Bristol’s recently elected state legislators joined the contingent of elected representatives from across the state for Wednesday’s swearing in ceremony at the Capital Building.
Senator Henri Martin (R-31 Senate)
Senator Henri Martin (R-31st District) is beginning his 5th term in the 31st and has been named Deputy Republican Leader of the Connecticut State Senate in the upcoming legislative session.
The 31st District includes Bristol, Harwinton, Plainville, Plymouth and Thomaston.
Martin will continue to serve as Ranking Senator on the Connecticut General Assembly’s Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee and the Commerce Committee. He will also serve as a member of the Transportation Committee and the Executive and Legislative Nominations Committee. He will continue to serve as a voting member on the State Bond Commission.
“It is an honor and a privilege to represent the people of the 31st,” Martin said. “I thank Senate Republican Leader Kevin Kelly for naming me a deputy leader. My focus continues to be on making our state safer and more affordable. We need to pass significant tax relief and eliminate wasteful government spending while helping to train our future workforce. We also need safer streets, and we must support our law enforcement officials in any way we can.”
State Representative Cara Pavalock-D’Amato (R-77)
Cara Pavalock-D’Amato took the oath-of-office for her fifth full term representing the 77th General Assembly District which includes the City of Bristol.
For the 2023-2024 legislative session, Rep. Pavalock will remain as Ranking Member of the legislature’s Insurance Committee as well as serving in a new leadership role as House Republican Whip. Pavalock will also serve as a member of the Finance, Judiciary, and Screening Committees.
“Each new legislative session brings on its own distinct challenges and obstacles, but I look forward to sitting down with the committee members and continuing to work on behalf of the residents of Connecticut as the Ranking Member of the Insurance Committee,” said Rep. Pavalock.
State Representative Joe Hoxha (R-78)
Representative Joe Hoxha took the oath for his first term as a state representative for the 78th district.
“ The experience was a great one,” said Hoxha. “I was very, very happy to have been a part of it, but now that that is over, I am focused on introducing bills that I promised to bring forward during my campaign. This includes bills on criminal justice reform, a bill that would make punishments much harsher on violent criminals. I will introduce bills to protect law enforcement and give them the resources to do their jobs and better protect themselves while on the job. I’m also seeking to introduce legislation to cut down on waste, fraud, and abuse in the welfare system.”
Hoxha added, “We also need to break up the energy monopolies and cut energy taxes to make energy more affordable in this state. We need to attract more businesses and grow our economy that has paled in comparison to other states’ economies for decades.”
Representative Hoxha has been appointed to the Appropriations, GAE, and Banking committees.
State Representative Mary Fortier (D-79)
Representative Mary Fortier was sworn in Wednesday for her first term representing the 79th District, which covers part of Bristol.
“I am honored to represent the constituents in my district and am thankful for their faith in my leadership. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle,” said Rep. Fortier.
Fortier is the Vice Chair for the Aging Committee and will serve on the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, and the Human Services Committee for the 2023 Legislative Session.