Incoming Senate President Martin Looney announced changes to the leadership of more than a dozen legislative committees for the next two years in a Tuesday press release.
The shakeup, which was necessitated in part by high turnover in the Senate, includes changes to the chairs of legislative committees on Aging, Commerce, Education, Environment, Energy and Technology, Executive Nominations, General Law, Government Administration and Elections, Higher Education, Housing, Human Services, Public Safety, and Veterans. Committees on Legislative Management and the General Assembly’s internship program also will be impacted.
Looney, who is taking the reins of the Senate from outgoing president, Sen. Donald Williams, Jr., said the senate’s priorities during the next term will include “supporting working families, fighting for seniors, promoting small businesses and continuing to improve our education system.”
“The skills, knowledge, experience and fresh ideas of each chair and vice-chair are tremendous assets as Connecticut pursues creative approaches to future challenges,” he said.
Newly-elected Sen. Ted Kennedy Jr. will inherit the Environment Committee chairmanship from his predecessor, retiring Sen. Ed Meyer. Kennedy, a freshman lawmaker, will also chair the Internship Committee.
Incoming Sen. Tim Larson will take over the Public Safety Committee from Sen. Joan Hartley, who will become chair of the Commerce Committee. That post is being vacated by retiring Sen. Gary LeBeau.
Meanwhile, Sen. Steve Cassano will become head of the Government Administration and Elections Committee. GAE’s current chairman, Sen. Anthony Musto, lost a primary election to incoming Sen. Marilyn Moore. Next year, Moore will chair the Human Services Committee.
Incoming Sen. Mae Flexer will take over the Aging Committee from the current chairman, Sen. Andres Ayala. Ayala will move over to the General Law Committee. Flexer will also head the Veterans Committee, a post currently held by Sen. Beth Bye, the returning Appropriations Committee Chairwoman.
Sen. Gayle Slossberg will chair the Education Committee. The committee’s current chair, Sen. Andrea Stillman is retiring at the end of this year.
Sen. Paul Doyle will take over as chair of the Energy and Technology Committee, a post being vacated by Sen. Bob Duff. Duff was promoted to senate majority leader.
Looney chose to keep Sen. Andrew Maynard in his position as chairman of the Transportation Committee.
Maynard, a 52-year-old Democrat, was severely injured during a fall from a staircase outside his home in July. Although he did not campaign, he was easily re-elected by constituents in November. It is still unclear whether he will be recovered enough to serve when the legislative session begins on Jan. 7.
Senate Committee Assignments:
AGING
Mae Flexer, Chair
Cathy Osten, Vice-Chair
APPROPRIATIONS
Beth Bye, Chair
Joan Hartley, Vice-Chair
BANKS
Carlo Leone, Chair
Joe Crisco Vice-Chair
CHILDREN
Danté Bartolomeo, Chair
Beth Bye, Vice Chair
COMMERCE
Joan Hartley, Chair
Andres Ayala, Jr., Vice-Chair
EDUCATION
Gayle Slossberg, Chair
Gary Winfield, Vice-Chair
ENVIRONMENT
Ted Kennedy, Jr., Chair
Marilyn Moore, Vice-Chair
ENERGY & TECHNOLOGY
Paul Doyle, Chair
Tim Larson, Vice-Chair
EXECUTIVE & LEGISLATIVE NOMINATIONS
Bob Duff, Chair
Martin Looney, Vice Chair
FINANCE REVENUE & BONDING
John Fonfara, Chair
Carlo Leone, Vice-Chair
GENERAL LAW
Andres Ayala, Jr., Chair
Tim Larson, Vice-Chair
GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION & ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
Steve Cassano, Chair
Terry Gerratana, Vice-Chair
HIGHER EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT ADVANCEMENT
Danté Bartolomeo, Chair
Mae Flexer, Vice-Chair
HOUSING
Gary Winfield, Chair
Cathy Osten, Vice-Chair
HUMAN SERVICES
Marilyn Moore, Chair
Gayle Slossberg, Vice-Chair
INSURANCE & REAL ESTATE
Joe Crisco, Chair
Joan Hartley, Vice-Chair
INTERNSHIP
Ted Kennedy, Jr., Chair
JUDICIARY
Eric Coleman, Chair
Paul Doyle, Vice-Chair
LABOR AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES
Gary Winfield, Chair
Cathy Osten, Vice-Chair
LEGISLATIVE MANAGEMENT
Martin Looney, Chair
Bob Duff, Vice-Chair
PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT
Cathy Osten, Chair
Steve Cassano, Vice-Chair
PROGRAM REVIEW & INVESTIGATIONS
John Fonfara, Chair
PUBLIC HEALTH
Terry Gerratana, Chair
Joe Crisco, Vice-Chair
PUBLIC SAFETY & SECURITY
Tim Larson, Chair
Eric Coleman, Vice-Chair
REGULATIONS REVIEW
Andres Ayala, Jr., Ranking
TRANSPORTATION
Andrew Maynard, Chair
Carlo Leone, Vice-Chair
VETERANS’ AFFAIRS
Mae Flexer, Chair
Carlo Leone, Vice-Chair