Connecticut House of Representatives
The Connecticut State House of Representatives is the lower house in the Connecticut General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The house is composed of 151 members representing an equal number of districts, with each constituency containing nearly 22,600 residents. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits. The House convenes within the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford.
Connecticut House of Representatives | |
---|---|
Connecticut General Assembly | |
Type | |
Type | |
Term limits | None |
History | |
New session started | January 4, 2023 |
Leadership | |
Speaker pro tempore | Bob Godfrey (D) |
Majority Leader | |
Minority Leader | |
Structure | |
Seats | 151 |
Political groups | Majority
Minority
|
Length of term | 2 years |
Authority | Article III, Section 1, Connecticut Constitution |
Salary | $40,000/year |
Elections | |
Last election | November 8, 2022 (151 seats) |
Next election | November 5, 2024 (151 seats) |
Redistricting | Legislative Control |
Meeting place | |
House of Representatives Chamber Connecticut State Capitol Hartford, Connecticut | |
Website | |
Connecticut House of Representatives |
History
editThe House of Representatives has its basis in the earliest incarnation of the General Assembly, the "General Corte" established in 1636 whose membership was divided between six generally elected magistrates (the predecessor of the Connecticut Senate) and three-member "committees" representing each of the three towns of the Connecticut Colony (Hartford, Wethersfield, and Windsor). The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, adopted in 1639, replaced the committees with deputies; each town would elect three or four deputies for six-month terms. Although the magistrates and deputies sat together, they voted separately and in 1645 it was decreed that a measure had to have the approval of both groups in order to pass. The Charter of 1662 reduced the number of deputies per town to no more than two, and also changed the title of the legislature to the General Assembly. It was in 1698 that the General Assembly divided itself into its current bicameral form, with the twelve assistants (that replaced the magistrates) as the Council (which became the Senate in the 1818 constitution) and the deputies as the House of Representatives, which began electing the Speaker to preside over it. The terms of representatives were raised to two years in 1884.[1]
Leadership of the House
editThe Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives. The Speaker is elected by the majority party caucus followed by confirmation of the full House through the passage of a House resolution. In addition to presiding over the body, the Speaker is also its chief leadership position and controls the flow of legislation and committee assignments. Other House leaders, such as the majority and minority leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses relative to their party's strength in the chamber.
The current Speaker is Matthew Ritter of the 1st House District the includes part of Hartford. The Majority Leader is Jason Rojas of the 9th House District which includes part of East Hartford and part of Manchester. The Minority Leader is Republican Vincent Candelora of the 86th House District that includes part of Durham, part of East Haven, part of Guilford, and North Branford.
Position | Representative | District | |
---|---|---|---|
Speaker | Matthew Ritter | 1 | |
Majority Leader | Jason Rojas | 9 | |
Minority Leader | Vincent Candelora | 86 |
Composition of the House of Representatives
98 | 53 |
Democratic | Republican |
Affiliation | Party | Total | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Republican | Vacant | ||
End of Previous Legislature: 2021–2023 | 97 | 54 | 151 | 0 |
Start of Current Legislature: 2023–2025[a] | 96 | 53 | 149 | 2 |
January 5, 2023[b] | 95 | 148 | 3 | |
March 6, 2023[c] | 98 | 151 | 0 | |
December 2, 2023[d] | 97 | 150 | 1 | |
January 26, 2024[e] | 98 | 151 | 0 | |
Latest Voting Share | 64.9% | 35.1% |
- ^ Democratic Reps. Edwin Vargas (District 6) and Daniel J. Fox (District 148) resigned before the start of the legislative session to pursue other jobs.[2][3]
- ^ Democrat Quentin Williams (District 100) died.[4]
- ^ Democrats James Sánchez (District 6), Kai Belton (District 100), and Anabel Figueroa (District 148) were sworn in following special elections on February 28.
- ^ Democrat Dorinda Keenan Borer (District 115) resigned after her election as mayor of West Haven.[5]
- ^ Democrat Bill Heffernan (HD115) was sworn in following a January 23 special election.[6]
List of current members
editCurrent members of the Connecticut House of Representatives, as of December 2, 2023.
