George Jepsen
Encyclopedia
George Jepsen is an American
lawyer, politician, and incumbent Attorney General of Connecticut
.
George Jepsen was a State Senator from Connecticut's 27th Senate District, representing Stamford
and part of Darien
, and served in the Connecticut Senate from 1991 to 2003. During his time in the Senate, he served as Senate Majority Leader from 1997 to 2003. Prior to that, he served in the Connecticut House of Representatives
from 1987 to 1991, representing part of Stamford in Connecticut's 148th House District. After leaving elected office, he became Chairman of the Connecticut State Democratic Party from 2003 to 2004.
, Jepsen earned his law degree from Harvard Law School
with honors and also earned a masters degree in public policy from the Kennedy School of Government. To help pay for his education, he worked as a teaching fellow in constitutional law for former Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox
.
Since entering private practice, Jepsen has worked at some of Connecticut's top law firms, helping people with a range of legal issues. He has experience with probate court
and estate planning. He has represented small business in contract negotiations, government compliance, and real estate transactions. He also defended individuals in the criminal courts and served as counsel to clients in the civil courts. Jepsen also has successfully worked on complex legal issues as part of a successful appellate team in a number of cases before the Connecticut Supreme Court
.
, first as State Representative from the 148th House District, and then as a State Senator from Connecticut's 27th Senate District, the last six as Majority Leader. As a legislator, Jepsen worked hard to pass laws to protect the environment, civil rights, and legitimate businesses. He crafted laws that preserve open space, clean water, clean air, and clean energy. Jepsen fought special interests to ensure gun safety, by ensuring passage of the assault weapons ban. He crafted laws that protect personal privacy and individual freedom, civil rights laws protecting the right to choose, the right to create a living will, and supported the right to marry regardless of gender. He helped enact laws that reformed HMO and insurance practices, including requiring insurance companies to permit new mothers to stay in a hospital for more than 24 hours. He successfully fought for laws to ensure fair elections and ethical government.
As Senate Majority Leader, Jepsen fought for a host of bills to protect Connecticut's natural assets. He co-authored the Open Space Trust Fund, an initiative that sets aside $10 million in funding for the purchase of open space and he championed legislation that encourages corporations to turn unused land into open space. Jepsen successfully worked to pass legislation to clean up brown fields to revitalize blighted areas, including efforts to provide municipalities property tax flexibility on brown field sites, and expand state financial assistance to re-developers. He championed tax credits to businesses that invested in redevelopment of contaminated properties anywhere in the state.
Jepsen helped the passage of major legislation to replace Connecticut's "Sooty Six" power plants with cleaner plants that have lower emissions. "Sooty Six" was one of Connecticut's largest environmental debates. These six old coal-burning plants were contributing to Connecticut's unique air pollution problem and rise in asthma rates. He also sought new funding to upgrade sewage treatment plants for cleaner rivers and a cleaner Long Island Sound
.
As Senate Majority Leader, Jepsen championed several new laws that leveled the playing field and took on entrenched interest groups. During the height of the National Rifle Association
's political power, Jepsen became a national leader against the NRA and for gun control. He passed landmark legislation prohibiting the sale or possession of assault weapons, mandating trigger locks, and demanding tougher background checks. For his work, he was nationally recognized by the Brady Campaign
and the Million Mom March
.
Jepsen led the effort that put the rights that women earned through Roe v. Wade
into state law. Both the National Organization for Women
(NOW) and NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut (formerly the National Abortion Rights Action League) recognized him for his work. He further fought to ban sexual orientation discrimination, to strengthen hate crime laws, and to expand Connecticut's living will laws.
He supported health insurance reform to improve covered services for mental illness and emergency room conditions. He helped mandate that health insurers cover the costs of mammograms and birth control, and championed legislation to outlaw "drive-thru" mastectomies and child-birth deliveries, so insurers cover at least a 48-hour hospital stay.
On May 22, 2010 George Jepsen received the Democratic Party's endorsement for Attorney General.
On July 12, 2010 George Jepsen announced he had qualified for public financing in the Citizens Election Program.
On November 2, 2010, George Jepsen was elected as Attorney General of Connecticut
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer, politician, and incumbent Attorney General of Connecticut
Connecticut Attorney General
The Connecticut Attorney General is the state attorney general of Connecticut.The Attorney General is elected to a four-year term. The current Attorney General is George Jepsen, a Democrat serving since January 5, 2011.-List of Attorneys General:...
.
George Jepsen was a State Senator from Connecticut's 27th Senate District, representing Stamford
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
and part of Darien
Darien, Connecticut
Darien is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. A relatively small community on Connecticut's "Gold Coast", the population was 20,732 at the 2010 census. Darien was listed at #9 at CNN Money's list of "top-earning towns" in the United States as of 2011...
, and served in the Connecticut Senate from 1991 to 2003. During his time in the Senate, he served as Senate Majority Leader from 1997 to 2003. Prior to that, he served in the Connecticut House of Representatives
Connecticut House of Representatives
The Connecticut House of Representatives is the lower house in the Connecticut General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The house is composed of 151 members representing an equal number of districts, with each constituency containing nearly 22,600 residents...
from 1987 to 1991, representing part of Stamford in Connecticut's 148th House District. After leaving elected office, he became Chairman of the Connecticut State Democratic Party from 2003 to 2004.
