State MADD award to be named after Prague

HARTFORD — The Connecticut chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving is permanently naming its award honoring "community champions" after longtime state Sen. Edith Prague, who is retiring at the end of this year.

The Columbia Democrat served 26 years in the state Senate and House of Representatives. She is known for her efforts to toughen the state's drunken driving laws, motivated to first run for office in the early 1980s after a family member was killed by a drunken driver.

MADD's public policy award will be named after Prague. It's presented at MADD's recognition ceremony to honor people in the community who campaign against drunken driving.

The 86-year-old Prague is expected to present the award in October.

She says the honor is "almost too great for words."