Ceci Maher

SENATOR MAHER SCORES A 93% ON 2023 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

HARTFORD – State Senator Ceci Maher (D-Wilton) today received a score of 93% from the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) for her support of environmental public policy bills during the 2023 legislative session.

The CTLCV released its annual scorecard today (https://www.ctlcv.org/scorecard2023.html) ranking all Connecticut legislators on their support or opposition to a variety of pro-environmental legislation designed to protect and improve Connecticut’s air, soil and water for generations to come. This year’s Scorecard reviewed votes on 31 different environmental bills to produce the Environmental Score.

“Our environment is a key component of our future and the future of our children,” said Sen. Maher. “I’m proud to receive high marks in supporting pro-environment policies in our state and am committed to continuing this support. These policies will keep our waters clean, support environmental justice and support open space across the state. I look forward to furthering this important work in the 2024 legislative session.”

The CTLCV says its biggest legislative wins last session were: Senate Bill 100, Establishing an Account in the General Fund to Provide Grants to Towns that Need PFAS Testing and Remediation; Senate Bill 896, Tree Removal on Properties Controlled by DEEP; Senate Bill 1147, The Environmental Justice Program of DEEP; Senate Bill 1236, Amount of Unclaimed Beverage Container Deposits; House Bill 6480, Working Group on the Restoration of Eel Grass; House Bill 6482, Bonding for Bikeways, Greenways and Recreational Trails; House Bill 6483, Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program; House Bill 6484, Prohibit the Harvesting of Horseshoe Crabs; House Bill 6486, Extended Producer Responsibility for Tires; House Bill 6813, Authorizing the Establishment of a Seabird and Shorebird Protection Program; In addition to a 93% for her votes on the environment, Sen. Maher received a 100% “Democracy Score,” earned by voting in approval of three voting rights bills – the CTLCV considers equity and environmental justice impacts in the process of determining its positions on legislation.

“CTLCV fights to protect our state’s great natural legacy for future generations. To do this, we must hold our elected officials accountable. This Scorecard shows how your lawmakers voted on key environmental and voting rights bills during the most recent legislative session,” the CTLCV report states. “The good news is that lawmakers were able to achieve wins for wildlife: new laws were passed to help restore eel grass, protect shoreline nesting birds, stop the overharvesting of horseshoe crabs, and reduce “light pollution” detrimental to migratory birds.”

For more than two decades, the CTLCV’s annual Environmental Scorecard rates state legislators on key environmental priorities each year. The CTLCV grades lawmakers on a scale of 0 – 100 based on how they vote on key environmental bills in committees, the House, and the Senate. Their final score represents an average of their votes on those specific bills.