Kate Farrar

First elected in November 2020, State Representative Kate Farrar is proud to serve the 20th District, which includes parts of West Hartford and Newington. For her current term, she was appointed to several leadership positions as Deputy Majority Leader, Chair of the Internship Committee, and Chair of the Early Childhood Care and Education Fund. Additionally, Representative Farrar is a member of the Finance, Revenue & Bonding, Higher Education & Employment Advancement and Transportation Committees.

During her two terms, she worked to deliver the state’s largest tax cuts for working- and middle-class families and seniors, protect and expand health care access, and build greater equity in education and the workforce. During the 2024 session, Representative Farrar spearheaded a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers to unanimously pass a comprehensive bill to make childcare more affordable and accessible. She also secured more than $7 million in funding for local community and economic development projects and nonprofit and arts support in the 20th District.

In recognition of her work, Representative Farrar received a Children’s Champion Award for her tireless support of early care and education, the Myra M. Oliver Memorial Award from the Connecticut Immigrant & Refugee Coalition, and a Woman of Excellence Award by the National Foundation of Women Legislators for her leadership to pass legislation to address menstrual equity. She is a member of the national NewDEAL network and is a graduate of the Smart Growth America Champions Institute as well as the Council of State Governments Eastern Leadership Academy and Toll Fellowship.

Representative Farrar has more than 20 years of experience as a nonprofit advocate and active community volunteer. In her role as Executive Director of the Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund (CWEALF), she led the passage of the state’s landmark Paid Family and Medical Leave Act in addition to advancing new laws for pay equity and increasing the minimum wage. Before her advocacy work at CWEALF, Representative Farrar expanded STEM education and leadership programs for 10,000 middle school girls and college women as the Vice President of Campus Leadership Programs at the American Association of University Women (AAUW) in Washington, D.C.

Currently, she serves as a Strategy Coordinator for Connecticut Foodshare. She is also Board President of the Betty Knox Foundation, as well as a Board Member of the Aurora Foundation for Women and Girls. Representative Farrar earned her bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Connecticut and a master’s in public administration from Syracuse University. Representative Farrar, her husband Chan, and their dog Lizzie live in West Hartford.