Gov. Ned Lamont recently signed legislation that allows parents running for state elected office to use a certain amount of public campaign funds to pay for childcare.
The bill was developed based on recommendations by the Governor’s Council on Women and Girls, which addresses barriers parents face when running for state elected office. Connecticut has now become the 13th state in the nation to give parents this support while campaigning.
According to the governor’s office, the law contains two main provisions:
It addresses the barrier of childcare expenses when a candidate is running for state elected office under the citizens election program – commonly known as public financing – by expressly allowing reasonable childcare costs directly related to campaign activity to be eligible program expenses. This legislative change not only opens the door for more parents to run for state office, but given the harsh reality that childcare responsibilities continue to disproportionately impact women, it also helps mitigate gender inequities that could result from use of the citizens election program in pursuing elected office.
It creates a statutory requirement for appointing authorities to consider recommendations from organizations that represent the interest of gender and racial diversity when seeking people to serve on state boards and commissions. It also codifies a transparent process for people to express interest in serving on boards and commissions and offers more direct access to membership and other relevant information about what such public service entails.
Female representation in the Connecticut General Assembly has been woeful for the past two decades: The percentage of women in the House has remained at roughly 30% and the Senate at about 25%.
Covid-19 disproportionately impacted women, with many halting their careers and other ambitions to care for their children, so this policy is a step toward a more holistic representation in state government.