The Auditors of Public Accounts are appointed by the General Assembly and are responsible to that body. The bipartisan nature of the office, including a Democratic and Republican auditor, make it possible for this office to function independently of partisan or special interest considerations.

The Auditors of Public Accounts are required by statute to audit, biennially, the accounts of each agency of state government, all institutions supported by the state, and all public and quasi-public bodies created by the General Assembly. The auditors not only provide this fiscal audit function, but also are authorized to examine the operations and performance of state agencies to determine their effectiveness in achieving legislative purposes.

In accordance with law, they must report any unauthorized, illegal, irregular or unsafe handling or expenditure of state funds to the Governor, the State Comptroller, the Clerk of each House of the General Assembly, the Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee, and the Attorney General. Under the provisions of Section 4-61dd, known as the Whistle Blower Act, the Auditors also report to the Attorney General their findings and recommendations in connection with all whistle blower complaints as well as with their review of matters of corruption, unethical practices, and violations of state laws or regulations. At the request of the Attorney General or on their own initiative, they shall assist in any resulting investigation.

Individual legislators will find the auditors invaluable whenever the legislator requires copies of audit reports or background data concerning almost any matter requiring additional fiscal historical data. While auditors must establish priorities, given staff and time limitations, they do act on every legislator's request that falls within the area of responsibility of their office. Recognizing the limited staff capability of the office and the sizeable number of legislators who can avail themselves of the auditors' services, legislators should be aware that requested information cannot always be provided instantaneously, but they can be assured that they will be served in an effective and timely manner.

The Permanent Commission on the Status of Women was created in 1973 by an act of the Connecticut Legislature. Under Title 46 (a), Chapter 812 of the State Statutes, a seventeen-member Commission, a staff and volunteers work to eliminate sex discrimination in Connecticut.

The objectives of the Commission are to study issues of particular concern to women, work with government and private interest groups concerned with services for women, promote consideration of qualified women for all levels of government positions, inform the leaders of business, labor, education, state and local governments, the media and the public of the nature and scope of sex discrimination and enlist their support in working toward improvement, recommend changes of developments in public policy to improve the status of women, and report findings and recommendations to the governor and the General Assembly.

Barbara DeBaptiste, Chairperson
Cindy Slane, Vice Chairperson
Ann Clark, Secretary
Jann-Marie Halvorsen, Treasurer
Marcia A. Cavanough
Anne R. Fornabi
Karen L. Giblin
Patricia T. Hendel
Sarah McGirr
Tanya Meck
Rosaida Rosario
George Schatzki
Carmen L. Sierra

Senator Thomas F. Upson
Senator Donald E. Williams, Jr.
Representative Michael P. Lawlor
Representative Robert Farr

 Staff Members

Leslie J. Brett, Executive Director
Susan Hoover, Special Projects Coordinator
Barbara Potopowitz, Public Information Officer
Gail Cain, Nontraditional Employment for Women Act Grant Administrator
Magdaliz Baez, Secretary to the Executive Director
Rosemary Lopez, Administrative Assistant
Lillie Wright, Administrative Assistant
Colleen Auletta, Administrative Assistant

The Commission on Children was created in 1985 by an act of the Connecticut Legislature. Under Public Act 85-584 this 26-member, bipartisan commission, staff and volunteers work together to generally oversee matters concerning children and youth.

By law, the Commission is charged to: assess and coordinate state programs affecting children; annually review the statutes concerning children and report findings to the Governor and Legislature; meet with representatives of the executive and judicial branches to review their respective responsibilities and to receive recommendations for study; meet with private providers of service to children, foster parents and support groups to understand their concerns and to receive recommendation for study; receive legislative requests for study; enlist the support of the leaders of the business and education communities, state and local governments and the media to improve the daily delivery system, state budget process and state policies concerning children; serve as a liaison between government and private groups concerned with children; and coordinate activities with the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women.

The general purpose of these activities is to identify and promote public policy and coordinated efforts that support and improve the development of children and strengthen the capability of families to provide for children's basic needs.

Laura Lee Simon, Chair
Larry Rifkin, Vice Chair
Elizabeth Buzzuto, Esq., Secretary
Walter Pawelkeiwicz, Treasurer

Legislative Members

Senator Toni Nathaniel Harp
Representative Robert T. Keeley, Jr.
Representative Cameron C. Staples
Senator Donald E. Williams, Jr.

