Connecticut General Assembly

Connecticut General Assembly
Name	Connecticut General Assembly
House type	Bicameral
Houses	Senate, House of Representatives
Leader1 type	Senate President
Leader1	Martin Looney
Party1	(Democratic)
Election1	2015
Leader2 type	House Speaker
Leader2	Matthew Ritter
Party2	(Democratic)
Election2	2021
Leader3 type	Senate Majority Leader
Leader3	Bob Duff
Party3	(Democratic)
Election3	2015
Leader4 type	House Majority Leader
Leader4	Jason Rojas
Party4	(Democratic)
Election4	2021
Members	187, 36 Senators, 151 Representatives
House1	Senate
House2	House of Representatives
Political groups1	Majority (24), Democratic (24), Minority (12), Republican (12)
Political groups2	Majority (98), Democratic (98), Minority (53), Republican (53)
Term length	Senate: 2 years, House: 2 years
Voting system1	Plurality
Voting system2	Plurality
Last election1	November 8, 2022
Last election2	November 8, 2022
Next election1	November 5, 2024
Next election2	November 5, 2024
Meeting place	Connecticut State Capitol, Hartford
Website	https://www.cga.ct.gov/

Connecticut General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is a bicameral body composed of the upper Connecticut Senate and the lower Connecticut House of Representatives. It convenes within the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford and derives its structure and power from the Constitution of Connecticut. The body is responsible for enacting, amending, and repealing the statutes of Connecticut.

History

The origins trace back to the colonial General Court of Connecticut, established under the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut in 1639, often considered one of the first written constitutions in Western tradition. This body evolved through the colonial era and the American Revolution, with the modern bicameral legislature formally established by the Constitution of Connecticut of 1818. Significant milestones include the Connecticut Compromise of 1787, proposed by Roger Sherman, which influenced the structure of the United States Congress. The Reapportionment revolution of the 1960s, following the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Baker v. Carr, led to major redistricting reforms. The current constitution, adopted in 1965, further refined its legislative framework.

Structure and composition

The legislature consists of two chambers: the Connecticut Senate with 36 members and the Connecticut House of Representatives with 151 members. All members are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms with no term limits. Elections coincide with federal midterm election and presidential election years. The Democratic Party currently holds majorities in both chambers, with the Republican Party serving as the minority. District boundaries are redrawn every decade following the United States Census by a bipartisan Reapportionment Committee, a process outlined in the state constitution.

Powers and responsibilities

Its primary power is the enactment of public laws for Connecticut, covering areas such as taxation, the state budget, criminal codes, education policy, and transportation. It holds the "power of the purse," exclusively authorizing all state expenditures and revenue measures, including the adoption of the Connecticut state budget. The body also has oversight responsibilities, including the confirmation of major gubernatorial appointments to agencies like the Connecticut Supreme Court and the University of Connecticut Board of Trustees. It can propose amendments to the Constitution of Connecticut, which must then be ratified by the state's voters.

Legislative process

A bill may be introduced in either chamber by any member and is referred to a relevant standing committee for a public hearing and vote. If approved, it proceeds to the floor for debate and a vote by the full membership. After passage in the first chamber, the bill repeats the process in the second chamber. If both chambers pass identical versions, it is sent to the Governor of Connecticut, who may sign it into law, allow it to become law without a signature, or veto it. The legislature may override a gubernatorial veto with a two-thirds vote in each chamber. The process for the state budget, or appropriations bills, follows a similar path but originates in the Appropriations Committee.

Leadership and committees

Leadership in the Connecticut Senate includes the President of the Connecticut Senate, currently Martin Looney, and the Majority Leader, Bob Duff. The Connecticut House of Representatives is led by the Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives, Matthew Ritter, and the Majority Leader, Jason Rojas. The minority parties in each chamber elect their own Minority Leaders. The work is organized through a system of joint and chamber-specific standing committees, such as the powerful Appropriations Committee, Finance Committee, and Judiciary Committee, where most substantive review and amendment of legislation occurs.

Current session and recent activity

The current legislative session, the biennial term for 2023-2024, is meeting under continued Democratic control. Recent significant legislation includes the 2023 state budget adjustments, continued implementation of the Connecticut Clean Air Act, and modifications to the Connecticut Paid Leave Authority program. Other active issues involve policy responses from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, updates to gun safety laws following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, and ongoing debates on housing affordability and transportation infrastructure funding. The legislature typically adjourns its regular session in early June.

Category:Connecticut General Assembly Category:State legislatures of the United States