The Importance of Being Nancy

If Connecticut is to abolish the death penalty this year, the deciding vote in the Senate most likely will belong to the presiding officer, Lt. Gov. Nancy S. Wyman. The same is true of a bill mandating private employers to provide paid sick days.

The best that proponents of either controversial measure can manage this year appears to be an 18-18 tie in the Senate, giving Wyman two relatively rare opportunities to cast tie-breaking votes in her first year in office.

Wyman presiding over Senate.

Wyman, one of the state's most popular Democrats, said she has no reluctance being identified as the deciding vote on either issue.

"It's something we talked about during the campaign," Wyman said of the two pieces of legislation. "It's something I believe in. Those are very, very easy."

Now, all they have to do is make it to a vote in the Senate.

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