Sen. Michael McLachlan to Again Serve as Lead GOP Member of Good Government Panel

When the 2015 session of the Connecticut General Assembly convenes, Sen. Michael McLachlan (R-Danbury) will once again serve as the lead Republican senator on the state legislature’s Government Administration and Elections (GAE) Committee.

Sen. McLachlan will return as ranking member of the GAE panel, which has cognizance of all matters relating to the Freedom of Information Commission, Ethics Commission, compacts between the state and Indian tribes, constitutional amendments, and all matters relating to elections and election laws.

“Sen. McLachlan is a champion for open government and transparency,” Sen. Minority Leader Len Fasano (R-North Haven) said. “He has also been a lead advocate for cleaning up our state elections laws. Sen. McLachlan has done an excellent job as a state senator, and he will be a key member of our caucus during the 2015 legislative session.”

Sen. McLachlan, a Deputy Minority Leader, will sit on the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, which oversees taxation issues. He will serve as ranking member of the Finance Committee’s General Bonding Subcommittee.

Sen. McLachlan will also continue to serve on the Judiciary Committee, which has cognizance over criminal law policies.

Sen. McLachlan said his focus will be on preventing border tolls from being built in the greater Danbury area.

“Tolls are taxes, and they would punish greater Danbury motorists and businesses disproportionately,” Sen. McLachlan said. “I will work with area legislators from both sides of the political aisle to put the idea of tolls into a permanent traffic jam.”

Sen. McLachlan said he will be a strong voice in favor of eliminating unfunded state mandates on cities and towns, and he will continue to push for strict adherence to the state’s constitutional spending cap.

Sen. McLachlan will continue to serve as co-chair of the bipartisan Life Sciences Caucus which promotes public policies that support economic growth and scientific innovation in the state. The panel’s goal is to grow the state’s life science industries and attract young talent from across the country and the world to come live and work in Connecticut.

Sen. McLachlan (www.senatormclachlan.com) represents the 24th District communities of Danbury, Bethel, New Fairfield and Sherman. He can be reached at [email protected] and at 860 240-0068.