District | Name[7] | Party | Home city/town | First elected | Cities/towns represented |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Matthew Ritter | Dem | Hartford | 2010 | Hartford (part) |
2 | Raghib Allie-Brennan | Dem | Bethel | 2018 | Bethel (part), Danbury (part) |
3 | Minnie Gonzalez | Dem | Hartford | 1996 | Hartford (part) |
4 | Julio Concepcion | Dem | Hartford | 2018 (special) | Hartford (part) |
5 | Maryam Khan | Dem | Windsor | 2022 (special) | Hartford (part), South Windsor (part), Windsor (part) |
6 | James "Jimmy" Sanchez | Dem | Hartford | 2023 (special) | Hartford (part), West Hartford (part) |
7 | Joshua Hall | Dem | Hartford | 2017 (special) | Hartford (part) |
8 | Tim Ackert | Rep | Coventry | 2010 | Bolton (part), Columbia, Coventry, Lebanon (part), Tolland (part) |
9 | Jason Rojas | Dem | East Hartford | 2008 | East Hartford (part), Manchester (part) |
10 | Henry Genga | Dem | East Hartford | 2006 | East Hartford (part) |
11 | Jeffrey Currey | Dem | East Hartford | 2014 | East Hartford (part), Manchester (part) |
12 | Geoff Luxenberg | Dem | Manchester | 2018 | Manchester (part) |
13 | Jason Doucette | Dem | Manchester | 2018 | Glastonbury (part), Manchester (part) |
14 | Tom Delnicki | Rep | South Windsor | 2016 | South Windsor (part) |
15 | Bobby Gibson | Dem | Bloomfield | 2018 (special) | Bloomfield, West Hartford (part) |
16 | Melissa Osborne | Dem | Simsbury | 2022 | Simsbury |
17 | Eleni Kavros DeGraw | Dem | Avon | 2020 | Avon (part), Canton |
18 | Jillian Gilchrest | Dem | West Hartford | 2018 | West Hartford (part) |
19 | Tammy Exum | Dem | West Hartford | 2019 (special) | Avon (part), West Hartford (part) |
20 | Kate Farrar | Dem | West Hartford | 2020 | Newington (part), West Hartford (part) |
21 | Mike Demicco | Dem | Farmington | 2012 | Farmington (part) |
22 | Francis Cooley | Rep | Plainville | 2022 | Farmington (part), Plainville, Southington (part) |
23 | Devin Carney | Rep | Old Lyme | 2014 | Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Westbrook (part) |
24 | Emmanuel Sanchez | Dem | New Britain | 2020 | New Britain (part) |
25 | Bobby Sanchez | Dem | New Britain | 2011 (special) | New Britain (part) |
26 | Peter Tercyak | Dem | New Britain | 2003 (special) | New Britain (part) |
27 | Gary Turco | Dem | Newington | 2018 | New Britain (part), Newington (part) |
28 | Amy Morrin Bello | Dem | Wethersfield | 2020 | Wethersfield (part) |
29 | Kerry Wood | Dem | Rocky Hill | 2018 | Rocky Hill, Wethersfield (part) |
30 | Donna Veach | Rep | Berlin | 2020 | Berlin (part), Southington (part) |
31 | Jill Barry | Dem | Glastonbury | 2018 | Glastonbury (part) |
32 | Christie Carpino | Rep | Cromwell | 2010 | Cromwell, Portland |
33 | Brandon Chafee | Dem | Middletown | 2020 | Middletown (part) |
34 | Irene Haines | Rep | East Haddam | 2018 | East Haddam, East Hampton, Salem (part) |
35 | Chris Aniskovich | Rep | Clinton | 2022 | Clinton, Killingworth, Westbrook (part) |
36 | Christine Palm | Dem | Chester | 2018 | Chester, Deep River, Essex, Haddam |
37 | Holly Cheeseman | Rep | East Lyme | 2016 | East Lyme, Montville (part), Salem (part) |
38 | Kathleen McCarty | Rep | Waterford | 2014 | Montville (part), Waterford |
39 | Anthony Nolan | Dem | New London | 2019 (special) | New London (part) |
