Connecticut House of Representatives
The Connecticut House of Representatives is the lower house in the Connecticut General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The house is composed of 151 members representing an equal number of districts, with each constituency containing nearly 22,600 residents. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits.
The House convenes within the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford.
History
The House of Representatives has its basis in the earliest incarnation of the General Assembly, the "General Corte" established in 1636 whose membership was divided between six generally elected magistrates and three-member "committees" representing each of the three towns of the Connecticut Colony. The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, adopted in 1639, replaced the committees with deputies; each town would elect three or four deputies for six-month terms. Although the magistrates and deputies sat together, they voted separately and in 1645 it was decreed that a measure had to have the approval of both groups in order to pass. The Charter of 1662 reduced the number of deputies per town to no more than two, and also changed the title of the legislature to the General Assembly. It was in 1698 that the General Assembly divided itself into its current bicameral form, with the twelve assistants as the Council and the deputies as the House of Representatives, which began electing the Speaker to preside over it. The terms of representatives were raised to two years in 1884.Leadership of the House
The Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives. The Speaker is elected by the majority party caucus followed by confirmation of the full House through the passage of a House resolution. In addition to presiding over the body, the Speaker is also its chief leadership position, and controls the flow of legislation and committee assignments. Other House leaders, such as the majority and minority leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses relative to their party's strength in the chamber.The current Speaker is Joe Aresimowicz of the 30th House District. The Majority Leader is Matthew Ritter of the 1st House District. The Minority Leader is Republican Themis Klarides of the 114th House District.
Composition of the House of Representatives
Listing of members
Current members of the Connecticut House of Representatives, as of 2019.District | Name | Party | Home city/town | First elected | Cities/towns represented |
1 | Matthew Ritter | Dem | Hartford | 2010 | Hartford |
2 | Raghib Allie-Brennan | Dem | Bethel | 2018 | Bethel, Danbury, Newtown, Redding |
3 | Minnie Gonzalez | Dem | Hartford | 1996 | Hartford |
4 | Julio Concepcion | Dem | Hartford | 2018 | Hartford |
5 | Brandon McGee | Dem | Hartford | 2012 | Hartford, Windsor |
6 | Edwin Vargas | Dem | Hartford | 2012 | Hartford |
7 | Joshua M. Hall | Dem/WFP | Hartford | 2017 | Hartford |
8 | Tim Ackert | Rep | Coventry | 2010 | Columbia, Coventry, Tolland, Vernon |
9 | Jason Rojas | Dem | East Hartford | 2008 | East Hartford, Manchester |
10 | Henry Genga | Dem | East Hartford | 2006 | East Hartford |
11 | Jeffrey Currey | Dem | East Hartford | 2014 | East Hartford, Manchester, South Windsor |
12 | Geoff Luxenberg | Dem | Manchester | 2018 | Manchester |
13 | Jason Edward Doucette | Dem | Manchester | 2018 | Glastonbury, Manchester |
14 | Tom Delnicki | Rep | South Windsor | 2016 | South Windsor |
15 | Bobby Gibson | Dem | Bloomfield | 2018 | Bloomfield, Windsor |
16 | John K. Hampton | Dem | Simsbury | 2012 | Simsbury |
17 | Leslee Hill | Rep | Canton | 2018 | Avon, Canton |
18 | Jillian Gilchrest | Dem | West Hartford | 2018 | West Hartford |
19 | Tammy Exum | Dem | West Hartford | 2019 | Avon, Farmington, West Hartford |
20 | Joseph Verrengia | Dem | West Hartford | 2011 | West Hartford |
21 | Mike Demicco | Dem | Farmington | 2012 | Farmington |
