| Leonidas P. Raptakis is a Democrat representing District 33 (Coventry, West Greenwich) in the Rhode Island Senate.
He first served in the Senate from 1996 to 2010 and was elected to return to the chamber in November 2012. He was a candidate for Secretary of State in 2010. He previously served in the Rhode Island House of Representatives from 1992 to 1996.
During his time in the legislature, Sen. Raptakis has worked to protect residents of his district from excessive water and sewer fees. He sponsored a bill to cap sewer costs in Coventry at a rate aligned with other communities, as well as another bill preventing the town from charging homeowners for road repaving costs incurred during sewer work.
He has also been part of a group of Kent County lawmakers to raise concerns over billing issues at the Kent County Water Authority. In 2021, he was lead sponsor of a resolution calling on the state's auditor general to review the authority's operations.
He has introduced legislation to protect residents in the area of Johnson's Pond, specifically by extending wetlands protections and allowing the Department of Environmental Management to control its water level if necessary.
Sen. Raptakis has sponsored a law requiring that people convicted of murder spend more time incarcerated before being eligible for parole, as well as legislation seeking to create a convicted murder registry in the state. He also introduced proposals to stiffen penalties for repeat DUI offenders and make it a felony to block traffic on a roadway or highway.
Other proposals introduced by Sen. Raptakis include a measure to tie increases in the state's minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index, or CPI; a bill protecting children from being left unattended in vehicles; a measure to eliminate the fuel tax for businesses; and legislation seeking to establish an Office of the Inspector General in Rhode Island. He has also supported putting line-item veto authority for the governor before voters as a constitutional amendment.
Sen. Raptakis was born on Nov. 18, 1959. He and his wife, Donna Maria Digidio, have two children, Alexandra-Marie and Nicholas Peter.
He earned a B.A. in 1985 from Rhode Island College and an A.A. in 1981 from the Community College of Rhode Island. He is also a graduate of Coventry High School. He is a small business owner.
Sen. Raptakis is a member of Alpha Omega; Chapter 106, District 7 of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association; the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church; Club 100; the Coventry-West Greenwich Elks; and FOP Lodge #26. For many years, he has sponsored the Greek Independence Day celebration at the State House. |