2026 Connecticut legislative session

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2026 Connecticut legislative session
General information
Scheduled session start:    Feb. 4, 2026 Scheduled session end:    May 6, 2026
Leadership
Senate President Susan Bysiewicz (D) House Speaker Matthew Ritter (D) Majority Leader Senate: Bob Duff (D) House: Jason Rojas (D) Minority Leader Senate: Stephen Harding Jr. (R) House: Vincent Candelora (R)
Elections
Next Election:    November 3, 2026 Last Election:    November 5, 2024
Previous legislative sessions
2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018
Other 2026 legislative sessions
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In 2026, the Connecticut State Legislature is scheduled to convene on February 4, 2026, and adjourn on May 6, 2026.

The legislators serving in this session took office following the 2024 elections. Democrats won a 25-11 majority in the Senate and a 102-49 majority in the House. The party also controlled the governorship, creating a Democratic state government trifecta. At the start of the 2026 session, Connecticut was one of eight state legislatures where Democrats had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers.

At the beginning of the 2026 legislative session:

Democrats held a majority in the Connecticut state House and state Senate.

Connecticut was one of 16 Democratic state government trifectas.

Connecticut's governor was Democrat Ned Lamont.

Leadership in 2026

Connecticut State Senate

• Senate president: Susan Bysiewicz (D)
• Majority leader: Bob Duff (D)
• Minority leader: Stephen Harding Jr. (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 2026

See also: State government trifectas

Connecticut was one of 16 Democratic state government trifectas at the start of 2026 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 eight state legislatures where Democrats 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 2026 legislative session.

Connecticut State Senate

Partisan composition, Connecticut State Senate

As of February 2026
Party	Members
Democratic	25
Republican	11
Other	0
Vacancies	0
Total	36

Connecticut House of Representatives

Partisan composition, Connecticut House of Representatives

As of February 2026
Party	Members
Democratic	100
Republican	49
Other	0
Vacancies	2
Total	151

Regular session

The list below shows up to 25 pieces of legislation in the 2026 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 has met these criteria yet in 2026. 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 2026 legislative session, there were 26 standing committees in Connecticut's state government, including 26 joint legislative committees.

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
• Government Oversight Committee
• Higher Education and Employment 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

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 partisan control

The table below depicts the historical trifecta status of Connecticut.

Connecticut Party Control: 1992-2026
Sixteen 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	26
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	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	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	D

Historical Senate control

Democrats won control of the Connecticut State Senate in 1996. In 2024, they won a 25-11 majority.

The table below shows the partisan history of the Connecticut Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2024. 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: 1992-2024

Year	'92	'94	'96	'98	'00	'02	'04	'06	'08	'10	'12	'14	'16	'18	'20	'22	'24
Democrats	20	17	19	19	21	21	24	24	24	23	22	21	18*	23	24	24	25
Republicans	16	19	17	17	15	15	12	12	12	13	14	15	18	13	12	12	11

* Democrats maintained effective control of the chamber because Lieutenant Gov. Nancy Wyman (D) could cast tie-breaking votes

Before 1992

There were eight elections between 1930 and 2022 where Republicans won control of the state Senate.

Historical House control

Democrats won control of the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1986. In 2024, they won a 102-49 majority.

The table below shows the partisan history of the Connecticut House following every general election from 1992 to 2024. 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: 1992-2024

Year	'92	'94	'96	'98	'00	'02	'04	'06	'08	'10	'12	'14	'16	'18	'20	'22	'24
Democrats	87	90	97	96	100	94	99	106	114	97	98	87	79	92	97	98	102
Republicans	64	61	54	55	51	57	52	45	37	54	53	64	72	59	54	53	49

Before 1992

Republicans controlled the House following most elections during the first half of the 20th century, while Democrats controlled the chamber following most elections during the latter half of the 20th century.

Analysis

Adopted legislation, 2011-2024

See also: The State Legislative Decade - Connecticut

In 2024, Ballotpedia released analysis of bills enacted in each state in the preceding decade. The charts and table below detail legislation passed each year by party sponsorship.

See also

Elections	Connecticut State Government	State Legislatures	State Politics
Connecticut State Senate elections, 2026 Connecticut House of Representatives elections, 2026	Connecticut State Legislature Connecticut House of Representatives Connecticut State Senate Governor of Connecticut Connecticut Supreme Court	State legislative elections, 2026 State legislative special elections, 2026 State legislative elections, 2024 State legislative elections, 2022	State government trifectas State government triplexes Veto overrides in state legislatures State executives State courts Ballot measures

External links

• Search Google News for this topic
• Connecticut State General Assembly homepage

Footnotes

State legislatures

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2026

State legislative elections (2026) • State legislative special elections (2026) • Primary dates and filing requirements • 2026 Session Dates

2025

State legislative elections (2025) • State legislative special elections (2025) • Primary dates and filing requirements • 2025 Session Dates

Historical elections

2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 • 2015 • 2014 • 2013 • 2012 • 2011 • 2010 • 2009 • 2008 • 2007 • 2006 • 2005 • 2004 • 2003 • 2002 • 2001 • 2000

Features of state legislatures

How vacancies are filled in state legislatures • States with a full-time legislature • State legislatures with term limits • Comparison of state legislative salaries • When state legislators assume office after a general election • Population represented by state legislators • State constitutional articles governing state legislatures • State legislative sessions • Resign-to-run law • State legislature candidate requirements by state • Official names of state legislatures • State legislative chambers that use multi-member districts • Factors Affecting Competitiveness in State Legislative Elections

State senates

Length of terms of state senators • State senators • Partisan composition of state senates • State senators sorted by year first elected

State houses

Length of terms of state representatives • State representatives • Partisan composition of state houses • State representatives sorted by year first elected

Leadership positions

President of the Senate • President Pro Tempore • Senate Majority Leader • Senate Minority Leader • House Majority Leader • House Minority Leader • State Speaker of the House

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