22 | William Petit | Rep | Plainville | 2016 | New Britain, Plainville |
23 | Devin Carney | Rep | Old Saybrook | 2014 | Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Westbrook |
24 | Rick Lopes | Dem | New Britain | 2012 | New Britain, Newington |
25 | Bobby Sanchez | Dem | New Britain | 2011 | New Britain |
26 | Peter Tercyak | Dem | New Britain | 2003 | New Britain |
27 | Gary Turco | Dem | Newington | 2018 | Newington |
28 | Russell Morin | Dem | Wethersfield | 2006 | Wethersfield |
29 | Kerry Szeps Wood | Dem | Rocky Hill | 2018 | Newington, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield |
30 | Joe Aresimowicz | Dem | Berlin | 2004 | Berlin, Southington |
31 | Jill Berry | Dem | Glastonbury | 2018 | Glastonbury |
32 | Christie Carpino | Rep | Cromwell | 2010 | Cromwell, Portland |
33 | Joseph Serra | Dem | Middletown | 1992 | Middletown |
34 | Irene Haines | Rep | East Hampton | 2018 | Colchester, East Haddam, East Hampton |
35 | Jesse MacLachlan | Rep | Westbrook | 2014 | Clinton, Killingworth, Westbrook |
36 | Christine Palm | Dem | Haddam | 2018 | Chester, Deep River, Essex, Haddam |
37 | Holly Cheeseman | Rep | Niantic | 2016 | East Lyme, Salem |
38 | Kathleen McCarty | Rep | Waterford | 2014 | Montville, Waterford |
39 | Anthony Nolan | Dem | New London | 2019 | New London |
40 | Christine Conley | Dem | Groton | 2016 | Groton, Ledyard |
41 | Joe de la Cruz | Dem | Groton | 2016 | Groton, New London |
42 | Mike France | Rep | Ledyard | 2014 | Ledyard, Montville, Preston |
43 | Kate Rotella | Dem | North Stonington | 2018 | North Stonington, Stonington |
44 | Anne Dauphinais | Rep | Killingly | 2016 | Killingly, Plainfield |
45 | Brian Lanoue | Rep | Griswold | 2018 | Griswold, Lisbon, Plainfield, Sterling, Voluntown |
46 | Emmett Riley | Dem | Norwich | 2012 | Norwich |
47 | Doug Dubitsky | Rep | Canterbury | 2014 | Canterbury, Chaplin, Franklin, Hampton, Lisbon, Lebanon, Norwich, Scotland, Sprague |
48 | Brian Smith | Dem | Colchester | 2020 | Colchester, Lebanon, Mansfield, Windham |
49 | Susan Johnson | Dem | Windham | 2008 | Windham |
50 | Pat Boyd | Dem | Pomfret | 2016 | Brooklyn, Eastford, Pomfret, Union, Woodstock |
51 | Rick Hayes | Rep | Putnam | 2018 | Killingly, Putnam, Thompson |
52 | Kurt Vail | Rep | Stafford | 2014 | Somers, Stafford |
53 | Patricia Wilson Pheanious | Dem | Tolland | 2018 | Ashford, Tolland, Willington |
54 | Gregory Haddad | Dem | Mansfield | 2010 | Mansfield |
55 | Robin Green | Rep | Marlborough | 2016 | Andover, Bolton, Hebron, Marlborough |
56 | Mike Winkler | Dem | Vernon | 2016 | Vernon |
57 | Christopher Davis | Rep | Broad Brook | 2010 | East Windsor, Ellington |
58 | Tom Arnone | Dem | Enfield | 2018 | Enfield |
59 | Carol Hall | Rep | Enfield | 2016 | East Windsor, Enfield |
60 | Jane Garibay | Dem | Windsor Locks | 2016 | Windsor, Windsor Locks |
61 | Tami Zawistowski | Rep | Suffield | 2014 | East Granby, Suffield, Windsor |
62 | William Simanski | Rep | Granby | 2010 | Barkhamsted, Granby, Hartland, New Hartford |
63 | Jay Case | Rep | Colebrook | 2012 | Colebrook, Goshen, Torrington, Winchester |
64 | Maria Horn | Dem | North Canaan | 2018 | Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Kent, Norfolk, North Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon, Torrington |
65 | Michelle Cook | Dem | Torrington | 2008 | Torrington |
66 | David Wilson | Rep | Litchfield | 2016 | Bethlehem, Litchfield, Morris, Warren, Woodbury |
67 | Bill Buckbee | Rep | New Milford | 2016 | New Milford |
68 | Joseph Polletta | Rep | Watertown | 2017 | Watertown, Woodbury |
69 | Arthur O'Neill | Rep | Southbury | 1988 | Bridgewater, Roxbury, Southbury, Washington |
70 | Rosa Rebimbas | Rep | Naugatuck | 2009 | Naugatuck |
71 | Anthony D'Amelio | Rep | Waterbury | 1996 | Middlebury, Waterbury |
72 | Larry Butler | Dem | Waterbury | 2006 | Waterbury |
73 | Ron Napoli | Dem | Waterbury | 2018 | Waterbury |
