2023 Connecticut legislative session
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| 2023 Connecticut legislative session |
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| General information |
| Session start: January 4, 2023 Session end: June 7, 2023 |
| Leadership |
| Senate President Martin Looney (D) House Speaker |
| Elections |
| Next Election: November 5, 2024 Last Election: November 8, 2022 |
| Previous legislative sessions |
| 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 |
| Other 2023 legislative sessions |
In 2023, the Connecticut State Legislature was scheduled to convene on January 4, 2023, and adjourn on June 7, 2023.
The legislators serving in this session took office following the 2022 elections. Democrats won a 24-12 majority in the Senate and a 98-53 majority in the House. Democrats also controlled the governorship, creating a Democratic state government trifecta. At the start of the 2023 session, Connecticut was one of 23 state legislatures where neither party had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers.
Leadership in 2023
Connecticut State Senate
- Senate president: Martin Looney (D)
- Majority leader: Bob Duff (D)
- Minority leader: Kevin C. Kelly (R)
Connecticut House of Representatives
- Speaker of the House: Matthew Ritter (D)
- Majority leader: Jason Rojas (D)
- Minority leader: Vincent Candelora (R)
Partisan control in 2023
- See also: State government trifectas
Connecticut was one of 17 Democratic state government trifectas at the start of 2023 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 23 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 2023 legislative session.
Connecticut State Senate
| Party | As of January 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 24 | |
| Republican Party | 12 | |
| Total | 36 | |
Connecticut House of Representatives
| Party | As of January 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 98 | |
| Republican Party | 53 | |
| Total | 151 | |
Regular session
The list below shows up to 25 pieces of legislation in the 2023 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 2023. This information is provided by BillTrack50.
Standing legislative committees
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 2023 legislative session, there were 25 standing committees in Connecticut's state government.
Joint legislative committees
- Aging Committee
- Appropriations Committee
- Banking Committee
- Children Committee
- Commerce Committee
- Education Committee
- Energy and Technology Committee
- Environment Committee
- Executive and Legislative Nominations Committee
- Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee
- General Law Committee
- Government Administration and Elections Committee
- Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee
- Housing Committee
- Human Services Committee
- Insurance and Real Estate Committee
- Judiciary Committee
- Labor and Public Employees Committee
- Legislative Management Committee
- Legislative Regulation Review Committee
- Planning and Development Committee
- Public Health Committee
- Public Safety and Security Committee
- Transportation Committee
- Veterans' Affairs Committee
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
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
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 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 |
Historical Senate control
From 1992 to 2022, the Connecticut Senate was usually controlled by Democrats, a trend in place since the 1930s. However, the Democratic majority began to decline in 2008, and by 2016, Republicans had claimed half of the chamber's seats. In 2018, Democrats regained a majority and retained it in 2020 and 2022. The table below shows the partisan history of the Connecticut Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2020. 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: 1992-2022
| Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 20 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 18* | 23 | 24 | 24 |
| Republicans | 16 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 13 | 12 | 12 |
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 2022. There were eight elections between 1930 and 2022 where Republicans won control, but each time the chamber swung back to the Democrats in the following election.
From 1992 to 2020, 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 control of the chamber 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 majority in 2018, which increased in 2020 and remained the same in 2022.
Historical House control
From 1992 to 2022, 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 every cycle from 2018 to 2022. The table below shows the partisan history of the Connecticut House following every general election from 1992 to 2020. 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: 1992-2022
| Year | '92 | '94 | '96 | '98 | '00 | '02 | '04 | '06 | '08 | '10 | '12 | '14 | '16 | '18 | '20 | '22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | 87 | 90 | 97 | 96 | 100 | 94 | 99 | 106 | 114 | 97 | 98 | 87 | 79 | 92 | 97 | 98 |
| Republicans | 64 | 61 | 54 | 55 | 51 | 57 | 52 | 45 | 37 | 54 | 53 | 64 | 72 | 59 | 54 | 53 |
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 and five more in 2020, bringing their majority to 97-54. 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.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker
State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.
Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:
- Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments
- We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
- And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan
See also
| Elections | Connecticut State Government | State Legislatures | State Politics |
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External links
Footnotes
