Rhode Island Senator Meghan Kallman (D)

Energy & Environment Innovation Fellow

Meghan E. Kallman is a Democrat representing District 15 (Pawtucket, Providence) in the Rhode Island Se​nate. During her time in the General Assembly, Sen. Kallman has advanced legislation related to housing, climate action, transportation and other issues.  

In 2023, she sponsored two major new laws to address the state’s housing crisis, such as converting empty buildings like mills into housing, or to support creation of mixed-use, mixed-income housing around transit hubs. Sen. Kallman sponsored laws in 2023 to make contraception more available by allowing pharmacists to prescribe hormonal contraceptives, and support workers by toughening penalties on wage theft and helped secure funding to keep major bus routes free for all riders. She cosponsored the Equality in Abortion Coverage Act and a bill to expand solar development while protecting forests and ratepayers. She was the Senate sponsor of the Fair Housing Practices Act, which bars housing discrimination against renters receiving Section 8/housing vouchers, as well as a provision creating Rhode Island’s first-ever permanent revenue stream to support affordable housing. She also sponsored legislation barring housing discrimination based on gender identity/expression. 

Sen. Kallman received the 2021 Pacesetter Award from the Women Legislators’ Lobby, or WILL, a program of Women’s Action for New Directions (WAND). She was also honored as a 2023 Environmental Champion by Clean Water Action for her work protecting the environment. Sen. Kallman holds a bachelor’s degree from Smith College, a master’s from the University of Chicago and a doctorate from Brown University. She is a professor at UMass, Boston.