40 | Christine Conley | Dem | Groton | 2016 | Groton (part), New London (part) |
41 | Aundre Bumgardner | Dem | Groton | 2022 | Groton (part), Stonington (part) |
42 | Keith Denning | Dem | Wilton | 2022 | New Canaan (part), Ridgefield (part), Wilton |
43 | Greg Howard | Rep | Stonington | 2020 | Ledyard (part), North Stonington, Stonington (part) |
44 | Anne Dauphinais | Rep | Killingly | 2016 | Killingly (part), Plainfield (part), Sterling |
45 | Brian Lanoue | Rep | Griswold | 2018 | Griswold, Ledyard (part), Lisbon (part), Preston, Voluntown |
46 | Derell Wilson | Dem | Norwich | 2022 | Norwich (part) |
47 | Doug Dubitsky | Rep | Chaplin | 2014 | Brooklyn (part), Canterbury, Chaplin, Lisbon (part), Norwich (part), Plainfield (part), Scotland, Sprague |
48 | Mark DeCaprio | Rep | Colchester | 2022 | Bozrah, Colchester, Franklin, Lebanon (part) |
49 | Susan Johnson | Dem | Windham | 2008 | Windham |
50 | Pat Boyd | Dem | Pomfret | 2016 | Ashford, Brooklyn (part), Eastford, Hampton, Mansfield (part), Pomfret, Woodstock (part) |
51 | Rick Hayes | Rep | Putnam | 2018 | Killingly (part), Putnam, Thompson |
52 | Kurt Vail | Rep | Stafford | 2014 | Somers, Stafford, Union, Woodstock |
53 | Tammy Nuccio | Rep | Tolland | 2020 | Tolland (part), Willington, Vernon (part) |
54 | Gregory Haddad | Dem | Mansfield | 2010 | Mansfield (part) |
55 | Steve Weir | Rep | Hebron | 2022 | Andover, Bolton (part), Glastonbury (part), Hebron, Marlborough |
56 | Kevin Brown | Dem | Vernon | 2022 | Vernon (part) |
57 | Jaime Foster | Dem | East Windsor | 2020 | East Windsor (part), Ellington, Vernon (part) |
58 | Tom Arnone | Dem | Enfield | 2018 | Enfield (part) |
59 | Carol Hall | Rep | Enfield | 2016 | East Windsor (part), Enfield (part) |
60 | Jane Garibay | Dem | Windsor | 2016 | Windsor (part), Windsor Locks (part) |
61 | Tami Zawistowski | Rep | Suffield | 2014 | East Granby, Suffield, Windsor Locks (part) |
62 | Mark Anderson | Rep | Granby | 2020 | Barkhamsted, Granby, Hartland, New Hartford |
63 | Jay Case | Rep | Winchester | 2012 | Colebrook, Torrington (part), Winchester |
64 | Maria Horn | Dem | Salisbury | 2018 | Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Kent, Norfolk, North Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon, Washington |
65 | Michelle Cook | Dem | Torrington | 2008 | Torrington (part) |
66 | Karen Reddington-Hughes | Rep | Woodbury | 2022 | Bethlehem, Litchfield (part), Morris, Warren, Woodbury |
67 | Bill Buckbee | Rep | New Milford | 2016 | New Milford (part) |
68 | Joe Polletta | Rep | Watertown | 2017 (special) | Watertown, Waterbury (part) |
69 | Cindy Harrison | Rep | Southbury | 2020 | Bridgewater, Roxbury, New Milford (part), Southbury (part) |
70 | Seth Bronko | Rep | Naugatuck | 2022 | Naugatuck (part) |
71 | William Pizzuto | Rep | Middlebury | 2022 (special) | Middlebury, Waterbury (part) |
72 | Larry Butler | Dem | Waterbury | 2006 | Waterbury (part) |
73 | Ronald Napoli | Dem | Waterbury | 2018 | Waterbury (part) |
74 | Michael DiGiovancarlo | Dem | Waterbury | 2020 | Waterbury (part) |
75 | Geraldo Reyes | Dem | Waterbury | 2016 | Waterbury (part) |
76 | John Piscopo | Rep | Thomaston | 1988 | Burlington, Harwinton, Litchfield (part), Thomaston |
