Senator McKinney Appoints Senators Fasano and Roraback to Head New Senate Republican Leadership Team

HARTFORD – Senate Minority Leader John McKinney (R-Fairfield) today appointed Senator Len Fasano (R-North Haven) to the position of Senate Minority Leader Pro Tempore and Senator Andrew Roraback (R-Goshen) to the new position of Deputy Senate Minority Leader Pro Tempore and Minority Caucus Chairman.

“Len Fasano and Andrew Roraback are two of the best the legislators I’ve ever worked with,” said Senator McKinney. “Their experience and record of accomplishment perfectly position them for their new posts. Both have the respect of their colleagues in the General Assembly and of their constituents back home. I trust their judgment and ability to help lead this caucus.”

Senator Fasano, who previously served as Deputy Minority Leader, has represented the 34th District towns of Wallingford, North Haven and East Haven since January 8th, 2002. He is the Senate Ranking Member on the General Assembly’s Planning and Development Committee and Veterans Affairs Committee, and also serves on the Committees on General Law and Public Health.

“Len Fasano distinguished himself this year with his leadership on the important issues of eminent domain and energy reform, and in the fight to pass the No Tax Increase Budget proposal,” said Senator McKinney. “He has played a major role in our caucus since first being elected in 2002.”

“I accept this appointment as both a terrific honor and an important responsibility,” said Senator Fasano. “I believe in this institution and in the Senate Republican Caucus and I look forward to working with Senators McKinney and Roraback to face the challenges ahead.”

Senator Fasano has amassed an extensive record of public service accomplishment in Hartford and in his district. This year he has led efforts to reform Connecticut’s eminent domain laws and was outspoken in his opposition to both the Governor’s and the Majority’s proposals to raise state taxes at a time when Connecticut is awash in surplus revenues and its residents are already coping with high taxes and skyrocketing energy costs.

Senator Fasano has served as the fire commissioner of East Haven, helped establish the East Haven Land Trust, and served as both the East Haven Representative on the Long Island Sound Study Commission and the Hamden Hall Board of Trustees. Fasano also remains active pursuing open space acquisitions in East Haven, North Haven and Wallingford. As Co-chairman of the Connecticut LNG task force, Senator Fasano is leading opposition to the proposed Broadwater Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal.

Senator Roraback, who previously served as a Deputy Minority Leader, is in his fourth term in the Senate representing the 30th District communities of Brookfield, Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, New Milford, North Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon, Torrington, Warren, Washington and Winsted. Prior to his election to the State Senate, Senator Roraback served the people of the 64th Assembly District in the CT House of Representatives from 1994 through 2000.

Senator Roraback is the Senate Ranking Member on the General Assembly’s Public Health Committee. He is the Senate Chairman of the Regulation Review Committee, and is also a member of the Finance, Judiciary and Legislative Management Committees.

“Andrew Roraback’s record on environmental issues, farmland preservation and on behalf of non-profit organizations speaks for itself. All of Connecticut has benefited from Senator Roraback’s work on those issues,” said Senator McKinney. “He has earned his reputation as the hardest-working legislator in Hartford. He has never missed a vote in his twelve-years in the General Assembly and he has introduced and passed a number of important laws in his tenure in the House and Senate.”

“John, Len and I look forward to representing a new generation of Republican leadership in our state,” said Senator Roraback. “Together this team will continue to build on our successes of this year and work toward a stronger future for the state of Connecticut.”

Senator Roraback is one of the General Assembly’s leading advocates for protecting Connecticut’s environment and preserving its open space and farmland. He has been named Legislator of the Year by the Connecticut Farm Bureau Association three times, and has been hailed as an “Environmental Hero” by the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters. His environmental stewardship and commitment to farmland preservation has also been recognized by Audubon Connecticut, the Working Lands Alliance, the Connecticut Greenways Council, and the Housatonic Valley Association.

Senator Roraback is a leading advocate for Connecticut’s non-profit sector and family services organizations. In this General Assembly, Senator Roraback passed legislation to better protect victims of domestic violence. He authored and passed Stephanie’s Law in 2003 to require drivers causing fatal accidents to submit to blood alcohol testing, and he has been recognized by Mother’s Against Drunk Driving for helping to reform Connecticut’s drunk driving laws.

Since beginning his service in the General Assembly on January 4, 1995, Senator Roraback has been present for every vote taken, a perfect attendance streak that now stands at more than thirteen years and more than 5,770 consecutive votes. Senator Roraback is the only one of the 187 members of the Connecticut General Assembly who can claim this accomplishment.