Legislative Overview

I’d like to provide a reminder of how legislation is proposed and moved forward, as there seems to be some confusion. Any member of the General Assembly can propose any bill on any subject. 151 House members and 36 Senators can submit legislation and many submit multiple bills. Needless to say, it’s a tremendous amount to sort through.

Committees then meet and sort through the bills (called screening) and decide which bills to hold hearings on. Once those bills are chosen by the committee chairs and ranking members, a small percentage will be offered a public hearing. The rest are dismissed until they may be raised next session but the bill is, for all intents and purposes, a dead Bill.

After public hearings, the committee will vote on what may proceed to the house and senate floors as a Joint Favorable Bill (JF) to move on from the committee. It doesn’t mean it will be called on the floor of the senate or the house, but if there is not a JF vote, the bill dies there.

So if you see someone post a bill or demand you contact your legislator on a specific bill number, look it up. It’s a very simple thing to look up at the CT General Assembly website. You will see any language available as well as which legislators either proposed the bill or support it. If you support or oppose the Bill, start with the members of that committee and of course, your legislators who represent your district. Be vocal. Be clear. Speak up as to your reasoning.

We received hundreds of emails about bills as soon as they go public, and many from lobbyists or organizations. Many of these emails are “cookie cutter” but one constituent speaking from the heart carries 10x the weight if not more.

So when you see someone on Facebook/social media who is screaming about a bill, do your part to know how the system of government works, and proceed accordingly. Just yelling on social media won’t do a fraction of what a letter or speaking at a hearing will do.

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