Connecticut Local Politics

Looks like the Senate has passed the mortgage relief bill.
A bill getting rid of the ban on paid firefighters volunteering as firefighters in their towns also passed.
Gov. Rell knocked off early, forgoing the usual end-of-session speech.
More coverage of the last day of the session here.
Speaker Amann thinks the legislature did well (at least in regards […]

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Capitol Watch reports on the ever-growing list of legislators retiring this year.
A week after falling short in the race for House majority leader, Rep. Michael A. Christ, D-East Hartford, told his colleagues this morning he would not be returning next year.
[…]
Rep. Chris Stone, D-East Hartford, who also is leaving the House at the conclusion of […]

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Paid sick days legislation could face a filibuster, according to a listserv posting by Jon Green of the CT Working Families party.
The legislative session ends tonight, so a filibuster would effectively kill this bill without a vote. Is there a good reason why legislative priorities are always voted on during the last few days […]

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The House passed a mortgage relief bill that creates an emergency mortgage assistance program and a refinancing program with more flexible credit than CHFA.
The House also passed mental health parity, which aims to treat mental illness the same as physical illness under Gov. Rell’s Charter Oak Health Plan. This one may be headed for […]

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At this point it’s become clear that the budget adjustment session of 2008 will not be making any adjustments to last year’s budget. Gov. Rell is ignoring her own party’s alternative, hilariously-named “Do Something” (you can just hear the unwritten “You Idiots” at the end of that title) budget and siding with Democrats in keeping […]

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The surplus is gone, according to the governor. That was fast! So now what?
Democrats are proposing a tax amnesty proposal.
The Senate Republicans have proposed an amendment that would require a photo ID in order to vote. This has proved to be a little controversial.
Have a historic barn? You could get a tax credit if a […]

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The current short session has one week to go. What would you like to see the legislature accomplish in that time?

What issues would you like to see the legislature work on between now and next Wednesday?

Health care

Ethics reform

Transportation issues

Criminal justice (includes three strikes)

Gas prices

Economic stimulus

Labor issues (includes paid sick days)

Something else

They should stay as still […]

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The Republicans today released their alternative budget proposal. It is, unsurprisingly, full of tax cuts. And why are they proposing it?
In light of alarming revenue numbers just released from OFA, legislative Democrats indicated that they might do nothing with the current year’s budget, making no changes to what was enacted last year. House and Senate […]

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This is up in several places, but it looks like the legislature may make no changes to the budget this year, and leave last year’s budget in place as is.
This would, as Capitol Watch notes, mean no increase in funding for nursing homes or nonprofits.

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Here is today’s Election Issues Go List for the House (the session was scheduled to begin at 11:30):
House Bill No. 5662. AN ACT CONCERNING AN AGREEMENT AMONG THE STATES TO ELECT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES BY NATIONAL POPULAR VOTE. This bill, which passed GAE last session, but did not receive a vote […]

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From the New Canaan Advertiser:
Calling her 22-year career as State Senator for the 26th District “challenging but very rewarding,” Judith Freedman, 69, of Westport, announced she would not seek re-election this fall.
On the steps of Wilton Town Hall Monday morning, flanked by long-time supporters, fellow legislators and friends, Ms. Freedman endorsed the candidacy of […]

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A new poll commissioned by the Working Families Party and conducted by Bannon Research shows broad support for a measure currently in the Senate that would create a minimum number of paid sick days per year for all employees. 68.6% of total respondents strongly favored the idea, 18.6% mildly favored it, while only 8% opposed […]

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Rep. Chris Caruso talks about about pension revocation. Video from CT News Junkie
The debate over pension revocation and ethics is continuing. You can read about this ongoing debate at CTNJ.

Today a somewhat irate Sen. Williams released this statement concerning the competing version of the bill:
“Last week Senate Republicans, relying on a technicality, refused to even […]

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… when they turn 18 by the general election (this bill needs a catchier title).
This bill, HJ 21, went to the floor of the House on Wednesday (the bill, detailed here, passed the House last session, but didn’t garner the 3/4 support necessary to go to the voters in 2008. As a result, it […]

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One piece of senate business that has largely gone unremarked upon is a missed chance to repeal the business entity tax, which requires small companies to pay a yearly $250 “you exist, so we tax you” tax.
All thirteen Republican senators offered an amendment during the April 9th vote on this bill, which calls for […]

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