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2013 General Assembly session opens for businessJan 01, 2013 (The Providence Journal - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The 2013-14 General Assembly has opened with the start of the Senate session at around 2:15 p.m. The swearing-in of the legislators -- and anticipated reelection of House Speaker Gordon D. Fox and Senate President M. Teresa Paiva Weed to their respective leadership posts -- top their opening-day agenda. The House session will open with a call to order by Rep. Peter Martin, "the senior representative from Newport," as required by Article 7 of the state Constitution, an invocation by Rabbi Sarah Mack, of Temple Beth-El in Providence, and a "posting of the colors and accompaniment" by the state police and the Rhode Island Professional Firefighters Pipe & Drum Band. Secretary of State A. Ralph Mollis will administer the oath of office to the 75 House members and 38 Senators. The newly-elected -- or, more likely, reelected -- House speaker will be sworn in by Rhode Island Superior Court Presiding Justice Alice B. Gibney, and the Senate president by District Court Judge Colleen M. Hastings, a close friend and one-time State House legal adviser to Paiva Weed. The opening day sessions in both the Senate and House will be broadcast by Capitol TV. (Channel 15 for Cox Communications and Full Channel, Channel 34 for Verizon). ___ (c)2013 The Providence Journal (Providence, R.I.) Visit The Providence Journal (Providence, R.I.) at www.projo.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |