Maria Horn

July’s special legislative sessions have now adjourned, with the House and Senate having passed all four bills under consideration, expanding access to absentee ballots for the November election, capping insulin and related costs, making telehealth more widely available, and increasing police accountability and transparency. These bills are now on their way to the Governor, who has indicated he will sign them.

This morning the Senate begins deliberation on the four bills that the House passed last week in special session. Three of those bills (re capping insulin costs, extending telehealth services, and making absentee ballots available in the November 3 general election) passed with no more than 5 votes in opposition, but the fourth, on police accountability, was much closer, with the final bill passing by 86 to 58.

A look behind the scenes of one of the toughest votes I've taken.

Starting yesterday at 11:00 am, the House held a historic, socially-distanced special session, including many firsts. It was certainly a first for a lot of new technology put in place so that we could conduct business.

There is a lot happening in state government this week. Leading into special session, which we expect to begin on Thursday morning, July 23, there are a number of “listening sessions” and informational hearings. The first of those took place last Friday, when the Judiciary Committee held a twelve-hour long listening session (via Zoom) on “An Act Concerning Police Accountability” (otherwise known as AACPA, or LCO No. 3471). I listened to the entire hearing (shout out to my family for bringing meals and snacks to me at regular intervals) and found it invaluable.

We have now agreed with the Governor to take up four bills during a special session next week: increasing police accountability, making sure we have a safe and secure election in November, capping the cost of insulin, and increasing access to telehealth services.

As the legislative special session draws closer, I have been doing my own “hearings”, reaching out to have conversations with those who are dealing with these issues on the ground.

It is now looking like the legislature will return to Hartford for a special session during the week of July 20, probably at the later end of the week. The House will go in first, then the Senate will follow, probably the following week. The House has installed new technology that will allow us to vote from our offices in the Legislative Office Building, entering the chamber (where we usually debate and vote) only to speak on the bill under consideration.