Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey handed out committee assignments to House members on Tuesday.

Rep. Verrengia is beginning his 3rd term serving the 20th House District in West Hartford. Submitted photo

Submitted

State Representative Joe Verrengia (D-West Hartford) officially received his committee assignments for the 2015 General Assembly session from Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey (D-Hamden).

“I’m very happy with the committee assignments I’ve been given by the Speaker,” said Rep. Verrengia. “I look forward to continuing to add my voice and experience to the process of creating policy in Connecticut.”

Rep. Verrengia serves the 20^th Assembly District which is in West Hartford. He was renamed as the Vice Chair the Legislature’s Public Safety and Security Committee, and as a member of the Judiciary Committee, Finance Revenue and Bonding Committee and Transportation Committee. He will also serve as a Deputy Majority Whip at Large.

“As a leader within our caucus, Rep. Verrengia has the experience and ability to help improve the quality of life for everyone in Connecticut, while at the same time representing the interests of the families of West Hartford,” Speaker Sharkey said. “Joe will play a key role in moving our legislative agenda forward this session.”

“The scope of these committees will allow me to best represent the needs of my district as well as help shape the future of our state,” said Rep. Verrengia. “There is great opportunity in these challenging times as we begin a partnership with our Governor to encourage job creations and economic growth.”

The Public Safety and Security Committee has cognizance of all matters relating to homeland security, the Department of Public Safety, including state police, state organized task force on crime, municipal police training, fire marshals, the fire safety code and the state building code, civil preparedness and legalized gambling, and military and veterans’ affairs, except veterans’ pensions.

The Joint Committee on Judiciary has cognizance of all matters relating to courts, judicial procedures, criminal law, probate courts, probation, parole, wills, estates, adoption, divorce, bankruptcy, escheat, law libraries, deeds, mortgages, conveyancing, preservation of land records and other public documents, the law of business organizations, uniform laws, validations, authorizations to sue and to appeal, claims against the state, all judicial nominations, all nominations of workers’ compensation commissioners, all nominations of members of the Board of Pardons and Paroles and all matters relating to the Judicial Department, the Department of Correction and the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities; all bills carrying civil penalties which exceed the sum of, or which may exceed in the aggregate, five thousand dollars; and all bills carrying criminal penalties, other than infractions, favorably reported by any other committee shall be referred to said committee, provided the committee’s consideration shall be limited to the criminal penalties established in such bills and shall not extend to their substantive provisions or purpose.

The Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee has jurisdiction over all matters relating to finance, revenue, capital bonding, fees and taxation. The committee also has cognizance over employer contributions for unemployment compensation and all matters relating to the Department of Revenue Services and the revenue aspects of the Division of Special Revenue.

The Transportation Committee has cognizance of all matters relating to the Department of Transportation, including highways and bridges, navigation, aeronautics, mass transit and railroads; and to the State Traffic Commission and the Department of Motor Vehicles.