State Senator Joan Hartley

Joan Hartley (D-Waterbury), currently the Assistant President Pro Tempore of the state Senate, was elected to her fifth term in the 15th state Senate District by an overwhelming margin in November 2008.

After serving for 16 years in the State House of Representatives from the 73rd District, which included serving as Speaker Pro Tempore — the third-highest ranking position in the House — Joan was elected to the State Senate from the 15th District in November 2000.

Joan serves as the co-chair of the Regulations Review Committee, as well as vice-chair of the powerful Appropriations Committee, vice-chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee and a member of the Legislative Management Committee.

Joan has served on the National Conference of State Legislatures' Assembly on State Issues' Committee on Education for the past two years. The committee, which has members from other states across the nation, examined the topics of school safety, teacher professional development and accountability in education.

In her six years in the Senate and 16 years in the House, Joan has a proven record as an effective lawmaker and respected advocate who has consistently stood up and fought for taxpayers and families.

Joan was an author of the state spending cap legislation, voted against the income tax, voted to reduce the gas tax and sales tax, and voted to increase the property tax credit. She also fought the HMO's and co-sponsored legislation banning "drive through deliveries" and 48 hour mastectomies.

Joan supported legislation to prohibit physicians’ gag orders and establish an HMO rating system, and she continues to work in an inter-state consortium to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.

As a former educator, one of 10 children, and a mother, Joan has been a strong advocate for education. She wrote the early school readiness legislation, which created seats for pre-kindergarten children throughout the state, and worked to provide four-year degree programs at the Waterbury-UConn branch.

Joan resides in Waterbury with her husband, Jim, and two children, Devin and Brooke.