Good morning members and guests to the 2010 session of the Connecticut General Assembly. It is once again my heart-felt pleasure and honor to serve in the House with members who give their best for the people of Connecticut. READ MORE
News Blog
February 8, 2010 LEGISLATURE’S TASK FORCE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
RELEASES RECOMMENDATIONS
The group created by Speaker of the House Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) to identify ways to improve Connecticut’s response to incidents of domestic violence released their final report of recommendations to the General Assembly on Monday morning. READ MORE
February 4, 2010 TASK FORCE ON CHILDREN IN THE RECESSION
TO HOLD HEARING SATURDAY IN BRIDGEPORT
House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan’s Task Force on Children in the Recession will hold a public hearing from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 6, in the Bridgeport City Hall Annex to receive input from citizens on the effects of the recession on their families’ lives. READ MORE
February 4, 2010 LAMBERT: BOARDWALK PROJECT UNDERWAY
State Representative Barbara Lambert (D-Milford) today announced that construction work has begun to improve the boardwalk, according to an agreed upon time table. READ MORE
February 1, 2010 BUSINESS, LABOR & POLITICAL LEADERS WEIGH IN
ON SUPREME COURT RULING Court Ruling Needs Fixes This month’s Supreme Court ruling on the Citizens United case allowing corporations and unions broad freedom to intervene in political campaigns should concern anyone interested in participatory democracy and fair elections. READ MORE
February 3, 2010 FREE CLINIC HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM
While visiting today’s free health clinic for Connecticut residents lacking health, State Representatives Steve Fontana (D-North Haven) and Betsy Ritter (D-Montville/Waterford) called on Congress to pass comprehensive health care reform legislation as soon as possible. READ MORE
February 2, 2010 MAJORITY LEADERS’ JOBS GROUP ANNOUNCES PLAN
TO JUMP-START JOB CREATION AND POSITION CONNECTICUT’S ECONOMY FOR LONG-TERM GROWTH Among Group’s Recommendations: Realignment of Tax Credits,
Investment in Green Jobs and Energy Efficiency, Smarter Government,
and Leveraging Private Capital for Entrepreneurs
A group led by House Majority Leader Denise Merrill (D-Mansfield) and Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney (D-New Haven) today announced a series of recommendations designed “to jump-start job creation in Connecticut and lay the foundation for long-term prosperity.” READ MORE
January 29, 2010 HIGH SPEED RAIL FROM NEW HAVEN TO SPRINGFIELD
Speaker of the House Chris Donovan held a press conference on Friday Jan. 29th at Union Station in Hartford to announce funding for a new High Speed Rail line that would range from New Haven to Springfield, Mass. Flanked by Sen. Chris Dodd, Congressman Chris Murphy, and Governor M. Jodi Rell, Speaker Donovan took great pride in launching the project. Increased rail service is expected to alleviate highway congestion, stimulate local economies along the routes, and provide jobs to many Connecticut citizens who need them now more than ever.
January 21, 2010 REP. GUERRERA AUTHORS SCHOOL BUS SAFETY LEGISLATION
House Chair of the Legislature’s Transportation Committee, State Representative Tony Guerrera (D-Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Newington) has authored legislation to require that school busses be equipped with safety belts and that passengers be required to wear seatbelts while the busses are being operated. READ MORE
January 21, 2010 REP. HOLDER-WINFIELD, LAWYERS GROUP TO DISCUSS FREE IMMIGRATION CLINICS FOR HAITIANS AT PRESS CONFERENCE
State Representative Gary A. Holder-Winfield (D-New Haven) and a group of lawyers who practice immigration law will discuss free law assistance clinics that are being offered around the state to Haitians during a press conference Monday at the Legislative Office Building (LOB) in Hartford. READ MORE
January 18, 2010 MORE PROGRESS NEEDED FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS
Two years ago, the legislature, together with Gov. M. Jodi Rell, enacted a series of significant criminal justice reforms. In the aftermath of the horrifying murders in Cheshire in 2007, policy makers in all three branches of government, on both state and local levels, achieved consensus around two key goals: Repeat violent offenders should be identified, convicted and sentenced to lifelong terms of imprisonment; and nonviolent, less serious offenders should be punished in ways that are cost-effective and prevent crime. READ MORE
January 14, 2010 HOUSE DEMOCRATS LAUNCH COMMISSION TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES
FOR REGIONALISM, MUNICIPAL COST SAVINGS AND EFFICIENCIES Speaker Donovan: ‘We can be doing more with less;’
Commission aims to enact legislation in 2010
House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) and House Majority Leader Denise Merrill (D-Mansfield) today launched a commission that will seek to identify opportunities for more regional collaborations designed to create efficiencies and save money for municipalities. READ MORE
January 11, 2010 PROTECTING JOBS AND SERVICES
Speaker Donovan and Majority Leader Merrill held a news conference to emphasize the House Democrats' commitment to saving and creating jobs, and opposing the Governor's deficit plan which would result in the loss of 5,000 jobs. The leaders were joined by Meriden Mayor Mike Rohde and organizations that would of experienced job losses if the Democrats hadn't rejected the Governor's plan. Hospitals, community and school based health clinics, and daycare centers were among the groups that spoke at the press conference.
January 8, 2010 SPEAKER DONOVAN: BOND FUNDS CRUCIAL TO NEW HAVEN-SPRINGFIELD HIGH SPEED RAIL PROJECT Speaker says project will create jobs,economic development opportunities
House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) today thanked members of the State Bond Commission for approving $26 million that he said “will advance our vision for high speed rail along a transportation corridor that is one of the most important in the state and the region, create jobs, and encourage economic development.”
READ MORE
January 7, 2010 GOVERNOR THROWS CITIES AND TOWNS A CURVE
BY WITHHOLDING STATE ROAD FUNDING
House Chair of the Legislature’s Transportation Committee, State Representative Tony Guerrera (D-Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Newington) and members of the House Majority Caucus today called on Governor M. Jodi Rell to release millions in state aid that would fund paving projects and road repairs in cities and towns across the state. READ MORE
January 7, 2010 SPEAKER DONOVAN FORMS GROUP
TO FORMULATE THE CREATION OF CLEAN ENERGY JOBS Panel to convene first meeting on Thursday
Speaker of the House Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) announced today that he has created a new legislative advisory group whose charge will be to help the General Assembly plot a strategy effectively cultivating a workforce that will result in the creation of new jobs in the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.
READ MORE
January 7, 2010 REP. LAWLOR: STATE NEEDS TO MOVE FORWARD ON COMPLETION
OF PLANNED SEX OFFENDER TREATMENT FACILITY
State Representative Mike Lawlor (D-East Haven), co-chairman of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee, is urging the governor to allow the Department of Corrections (DOC) to continue with a plan it initiated in 2008 as required under Public Act 08-1 to construct a staff secure sex offender treatment facility to house sex offenders who are finishing or have finished their prison sentences. READ MORE
January 6, 2010 REP. FAWCETT AND REP. GROGINS TEAM UP TO HELP EXPAND ST. VINCENT’S
CUTTING EDGE PUBLIC HEALTH PROJECT
Representative Kim Fawcett (D-Fairfield) and Representative Auden Grogins (D-Bridgeport), teamed up this week in the Appropriations Committee to help assure legislative approval of an important public health outreach project at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport. READ MORE
