House Republican Press Release

December 22, 2008

Press Office: 860-240-8700

REP. GIEGLER NAMED TO KEY LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES 

With the General Assembly's 2009 Legislative Session fast approaching, State House Republican Leader Lawrence Cafero, (R-Norwalk), has appointed State Representative Janice Giegler, (R-Danbury, New Fairfield) to serve on four Legislative Committees; Joint Committee on Transportation, Public Health, Internship and Executive and Legislative Nominations.  She will serve as the Ranking member on the Public Health Committee and will Chair the Internship Committee.  Ranking members serve as the Republican caucus' leader on issues before their respective committees.

Rep. Giegler is beginning her fourth term on the Public Health Committee which has cognizance over all matters relating to the Department of Public Health; the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Department of Mental Retardation; the Office of Health Care Access; and all other matters relating to health, including emergency medical services, all licensing boards within the Department of Public Health, nursing homes, pure food and drugs, and controlled substances, including the treatment of substance abuse.   "I am pleased to have been appointed to this leadership position on Public Health.  Having previously worked in the field of metal health and in a hospital setting along with the legislation I have introduced during my tenure which affects the funeral industry, this committee assignment introduces issues which are of importance to me."

All executive and legislative nominations, such as the appointment=2 0of state agency leaders that require action of either or both chambers, are recommended by the Governor and must first be approved by the Executive and Legislative Nominations Committee. 

The Transportation Committee has authority 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.

"This will be my first term sitting on the Transportation Committee although I have been working with Rep. David Scribner, the Ranking Member of the Transportation Committee for many years on the teen driving legislation that finally pasted in 2007,” said Rep. Giegler. “I have also advocated for the state weigh station on I-84 in Danbury to be open more hours for truck inspections; and for traffic enforcement of tr ucks bypassing the weigh station and traveling through neighborhood streets as well as securing traffic signals within my district.”

The Internship Committee oversees the Legislature’s Internship program and selects interns from participating state colleges and assigns them to legislative leaders, committee chairs, ranking members and individual legislators.

The 2009 General Assembly session begins January 7.