Senator Melissa Murray

Melissa Murray is a Democrat representing District 24 (Woonsocket, North Smithfield) in the Rhode Island Senate.

The first openly LGBTQ+ elected official in Woonsocket, Sen. Murray served two terms on the Woonsocket City Council before being elected to the Rhode Island Senate in November 2018.

During her time in the General Assembly, Sen. Murray has been active on a number of issues. She is the Senate sponsor of legislation seeking to create a new tax bracket for those making over $500,000, generating an estimated $150 million in new tax revenue for the state. She also introduced legislation to increase benefits paid to children and families in the Rhode Island Works program, a measure that was included in the approved budget.

She has sponsored legislation to raise the sales limits for local breweries and distilleries; cap the cost of insulin and diabetes testing supplies for Rhode Islanders with diabetes; allow Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous to meet during a state of emergency; and improve restroom access for all genders.

Sen. Murray was born on Oct. 3, 1974. Born and raised in northern Rhode Island, she attended Woonsocket’s public schools. She has an A.A.S. in Criminal Justice with a focus in Forensic Science. A self-taught artist who travels locally, she also works at a family-owned business in Woonsocket.

Sen. Murray is deeply involved in her community. She is involved with numerous boards and committees, including serving as Vice Chair of the Woonsocket Democratic City Committee.