77 | Cara Pavalock-D'Amato | Rep | Bristol | 2014 | Bristol (part) |
78 | Joe Hoxha | Rep | Bristol | 2022 | Bristol (part), Plymouth |
79 | Mary Fortier | Dem | Bristol | 2022 | Bristol (part) |
80 | Gale Mastrofrancesco | Rep | Wolcott | 2018 | Wolcott, Southington (part) |
81 | Chris Poulos | Dem | Southington | 2022 | Southington (part) |
82 | Michael Quinn | Dem | Meriden | 2020 | Meriden (part) |
83 | Jack Fazzino | Dem | Berlin | 2022 | Berlin (part), Meriden (part), Cheshire (part) |
84 | Hilda Santiago | Dem | Meriden | 2012 | Meriden (part) |
85 | Mary Mushinsky | Dem | Wallingford | 1980 | Wallingford (part) |
86 | Vincent Candelora | Rep | North Branford | 2006 | Durham (part), East Haven (part), Guilford (part), North Branford |
87 | Dave Yaccarino | Rep | North Haven | 2010 | North Haven |
88 | Josh Elliott | Dem | Hamden | 2016 | Hamden (part) |
89 | Lezlye Zupkus | Rep | Prospect | 2012 | Bethany, Cheshire (part), Prospect, Waterbury (part) |
90 | Craig Fishbein | Rep | Wallingford | 2016 | Middlefield, Wallingford (part) |
91 | Mike D'Agostino | Dem | Hamden | 2012 | Hamden (part) |
92 | Patricia Dillon | Dem | New Haven | 1984 | New Haven (part) |
93 | Toni Walker | Dem | New Haven | 2001 (special) | New Haven (part) |
94 | Robyn Porter | Dem | New Haven | 2014 | Hamden (part), New Haven (part) |
95 | Juan Candelaria | Dem | New Haven | 2002 | New Haven (part) |
96 | Roland Lemar | Dem | New Haven | 2010 | New Haven (part) |
97 | Alphonse Paolillo | Dem | New Haven | 2018 | New Haven (part) |
98 | Moira Rader | Dem | Guilford | 2022 | Branford (part), Guilford (part) |
99 | Joe Zullo | Rep | East Haven | 2019 (special) | East Haven (part) |
100 | Kai Belton | Dem | Middletown | 2023 (special) | Middletown (part) |
101 | John-Michael Parker | Dem | Madison | 2020 | Durham (part), Madison |
102 | Robin Comey | Dem | Branford | 2018 | Branford (part) |
103 | Liz Linehan | Dem | Cheshire | 2016 | Cheshire (part), Hamden (part), Wallingford (part) |
104 | Kara Rochelle | Dem | Ansonia | 2018 | Ansonia, Derby (part) |
105 | Nicole Klarides-Ditria | Rep | Seymour | 2018 | Beacon Falls, Derby (part), Seymour |
106 | Mitch Bolinsky | Rep | Newtown | 2012 | Newtown (part) |
107 | Martin Foncello | Rep | Brookfield | 2022 | Bethel (part), Brookfield, Newtown (part) |
108 | Patrick Callahan | Rep | New Fairfield | 2020 | Danbury (part), New Fairfield, New Milford (part), Sherman |
109 | Farley Santos | Dem | Danbury | 2022 | Danbury (part) |
110 | Bob Godfrey | Dem | Danbury | 1988 | Danbury (part) |
111 | Aimee Berger-Girvalo | Dem | Ridgefield | 2020 | Ridgefield (part) |
112 | Tony Scott | Rep | Monroe | 2021 (special) | Easton (part), Monroe, Trumbull (part) |
113 | Jason Perillo | Rep | Shelton | 2007 (special) | Shelton (part) |
114 | Mary Welander | Dem | Orange | 2020 | Derby (part), Hamden (part), Orange (part), Woodbridge |
115 | Bill Heffernan | Dem | West Haven | 2024 (special) | West Haven (part) |
116 | Treneé McGee | Dem | West Haven | 2021 (special) | West Haven (part) |
117 | Charles Ferraro | Rep | West Haven | 2014 | Milford (part), Orange (part), West Haven (part) |
118 | Frank Smith | Dem | Milford | 2020 | Milford (part) |
119 | Kathy Kennedy | Rep | Milford | 2018 | Orange (part), Milford (part) |
