About

Senator Heather Somers was elected to serve the 18th Senate district in November 2016. The 18th district includes Griswold, Groton, North Stonington, Plainfield, Preston, Sterling, Stonington, and Voluntown.

A Chief Deputy Senate Republican Leader, Senator Somers serves as Ranking Member of the Public Health Committee. This panel has cognizance of all programs and matters relating to the Department of Public Health, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Department of Developmental Services, and the Office of Health Care Access. The committee also has jurisdiction over matters relating to emergency medical services, all licensing boards within the Department of Public Health, nursing homes, pure food and drugs, and controlled substances, including the treatment of substance abuse.

In addition, Senator Somers serves as a Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee, which formulates the spending portion of the state budget, as well as on the Commerce Committee which has cognizance of all matters relating to the Department of Economic and Community Development. She has previously served as Ranking Senator on the Transportation Committee, where she has been a frequent critic of wasteful spending by the Connecticut Port Authority.

Senator Somers is the former chairwoman of the Communications Subcommittee of the state’s Vaccine Advisory Task Force. She serves on the Governor’s Council on Women and Girls which provides a coordinated state response to issues that impact the lives of women and girls, their families, and the State of Connecticut.

Senator Somers currently leads the legislature’s bipartisan “Tourism Caucus” to promote policies that bolster the state’s tourism industry. In 2022, the state’s leading business group, the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, awarded Somers a perfect 100% score for her pro-job growth voting record. She was a founding partner of Hydrofera, a medical device manufacturer that employed nearly 100 people in Windham County.

Senator Somers served on the state’s Covid Vaccine Advisory Committee and as Chairperson of the Vaccine Communications Subcommittee. In 2022, Somers was recognized by the Keep the Promise Coalition for her mental health policy advocacy.  In 2021, Somers received the “Fairview Medal” from Groton-based Fairview for her commitment to improving senior housing.  In 2019, Somers was named a “Champion of Elder Care” by the Connecticut Association of Health Care Facilities/Connecticut Center for Assisted Living in recognition of her “fierce, intelligent and outstanding leadership on behalf of Connecticut’s skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities, their employees, and especially the residents they care for.”

Senator Somers served for five terms on the Groton Town Council and served as Mayor of the Town of Groton from 2012-2014. As Mayor, she established an Energy Efficiency Task Force to evaluate energy-saving initiatives throughout the town and spearheaded a School Planning Task Force to address the issues of racial imbalance and aging school infrastructure. She also worked tirelessly with the town council to deliver the citizens of Groton two tax decreases during her tenure.

Senator Somers previously served as the Chairman of the Council’s Economic Development Committee and served on the Finance and Public Health committees, as well as the Utilities Expansion Steering Committee. Senator Somers is the recipient of the Medical Device Excellence Award (2000) and a Silver Award Winner for the Connecticut Women of Innovation Awards (2007).

Senator Somers holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Connecticut and resides in Groton with her husband, Mark Somers, and three children.