Connecticut General Assembly

1. What is the Connecticut General Assembly

The Connecticut General Assembly is the legislative branch of State Government. The General Assembly, which is made up of the House of Representatives (151 members) and the Senate (36 members), enacts laws dealing with the collection and allocation of funds, public welfare, the environment, education, public works, civil and criminal law and other matters.

2. How are members of the General Assembly chosen

Members are elected in November of even-numbered years from the districts in which they reside. Members of the Connecticut House of Representatives and the Connecticut Senate serve for a two-year term.

3. When does the General Assembly meet

Our legislature is considered to be part-time. Regular sessions of the General Assembly are held from January to June in odd-numbered years, and from February to May in even-numbered years.

4. How does the General Assembly work

The General Assembly meets in the State Capitol in Hartford. General Assembly committees usually meet and hold most public hearings in the adjoining Legislative Office Building, which also houses Legislator offices. Committees, which may operate year-round, meet to review proposed legislation and make recommendations to the full House and Senate.

1. How do I find out when a proposal for new legislation (bill) will be voted on in the House and Senate

Once a bill has been voted favorably out of committee, it is listed on the Calendar. After it has been on the Calendar for three days it can be voted on by the General Assembly. The Speaker of the House controls the agenda for the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore controls the agenda for the Senate. The House publishes a GO LIST just prior to a House session. This list of bills and/or resolutions on the Calendar reflects the legislation the House intends to take up on a particular session day. To find a GO LIST, select "Session Items" from the menu bar and click on "Go Lists" under "House".

2. Who can testify at a public hearing What are the rules How long should testimony be Who speaks first Should I bring copies of testimony

Anyone may testify at a public hearing. The rules vary by committee. The notice of the Public Hearing in the Bulletin provides basic rule information. Testimony should be no longer than three to five minutes. The first hour of a hearing is normally reserved for legislators and agency heads or invited guests. Then testimony is taken in the order people signed up. Written testimony is not required but is recommended. If you bring written testimony, you must bring a copy for every committee member. Go to the Citizen Guide section on the CGA home page for a "Guide to Testifying at a Public Hearing".

3. What is the deadline for proposing new legislation/bills

Legislators must propose bills within approximately one week of the opening day of the session. Actual dates are listed in the Joint Rules of the General Assembly.

4. What is the deadline for each legislative committee to report bills favorably to the General Assembly

To find a table of committee deadlines select "Session Items" from the menu bar and click "Deadlines" under Committee or go to the Session Items page and select Committee Deadlines.

5. Where can I find current laws

The Legislative Commissioners' Office is responsible for compiling the General Statutes of Connecticut and releases an edition every other year. In a non-publishing year, the Public and Special Acts for that year represent new legislation not currently incorporated into the statutes. The Public and Special Acts, as well as the Statutes, are all available in the Search System.

1. How can I search for a particular bill to find its status

If you know the number of the bill you are looking for, click on the "Bills" tab at the bottom of your screen. This is the Quick Bill Search feature. You may also search for bills a number of different ways. See the Search Index page.

2. How can I find bills proposed for a particular area of interest

On the menu bar go to "Bill Info" and select "Bills by Subject". Click on the letter that represents the first character of the topic you wish to review (i.e., "E" for Environment Permits). Click on the topic link from the list to see the bills categorized under that particular topic by the Connecticut State Library.

3. How can I find how my Legislator has voted on a particular issue

Through any bill search method, or by going to "Bill Info" on the menu bar, find the bill you are interested in and click to go to that bill's history page. You can click the links under the Votes section (which appears only after a house or senate vote has actually taken place). The Connecticut State Library (http://www.cslib.org/) can also provide voting information.

4. How can I receive periodic information regarding legislative action

On the CGA home page you will find a section for Bill Tracking. This application allows you to track legislative activity on bills by way of email notifications.

1. Where do I find the Connecticut Statutes

In the menu bar select "Statutes". There are a number of ways to find statutes. If you would like to view and search all of the statutes, select "Browse Statutes".

1. Who are my Representative and Senator and how do I contact them

On the CGA home page you will see a Find Your Legislators section. Alternately, from the menu bar select Representation and click "Find Your Legislators". Enter your address in the respective fields to bring up a list of your house, senate and congressional representatives. You can also go to the "View District Town Maps" link (located at the bottom of the Find Your Legislator page) to locate your representative by town. Click the district number for your town and you will get to their individual website, which contains contact information.

2. How can I determine which Legislators are on a particular committee

From the menu bar select "Committees". Select your choice of committee, and on the committee's page click Committee Membership.

3. Where can I get a list of all Legislators

From the menu bar select Session Items and click on "Legislative Info Download". The Legislator Database contains a detailed list of all current legislators. You can also go to the House Members List and/or Senate Members List (under Representation on the menu bar) to find this information.

1. How can I find a schedule of events

On the CGA home page you will find a Schedule of Events section. Find an event you are interested in and click it to bring up details of that event. If the event has an agenda, there will be a link included. You can also go to individual committee pages to view that committee's calendar. Printed copies are available in the Bill Room in the Legislative Office Building (first floor).

1. What is the address and phone number of the Capitol and Legislative Office Building

State Capitol, 210 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106
(860) 240-0100 Office of Legislative Management

Legislative Office Building (LOB), 300 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106
(860) 240-0100 Office of Legislative Management

2. Where can I find information on visiting and touring the Capitol including directions and parking information

The Capitol and Legislative Office Building are open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. See "Capitol Tours" under the link Citizen Guide or call (860) 240-0222. Limited parking is available in the LOB garage off Broad St. and Capitol Avenue.

3. Which entrances are open to the public

At the Capitol the West entrance (facing the Legislative Office Building) is open to the public. This entrance is handicapped accessible with a ramp and automatic door.

At the Legislative Office Building the public entrance in on the west side of the first floor facing Broad Street. A handicapped accessible door is to the right of the revolving door.

4. Where are the public galleries to view legislative session and public hearing events

Legislative sessions are held at the Capitol Building in Hartford. The public gallery of the House may be reached by stairways from the 3rd floor; the Senate galleries open onto the 4th floor. Committee meeting and public hearing rooms are located in the adjoining Legislative Office Building.

5. Are there services for the physically challenged

The Capitol and Legislative Office Building are administered in compliance with the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act. Requests for accommodations should be directed to the Office of Legislative Management (860) 240-0100.

6. Where can I purchase something to eat

There is a cafeteria in the Legislative Office Building that is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Soda, candy and snack machines are located in the Legislative Office Building and Capitol.

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Connecticut General Assembly (CGA)