John J. Lombardi
American politician (born 1952)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John J. Lombardi (born April 30, 1952[1]) is an American politician, judge, and lawyer. A member of the Democratic Party from Providence, Rhode Island, he currently serves as a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives and Chief Judge of the Providence Municipal Court. From 2002–, as President of the Providence City Council, he served as the Acting Mayor of Providence for four months between the conviction of Buddy Cianci and the election of David Cicilline.
John J. Lombardi | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives from the 8th district | |
| Assumed office January 2013 | |
| Preceded by | Michael Tarro |
| Chief Judge of the Providence Municipal Court | |
| Assumed office January 18, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Frank Caprio |
| Associate Judge of the Providence Municipal Court | |
| In office 2014–2023 | |
| 35th Mayor of Providence | |
Acting | |
| In office September 6, 2002 – January 6, 2003 | |
| Preceded by | Buddy Cianci |
| Succeeded by | David Cicilline |
| President of the Providence City Council | |
| In office 1999–2006 | |
| Member of the Providence City Council from ward 13 | |
| In office 1984–2010 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 30, 1952 |
| Party | Democratic Party |
| Occupation | Attorney |
Early life and education
Lombardi was born April 30, 1952.[2] Lombardi grew up in Federal Hill on DePasquale Avenue[citation needed] and graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1970.[2] He attended Rhode Island College,[2] earning a Bachelor of Arts[citation needed] in 1975.[2] He worked as a teacher, earning a Master of Arts in Secondary Education[citation needed] from Rhode Island College in 1982, before turning his interests to law. He received a Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School in 1987.[2]
Providence City Council
In 1984, he was elected to the Providence City Council, representing Ward 13, serving for over 26 years.[2] His district representd the neighborhoods of Federal Hill and West End.
In 1999, Lombardi was elected President of the City Council, and served until 2006. When Vincent Cianci was convicted and was forced to step down, Lombardi, as City Council President, took over.[3]
Lombardi ran for mayor in 2010, but lost the Democratic primary election to Angel Taveras, finishing second with 29% of the vote to Taveras's 48%.[4]
Rhode Island State House
In 2012, Lombardi won a three-way race to represent the neighborhoods of Federal Hill, Manton and Olneyville in the Rhode Island House of Representatives.
Lombardi serves as Second Vice Chair of the House Special Legislation Committee as well as a member of the House Small Business Committee and the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.[2]
In 2013, Lombardi introduced a bill calling for term limits for members of the State Legislature.[5] In February 2020, Lombardi joined State Representative Ray Hull in introducing a bill to create a DCYF legislative oversight commission.[6] In 2023, Lombardi introduced legislation that would ban patient brokering, with penalties and enforcement for violations. The same year, he sponsored a bill to impose mandatory training standards on police officers and police trainees in identifying, responding, and addressing incidents involving individuals with developmental disabilities. That same year, he also introduced a bill to make possession of a used catalytic converter a felony offense and to mandate recycling service providers to keep records related to catalytic converters.[2]
Lombardi has sponsored bills that would prohibit residential landlords from inquiring about the previous incarceration of a rental applicant, and which would prohibit them from discriminating against individuals who have been released from prison. In 2024, he sponsored legislation to allow additional residents of a residential dwelling to extend the term of a rental agreement for a three-month period after the death of a lessee. He also has sponsored legislation to permit for multiple non-violent convictions to be expunged from a criminal record ten years subsequent to the completion of a sentence for the felonies.[2]
Municipal Court judge
In 2014, Lombardi began serving as an associate judge of the Providence Municipal Court. On January 18, 2022, the Providence City Council appointed Lombardi the Chief Judge of the court, with Lombardi succeeding outgoing Frank Caprio.[2][7]
Other work
Lombardi works as a lawyer. He was formerly the president of Federal Hill House and Zuccolo Recreation Center.[2]
Personal life
Lombardi and his wife, Denise, live in Providence.[2]
