Conn. legislative committees to get shakeup
Unlike Congress, all committees of the Connecticut General Assembly are joint committees with House and Senate co-chairs and rank-and-file members.
The first in a series of new committee assignments at the General Assembly will come Wednesday when House Speaker Matt Ritter names Rep. Maria Horn, D-Salisbury, as co-chair of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee.
At least seven legislative committees will get new co-chairs in the term that begins Jan. 4, including one of the more challenging assignments, co-chair of the Energy and Technology Committee.
Multiple sources say Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, D-Westport, is Ritter's choice for co-chair of the energy committee, a venue for whatever policy changes will arise from the sharply increasing costs of electricity in Connecticut.
Steinberg's appointment will come later this week, while Horn's will be announced Wednesday, sources said.
Unlike Congress, all committees of the Connecticut General Assembly are joint committees with House and Senate co-chairs and rank-and-file members.
Ritter and House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford, the choices of the House Democratic majority to continue as leaders, announced two returning co-chairs Tuesday: Rep. Roland Lemar of New Haven at Transportation and Rep. Steve Stafstrom of Bridgeport at Judiciary.
While Horn takes over at Finance, Rep. Toni Walker of New Haven will remain as co-chair of the legislature's other money committee, Appropriations. Her reappointment also will be announced Wednesday.
Horn will succeed Rep. Sean Scanlon, D-Guilford, who was elected state comptroller. Only in her second term, Horn is now co-chair of the Public Safety and Security Committee, an assignment that gave her a leading role in the passage of the law legalizing sports betting in 2021.
Her move to Finance and the defeat of Sen. Dennis Bradley, D-Bridgeport, means that Public Safety will be getting two new co-chairs. The House cochair of Human Services is open due to the retirement of Rep. Catherine Abercrombie, D-Meriden.
Steinberg's move to Energy means he will be vacating his current post as cochair of the Public Health Committee. His Senate co-chair, Sen. Mary Daugherty Abrams, D-Meriden, did not seek reelection.
Two other co-chairs are open due to senators not returning: Sen. Will Haskell, D-Westport, at Transportation; and Sen. Steve Cassano, D-Manchester, at Planning and Development.
Senate President Pro Tem Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, has not announced committee assignments.