Mark Pazniokas

Connecticut

Capitol Bureau Chief at The CT Mirror

Capitol bureau chief for CT Mirror, source for politics & policy in Conn. Reach me at [email protected]. But know I don’t care about your Wordle skills.

Featured in: Favicon

ctmirror.org Favicon

msn.com

yahoo.com (+1) Favicon

chron.com

courant.com Favicon

ctpost.com Favicon

greenwichtime.com Favicon

nhregister.com Favicon

stamfordadvocate.com Favicon

expressnews.com + 82 more

Articles

Lamont vetoes H.B. 5002 housing bill, sets local ‘buy-in’ as priority

4 days ago | nancyonnorwalk.com | Mark Pazniokas |Drew Todd |Becca Stoll |Skip Hagerty

Gov. Ned Lamont ended nearly three weeks of public rumination and private negotiation about the fate of an omnibus housing bill Monday, siding with suburban opponents and Republican legislators who had urged a veto of the measure as an intrusion into local zoning.
Conn. Gov. Ned Lamont ‘more inclined’ to seek 3rd term in 2026

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Mark Pazniokas

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont describes his current thinking on seeking a third term. (Photo by Mark Pazniokas/CT Mirror)Gov. Ned Lamont said Thursday that the challenges of navigating the economic uncertainties and political chaos generated by President Donald J. Trump only increase the chances he will seek a third term as governor of Connecticut in 2026. “If you had asked me a year ago, I would have said, ‘No, I think the state’s on a good trajectory. We’ve stabilized things. We’re growing again.
Despite key bills’ passage, CT legislative session ends on sour note

3 weeks ago | ctpublic.org | Ginny Monk |Mark Pazniokas

Although the General Assembly closed out the session with hugs, cheers and applause, it was tinged with a sour note after a dispute among Democrats over a few lines in the state budget that allow the state to take financial oversight of Ansonia. Republicans, displeased that the lines targeting Ansonia had been included in the budget, moved to undo them by amending an unrelated bill.
Lamont forces legislators to keep elections watchdog independent

3 weeks ago | courant.com | Mark Pazniokas

Facing a potential veto from Gov. Ned Lamont, the General Assembly agreed Wednesday to delete a portion of a bipartisan bill that would have ended a half century of independence by Connecticut’s elections watchdog. Lamont objected to a portion of Senate Bill 1405 that would have subjected the appointment of an executive director of the State Elections Enforcement Commission to approval by a legislative committee, the House and Senate.
Ned Lamont forces legislators to keep CT SEEC independent

3 weeks ago | ctmirror.org | Mark Pazniokas

Facing a potential veto from Gov. Ned Lamont, the General Assembly agreed Wednesday to delete a portion of a bipartisan bill that would have ended a half century of independence by Connecticut’s elections watchdog. Lamont objected to a portion of Senate Bill 1405 that would have subjected the appointment of an executive director of the State Elections Enforcement Commission to approval by a legislative committee, the House and Senate.
Here's the status of several bills

3 weeks ago | ctmirror.org | Mark Pazniokas

The Connecticut General Assembly begins the final day of its 2025 session Wednesday with an adopted budget and other priority bills safely on their way to the desk of Gov. Ned Lamont. But hundreds will die from inaction at the midnight adjournment. “It’s an annual event at this stage,” said House Majority Leader Jason Rojas, D-East Hartford.
In CT state budget, towns get varying amounts of money: ‘I do think it’s not equitable’

3 weeks ago | courant.com | Mark Pazniokas

Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, had half an answer to the question of why an aquarium in a Republican senator’s district would be getting half as much money in the two-year state budget as an aquarium in Duff’s district would. Duff could not say why the Mystic Aquarium in Stonington would be getting $795,000 over the next two years, but he knew exactly why the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk would be getting $1.6 million. He asked for it.
Among billions, small earmarks for CT lawmakers to bring home

3 weeks ago | ctmirror.org | Mark Pazniokas

Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, had half an answer to the question of why an aquarium in a Republican senator’s district would be getting half as much money in the two-year state budget as an aquarium in Duff’s district would. Duff could not say why the Mystic Aquarium in Stonington would be getting $795,000 over the next two years, but he knew exactly why the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk would be getting $1.6 million. He asked for it.
Investigation finds CT governor's senior advisor used state vehicle as his personal car

3 weeks ago | norwichbulletin.com | Mark Pazniokas

An investigation commissioned by Gov. Ned Lamont concluded that his former chief of staff and current senior advisor, Jonathan Dach, chronically violated state rules by using a state vehicle as his personal car for nearly two years and driving at speeds constituting reckless driving under Connecticut law.
Scores of bills set to die in CT as lawmakers go to wire. Why one on high electric rates is alive

3 weeks ago | courant.com | Mark Pazniokas

With final passage Saturday of a major early childhood education bill, legislators will return Monday to begin their three-day push to Wednesday night’s adjournment deadline with a limited to-do list topped by adopting a biennial budget and voting on a bipartisan energy deal. Gov.