Share on WeChat
https://www.powervoter.us:443/kevin_ryan_2204
Copy the link and open WeChat to share.
 Share on WeChat
Copy the link and open WeChat to share.
 Share on WeChat
Scan QRCode using WeChat,and then click the icon at the top-right corner of your screen.
 Share on WeChat
Scan QRCode using WeChat,and then click the icon at the top-right corner of your screen.

Kevin Ryan

D

Won the General, 2022 Connecticut State House District 139

Deputy Speaker, Connecticut State House of Representatives, District 139 (2010 - Present)

Connecticut State House, District 139 (1993 - Present)

Quick Facts
Personal Details

Education

  • MS, Community Psychology, University of New Haven, 1980-1989
  • OD, Optometry, Pennsylvania College of Optometry, 1978
  • BS, Science, Pennsylvania College of Optometry, 1976
  • BA, English/Biology, Villanova University, 1974

Professional Experience

  • MS, Community Psychology, University of New Haven, 1980-1989
  • OD, Optometry, Pennsylvania College of Optometry, 1978
  • BS, Science, Pennsylvania College of Optometry, 1976
  • BA, English/Biology, Villanova University, 1974
  • Clinician, HESC, 1983-present
  • Adjunct Professor of Physics, University of New Haven, 1980-present
  • Former Justice of the Peace
  • Employee, Mobile Medical Testing Service
  • Clinician, Exemplar, 1982-2004
  • Optometrist, Connecticut Visual Health Center, 1978-1988
  • Vice President, Uncas Foods Incorporated, 1968-1988

Political Experience

  • MS, Community Psychology, University of New Haven, 1980-1989
  • OD, Optometry, Pennsylvania College of Optometry, 1978
  • BS, Science, Pennsylvania College of Optometry, 1976
  • BA, English/Biology, Villanova University, 1974
  • Clinician, HESC, 1983-present
  • Adjunct Professor of Physics, University of New Haven, 1980-present
  • Former Justice of the Peace
  • Employee, Mobile Medical Testing Service
  • Clinician, Exemplar, 1982-2004
  • Optometrist, Connecticut Visual Health Center, 1978-1988
  • Vice President, Uncas Foods Incorporated, 1968-1988
  • Deputy Speaker, Connecticut State House of Representatives, District 139, 2010-present
  • Representative, Connecticut State House of Representatives, District 139, 1993-present
  • Candidate, Connecticut State House of Representatives, District 139, 2020

Former Committees/Caucuses

Former Member, Legislative Management Committee, Connecticut State House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Conservation and Development, Connecticut State House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Regulation and Protection, Connecticut State House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on Transportation, Connecticut State House of Representatives

Current Legislative Committees

Member, Appropriations

Member, Environment

Member, Public Health

Member, Subcommittee on Conservation and Development

Co-Chair, Subcommittee on General Government A

Member, Subcommittee on Health

Member, Subcommittee on Regulation and Protection

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • MS, Community Psychology, University of New Haven, 1980-1989
  • OD, Optometry, Pennsylvania College of Optometry, 1978
  • BS, Science, Pennsylvania College of Optometry, 1976
  • BA, English/Biology, Villanova University, 1974
  • Clinician, HESC, 1983-present
  • Adjunct Professor of Physics, University of New Haven, 1980-present
  • Former Justice of the Peace
  • Employee, Mobile Medical Testing Service
  • Clinician, Exemplar, 1982-2004
  • Optometrist, Connecticut Visual Health Center, 1978-1988
  • Vice President, Uncas Foods Incorporated, 1968-1988
  • Deputy Speaker, Connecticut State House of Representatives, District 139, 2010-present
  • Representative, Connecticut State House of Representatives, District 139, 1993-present
  • Candidate, Connecticut State House of Representatives, District 139, 2020
  • Chair, Nuclear Energy Advisory Council, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, present
  • Member, Advisory Board, Eastern Connecticut Cable TV
  • President, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Southeastern Connecticut
  • Former Member, Board of Trustees, Pennsylvania College of Optometry
  • Member, Elks
  • Member, Knights of Columbus
  • Former Chair, Montville Democratic Town Committee
  • Member, Montville Public Safety Committee
  • Member, Montville Rotary
  • Member, Moose Club
  • Chair, Millstone Decommission Advisory Council, 1999-2000
  • Member, Nuclear Energy Advisory Council, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, 1998-2000
  • Member, Cable Television Advisory Council, State of Connecticut, 1995-1997
  • Chair/Secretary, Montville Board of Education, 1985-1993
Policy Positions

