Susan R. Donovan is a Democratic member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, serving District 69, which encompasses Bristol and Portsmouth. She was first elected in November 2016 and has been reelected multiple times, including earning a third term in 2020.

Education and Political Experience

Donovan has an extensive background in education, having worked as a teacher for 35 years before transitioning to serve as an education consultant prior to her legislative career.

Legislative Leadership and Committee Positions

She was named Chair of the House Health and Human Services Committee in January 2023. She also serves as a member of the House Education Committee and the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Notable Legislative Achievements

Donovan has sponsored or cosponsored significant legislation across multiple policy areas:

Pay Equity and Workplace Rights
- Sponsored major pay equity legislation enacted in 2021 to ensure equal pay for all employees regardless of gender or ethnicity
- Primary sponsor of House Bill 5261 , which addresses wage discrimination based on race, ethnicity, sex, or orientation and expands employee protections

Healthcare
- Sponsored laws promoting the use of electronic medical records
- Sponsored legislation allowing patients to direct health care mailings to themselves rather than to spouses or parents
- Sponsored a 2024 law requiring the Rhode Island Department of Education to develop informational materials about type 1 diabetes for parents and guardians of students

Child and Family Welfare
- Sponsored or cosponsored numerous bills to improve the lives of children and families, including legislation supporting Child Opportunity Zones and a ban on conversion therapy for minors

Senior Protections
- Sponsored a law prohibiting private insurance companies from discriminating against seniors with pre-existing conditions when shopping for Medicare Advantage plans
- Sponsored legislation enacted in 2025 prohibiting NTRAPS, a real estate scheme often targeting seniors

Environmental Protection
- Cosponsored bills banning intentional outdoor balloon releases to protect wildlife
- Cosponsored laws accelerating Rhode Island's transition to renewable electricity, reducing plastic shopping bag waste, and banning toxic PFAS chemicals from food packaging