Senator Louis C. DeLuca has been a voice of reason and common sense in the Connecticut General Assembly since his election to the state senate in 1990. During his 17-year tenure he has presided as both Chair and Ranking Member of some of the legislature's most high profile committees and served as Senate Republican Leader from 2001 to 2007. A former businessman and state central member, Senator DeLuca represents the 32nd District towns of Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Middlebury, Oxford, Roxbury, Seymour, Southbury, Thomaston, Watertown and Woodbury.
Senator DeLuca's legislative accomplishments reflect his commitment to achieving the delicate balance between industry, government and the needs of Connecticut's taxpayers. During the mid-90's, Senator DeLuca spearheaded the much-heralded worker's compensation reforms that facilitated the rebirth of Connecticut's economy while still ensuring generous benefits for legitimately injured or disabled members of the workforce.
He was also the guiding force behind Connecticut's reform of the welfare system which helped over 30,000 Connecticut residents get off the welfare rolls and go back to work.
When the public outcry over abuses in the managed care industry demanded action, Senator DeLuca was at the forefront of the HMO reform effort. Cognizant of the fact the insurance industry remains one of the largest and most important employers of Connecticut's citizens, Senator DeLuca was successful in passing sensible reforms that addressed egregious practices such as the infamous "drive by" mastectomies and birth deliveries, while still maintaining a working relationship with the HMO's. He later followed up these efforts by establishing an appeals procedure with the state's Insurance Department that allows patients to challenge managed care rulings through a third party arbiter.
Senator DeLuca is a leading advocate for advocate for responsive government and good fiscal habits. He has been admiringly described by some as "a voice in the wilderness" for his tendency to champion policies that through his persistence become reality. For example, long before concerns about Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) made a high-profile impact on the nation's collective radar screen, Senator DeLuca was fighting to have this dangerous gasoline additive removed from the state's fuel supplies. Senator DeLuca worked tirelessly and in 2000 celebrated the successful passage of his legislation when the Governor signed into law a measure to phase out the additive over a three-year period. Senator DeLuca has also been a longtime advocate for state preservation of open space, and has during his tenure seen millions of pristine acres protected from development, including a historic 15,000-acre purchase in 2001 of the former Kelda water company lands.
Senator DeLuca has successfully worked to expand prescription drug coverage for the state's elderly population, and to pass fiscally responsible budgets that respect state government's responsibility to Connecticut's taxpayers. He has also served twice on the state's reapportionment commission, the 9-member panel that draws the new legislative and congressional district lines after the decade-end census.
Retired from a successful career in business, Senator DeLuca currently lives with his wife Alice in Woodbury. They have four children, ten grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
