Representative Scott Slater: Serving District 10 with Purpose and Persistence

Providence, RI - For Rhode Island Representative Scott Slater, public service isn't just a career—it's a calling rooted in family, community, and a deep sense of responsibility.
Slater, a Democrat representing District 10 in Providence, sat down with the Rhode Island Wave to discuss his work at the State House, the latest budget highlights, and the personal journey that brought him into politics.
A District, A Legacy
District 10 covers the Elmwood section of Providence, stretching from the Reservoir Triangle and Roger Williams Park to the Cranston Street Armory. It's a community Slater knows intimately—he's lived there his entire life.
His path to the State House began with a deeply personal loss. Slater's father, Thomas Slater, served as a representative before him and was a well-known advocate for marginalized communities. In 2003, Thomas was diagnosed with breast cancer, a battle he fought for six years before passing away in 2009. Following his father's death, Scott ran in a competitive special election—facing six or seven other candidates—and won the seat his father once held.
"The district became like a second family," Slater reflected. "I knew a lot of folks already from just being involved. I was blessed that they elected me."
Since then, Slater has been re-elected multiple times and currently runs unopposed—a testament, he says, to the importance of staying responsive to constituents.
"If someone calls about a pothole or a streetlight, you follow up," he said. "People appreciate that. And even if you can't do something, they want to know your reasoning and that you're responsive to them."
A Busy Role at the State House
Slater's responsibilities extend well beyond constituent services. He currently serves as Deputy Majority Leader, First Vice Chair of the House Finance Committee, Chair of the Education Subcommittee, and a member of both the House Rules Committee and the House Special Legislation Committee.
The House Finance Committee, he notes, is particularly demanding. The process begins in February when the governor submits the state budget, triggering a series of public hearings on each budget article. Subcommittees—including education and human services—then dig deeper into specific areas.
"We spend late nights up there in finance, going through a lot of the issues," Slater said. "But it gives you a view of a lot of different issues."
What's in the Latest Budget
This year's budget, which was completed ahead of schedule despite a mid-session leadership transition, included several notable wins for Rhode Island residents.
Among the highlights:

• Social Security tax relief: Building on legislation from previous years, the state eliminated age restrictions on Social Security tax exemptions, expanding relief to more residents.
• Education funding: $24 million was added to increase the success factor formula for Rhode Island schools.
• Medicaid rate increases: Hospitals and medical providers will see higher reimbursement rates.
• Higher education investment: Bond issues were approved to expand facilities at CCRI, URI, and Rhode Island College. Additionally, $5 million was allocated to begin establishing a medical school at URI.

"There's a lot of good stuff that we put into the budget," Slater said. "It was advocated for and we had hearings on it."
Legalizing Cannabis: 13 Years in the Making
One of Slater's most significant legislative achievements is the legalization of recreational cannabis in Rhode Island—a goal that took 13 years to accomplish.
The journey began with his father, who helped legalize medical cannabis in Rhode Island in 2006 and passed legislation to allow compassion centers in 2009. In one of Thomas Slater's final acts as a representative, a governor's veto of the compassion center bill was successfully overridden.
Scott Slater continued that work, navigating complex federal guidelines—including the so-called "Cole Memo," which threatened prosecution for cannabis facilities with more than 100 plants—by crafting legislation that capped plant counts at 99.
Recreational cannabis legalization finally crossed the finish line in 2022, a milestone Slater described as hard-won.
"I thought when I got there it would be something easy to get done," he admitted. "But it became extremely complicated to get done legislatively. That's 13 years just to get recreational cannabis passed."
The experience reinforced a broader legislative philosophy Slater has come to embrace: compromise.
"I've never had a bill that hasn't gone through changes or revisions or input from colleagues, the Senate, or the governor," he said. "Compromise is a huge part of being a legislator and working with others."
Expanding Opportunities Through Expungement
Another recent legislative priority for Slater has been criminal record expungement reform. Under existing law, individuals could have one non-violent felony expunged after 10 years. This year, Slater helped pass a bill expanding that to up to five non-violent felonies.
While some advocates felt the bill didn't go far enough, Slater sees it as meaningful progress.
"There are a lot of folks who have turned their life around—maybe they've had addiction issues—and they have that scarlet letter hanging over them," he said. "This will help a lot of those folks get their life back on track, whether it's employment or housing. And if I feel like it doesn't go far enough, I can work on it the following year."
Family and the Future
Outside of the State House, Slater credits his family as his greatest source of motivation. He and his wife, Bianca, have been married throughout his entire tenure as a representative. Their two daughters, Mia, 16, and Madeline, 14, are both set to attend Classical High School in Providence.
"Everything I do is really for their future," he said. "Both of them are very intelligent young ladies and I'm very proud of them."
As for what keeps him going after more than 15 years in office, Slater's answer is simple: the people of District 10.
"It's been a pleasure serving the district and following in my father's footsteps—as big as those footsteps are," he said. "He did a lot for so many folks and really fought for a lot of marginalized populations. I try to continue that."


Representative Scott Slater represents District 10 in the Rhode Island House of Representatives and can be reached at [email protected] or (401) 222-1591.
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