State Senator Mae Flexer

The Fighter for Northeastern Connecticut

State Senator Mae Flexer – The Fighter for Northeastern Connecticut

flexer-bio-1Senator Mae Flexer never stops fighting to ensure that all of us in Northeastern Connecticut have equal access to economic opportunity, healthcare, education, and so much more. She advocates for reforms that ensure that state government works for us, not special interests.

A Killingly native who graduated from Killingly Public Schools, Mae has deep roots in our community. No stranger to hard work, Mae worked as many as three jobs to put herself through college at Quinebaug Valley Community College and UConn.

The daughter of a Vietnam veteran and an Irish American immigrant, Mae’s parents instilled in her a strong desire to build communities where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. After pursuing this goal in a variety of roles with local groups, she took the next step of becoming our advocate in the General Assembly, first as a State Representative and now as our State Senator.

Throughout her time representing us, Mae has been one of the General Assembly’s strongest proponents of legislation addressing issues facing Connecticut’s working families. Mae fought to pass paid family and sick leave, and she raised the minimum wage while lowering the cost of prescription drugs. She has also been a strong advocate for women, writing laws that increase penalties for sexual assault and domestic violence so that they are among the strongest in the country.

flexer-bio-2As State Senator, Mae chairs the Government Administration and Elections Committee, where she protects our freedom to vote safely, securely, and easily. She led passage of Connecticut’s Voting Rights Act, expanded absentee ballot eligibility, and helped us join the 46 other states that offer in-person early voting options.

Mae has demonstrated that we can count on her to protect access to comprehensive healthcare in Northeastern Connecticut and across our state. She has led the fight to keep Day Kimball Hospital’s doors open, securing $17 million in state funding. Mae has helped to lower the cost of prescription drugs and to expand access to affordable healthcare coverage. She has also championed our state’s reproductive freedom laws, which are a national model.

As a past chair of the Aging Committee, she strengthened protections against abuse and neglect of seniors and expanded support for caregivers. And Mae has helped seniors afford to age in place by voting to eliminate state income taxes on most retirement income. Mae is also a voice for veterans in our state. Most recently, she was a leader in passing property tax exemptions for 100% disabled veterans. When Mae was Chair of the Veterans’ Committee, she ensured that military members’ driver’s licenses would no longer expire while they are on active duty and stationed out-of-state. She also successfully fought to increase veteran education benefits, expand state tax credits for veteran-owned businesses, and streamline the application process for veterans looking for work.

Like most other members of Connecticut’s citizen legislature, Mae also works outside of the General Assembly. She is currently the inaugural executive director of Emerge Connecticut, the state affiliate of Emerge America, an organization that recruits, trains, and mentors Democratic women who want to run for office. She previously worked with the Northeastern Connecticut Early Childhood Council.

Awards and Honors

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Paid for by Elect Mae Flexer, Joshua Eves, Treasurer. Approved by Mae Flexer.