Connecticut State Legislative Election 2010 Political Courage Test

Abortion and Reproductive

1. Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life?
- Pro-choice

2. Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy?
- No Answer

3. Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape?
- Yes

4. Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered?
- Yes

5. Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- No Answer

6. Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor?
- No Answer

7. Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods?
- Yes

8. Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs?
- No

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Budget, Spending, and Tax

State Spending

Indicate what state funding levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Education (higher)
- Slightly Increase

2. Education (K-12)
- Slightly Increase

3. Environment
- Slightly Increase

4. Health care
- Greatly Increase

5. Law enforcement
- Slightly Increase

6. Transportation and highway infrastructure
- Greatly Increase

7. Welfare
- Maintain Status

8. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

State Taxes

Indicate what state tax levels (#1-6) you support for the following general categories. Select one level per category; you may use a number more than once.

1. Alcohol taxes
- Slightly Increase

2. Cigarette taxes
- Maintain Status

3. Corporate taxes
- Maintain Status

4. Gasoline taxes
- Maintain Status

5. Property taxes
- Slightly Decrease

6. Sales taxes
- Maintain Status

7. Income taxes (low-income families)
- Maintain Status

8. Income taxes (middle-income families)
- Slightly Increase

9. Income taxes (high-income families)
- No Answer

10. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

Budget Stabilization

Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Connecticut's budget.

1. Legalizing Keno gaming
- No Answer

2. Installing toll booths on major state highways
- Yes

3. Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders
- Yes

4. Increasing tuition rates at public universities
- No

5. Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees
- No Answer

6. Offering early retirement to state employees
- No

7. Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients
- No

8. Privatizing certain government services
- No

9. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Campaign Finance and Government Reform

Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government?

1. Individual
- Yes

2. Political Action Committee
- Yes

3. Corporate
- Yes

4. Political Party
- Yes

5. Should candidates for state office be encouraged to meet voluntary spending limits?
- Yes

6. Do you support requiring full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Crime and Public Safety

1. Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes?
- No Answer

2. Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment?
- Yes

3. Should the possession of small amounts of marijuana be decriminalized?
- No Answer

4. Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult?
- No

5. Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges?
- Yes

6. Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by state and local police?
- No Answer

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Economic

1. Do you support reducing government regulations on the private sector?
- Yes

2. Do you support allowing Sunday sales of alcohol?
- Yes

3. Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers?
- Yes

4. Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits?
- Yes

5. Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

6. Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation?
- Yes

7. Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Education

1. Do you support national education standards?
- No Answer

2. Do you support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams?
- No Answer

3. Do you support using a merit pay system for teachers?
- No Answer

4. Do you support state funding for charter schools?
- Yes

5. Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid?
- Yes

6. Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Connecticut high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities?
- No Answer

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Environment and Energy

1. Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy?
- Yes

2. Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil)?
- No

3. Do you support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops?
- Yes

4. Do you support state funding for improvements to Connecticut's energy infrastructure?
- Yes

5. Do you support state funding for open space preservation?
- Yes

6. Do you support enacting environmental regulations aimed at reducing the effects of climate change?
- Yes

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Gun

1. Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns?
- No

2. Do you support requiring background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows?
- No

3. Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns?
- No Answer

4. Do you support requiring a license for gun possession?
- No

5. Other or expanded principles
- Current permitting laws suffice.

Health

1. Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option?
- Yes

2. Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform?
- Yes

3. Do you support interstate health insurance compacts?
- Yes

4. Should individuals be required to purchase health care insurance?
- No

5. Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits?
- Yes

6. Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Connecticut?
- No Answer

7. Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social

1. Should marriage only be between one man and one woman?
- No

2. Should Connecticut continue to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples?
- Yes

3. Do you support state funding for stem cell research?
- Yes

4. Do you support state funding for embryonic stem cell research?
- No Answer

5. Do you support the state's use of affirmative action?
- No Answer

6. Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Connecticut's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

7. Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Connecticut's anti-discrimination laws?
- Yes

8. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Legislative Priorities

Please explain in a total of 100 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- Jobs and the economy are the first priority. I want to ensure the implementation of a bill passed in the last session that gives businesses that produce new jobs taxe incentives and credits. Health care affordability and access is another priority. I will work to see how the federal law will work in Connecticut to increase access to health care for many people who are going without those services.

Speeches