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2020 Connecticut legislative session

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Some states made changes to 2020 state legislative sessions and legislative activity in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
For a full list of changes, visit: Changes to state legislative session dates in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020.
Connecticut: The Connecticut State Legislature suspended its session, effective March 12, 2020. Legislative leaders announced on April 21, 2020, that the legislature would not reconvene in advance of the adjournment of its regular session on May 6, 2020. The legislature convened a special session on July 21, 2020. The special session adjourned on July 27, 2020.
Connecticut General Assembly

Seal of Connecticut.png
General information
Type:   State legislature
Term limits:   None
Session start:   February 5, 2020
Website:   Official Assembly Page
Leadership
Senate President:  
Susan Bysiewicz (D)
House Speaker:  Joe Aresimowicz (D)
Majority Leader:   Senate: Bob Duff (D)
House: Matthew Ritter (D)
Minority Leader:   Senate: Len Fasano (R)
House: Themis Klarides (R)
Structure
Members:  36 (Senate), 151 (House)
Length of term:   2 years (Senate), 2 years (House)
Authority:   Art III, Section 1, Connecticut Constitution
Salary:   $28,000/year
Elections
Last election:  November 6, 2018
Next election:  November 3, 2020
Redistricting:  Connecticut Legislature has control with optional commission

In 2020, the Connecticut State Legislature was scheduled to convene on February 5 and adjourn on May 6.

Several state legislatures suspended their sessions or otherwise limited legislative activity in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The Connecticut State Legislature suspended its session, effective March 12, 2020. The suspension was originally scheduled to lift at the end of March. It was then extended to April 13, 2020. It was extended again to April 23, 2020. On April 21, 2020, legislative leaders announced that the legislature would not reconvene in advance of its constitutional adjournment on May 6, 2020. The legislature convened a special session on July 21, 2020. The special session adjourned on July 27, 2020.[1][2][3][4]

At the start of the 2020, Connecticut was one of 28 state legislatures where neither party had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers. Following the 2018 election, Democrats had a 23-13 majority in the Senate and a 92-59 majority in the House. The party also controlled the governorship, creating a Democrat state government trifecta.

At the beginning of the 2020 legislative session:
  • Democrats held a majority in the Connecticut state House and state Senate.
  • Connecticut was one of 15 Democratic state government trifectas.
  • Connecticut's governor was Democrat Ned Lamont.

    • Black.png Click the links to read more about the 2020 state Senate and state House elections.
    Black.png Click the links to read more about the 2018 state Senate and state House elections.

    Partisan control in 2020

    See also: State government trifectas

    Connecticut was one of 15 Democratic state government trifectas at the start of 2020 legislative sessions. A state government trifecta occurs when one political party holds the governor's office, a majority in the state Senate, and a majority in the state House. For more information about state government trifectas, click here.

    Connecticut was also one of 28 state legislatures where neither party had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers. Veto overrides occur when a legislature votes to reverse a veto issued by an executive such as a governor or the president. If one party has a majority in a state legislature that is large enough to override a gubernatorial veto without any votes from members of the minority party, it is called a veto-proof majority or, sometimes, a supermajority. To read more about veto-proof supermajorities in state legislatures, click here.

    The following tables show the partisan breakdown of the Connecticut State Legislature in the 2020 legislative session.

    Connecticut State Senate

    Party As of January 2020
         Democratic Party 22
         Republican Party 14
    Total 36

    From 1992 to 2020, the Connecticut Senate was usually controlled by Democrats, a trend that has been in place since the 1930s. However, after the 2008 elections the Democratic majority began to decline and, by 2016, Republicans had claimed half of the chamber's seats. The table below shows the partisan history of the Connecticut Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2018. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

    Connecticut State Senate election results: 1992-2018

    Year '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '06 '08 '10 '12 '14 '16 '18
    Democrats 20 17 19 19 21 21 24 24 24 23 22 21 18* 23
    Republicans 16 19 17 17 15 15 12 12 12 13 14 15 18 13
    * Democrats maintained effective control of the chamber because Lieutenant Gov. Nancy Wyman (D) could cast tie-breaking votes

    For most of the years from the late 1800s to the early 1930s, the Connecticut Senate's partisan balance favored the Republicans. Democrats captured a slim majority in 1932—the same year that President Franklin Roosevelt (D) won all but six states, one of which was Connecticut. Despite Roosevelt's defeat in the Nutmeg State—a trend he reversed in the next three presidential elections—Democrats kept winning in the state Senate and maintained their majority in most elections prior to 2018. There were eight elections between 1930 and 2018 where Republicans won control, but each time the chamber swung back to the Democrats in the following election.

    From 1992 to 2018, Democrats maintained a majority in nearly every election. They briefly lost control after the 1994 election, but they took back the chamber in 1996 and did not see their majority decline in any of the elections before 2010, in which year they lost one seat. They also lost a single seat in 2012 and then another in 2014. In 2016, Democrats saw the largest decline in their majority since 1994, losing three seats. This brought them to an 18-18 tie with Republicans. They maintained a majority only because Lieutenant Gov. Nancy Wyman (D) was able to cast tie-breaking votes when needed. The chamber's Republican gains from 2010 to 2016 were in line with a national trend toward Republican state legislatures during the presidency of Barack Obama (D). From 2009 to 2017, Democrats experienced losses in state legislative elections, totaling 968 seats all together. Democrats regained a 23-13 seat majority in 2018.

