Maryellen Goodwin[2] (September 27, 1964 – April 15, 2023) was an American politician and a Democratic member of the Rhode Island Senate representing District 24 since January 2005.
Her father, Thomas N. Goodwin, was a state senator and owned a funeral home.
[4] Goodwin was elected to the Rhode Island State Senate in 1986, and eventually rose to be the Democratic whip.
[4] She supported bills that required employers to provide paid sick leave for workers, and guaranteed more nurses for care homes.
[5] In 2021, the state legislature passed the Maryellen Goodwin Colorectal Cancer Screening Act, which required insurers in the state to cover the full costs of tests for people aged 45 and older.