in municipal probate court more straightforward, while also updating the statute to make the language gender neutral and more inclusive.
During the 2023 legislative session, Chairman Craven introduced a new law which toughens the penalties for wage theft, the most prevalent and costly form of theft in the United States. He also introduced new laws that relate to subdivision and land developments and zoning standards in order to create more housing development in the state.
In 2022, in response to small businesses devastated by the pandemic, Chairman Craven introduced a new law which creates a temporary non-liquidating receivership program for businesses that have had a substantial decline in revenue after an emergency declaration by the government.
Born on November 19, 1955, Chairman Craven is a graduate of La Salle Academy in Providence in 1974 and the University of Rhode Island in 1978. He earned his law degree from New England Law Boston in 1983.
In addition to his duties as a legislator, Chairman Craven is an attorney at Robert E. Craven & Associates in North Kingstown. He is the Assistant Solicitor in Charlestown, Probate Judge for the Town of Charlestown, Solicitor for the Exeter-West Greenwich Regional School District, Solicitor in New Shoreham, and Assistant Solicitor in Westerly.
His past public service includes his time as Solicitor for the Town of Foster, 1998 to 2004; Assistant Solicitor for the City of East Providence, 2008 to 2019; Legal Counsel to the Rhode Island Board of Elections, 1995 to 2001; Assistant Attorney General, 1983 to 1992, which included serving as Chief of the Rhode Island Public Corruption Unit; and Town Councilor in North Kingstown.
He also served as an adjunct professor at the Community College of Rhode Island from 1983 to 2002.
Chairman Craven resides in Saunderstown with his wife, Susan, and they are the parents of two sons, Robert and Joseph. |