120 | Laura Dancho | Rep | Stratford | 2022 | Stratford (part) |
121 | Joe Gresko | Dem | Stratford | 2016 | Stratford (part) |
122 | Ben McGorty | Rep | Shelton | 2014 | Shelton (part), Stratford (part), Trumbull (part) |
123 | David Rutigliano | Rep | Trumbull | 2012 | Trumbull (part) |
124 | Andre Baker | Dem | Bridgeport | 2014 | Bridgeport (part) |
125 | Tom O'Dea | Rep | New Canaan | 2012 | Darien (part), New Canaan (part), Stamford (part) |
126 | Fred Gee | Dem | Bridgeport | 2022 | Bridgeport (part) |
127 | Marcus Brown | Dem | Bridgeport | 2022 | Bridgeport (part) |
128 | Christopher Rosario | Dem | Bridgeport | 2014 | Bridgeport (part) |
129 | Steven Stafstrom | Dem | Bridgeport | 2015 (special) | Bridgeport (part) |
130 | Antonio Felipe | Dem | Bridgeport | 2019 (special) | Bridgeport (part) |
131 | David Labriola | Rep | Oxford | 2002 | Naugatuck (part), Oxford, Southbury (part) |
132 | Jennifer Leeper | Dem | Fairfield | 2020 | Fairfield (part) |
133 | Cristin McCarthy Vahey | Dem | Fairfield | 2014 | Bridgeport (part), Fairfield (part) |
134 | Sarah Keitt | Dem | Fairfield | 2022 | Fairfield (part), Trumbull (part) |
135 | Anne Hughes | Dem | Redding | 2018 | Easton (part), Redding, Weston |
136 | Jonathan Steinberg | Dem | Westport | 2010 | Westport (part) |
137 | Kadeem Roberts | Dem | Norwalk | 2022 | Norwalk (part) |
138 | Rachel Chaleski | Rep | Danbury | 2022 | Danbury (part) |
139 | Kevin Ryan | Dem | Montville | 1992 | Ledyard (part), Montville (part), Norwich (part) |
140 | Travis Simms | Dem | Norwalk | 2018 | Norwalk (part) |
141 | Tracy Marra | Rep | Darien | 2022 | Darien (part), Norwalk (part) |
142 | Lucy Dathan | Dem | New Canaan | 2018 | New Canaan (part), Norwalk (part) |
143 | Dominique Johnson | Dem | Norwalk | 2022 | Norwalk (part), Westport (part) |
144 | Hubert Delany | Dem | Stamford | 2022 (special) | Stamford (part) |
145 | Corey Paris | Dem | Stamford | 2021 (special) | Stamford (part) |
146 | David Michel | Dem | Stamford | 2018 | Stamford (part) |
147 | Matt Blumenthal | Dem | Stamford | 2018 | Stamford (part) |
148 | Anabel Figueroa | Dem | Stamford | 2023 (special) | Stamford (part) |
149 | Rachel Khanna | Dem | Greenwich | 2022 | Greenwich (part), Stamford (part) |
150 | Steve Meskers | Dem | Greenwich | 2018 | Greenwich (part) |
151 | Hector Arzeno | Dem | Greenwich | 2022 | Greenwich (part) |
Past composition of the House of Representatives
editNotable former House members
edit1700s
edit- Jonathan Trumbull, Governor of Connecticut Colony, Governor of Connecticut
- Roger Sherman, First Mayor of New Haven, Constitutional Signatory, United States Congressman, United States Senator
- Jonathan Trumbull Jr. Aide-de-camp to General Washington, Congressman, US Senator, 20th Governor of Connecticut
- Jeremiah Wadsworth, Congressman, Constitutional Convention Member
- John Davenport (Connecticut politician), Continental Army Officer, Congressman
1800s
edit- Gideon Tomlinson, Congressman, US Senator, 25th Governor of Connecticut
- Noah Webster, Dictionary author and educator
- Henry W. Edwards, Congressman, US Senator, 27th and 29th Governor of Connecticut
- Samuel A. Foot, Congressman, US Senator, 28th Governor of Connecticut
- Isaac Toucey, Congressman, US Senator, United States Attorney General, Secretary of the Navy, 33rd Governor of Connecticut
