Kevin Witkos

Kevin Witkos (born 1964 or 1965)[3] is a Republican member of the Connecticut State Senate, representing the 8th District since 2009. He served as Deputy Senate Republican President Pro Tempore since January 2017 to January 2019.[4] and previously served as Minority Leader Pro Tempore from 2014 to 2016 and Caucus Chairman for Outreach since 2013.[5] Witkos served as the State Representative from the 17th district which includes Canton and part of Avon from 2003 to 2008.

Kevin Witkos
Member of the Connecticut State Senate
from the 8th district
In office
January 2009 – January 4, 2023
Preceded byThomas Herlihy
Succeeded byLisa Seminara
Constituencyrepresents Avon, Barkhamsted, Canton, Colebrook, Granby, Hartland, Harwinton, New Hartford, Norfolk, Simsbury, and Torrington
Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives
from the 17th district
In office
January 2003 – January 2009
Preceded byJessie Stratton[1]
Succeeded byTimothy LeGeyt[2]
Personal details
Born1964 or 1965 (age 58–59)[3]
Beverly, Massachusetts
Political partyRepublican
ResidenceCanton
Alma materTunxis Community College (AS)
University of Connecticut (BA)

Political career

Witkos is the State Senator for the 8th Senate District since 2009, representing the northwest suburbs of Hartford in the Farmington Valley and Litchfield County in the Connecticut Senate, including the towns of Avon, Barkhamsted, Canton, Colebrook, Granby, Hartland, Harwinton, New Hartford, Norfolk, Simsbury, and Torrington.

In 2015, precipitated by the multiple criminal convictions of Central Connecticut State University professor Ravi Shankar, Witkos introduced legislation to require background checks before promoting professors in the state's university system.[6] Though unsuccessful in the Senate, the legislation led to the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education's proposal to allow convictions to be used as a consideration in employment decisions.[7]

In 2017, Witkos joined with Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff in support of legislation to repeal occupational licensing requirements for certain jobs, including "above-ground swimming pool installer, uniform student athlete agents, licensed shorthand reporters, and real estate intern"; Governor Dannel P. Malloy signed the bill into law.[8] In 2021, Kevin Witkos was the only Republican state senator to vote for the legalization of recreational marijuana. Witkos' vote was crucial, as the final tally was 19–17. Witkos' wife Esther is employed by Curaleaf, a medical marijuana producer. However, Witkos explained that her employment there had no bearing on his vote.[9]

In January 2022, Witkos announced that he would not seek reelection and would retire at the end of his term.[3]

Professional career

Kevin Witkos is a Community Relations & Economic Development Specialist for Eversource, a Connecticut Electric Utility. He is also a former Canton Police Department sergeant who had a 28-year career in law enforcement.

Fireworks proposal

Kevin and others sponsored a controversial bill that would legalize fireworks considered to be consumer-level by the federal government in an effort to boost revenue. However, the bill failed in the face of steep opposition by the state's police and fire-fighting forces.[10]

Personal

Witkos was born in Beverly, Massachusetts and holds an A.S. from Tunxis Community College and a B.A. from the University of Connecticut.

See also

References
  1. "Our Campaigns - CT State House 017 Race - Nov 05, 2002".
  2. "Our Campaigns - CT State House 017 Race - Nov 07, 2006".
  3. Keating, Christopher (January 26, 2022). "Two veteran Connecticut Republican senators not seeking reelection in 2022". Hartford Courant. MSN. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  4. "About Kevin - Connecticut Senate Republicans". Connecticut Senate Republicans. Retrieved 2017-01-08.
  5. Liu, Shako (May 20, 2014). "Election roundup: Sen. Kevin Witkos nominated for re-election, Democrats nominate placeholder in Connecticut's 66th District". The Register Citizen. Retrieved March 6, 2015.
  6. "CCSU Suspends Professor Ravi Shankar; Senator Says Fire Him" by David Moran, Hartford Courant, August 7, 2015 http://www.courant.com/breaking-news/hc-connecticut-senator-wants-ccsu-to-fire-ravi-shankar-0808-2-20150807-story.html
  7. "As professor racks up convictions, CSCU unable to consider them in employment decisions", by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas, The Connecticut Mirror, December 16, 2015, https://ctmirror.org/2015/12/16/as-professor-racks-up-convictions-cscu-unable-to-consider-them-in-employment-decisions/
  8. "New law drops state licensing requirements for some jobs". Hartford Business Journal. Retrieved 2017-08-01.
  9. Lender, Jon. "Jon Lender: The wife of the lone GOP senator who voted for Connecticut's recreational marijuana has a job at medical cannabis grower Curaleaf". courant.com. Retrieved 2021-06-09.
  10. Keating, Christopher. "Fireworks Bill Fizzles Out For the Year After Police Opposition". courant.com. Retrieved 2019-06-08.
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