Christopher G. Donovan

Christopher G. Donovan
Rep. Donovan on the opening day of the 2009 Session
Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives
Incumbent
Assumed office January 7, 2009
Preceded by	James Amann
Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from the 84th district
Incumbent
Assumed office 1993
Preceded by	William DeZinno
Personal details
Born	October 22, 1953 (1953-10-22) (age 58) Darby, Pennsylvania
Political party	Democratic
Residence	Meriden
Website	http://www.housedems.ct.gov/donovan/

Christopher G. Donovan (born October 22, 1953, in. Darby, Pennsylvania) is the Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives. He was sworn in as Speaker on January 7, 2009.^[1]

Education

Donovan graduated from Monsignor Bonner High School in Drexel Hill^[2] in 1971. He earned his Bachelors degree in Biology at Villanova University in 1975 and his Masters degree in Social Work from the University of Connecticut School of Social Work. He is a teacher on the faculty of the University of Hartford.

Family Life

Donovan is married to Elaine Gallen Donovan. They live in Meriden. They have a daughter, Sarah, who is a freshman at George Washington University, and a grown son, Aaron, who resides in Massachusetts.

Career

He was elected to the Connecticut General Assembly in 1992 representing the 84th Assembly District of Meriden, Connecticut. He later served as House Chair of the Labor and Public Employees Committee from 1997 to 2003 and was elected Majority Leader, serving from November of 2004 to 2008. Donovan was first elected to serve as Speaker of the House in 2009.

Healthcare

During his legislative career, Donovan has championed many successful healthcare initiatives which include expanding prescription drug assistance for seniors and disabled adults (ConnPACE); health insurance for low-income children (HUSKY) (HB7065) ; adding supplemental Medicare coverage, and; establishing school-based health clinics. Other notable healthcare initiatives include:

SustiNet

SustiNet (PA 09-148) lays out a framework for leveraging the bargaining power of state health care purchasing to create a large pool open to individuals and groups and a structure for a state-wide healthcare delivery system that contains costs and promotes preventive care. The 2009 legislation authorized the SustiNet Board of Directors and its task forces and committees to make recommendations on the implementation of SustiNet to the 2011 General Assembly. The final report is expected prior to the start of session. The Public Health Committee anticipates that it will raise a bill outlining the next phase of the SustiNet proposal based on these recommendations.

Implementing Federal Health Care Reform

In addition to insurance reforms, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act [^ Pub.L. 111-148, 124 Stat. 119, to be codified as amended at scattered sections of 42 U.S.C.] contains provisions related to health care workforce, long term care, slowing cost growth, prevention and wellness. The SustiNet framework provides many opportunities for capturing and coordinating these new resources and the committee will have the chance to consider targeting resources at areas that could benefit from cost and quality improvements. For example, there are many grants opportunities for workforce development and community health promotion.

Connecticut Healthcare Partnership

The Connecticut Healthcare Partnership legislation (last considered in 2009 as PA 09-147) would allow municipalities, small businesses, and non-profits to voluntarily join the state employee health insurance plan, creating a large pool of insured lives yielding significantly lower costs. The governor vetoed this measure twice, but finally signed a less sweeping form of the legislation, which permitted municipalities to purchase prescription coverage through the state, in 2010. This legislation will be considered again in 2011.

Rep. Donovan has been recognized for his efforts by numerous groups.^[3]

On July 13, 2010 House Speaker Donovan came out in favor of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit decision in Green Party of Connecticut v. Garfield on campaign finance ("pay to play"), in solidarity with Governor Rell.^[4]

Labor, Minimum Wage, State Budget

In 1998, 2000 and again in 2002, as Chair of the Labor and Public Employees Committee, Donovan successfully brought out of committee bills that raised the state’s minimum wage (HB 5160).

In 2000 he set the first standard wage for service workers across the state. PA 99-142

Other bills he helped pass include; balancing the state budget and eliminating a $10 billion deficit (HB 6802); stem cell research (SB 934); creating green technology jobs (SB 494); addressing the education achievement gap (HB 5491); campaign finance reform; allowing civil unions; paid family medical leave; and fully funding the Teacher’s Retirement Fund at $235 million (HB 5845).

Speaker Task Force Initiatives

House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan has convened a bipartisan legislative task force to formulate Connecticut's response to domestic violence and the legislature approved its most sweeping reforms to domestic violence laws in over 25 years when it approved a package of bills addressing criminal justice, housing and human services, and education issues related to this crime. The changes include GPS monitoring for high risk domestic violence offenders, improvement of enforcing protective orders, the creation of three additional domestic violence court dockets, school family and teen dating violence programs, and measures to ensure victims can remove themselves from dangerous and unsafe living environments.

The Speaker’s Commission on Municipal Opportunities and Regional Efficiencies (MORE) initiated a new approach to finding cost efficiencies through regional collaboration between state and local governments in Connecticut. Employee health insurance plans and school transportation agreements can now be jointly contracted and cities and towns can now take advantage of the negotiating power of the state’s health plan for prescription drug coverage for their employees.

During his tenure as Speaker in 2009 and 2010, Donovan brought forth a 2/3 majority vote, successfully overturning the governor’s veto 15 times on important issues, such as

• Clean Elections (SB 551)
• Standard Wage for Certain Connecticut Workers (HB 6502) []
• Establishment of the Sustinet Plan (HB 6600)

Recognition

Rep. Donovan has been recognized for his efforts by numerous groups, such as:

• The Purple Tie Award for "men who have taken a stand against domestic violence" by the Meriden-Wallingford Chrysalis Inc.;
• The Mental Health Outstanding Advocate Award from the Region II Regional Mental Health Board;
• The CT Early Childhood Alliance Legislator of the Year Award;
• The Connecticut Family Resource Center Alliance “Friend of the Family Award;”
• The Connecticut Police Chief’s Association Legislative Award;
• The Connecticut Voices for Children “First for Kids 2009 Legislative Leadership Award;”
• The Child Advocacy Legislative Leadership Award, was NASW’s Legislator of the Year;
• Capitol Community College’s recognition as an honorary member of Phi Theta Kappa, an international honor society.[3]

References

1. ^ http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/New-Speaker-of-the-House-for-Connecticut.html
2. ^ "House Session Transcript for 01/07/2009". Connecticut House of Representatives. 2009-01-07. http://search.cga.state.ct.us/dtsearch.asp?cmd=getdoc&DocId=16&Index=I%3A\zindex\2009&Item=2870. Retrieved 2009-10-04. "I wasn't very good at Latin at Monsignor Bonner High School – nobody knows I have school, but, however, John Cappaletti [sic] was a graduate of that – Heisman Trophy winner – but anyway, as our state motto says, He who transplanted sustains." 
3. ^ http://www.housedems.ct.gov/Donovan/bio084.asp
4. ^ http://www.housedems.ct.gov/donovan/statements084.asp#a071310

External links

• State Representative Christopher G Donovan official constituent site
• Bills Introduced at the Connecticut General Assembly
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Current Bills Sponsored at StateSurge.com
• Campaign contributions at the National Institute for Money in State Politics
• Profile at OurCampaigns

Connecticut House of Representatives
Preceded by William DeZinno	Connecticut state representative for the 84th District 1993–present	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by James Amann	Majority Leader of the Connecticut House of Representatives 2005–2009	Succeeded by Denise Merrill
Preceded by James Amann	Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives 2009–present	Succeeded by Incumbent

Persondata
Name	Donovan, Christopher G.
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	October 22, 1953
Place of birth	Darby, Pennsylvania
Date of death
Place of death