[Opinion] Senate President Valarie Lawson seeks opinion on ethical conflicts with teachers union job

Senate President Valarie Lawson seeks opinion on ethical conflicts with teachers union job

Rhode Island Senate President Valarie Lawson is pictured in the Senate chamber ahead of the May 13, 2025, floor session. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current)Rhode Island Senate President Valarie Lawson quietly recused herself from two labor bills decided Wednesday. The reason: She’s awaiting the advice of a state ethics panel on conflicts of interest with her job as head of one of the state’s two largest teachers unions. Despite Laws…