Judith A. Busch, Esq.
Maryann Campbell
Joseph Clary
Tammy MacFadyen
Dr. John Raye
Ruth Rose
David Salce
Shirley West

Commissioner Kristine Ragaglia, DCF
Commissioner Joyce Thomas, DSS
Commissioner Peter H. O'Meara, DMR
Commissioner Stephen Harriman, DPH
Commissioner Theodore Sergi, SDE
Commissioner John Armstrong, DOC
Secretary Michael W. Kovlowski, OPM
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal
Chief Court Administrator Judge Aaron Ment

Elaine Zimmerman, Executive Director
Patricia H. Estill, Special Projects Director
Cora Chua, Esq., Legislative Counsel
Stacey Leeds, Kids Count Campaign Assistant
Rachel Levy Rys, Executive Secretary
Lisa Holmes, Technology Director
Ruth Sales, PLTI Program Director

The Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission was created in 1994 by an act of the Connecticut Legislature. Under Public Act 94-152, this 13 member bipartisan commission and staff work to ensure proper representation and recognition of the Latino and Puerto Rican communities.

By law, the Commission is charged to: review and comment on any proposed state legislation and regulations that would affect the Latino and Puerto Rican populations in the state; advise and provide information to the governor on the state's policies concerning the Latino and Puerto Rican communities; advise the governor concerning the coordination and administration of state programs serving the Latino and Puerto Rican populations; maintain a liaison between the Latino and Puerto Rican communities and governmental entities; encourage Latino and Puerto Rican representation at all levels of state government, including state boards and commissions; secure appropriate recognition of the accomplishments and contributions of the Latino and Puerto Rican populations of the state; and prepare and submit to the governor an annual report concerning its activities with any appropriate recommendations concerning the Latino and Puerto Rican populations of the state.

Elena Demurias
Manuel Díaz
Manuel García
Rolando Martínez
Alma L. Maya
Raúl Rodríguez
Efraín Rosado
Américo Santiago
Ivette Servera
Ramón Serbia
Lillian Tamayo
Maritza Tirú
Carlos M. Vázquez

STAFF

Fernando Betancourt, Executive Director
Fernanda Barreiros Jacobs, Associate Legislative Analyst
Sandra A. Cruz-Serrano, Special Projects & Grants Coordinator
Rebecca Torres, Senior Legislative Secretary

aac@cga.ct.gov
860-240-8555
Fax 860-240-8444
State Capitol Room 509

The African-American Affairs Commission was created in 1997 by an act of the Connecticut Legislature. Under Public Act 97-1 1, Section 24, a (13) thirteen member Commission, a staff and volunteers work to ensure adequate representation and recognition of the African-American population in Connecticut.

By law, the Commission is charged to: review and comment on proposed state legislation and regulations that would affect the African-American population in the state; advise and provide information to the Governor on the state's policies concerning the African-American communities; advise the Governor concerning the coordination and administration of state programs serving the African-American population; maintain a liaison between the African-American communities and governmental entities; encourage African-American representation at all levels of state government, including state boards and commissions; secure appropriate recognition of the accomplishments and contributions of the African-American population of the state; and prepare and submit to the Governor an annual report concerning its activities with any appropriate recommendations concerning the African-American population of the state.

Andrea Scott, Chairperson
Trude Mero, Vice Chairperson
George Logan, Secretary
Calvin Dixon, Treasurer
Mustafa Abdul-Salaam
Jonathan Bruce
Chris Cloud
Lillie Crosby
Constance Green
Sharon Ibrahim
Larry Reynolds
Ed Schmidt

STAFF

Gerry Toney, Executive Director
Kurt Harrison, Legislative Analyst II
Cherrissia Mosely, Senior Legislative Secretary

In 1987, the Connecticut General Assembly passed Special Act No. 87-78 allowing for the Joint Committee on Legislative Management to establish an on-site daycare facility. In 1988, the Capitol Child Development Center, Inc., was created to provide quality developmental child care for legislators and employees of the Legislative, Judicial and Executive branches of the state government.

Board of Directors of
The Capitol Child Development Center

Beth Leslie, President
Jeanne Milstein, Secretary
Vinnie Mazzotta
Rep. William R. Dyson
Jacqueline Gilligan
Patricia Asher

Jacqueline Gilligan, Director
Carol Sinicrope, Assistant Director