2019 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 2 - General Assembly and Legislative Agencies
Chapter 23i - Commission on Women, Children and Seniors
Section 2-135 - Commission on Women, Children and Seniors. Membership. Quorum. Staff. Policy divisions.

(a) There is established a Commission on Women, Children and Seniors, which shall be part of the Legislative Department. The commission shall focus on issues affecting each of the following underrepresented and underserved populations: Women, children and the family and elderly persons. The Commission on Women, Children and Seniors shall constitute a successor to the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, Commission on Children, and Commission on Aging in accordance with the provisions of subsections (b) to (d), inclusive, and subsection (f) of section 4-38d and section 4-38e.

(b) The Commission on Women, Children and Seniors shall consist of the following members:

(1) With respect to members appointed prior to July 1, 2016, to serve on either the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, Commission on Children or Commission on Aging and whose term has not expired as of July 1, 2016, such members shall be deemed appointed to serve on the Commission on Women, Children and Seniors until the expiration of the term of the member on such former commission, the occurrence of a vacancy or June 30, 2018, whichever occurs first. Upon the expiration of any such member's term or the occurrence of a vacancy on or after July 1, 2018, the vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority who made the original appointment, except such appointment shall be made in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (2) of this subsection.

(2) (A) On and after July 1, 2018, the Commission on Women, Children and Seniors shall consist of twenty-one members, appointed as follows:

(i) Three members appointed by a joint appointment of the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom has expertise in issues concerning women, one of whom has expertise in issues concerning children or the family and one of whom has expertise in issues concerning elderly persons, provided at least one of such members shall also be from the central region of the state;

(ii) Three members appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of whom has expertise in issues concerning women, one of whom has expertise in issues concerning children or the family and one of whom has expertise in issues concerning elderly persons, provided at least one of such members shall also be from the northeastern region of the state;

(iii) Three members appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom has expertise in issues concerning women, one of whom has expertise in issues concerning children or the family and one of whom has expertise in issues concerning elderly persons, provided at least one of such members shall also be from the southeastern region of the state;

(iv) Three members appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, one of whom has expertise in issues concerning women, one of whom has expertise in issues concerning children or the family and one of whom has expertise in issues concerning elderly persons;

(v) Three members appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, one of whom has expertise in issues concerning women, one of whom has expertise in issues concerning children or the family and one of whom has expertise in issues concerning elderly persons;

(vi) Three members appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, one of whom has expertise in issues concerning women, one of whom has expertise in issues concerning children or the family and one of whom has expertise in issues concerning elderly persons, provided at least one of such members shall also be from the northwestern region of the state; and

(vii) Three members appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, one of whom has expertise in issues concerning women, one of whom has expertise in issues concerning children or the family and one of whom has expertise in issues concerning elderly persons, provided at least one of such members shall also be from the southwestern region of the state.

(B) In the event of a vacancy for any member appointed pursuant to this subdivision, such vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.

(c) All initial appointments to the commission, other than appointments made pursuant to subdivision (1) of subsection (b) of this section, shall be made not later than July 31, 2016, and the term of such initial members shall terminate on June 30, 2018, regardless of when the initial appointment was made. The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate shall select the chairperson of the commission from among the members of the commission. Such chairperson shall schedule the first meeting of the commission.

(d) Members of the commission appointed on or after July 1, 2018, shall serve for two-year terms which shall commence on the date of appointment. Members shall continue to serve until their successors are appointed. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. Any vacancy occurring other than by expiration of term shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall, within the limits of available funds, be reimbursed for expenses necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties.

(e) A majority of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business. The commission shall meet as often as deemed necessary by the chairperson or a majority of the commission. Any appointed member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings or who fails to attend fifty per cent of all meetings held during any calendar year shall be deemed to have resigned from the commission.

(f) The commission shall have no authority over staffing or personnel matters. There shall be an executive director of the commission. The executive director and any necessary staff shall be employed by the Joint Committee on Legislative Management, which shall have authority over the hiring, termination and performance review of the executive director and any staff.

(g) The commission shall be organized into three policy divisions, one of which shall advise on policies affecting women, one of which shall advise on policies affecting children and family and one of which shall advise on policies affecting elderly persons.

(May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3, S. 129; P.A. 18-133, S. 1.)

History: May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3 effective July 1, 2016 (Revisor's note: In Subsec. (b)(2), the words “Commission on” in the introductory language and the words “from the” in Subpara. (F) were added editorially by the Revisors for accuracy); P.A. 18-133 substantially amended Subsec. (b) to decrease total membership from 63 to 21 members, reducing each appointment accordingly, add references to July 1, 2018, redesignate existing provisions in Subdiv. (2) as Subparas. (A) and (B) and redesignate existing Subparas. (A) to (G) as clauses (i) to (vii), and made technical and conforming changes, effective June 11, 2018.