Mariano was born and raised in Quincy, where he attended public school. He received his
B.S. from
Northeastern University in
Boston and his
M.Ed. from the
University of Massachusetts Boston. He became a teacher and was elected to the Quincy School Committee, where he served from 1989 to 2009. He also served on the Ward 2 Democratic Committee, the
Norfolk County Advisory Board, and the
Quincy College Board of Governors. In January 2023, Mariano was reelected to a second term as Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. His priorities for the
193rd Massachusetts General Court include child care affordability, public transport reliability, and oversight of hospital
mergers and acquisitions. Mariano also outlined a focus on revising Massachusetts' state law to comply with the
Supreme Court's 2022 ruling in
NYSRPA v. Bruen, which declared may-issue permitting for firearms unconstitutional, as opposed to shall-issue permits. In October 2023, Mariano indicated that he intends to run for Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives during the 2025–2026 legislative session. ==Awards==