74 | Stephanie Cummings | Rep | Waterbury | 2016 | Waterbury |
75 | Geraldo Reyes | Dem | Waterbury | 2016 | Waterbury |
76 | John Piscopo | Rep | Thomaston | 1988 | Burlington, Harwinton, Litchfield, Thomaston |
77 | Cara Pavalock-D'Amato | Rep | Bristol | 2014 | Bristol |
78 | Whit Betts | Rep | Bristol | 2010 | Bristol, Plymouth |
79 | Chris Ziogas | Dem | Bristol | 2016 | Bristol |
80 | Gale Mastrofrancesco | Rep | Wolcott | 2018 | Wolcott, Southington |
81 | John Fusco | Rep | Southington | 2016 | Southington |
82 | Emil Altobello | Dem | Meriden | 1994 | Meriden, Middlefield |
83 | Catherine Abercrombie | Dem | Meriden | 2005 | Berlin, Meriden |
84 | Hilda Santiago | Dem | Meriden | 2012 | Meriden |
85 | Mary Mushinsky | Dem | Wallingford | 1980 | Wallingford |
86 | Vincent Candelora | Rep | North Branford | 2006 | Durham, Guilford, North Branford, Wallingford |
87 | Dave Yaccarino | Rep | North Haven | 2010 | North Haven |
88 | Josh Elliott | Dem | Hamden | 2017 | Hamden |
89 | Lezlye Zupkus | Rep | Prospect | 2012 | Bethany, Cheshire, Prospect |
90 | Craig C. Fishbein | Rep | Wallingford | 2016 | Cheshire, Wallingford |
91 | Mike D'Agostino | Dem | Hamden | 2012 | Hamden |
92 | Patricia Dillon | Dem | New Haven | 1984 | New Haven |
93 | Toni Walker | Dem | New Haven | 2001 | New Haven |
94 | Robyn Porter | Dem | New Haven | 2014 | Hamden, New Haven |
95 | Juan Candelaria | Dem | New Haven | 2002 | New Haven |
96 | Roland Lemar | Dem | New Haven | 2010 | East Haven, New Haven |
97 | Alphonse Paolillo | Dem | New Haven | 2018 | New Haven |
98 | Sean Scanlon | Dem | Guilford | 2014 | Branford, Guilford |
99 | Joseph Zullo | Rep | East Haven | 2019 | East Haven |
100 | Quentin Phipps | Dem | Middletown | 2018 | Middletown |
101 | Noreen Kokoruda | Rep | Madison | 2011 | Durham, Madison |
102 | Robin Comey | Dem | Branford | 2018 | Branford |
103 | Liz Linehan | Dem | Cheshire | 2016 | Cheshire, Southington, Wallingford |
104 | Kara Rochelle | Dem | Ansonia | 2018 | Ansonia, Derby |
105 | Nicole Klarides-Ditria | Rep | Seymour | 2018 | Beacon Falls, Derby, Seymour |
106 | Mitch Bolinsky | Rep | Newtown | 2012 | Newtown |
107 | Stephen Harding | Rep | Brookfield | 2015 | Bethel, Brookfield, Danbury |
108 | Richard A. Smith | Rep | New Fairfield | 2010 | Danbury, New Fairfield, New Milford, Sherman |
109 | David Arconti | Dem | Danbury | 2012 | Danbury |
110 | Bob Godfrey | Dem | Danbury | 1988 | Danbury |
111 | John H. Frey | Rep | Ridgefield | 1998 | Ridgefield |
112 | J. P. Sredzinski | Rep | Monroe | 2014 | Monroe, Newtown |
113 | Jason Perillo | Rep | Shelton | 2007 | Shelton |
114 | Themis Klarides | Rep | Derby | 1998 | Derby, Orange, Woodbridge |
115 | Dorinda Keenan Borer | Dem | West Haven | 2017 | West Haven |
116 | Michael DiMassa | Dem | West Haven | 2018 | New Haven, West Haven |
117 | Charles Ferraro | Rep | West Haven | 2014 | Milford, Orange, West Haven |
118 | Kim Rose | Dem | Milford | 2010 | Milford |
119 | Kathy Kennedy | Rep | Milford | 2018 | Orange, Milford |
120 | Phil Young | Dem | Stratford | 2018 | Stratford |
121 | Joe Gresko | Dem | Stratford | 2016 | Stratford |
122 | Ben McGorty | Rep | Shelton | 2014 | Shelton, Stratford, Trumbull |
123 | David Rutigliano | Rep | Trumbull | 2012 | Trumbull |
124 | Andre Baker | Dem | Bridgeport | 2014 | Bridgeport |
125 | Tom O'Dea | Rep | New Canaan | 2012 | New Canaan, Wilton |
126 | Charlie Stallworth | Dem | Bridgeport | 2011 | Bridgeport |
127 | Jack Hennessy | Dem | Bridgeport | 2004 | Bridgeport |
128 | Christopher Rosario | Dem | Bridgeport | 2014 | Bridgeport |
129 | Steven Stafstrom | Dem | Bridgeport | 2015 | Bridgeport |
130 | Antonio Felipe | Dem | Bridgeport | 2019 | Bridgeport |
131 | David Labriola | Rep | Naugatuck | 2002 | Naugatuck, Oxford, Southbury |
132 | Brian Farnen | Rep | Fairfield | 2020 | Fairfield |
133 | Cristin McCarthy Vahey | Dem | Fairfield | 2014 | Fairfield |
