Monday, outside the Connecticut State Capitol Building, Pat Billie Miller was sworn in as State Senator for the 27th District. On International Women’s Day, March 8th, Miller became the first woman to represent the 27th district, which includes sections of Stamford and Darien. Senator Miller also became the first person of color to represent the district.
She is only the fourth Black woman to serve in the state Senate and is currently one of two Black female legislators including state Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport/Monroe/Trumbull), serving in the upper chamber.
Before joining the Senate, Miller proudly served Stamford’s 145th district as a member of the state House of Representatives since 2009. She was elected to a sixth term in November 2020 before being tapped to fill the seat in the Senate formerly held by Carlo Leone through a special election she won convincingly.
“I look forward to representing the community of the 27th district in the state Senate,” said Sen. Miller. “I am committed to doing more for this district and as a senator I can fight for issues that matter most. As a newly elected legislator in the Senate, I am committed to supporting our education system, expanding access to affordable health care, strengthening our economy, creating a more equitable society, giving tax relief to veterans and seniors, and finding solutions for several other issues that Connecticut residents face.”
Newly sworn in Senator Miller will serve as Senate Chair of the Aging Committee and Vice Chair of the Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee. She will also be a member of three committees close to her heart, those being the Education Committee, Commerce Committee, and the Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
Through her tenure in the legislature, Sen. Miller has been a strong advocate for education reforms that help address and improve Connecticut’s education opportunity gap. She has learned and seen firsthand the disproportion of students’ achievements and the role that literacy plays in their success or failure. Sen. Miller believes giving teachers the right tools to help them address disparities is a step in the right direction.
Sen. Miller took the lead in addressing and passing legislation aimed at creating a Reading Readiness Program at the State Department of Education. The program will assess Alliance Districts and Commissioner’s Network Schools to determine if students are reading ready and it will provide adequate support to the schools as it relates to performance and needs.
Sen. Miller has also been a strong proponent of campaign finance reform, strengthening domestic violence and consumer protection laws. She has served as a voice for the voiceless, particularly in vulnerable communities and advocating for the rights of marginalized groups.
Prior to joining the legislature, Sen. Miller spent her professional career in the Affordable Housing industry for over 25 years and served on the Stamford Board of Representatives.