Biography

First elected in 2008, Matt Lesser is currently serving his second term representing the 100th Assembly District which consists of part of Middletown and Durham, Middlefield and Rockfall.

Representative Lesser serves as Vice Chairman of the legislature’s Government Administration and Elections Committee. The committee is a vital government watchdog that oversees many areas, including reorganization of state government, ethics laws, the state constitution and elections.

Representative Lesser also serves on the Education, Public Health and Energy & Technology committees.

Representative Lesser has been a strong proponent of lowering energy costs in Connecticut. In his first term, he was appointed to serve on the Rate Relief Panel, a bipartisan group of legislators, business, and consumer groups who are working to provide electric rate relief to Connecticut residents and businesses. He also served on the Green Jobs Task Force and has been a leader on reducing energy use.

In 2010, Representative Lesser was also appointed to the Commission on Municipal Opportunities and Regional Efficiencies (MORE) that works to craft solutions to allow towns to save money by forming regional collaborations.

Protecting the character of Connecticut towns is a top priority for Representative Lesser, and in 2009 he fought for legislation providing economic aid to save Connecticut's remaining dairy farms. In 2010, when the future of the Durham Fair was threatened, Representative Lesser authored legislation that protected the fair by exempting it from overly burdensome and impractical regulations.

He has also championed school funding, property tax reform, stronger protections for job seekers, banning toxic chemicals from schools and children's toys, expanded use of solar power, and making more health care choices available to small businesses and consumers.

Representative Lesser was named a Children’s Champion two years in a row by the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance. He was also named a Rising Sun by People’s Action for Clean Energy for his work on behalf of renewable energy and energy independence.

Community and public service are very important to Representative Lesser. He currently serves as a Director of the Durham Fair Association and a State Director of the Connecticut Young Elected Officials Network. He serves on the boards of Oddfellows Children’s Playhouse and the Middlesex County Substance Abuse Action Council. Representative Lesser is also active in Saint John’s Lodge No. 2 and the Durham-Middlefield Exchange Club.

Representative Lesser lives in the South Farms neighborhood of Middletown.