Kim Rice
Speaker pro tempore of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
In office
December 2, 2020 – December 7, 2022
LeaderDick Hinch
Sherman Packard
Preceded byLucy Weber
Succeeded byLaurie Sanborn
Member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives
from the Hillsborough 37th district
In office
December 3, 2014 – December 7, 2022
Personal details
BornDover, New Hampshire, U.S.
Political partyRepublican

Kimberly A. Rice is an American politician who served as speaker pro tempore of the New Hampshire House of Representatives.

Career

On November 4, 2014, Rice was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives where she represents the Hillsborough 37 district. Rice assumed office on December 3, 2014. Rice is a Republican. Rice served as the chair of the House's Children and Family Law Committee during this time.[1]

In 2020, after Republicans flipped the House, Rice was appointed speaker pro tempore by house speaker Dick Hinch. Following Hinch’s death from COVID-19-related complications shortly after his election, Rice was retained as speaker pro tempore by new house speaker Sherman Packard.[2] In December 2020, mere days after Hinch's death, Rice announced via a Facebook post that she had contracted COVID-19, describing the virus as "very real". Unlike Hinch, however, Rice recovered from her infection.[3] Unlike several other New Hampshire Republicans, Rice has publicly expressed her support for wearing face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In an interview with The Eagle-Tribune given during her recovery, Rice expressed her concern over the polarization of American politics and the role social media has played in intensifying that polarization.[4]

In addition to Rice's duties as speaker pro tempore, Rice also serves on the New Hampshire Council for Thriving Children, the Oversight Commission on Children's Services, and the Commission to Review Child Abuse Fatalities. She also serves on the House's Rules Committee and Judiciary Committee.[1] Rice has a notably pro-Second Amendment and pro-gun rights record, voting against a bill that banned guns on the floor of the New Hampshire House of Representatives in 2019[5] as well as voting against a "red-flag" gun bill in 2020.[6] She has also fought to keep child marriage legal in her state.[7]

Personal life

Rice resides in Hudson, New Hampshire.[8] Rice is married and has seven children.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 "Kimberly Rice Speaker Pro Tempore, District 37, New Hampshire House of Representatives". Council for Thriving Children. Retrieved 9 Sep 2021.
  2. ↑ "Kimberly Rice". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  3. ↑ McNamara, Neal (12 Dec 2020). "NH Speaker Pro Tem Kimberly Rice Has Coronavirus". Patch. Retrieved 9 Sep 2021.
  4. ↑ West, Nancy (15 Dec 2020). "Social media comments anger NH Speaker Pro Tem as she recovers from COVID-19". The Eagle-Tribune. Retrieved 9 Sep 2021.
  5. ↑ Ramer, Holly (2 Jan 2019). "New Hampshire House votes to restore gun ban". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 9 Sep 2021.
  6. ↑ Ramer, Holly (9 Jan 2020). "New Hampshire House passes red-flag gun bill". WGME-TV. Retrieved 9 Sep 2021.
  7. ↑ Trickey, Erick (9 January 2022). "'Why Is Child Marriage Still Legal?': A Young Lawmaker Tackles a Hidden Problem". Politico Magazine.
  8. ↑ "Representative Kimberly Rice (R)". New Hampshire General Court. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Kimberly Rice". Citizens Count. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
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