The state legislature approved the first nominations of the Generall Assembly’s 2010 regular session Wednesday.
The House approved the renomination of former state Republican chairman John Mastropietro of Watertown as a workers compensation commissioner, where he has served since 1995. Mastropietro was originally nominated by his close friend and political ally, former Gov. John G. Rowland.
The vote in the House was 145 to 0 with six members absent.
Besides being a commissioner, Mastropietro currently serves as the commission chairman, which includes various administrative responsibilities.
“In many ways, he is the equivalent of the chief court administrator for the workers’ compensation system,” said state Rep. Michael P. Lawlor, an East Haven Democrat who is the longtime co-chairman of the legislature’s judiciary committee.
The workers compensation system was highly controversial 15 years ago when Mastropietro was initially appointed to the commission.
“He has brought renewed respect to the system,” Lawlor said on the House floor Wednesday. “He has been fair to all parties.”
Upstairs in the Senate, Sen. John Kissel of Enfield said the commissioners say there is “an excellent work environment” at the commission now. “That’s an area of state government that we could learn from,” Kissel said.
Sen. Edith Prague, a liberal Democrat who has clashed with various Republicans and business supporters through the years, supported Mastropietro on the Senate floor.
“He does a good job with helping us, making sure that the workers are treated fair,” said Prague, the co-chairwoman of the legislature’s labor committee.
On a voice vote, the House approved the nomination of former state Rep. Michael Caron for a seat on the Connecticut State University system’s board of trustees. During his 18 year in the legislature, Caron was known as a congenial lawmaker and one of the leaders of the GOP caucus. He was among the first to widely use the term “The Fighting 44” when the Republicans lost many seats and were outvoted by 107 to 44 in the 151-member chamber. After the 2008 election, the numbers fell further for the Republicans and the Democrats currently hold an edge of 114 to 37.
On a voice vote, the House also approved the nomination of attorney Anna Ficeto of Wolcott to the powerful Public Utilities Control Authority in New Britain. Ficeto is best known as the chief legal counsel to Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell, whom she also serves as deputy chief of staff. The five-member DPUC has been operating with four members, and Ficeto is expected to start in her new post soon.
A graduate of Mount Holyoke and the University of Connecticut law school, Ficeto is a former employee at the state departments of public works and consumer protection. Ficeto’s departure from the governor’s office had been rumored for months, but it was not confirmed until recently.
“She’s a great lady, and I wish her well over there,” Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele said in a relatively rare comment from his position presiding over the state Senate.
By a vote of 35 – 0 on the “consent calendar” of noncontroversial items, the state Senate approved the nomination of Lawrence D. McHugh of Middletown as chairman of the UConn board of trustees, where he already serves. Senate Majority Leader Marty Looney of New Haven said that McHugh was a master of football and “a legendary coach with great success” at Xavier High School in Middletown.
After his education career, McHugh moved into a new role as the leader of the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce, which regularly holds sold-out breakfasts with business leaders at a Cromwell hotel. Lately, McHugh has been trying to reach a compromise for improvements at the cash-strapped UConn Health Center in Farmington.
The Senate also approved the nomination of Richard Nicholson of Glastonbury as commissioner of the state’s tax department, where he is the acting commissioner currently. A longtime employee of the DRS, Nicholson was a one-time liaison to the legislature, Looney said.
A graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester and the UConn law school in Hartford, Nicholson worked closely with the former commissioner, Pamela Law. When he left the DRS briefly, he was a partner at Shipman & Goodwin.
The Senate approved the renomination of Superior Court Judge Christine E. Keller of Hartford for another eight years on the court. A graduate of Smith College and UConn law school, Keller oversees juvenile issues. She is married to former House Speaker Thomas D. Ritter.
The Senate adjourned at about 4 p.m. Wednesday.