- William W. Eaton, Congressman and US Senator
- Marcus H. Holcomb, Connecticut Attorney General, 66th Governor of Connecticut
- Henry C. Deming, Congressman, Mayor of Hartford, Commander of the 12th Connecticut Infantry Regiment
- John T. Wait, Congressman
- William E. Simonds, Congressman, Patent Commissioner, Medal of Honor recipient
- Augustus Brandegee Congressman, Mayor of New London
- John Q. Tilson, Congressman
- E. Stevens Henry, Connecticut State Treasurer, Congressman
- P.T. Barnum, showman, politician, and businessman known for the Barnum and Bailey Circus.
- Charles Phelps, lawyer, state legislator, Connecticut Secretary of State, and first Attorney General of Connecticut
1900s
edit- Marcus H. Holcomb, Attorney General of Connecticut, 66th Governor of Connecticut
- Everett J. Lake, 67th Governor of Connecticut
- Raymond E. Baldwin, Congressman, United States Senator, 72nd and 74th Governor of Connecticut, Chief Justice of the Connecticut Court of Errors, Chair of the 1965 Constitutional Convention
- Emily Sophie Brown, one of the first women to be elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives
- Abraham A. Ribicoff, 80th Governor of Connecticut, United States Senator, United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare
- John N. Dempsey, 81st Governor of Connecticut
- William R. Ratchford, Congressman
- Stewart McKinney (politician), Congressman
- Sam Gejdenson, Congressman
- Ronald A. Sarasin, Congressman
- Ella T. Grasso, 83rd Governor of Connecticut
- Barbara B. Kennelly, Congresswoman
- William O'Neill, 84th Governor of Connecticut
- Lowell P. Weicker Jr., Congressman, US Senator, 85th Governor of Connecticut
- Sam Gejdenson, Congressman
- John G. Rowland, 86th Governor of Connecticut
- Gary Franks, Congressman
- Christopher Shays, Congressman
- Susan Bysiewicz, Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State.
- George Jepsen, Connecticut Attorney General and Chair of the Connecticut Democratic Party.
2000s
edit- Rob Simmons, Congressman
- Jodi Rell, 87th Governor of Connecticut
- Joe Courtney, Congressman
- Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Attorney General and US Senator
- Chris Murphy, Congressman and US Senator
2010s
edit- Elizabeth Esty, Congresswoman.
- Denise Merrill, Connecticut Secretary of State.
- William Tong, Connecticut Attorney General
2020s
edit- Stephanie Thomas, Connecticut Secretary of State.
- Sean Scanlon, Connecticut State Controller.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Under the Gold Dome: An Insider's Look at the Connecticut Legislature, by Judge Robert Satter. New Haven: Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, 2004, pp. 16–27.
- ^ "Hartford Rep. Edwin Vargas to resign from legislature".
- ^ "Stamford Rep. Dan Fox expected to leave CT General Assembly". December 22, 2022.
- ^ "CT lawmaker Quentin Williams killed in wrong-way crash in Cromwell after leaving inaugural ball".
- ^ "Special election for West Haven state representative set as Borer resigns to take on mayoral duties".
- ^ "New West Haven state representative sworn in". WTNH.com. January 26, 2024.
- ^ "House of Representatives Members (listed alphabetically)". Connecticut General Assembly. Retrieved February 20, 2013.