Biography
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Dartmouth CollegeDartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, Jepsen earned his law degree from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
with honors and also earned a masters degree in public policy from the Kennedy School of Government. To help pay for his education, he worked as a teaching fellow in constitutional law for former Watergate prosecutor Archibald Cox
Archibald Cox
Archibald Cox, Jr., was an American lawyer and law professor who served as U.S. Solicitor General under President John F. Kennedy. He became known as the first special prosecutor for the Watergate scandal. During his career, he was a pioneering expert on labor law and also an authority on...
.
Professional career
Following graduation, Jepsen worked as staff counsel for the carpenter's union (UBC Local 210) for Western Connecticut. For nearly ten years, Jepsen fought for working men and women, negotiating contracts for fair wages and benefits, representing injured workers, ensuring job safety, and pushing for fair bidding practices and contract awards.Since entering private practice, Jepsen has worked at some of Connecticut's top law firms, helping people with a range of legal issues. He has experience with probate court
Connecticut Probate Courts
The Connecticut Probate Court system is a system of 54 individual probate courts located throughout the state of Connecticut. The jurisdiction of each court extends to the legal affairs of the deceased, estates, some aspects of family law, conservatorship, and several other matters requiring...
and estate planning. He has represented small business in contract negotiations, government compliance, and real estate transactions. He also defended individuals in the criminal courts and served as counsel to clients in the civil courts. Jepsen also has successfully worked on complex legal issues as part of a successful appellate team in a number of cases before the Connecticut Supreme Court
Connecticut Supreme Court
The Connecticut Supreme Court, formerly known as the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors, is the highest court in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It consists of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices. The seven justices sit in Hartford, across the street from the Connecticut State Capitol...
.
Connecticut General Assembly: 1987-2003
George Jepsen served 16 years in the Connecticut General AssemblyConnecticut General Assembly
The Connecticut General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is a bicameral body composed of the 151-member House of Representatives and the 36-member Senate. It meets in the state capital, Hartford. There are no term limits for either chamber.During...
, first as State Representative from the 148th House District, and then as a State Senator from Connecticut's 27th Senate District, the last six as Majority Leader. As a legislator, Jepsen worked hard to pass laws to protect the environment, civil rights, and legitimate businesses. He crafted laws that preserve open space, clean water, clean air, and clean energy. Jepsen fought special interests to ensure gun safety, by ensuring passage of the assault weapons ban. He crafted laws that protect personal privacy and individual freedom, civil rights laws protecting the right to choose, the right to create a living will, and supported the right to marry regardless of gender. He helped enact laws that reformed HMO and insurance practices, including requiring insurance companies to permit new mothers to stay in a hospital for more than 24 hours. He successfully fought for laws to ensure fair elections and ethical government.
As Senate Majority Leader, Jepsen fought for a host of bills to protect Connecticut's natural assets. He co-authored the Open Space Trust Fund, an initiative that sets aside $10 million in funding for the purchase of open space and he championed legislation that encourages corporations to turn unused land into open space. Jepsen successfully worked to pass legislation to clean up brown fields to revitalize blighted areas, including efforts to provide municipalities property tax flexibility on brown field sites, and expand state financial assistance to re-developers. He championed tax credits to businesses that invested in redevelopment of contaminated properties anywhere in the state.
Jepsen helped the passage of major legislation to replace Connecticut's "Sooty Six" power plants with cleaner plants that have lower emissions. "Sooty Six" was one of Connecticut's largest environmental debates. These six old coal-burning plants were contributing to Connecticut's unique air pollution problem and rise in asthma rates. He also sought new funding to upgrade sewage treatment plants for cleaner rivers and a cleaner Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
.
As Senate Majority Leader, Jepsen championed several new laws that leveled the playing field and took on entrenched interest groups. During the height of the National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
's political power, Jepsen became a national leader against the NRA and for gun control. He passed landmark legislation prohibiting the sale or possession of assault weapons, mandating trigger locks, and demanding tougher background checks. For his work, he was nationally recognized by the Brady Campaign
Brady Campaign
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence are affiliated non-profit organizations in the United States. They are named after James Brady who was permanently disabled as a result of an assassination attempt on U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1981...
and the Million Mom March
Million Mom March
The Million Mom March was a rally on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 14, 2000, designed to promote tighter restrictions to keep guns out of the hands of kids and criminals. Supporters claimed that 750,000 people gathered on the National Mall...
.
Jepsen led the effort that put the rights that women earned through Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade
Roe v. Wade, , was a controversial landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court on the issue of abortion. The Court decided that a right to privacy under the due process clause in the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution extends to a woman's decision to have an abortion,...
into state law. Both the National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
(NOW) and NARAL Pro-Choice Connecticut (formerly the National Abortion Rights Action League) recognized him for his work. He further fought to ban sexual orientation discrimination, to strengthen hate crime laws, and to expand Connecticut's living will laws.
He supported health insurance reform to improve covered services for mental illness and emergency room conditions. He helped mandate that health insurers cover the costs of mammograms and birth control, and championed legislation to outlaw "drive-thru" mastectomies and child-birth deliveries, so insurers cover at least a 48-hour hospital stay.
Connecticut Attorney General Election, 2010
George Jepsen announced on January 6, 2010 that he would form an exploratory committee for Attorney General.On May 22, 2010 George Jepsen received the Democratic Party's endorsement for Attorney General.
On July 12, 2010 George Jepsen announced he had qualified for public financing in the Citizens Election Program.
On November 2, 2010, George Jepsen was elected as Attorney General of Connecticut
Connecticut Attorney General
The Connecticut Attorney General is the state attorney general of Connecticut.The Attorney General is elected to a four-year term. The current Attorney General is George Jepsen, a Democrat serving since January 5, 2011.-List of Attorneys General:...