134 | Laura Devlin | Rep | Fairfield | 2014 | Fairfield, Trumbull |
135 | Anne Hughes | Dem | Redding | 2018 | Easton, Redding, Weston |
136 | Jonathan Steinberg | Dem | Westport | 2010 | Westport |
137 | Chris Perone | Dem | Norwalk | 2004 | Norwalk |
138 | Ken Gucker | Dem | Danbury | 2018 | Danbury, New Fairfield, Ridgefield |
139 | Kevin Ryan | Dem | Montville | 1992 | Bozrah, Montville, Norwich |
140 | Travis Simms | Dem | Norwalk | 2018 | Norwalk |
141 | Terrie Wood | Rep | Darien | 2008 | Darien, Norwalk |
142 | Lucy Dathan | Dem | Norwalk | 2018 | New Canaan, Norwalk |
143 | Gail Lavielle | Rep | Wilton | 2010 | Norwalk, Westport, Wilton |
144 | Caroline Simmons | Dem | Stamford | 2014 | Stamford |
145 | Patricia Miller | Dem | Stamford | 2008 | Stamford |
146 | David Michel | Dem | Stamford | 2018 | Stamford |
147 | Matt Blumenthal | Dem | Stamford | 2018 | Darien, Stamford |
148 | Daniel J. Fox | Dem | Stamford | 2011 | Stamford |
149 | Livvy Floren | Rep | Greenwich | 2000 | Greenwich, Stamford |
150 | Steve Meskers | Dem | Greenwich | 2018 | Greenwich |
151 | Harry Arora | Rep | Greenwich | 2020 | Greenwich |
Past composition of the House of Representatives
Notable former House members
1700s
- Jonathan Trumbull, Governor of Connecticut Colony, Governor of Connecticut
- Roger Sherman, First Mayor of New Haven, Constitutional Signatory, United States Congressman, United States Senator
- Jonathan Trumbull, Jr. Aide-de-camp to General Washington, Congressman, US Senator, 20th Governor of Connecticut
- Jeremiah Wadsworth, Congressman, Constitutional Convention Member
- John Davenport, Continental Army Officer, Congressman
1800s
- Gideon Tomlinson, Congressman, US Senator, 25th Governor of Connecticut
- Noah Webster, Dictionary author and educator
- Henry W. Edwards, Congressman, US Senator, 27th and 29th Governor of Connecticut
- Samuel A. Foot, Congressman, US Senator, 28th Governor of Connecticut
- Isaac Toucey, Congressman, US Senator, United States Attorney General, Secretary of the Navy, 33rd Governor of Connecticut
- William W. Eaton, Congressman and US Senator
- Marcus H. Holcomb, Connecticut Attorney General, 66th Governor of Connecticut
- Henry C. Deming, Congressman, Mayor of Hartford, Commander of the 12th Connecticut Infantry Regiment
- John T. Wait, Congressman
- William E. Simonds, Congressman, Patent Commissioner, Medal of Honor recipient
- Augustus Brandegee Congressman, Mayor of New London
- John Q. Tilson, Congressman
- E. Stevens Henry, Connecticut State Treasurer, Congressman
- P.T. Barnum, showman, politician, and businessman known for the Barnum and Bailey Circus.
1900s
- Marcus H. Holcomb, Attorney General of Connecticut, 66th Governor of Connecticut
- Everett J. Lake, 67th Governor of Connecticut
- Raymond E. Baldwin, Congressman, United States Senator, 72nd and 74th Governor of Connecticut, Chief Justice of the Connecticut Court of Errors, Chair of the 1965 Constitutional Convention
- Abraham A. Ribicoff, 80th Governor of Connecticut, United States Senator, United States Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare
- John N. Dempsey, 81st Governor of Connecticut
- William R. Ratchford, Congressman
- Stewart McKinney, Congressman
- Sam Gejdenson, Congressman
- Ronald A. Sarasin, Congressman
- Ella T. Grasso, 83rd Governor of Connecticut
- Barbara B. Kennelly, Congresswoman
- William O'Neill, 84th Governor of Connecticut
- Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., Congressman, US Senator, 85th Governor of Connecticut
- Sam Gejdenson, Congressman
- John G. Rowland, 86th Governor of Connecticut
- Gary Franks, Congressman
- Christopher Shays, Congressman
2000s
- Rob Simmons, Congressman
- Jodi Rell, 87th Governor of Connecticut
- Joe Courtney, Congressman
- Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut Attorney General and US Senator
- Chris Murphy, Congressman and US Senator
- Elizabeth Esty, Congresswoman