With just a few weeks left in the General Assembly session, state Sen. Andrew Maynard, D-Stonington, has missed all but two of his legislative committee meetings, has not updated his constituent website since Jan. 7 and has co-sponsored just one bill.

In the two Transportation Committee meetings he did attend, minutes show, he did not comment on issues, make any motion or run the meetings, even though he is the co-chairman. He did, however, join 17 other committee members on March 18 in supporting a bill that would establish highway tolls and direct all revenue to transportation improvements.

He did so even though the plan could directly affect his hometown of Stonington and neighboring North Stonington, where the first selectmen oppose tolls on Interstate 95 at the Rhode Island border.

Maynard continues, through a spokesman, to decline requests to be interviewed by The Day about his recovery from a serious brain injury and his activities in the legislature. He has not been interviewed since before he suffered the injury in a fall at his home last July. He did not participate in a debate last fall, and his family declined requests to interview him and his doctors and therapists about his prognosis before his re-election in November.

When asked by The Day two weeks ago if Maynard would consent to being interviewed about his stance on the various state budget proposals that will be voted on in the coming weeks, Senate Democrats' spokesman Adam Joseph wrote in an email, “Sen. Maynard isn’t quite ready yet for an interview. He’s still working on improving his speech.”

But in answering a list of questions last week about Maynard’s legislative activities, Joseph painted a picture of a senator going about his normal duties.

Since the beginning of the session, Joseph wrote, Maynard “has been a consistent presence in Hartford,” missing just two days, participating in 223 Senate votes and 35 votes of the Transportation Committee. He said Maynard has attended committee meetings, participated in Senate caucuses, worked on constituent issues and participated in meetings with advocates for public safety, education and cultural-related matters.

Thirty-two of the Transportation Committee votes took place at the two meetings Maynard attended.  

Joseph added that Maynard took part in a presentation on the future of the Thames River Heritage Park proposed to link Groton and New London, and attended groundbreakings and parades in his district; and that his office has advocated for issues that would affect economic development and provide a cultural benefit to tourism, such as the proposed Thames River water taxi.

Joseph wrote that Maynard "has supported a consumer protection bill to ban deceptive variable rate electricity contracts, co-sponsored legislation to screen newborns for the debilitating cytomegalovirus, voted for landmark cyber security protections in the wake of the Anthem data breach, worked to increase funding for state parks, protected senior citizens from abuse, improved services for returning veterans across Connecticut’s college campuses and ensured that students on campus have access to the best available treatment and care."

Asked when Maynard will agree to an interview, Joseph wrote, “With the legislative session winding down, Senator Maynard is focused on his Senate duties. He continues to improve and he hopes to be able to conduct an interview in the near future.”

He added that Maynard “would prefer that his private medical information remain private” and so will not consent to his doctors and therapists discussing his progress with The Day.

In the coming weeks, during grueling legislative sessions that often stretch into the wee hours of the morning, Maynard will be asked to vote on and discuss a wide array of issues including choosing among three competing budget proposals. Aspects of the various plans call for taxing new categories of small businesses, cutting social services and education and seeking concessions from state employees.

Asked how Maynard has been able to discuss bills if he still has trouble speaking, Joseph wrote, “Senator Maynard has participated in caucus and has expressed his support/opposition of bills to his colleagues.”

Legislative records show that he has missed 13 of 15 Transportation Committee meetings and hearings. He did not attend a Feb. 25 hearing on the tolls proposal when officials from various communities that would be affected by the tolls as well as toll experts testified about the bill.

Asked why Maynard supported the toll bill and whether he had spoken to First Selectmen Nicholas Mullane of North Stonington and George Crouse of Stonington, Joseph said Maynard’s aide Nick Neeley met with Crouse regarding the bill. Crouse said he had discussed the issue with Neeley by phone on several occasions, informed him of the town’s opposition and said traffic would increase on town roads as motorists seek to avoid the tolls.

Joseph said the bill does not establish border tolls but is a “broad bill that addresses tolls anywhere within Connecticut’s borders.”

Legislators supporting the proposal have said tolls are envisioned along the major highways leading into the state in Greenwich, Waterbury, Enfield and Stonington/North Stonington.

“It does require that if there are to be tolls, that revenue would be dedicated solely to transportation related projects in the state,” Joseph wrote.

Records show Maynard has not attended at least four of his five Program Review and Investigations Committee meetings. Records for the fifth meeting are unclear.

Maynard was among 17 legislators who co-sponsored a bill on shellfishing oversight.

In the last update of his condition on his Senate website, dated Jan. 7, his sister, Denise Mahoney, issued a statement that he was making good progress but that he has some difficulty retrieving words and names. She said he can process and understand language “but his ability to speak is impacted.”

When Maynard was sworn in to the applause of his fellow legislators in January, it was announced that state Sen. Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, and Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, would handle constituent issues for Maynard. Neither senator responded this week to a request from The Day about what issues they have handled for Maynard.

But Joseph said Maynard and Neeley “have handled the vast majority, if not all, of the many constituent cases ranging from helping small towns receive Small Town Economic Assistance Program grant funding, helping them with the governmental process, and reaching out to state agencies on constituents’ behalf.”

He said Maynard met with constituents regarding funding for the Mystic Seaport's new $11.5 million exhibit building.

j.wojtas@theday.com

Twitter: @joewojtas