    Connecticut House of Representatives

    Party As of January 2020
         Democratic Party 91
         Republican Party 60
    Total 151

    From 1992 to 2020, the Connecticut House was controlled by Democrats, the same as it had been since 1974. The Democratic majority declined between the 2010 and 2016 elections, then increased to 92-59 after the 2018 election. The table below shows the partisan history of the Connecticut House following every general election from 1992 to 2018. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

    Connecticut House of Representatives election results: 1992-2018

    Year '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '06 '08 '10 '12 '14 '16 '18
    Democrats 87 90 97 96 100 94 99 106 114 97 98 87 79 92
    Republicans 64 61 54 55 51 57 52 45 37 54 53 64 72 59

    The history of the Connecticut House is marked by two lengthy periods of one-party control. The Republican period came first and it lasted for more than a century. They controlled the House following most elections from 1858 to 1962. However, Democrats began winning the chamber in the years that followed, only ceding back control to Republicans in 1972 and 1984.

    From 1992 to 2004, Democrats maintained a sizable majority, usually having between 90 and 100 members. In 2006 and 2008, their numbers were bolstered by national Democratic gains. The 114 seats they won in 2008 was their largest majority since 1974, the year of the Watergate affair—which led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon (R)—and national Republican losses.

    In several years after 2008, Democrats saw their numbers decline. Republicans picked up 17 seats in 2010. Democrats picked up one seat in 2012, but then lost 11 in 2014 and another eight in the 2016 elections. Following that election, Democrats held 79 seats, a decline of 35 seats when compared to their 2008 numbers. Democrats regained 13 seats in 2018, giving them a 92-59 majority. The chamber's Republican gains from 2010 to 2016 were in line with a national trend toward Republican state legislatures during the presidency of Barack Obama (D). From 2009 to 2017, Democrats experienced losses in state legislative elections, totaling 968 seats all together.

    Leadership in 2020

    Connecticut State Senate

    Connecticut House of Representatives

    Regular session

    The following widget shows up to 25 pieces of legislation in the 2020 legislative session that most recently passed both chambers of the legislature, were signed by the governor, or were approved by the legislature in a veto override. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation met these criteria in 2020. This information is provided by BillTrack50.

    Standing legislative committees

    See also: Standing committee and List of committees in Connecticut state government


    A standing committee of a state legislature is a committee that exists on a more-or-less permanent basis, from legislative session to session, that considers and refines legislative bills that fall under the committee's subject matter.

    At the beginning of the 2020 legislative session, there were 27 standing committees in Connecticut's state government. Unique among all the legislatures, each of Connecticut's committees is a joint committee.

    Joint legislative committees


    Legislatively referred constitutional amendments

    In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.

    The methods by which the Connecticut Constitution can be amended:

    See also: Article XII and Article XIII of the Connecticut Constitution and Laws governing ballot measures in Connecticut

    The Connecticut Constitution provides two mechanisms for amending the state's constitution—a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. Connecticut requires a simple majority vote (50% plus 1) for voters to approve constitutional amendments. Connecticut does not feature the power of initiative for either initiated constitutional amendments or initiated state statutes.

    Legislature

    See also: Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

    In Connecticut, a constitutional amendment can be referred to the ballot after one legislative session or two legislative sessions depending on the vote count.

    When an amendment receives a 75% vote in both legislative chambers, the amendment goes on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 114 votes in the Connecticut House of Representatives and 27 votes in the Connecticut State Senate, assuming no vacancies.

    When an amendment receives a simple majority vote in both legislative chambers, the amendment must pass during two successive legislative sessions to go on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 76 votes in the Connecticut House of Representatives and 19 votes in the Connecticut State Senate, assuming no vacancies.

    Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

    Convention

    See also: Convention-referred constitutional amendment

    According to Article XIII of the Connecticut Constitution, a question about whether to hold a state constitutional convention is to automatically appear on the state's ballot every 20 years starting in 1978. Connecticut is one of 14 states that provides for an automatic constitutional convention question.

    The table below shows the last and next automatic constitutional convention question election years:

    State Interval Last question on the ballot Next question on the ballot
    Connecticut 20 years 2008 2028

    The Legislature can also refer a constitutional convention question to the ballot. A two-thirds vote is required in each legislative chamber to refer a convention question to the ballot.

    Proposals adopted at a state constitutional convention require voter approval.



    Historical context: Between 1996 and 2018, the following occurred in Connecticut:

    • Ballots featured seven ballot measures.
    • An average of zero to one measure appeared on statewide even-year election ballots.
    • Voters approved 71 percent (5 of 7) and rejected 29 percent (2 of 7) of the ballot measures.
    • The last election to feature ballot measures was 2018, when voters decided two constitutional amendments.
    Ballot measures in Connecticut, 1996-2018
    Type Total number Approved Percent approved Defeated Percent defeated Average Median Minimum Maximum
    All measures 7 5 71.43% 2 28.57% 0.6 0.0 0 2


    Historical partisan control

    The table below depicts the historical trifecta status of Connecticut.

    Connecticut Party Control: 1992-2025
    Fifteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  No Republican trifectas
    Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

    Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
    Governor I I I R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
    Senate D D D R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
    House D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D

    See also

    Elections Connecticut State Government State Legislatures State Politics
    Ballotpedia Elections Badge-VOTE-no shadow-Square.jpg
    Connecticut State Flag-Close Up.jpg
    State Houses-Tile image.png
    State Courts-Tile image.png

    External links

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ CT News Junkie, "Capitol Closed, Legislative Business Suspended Until March 30," March 12, 2020
    2. ↑ News 8, "Lawmakers postpone legislative activities until April 13 due to coronavirus pandemic," March 24, 2020
    3. ↑ Hartford Courant, "Coronavirus short-circuits Connecticut’s legislative session: 'All bills are probably dead,'" April 10, 2020
    4. ↑ Hartford Courant, "Coronavirus forces early adjournment of Connecticut’s legislative session," April 21, 2020
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