Maria Horn

Last week the Finance Committee, which I co-chair, took “final action” on two big bills, one on taxes and the other on bonding, that set the parameters for how the state will raise revenue for the next two years. The Appropriations Committee produced a spending package that lays out where those funds will be spent.

As my kids say, it’s been a minute. This newsletter is packed with two weeks worth of news, announcements, and local events, so my apologies that it is longer than usual.

After a quiet week that included Passover and Easter, there's been a lot of news nationally. One piece that had particular resonance for state legislatures was the expulsion of two state representatives in Tennessee, who were removed from their seats for participating in a peaceful protest that disrupted the chamber's business and broke the rules of decorum.

It was an early Monday morning start for me, as the day began with a Finance Committee public hearing on the Governor's revenue and bonding proposals, and I needed to be in Hartford before 8am to prepare.

This final week of the month is showcasing several kinds of March Madness. The weather this weekend came in like a lion and went out like a lamb, with snow, sleet, hail, and rain on Saturday, followed by abundant sunshine on Sunday. And there was plenty of basketball, with the UConn women sadly falling to Ohio State, while the men made it to the Final Four with a win over Gonzaga. (Several people have asked, given my Ohio upbringing, whether I was cheering for UConn or Ohio State. For the record, the answer is definitely UConn.)

Last week the Northwest Corner got hit hard by a winter storm that left over two feet of snow in some regions. Some towns were nearly 100% without power for periods, and many trees and limbs came down, blocking roads and emergency access. Given what could have happened, things seemed to go relatively smoothly thanks to the town road crews, utilities, and many first responders and town officials—my thanks to all of them for the hard work that kept people safe.

The legislature has moved into the last few weeks of public hearings. Bills are starting to get voted out as each committee approaches its “JF Deadline,” the date by which they must act on legislation. Some deadlines have already past, and nearly all are in March. The only exceptions are the two “money committees,” Finance and Appropriations, which have deadlines in late April.

A group of Salisbury residents came to Hartford for a tour of the Capitol and lunch. The League of Women Voters conducts these excellent tours, so if you or a group you are affiliated with are interested, please reach out – this week’s group from Salisbury was impressed, and I’m looking forward to a visit from Salisbury Central School later this month.