Bills Passed During Tuesday's Session

June 15, 2021

Tuesday

HB 6531

Did you know that in Connecticut, less than 7% of tenants have legal representation in eviction cases? In contrast, 80% of landlords do. At a moment when so much is at stake, tenants need support navigating the highly technical and fast-moving pace of eviction cases. HB 6531 provides tenants with fairness and equity by guaranteeing they can obtain legal representation. If passed, CT will be only the 2nd state to enact this legislation to protect tenants.

HB 6665

Race-based deed restrictions and the declaration of race upon an application for a marriage license remain a lingering reminder of the historical wrongs of our past. These covenants resulted in racial segregation and economic isolation that plague our society and moral conscience today – and it's time to remove them from our state. With the passage of HB 6665, we take a step towards removing two relics of systemic racism and move towards a more equitable future.

HJ 58

COVID-19 exposed the rigidity of Connecticut's voting system. Offering no-excuse absentee voting would move the state out of its steady habits and give voters a convenient way to cast their vote making elections more accessible. The House passed HJ 58 by a simple majority. The CT General Assembly will take this issue up again in 2023. If successful, voters will have the opportunity in 2024 to decide if they'd like to see no-excuse absentee voting in Connecticut's future.

HB 6380

Women continue to earn less than their male counterparts in the workplace and face a significant disadvantage in salary negotiations. With the passage of HB 6380, the House is working to move the state one step closer to achieving an end to the gender wage gap and provide an equal opportunity for fair negotiations through offering salary range transparency for vacant positions.

Wednesday 

HB 5656

🍕 JUST PASSED 🍕: It's time to recognize the contribution of pizza to the state's cuisine and economy – HB 5656 just made its way through the House chamber to designate pizza as the official food of the state. 

HB 6626

HB 6626 is about early detection, which is critical to saving our state money and saving lives. By expanding on existing legislation which removed barriers so that patients may access mammograms, the House has moved to additionally support access to other tests used to detect breast cancer, offering significant relief to countless patients seeking early detection tests.

HB 6355

We have a duty to protect our residents from gun violence. The temporary removal of firearms from a person who may pose a threat to themselves or others plays a critical role in preventing unnecessary gun deaths. With the passage of HB 6355, the House has moved to bolster current statute to protect and save lives and avoid tragedies before they happen. 

HB 6602

COVID-19 has increased our reliance on third party delivery sources – but that increased use has exposed some possible concerns with those delivery sources. Just passed by the House, HB 6602 makes clarifications to ensure small, local restaurants have a voice and their brand is protected by ensuring third party delivery sources cannot falsely suggest a relationship with a restaurant or take orders without first obtaining the restaurant’s written consent.

HB 6602

COVID-19 has increased our reliance on third party delivery sources – but that increased use has exposed some possible concerns with those delivery sources. Just passed by the House, HB 6602 makes clarifications to ensure small, local restaurants have a voice and their brand is protected by ensuring third party delivery sources cannot falsely suggest a relationship with a restaurant or take orders without first obtaining the restaurant’s written consent.

HB 6477

The safety of our first responders should always be a top priority. HB 6477 makes necessary updates to ensure that volunteer fire departments and ambulance companies are subject to the same safety regulations as career professionals, allowing CONN-OSHA to protect all first responders.

SB 753

SB 753 puts an end to prison gerrymandering, a practice where incarcerated Connecticut residents are counted as residents of the towns where they are jailed. This practice has harmed incarcerated individual and the communities they come from while unfairly benefiting the communities with prisons. A free and fair voting system is the foundation of our democracy, and the passage of this legislation upholds that belief

HB 6633

This pandemic, and its subsequent economic crisis, has only further demonstrated that Connecticut must create pathways that not only kickstart our recovery but facilitate an economy in which our businesses and families can thrive. Just passed through the House chamber, HB 6633 is a comprehensive plan that creates a more resilient unemployment insurance trust fund that can endure future recessions.

HB 6657

Even after the abuse ends, survivors of human trafficking often continue to bear the burden of a criminal record for acts they were forced to do, hindering their ability to rebuild their lives. Just passed by the House, HB 6657 makes critically needed changes to existing law by giving trafficking survivors the opportunity to clear all criminal records related to their trafficking. Survivors deserve justice.

HB 6110

Obtaining e-cigarettes and vaping products online is often way too easy for our younger residents – exposing our youth to a harmful and addictive practice. HB 6110 is common sense legislation that would require online sellers of electronic nicotine delivery systems and vapor products to require ID and to ensure that the name on ID matches the name on the method of payment.