:Martin Looney

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Martin Looney

| image =

| office = President pro tempore of the Connecticut Senate

| alongside = Len Fasano {{small|(2017–2019)}}

| term_start = January 7, 2015

| term_end =

| predecessor = Donald E. Williams Jr.

| successor =

| office1 = Majority Leader of the Connecticut State Senate

| term_start1 = January 2003

| term_end1 = January 7, 2015

| predecessor1 = George Jepsen

| successor1 = Bob Duff

| state_senate2 = Connecticut State

| district2 = 11th

| term_start2 = January 6, 1993

| term_end2 =

| predecessor2 = Anthony Avallone

| successor2 =

| state_house3 = Connecticut

| district3 = 96th

| term_start3 = January 7, 1981

| term_end3 = January 6, 1993

| predecessor3 = Joseph Carbone

| successor3 = Cameron Staples

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|7|23}}

| birth_place = New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

| spouse = Ellen Ritchie

| education = Fairfield University (BA)
University of Connecticut, Storrs (MA)
University of Connecticut, Hartford (JD)

}}

Martin M. Looney (born July 23, 1948) is an American politician. Looney, a Democrat, has been a state senator from Connecticut since 1993. From 2003 to 2014, Looney served as Majority Leader of the Senate; in 2015 he became President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

Looney, a resident of New Haven, represents the eastern half of the city as well as parts of Hamden in the Connecticut Senate. He is also a part-time professor at Quinnipiac University and the University of New Haven in Hamden, CT and West Haven, CT, respectively, where he teaches classes such as State and Local Governments.

Looney was born in New Haven and graduated from Fairfield University and later received his M.A. in English from University of Connecticut followed by his J.D. from University of Connecticut School of Law Prior to being elected to the Connecticut Senate, Looney served as a Connecticut state representative. In 2001, Looney lost to incumbent John DeStefano Jr. in the Democratic primary for mayor of New Haven.{{Cite web|url=https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2001/09/12/destefano-prevails-under-pall-of-terror/|title = DeStefano prevails under pall of terror|date = 12 September 2001}}

In July 2016, Looney said he would "certainly" consider running for Governor of Connecticut if incumbent Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman decided not to run in the 2018 election.{{Cite web|url=http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/looney_acting_guv/|title=Call Him "Gov" for Now ... & Later? | New Haven Independent|date=28 July 2016}}

Political positions

Looney is a supporter of legislation strengthening gun safety measures. In 2013, weeks after the Sandy Hook mass shooting, Looney introduced 17 bills that would change firearm control and rights in Connecticut.{{Cite web |last=O'Leary |first=Mary |date=January 27, 2013 |title=Connecticut Sen. Martin Looney readies 17 bills on guns |url=https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/Connecticut-Sen-Martin-Looney-readies-17-bills-16859172.php |website=New Haven Register}} He was instrumental in the eventual passage of legislation considered some of the strongest in the country.{{Cite web |last=Brady |first=Lateef Mungin,Brittany |date=2013-04-04 |title=Connecticut governor signs sweeping gun measure |url=https://www.cnn.com/2013/04/04/us/connecticut-gun-law-overhaul/index.html |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=CNN |language=en}}

Looney led the creation of Connecticut’s Earned Income Tax Credit in 2011 and has been influential in ensuring it remains a part of the state’s budget. The Earned Income Tax Credit, or EITC, is a state income tax credit supporting low-income working individuals and families.{{Cite web |title=Governor Lamont Announces 2023 Legislative Proposal: Provide Tax Relief for Low-Income Workers |url=https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2023/01-2023/Governor-Lamont-Announces-2023-Legislative-Proposal-on-EITC |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=CT.gov - Connecticut's Official State Website |language=en}}

Looney led passage of legislation to cap the out-of-pocket cost of prescription drugs like insulin{{Cite web |last=Coughlin |first=Kevin |date=2020-07-28 |title=Senator Looney Leads Passage of Bill to Cap Cost of Insulin and Diabetes Supplies |url=http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/looney-news/3339-looney-200728-2 |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Connecticut Senate Democrats |language=en-gb}} and has introduced legislation to reduce the cost of pharmaceutical drugs in Connecticut through use of generic drug manufacturers.{{Cite web |last=Coughlin |first=Kevin |date=2021-01-28 |title=Looney Introduces Two Consumer Protection Bills on Prescription Drugs |url=http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/looney-news/3498-looney-210128 |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Connecticut Senate Democrats |language=en-gb}} He led the Senate during the passage of the legalization of marijuana{{Cite web |date=2021-06-17 |title=Connecticut Gov. Lamont Poised To Sign Bill Legalizing Recreational Marijuana - CBS New York |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/connecticut-marijuana-legalization/ |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}} and was Senate Majority Leader during the abolition of the state’s death penalty.{{Cite web |title=Backstory on Connecticut Death Penalty Repeal |url=https://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/25893-1 |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=www.publicnewsservice.org}}

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20060615022112/http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/Looney.html Martin Looney]official website
[http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/CGABillStatus/CGAMemberBills.asp?dist_code='S11'&dist_name=S11%20-%20Looney,%20Martin%20M. Connecticut General Assembly - Martin M. Looney] bills introduced
[http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=7117 Project Vote Smart - Representative Martin Looney (CT)] profile
Follow the Money - Martin M Looney
[http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=20067&c=419107 2006] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=20047&c=408228 2004] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=20027&c=21295 2002] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=20007&c=348569 2000] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=19987&c=348187 1998] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?si=19967&c=347941 1996] campaign contributions

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives
from the 96th district|years=1981–1993}}

{{s-ttl|title=Member of the Connecticut State Senate
from the 11th district|years=1993–present}}

{{s-ttl|title=Majority Leader of the Connecticut State Senate|years=2003–2015}}

{{s-ttl|title=President pro tempore of the Connecticut Senate|years=2015–present|alongside=Len Fasano (2017–2019)}}

Category:1948 births

Category:Democratic Party Connecticut state senators

Category:Fairfield University alumni

Category:Living people

Category:Democratic Party members of the Connecticut House of Representatives

Category:University of Connecticut School of Law alumni

Category:21st-century members of the Connecticut General Assembly