Bills Moving Through the House

HB 5262
March 18, 2022
Last night, the House passed three key bills. We are now at that point in this short legislative session where bills that have been voted out of individual committees are beginning to "hit" the House (and Senate) floor to be voted on by the full Assembly. In the coming weeks, in this newsletter, I'll highlight some of the more significant ones and explain why I voted the way I did. 
Expanding Access to Absentee Ballots
Voting is a fundamental right that ought to be fair and accessible, but Connecticut's voting laws are needlessly restrictive when it comes to voting by absentee ballot. This is primarily because, unlike most states, Connecticut's voting laws are written into its constitution rather than in its statutes. What this bill does is expand, to the greatest allowable extent of the law, our voting statutes so that they more accurately match the language of the State Constitution. 

HB 5262, AN ACT REVISING CERTAIN ABSENTEE VOTING ELIGIBILITY STATUTES, now makes it possible for voters to vote absentee if they're feeling unwell, worried about their health, or taking care of a loved one who is sick.

Because I believe deeply in everyone's right to vote, I voted for this bill and was pleased to see how bipartisan the final tally was.
Relief for Restaurants
In response to the pandemic, the State temporarily allowed permits to increase and expand outdoor dining to offer residents a safe way to support their favorite local businesses.

As we continue to recover from the pandemic, the House just passed HB 5271, AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROVISION OF OUTDOOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES AND OUTDOOR DISPLAYS OF GOODS to extend the popular provision through next year and further allow restaurants the ability to safely rebuild their customer base. CLICK HERE to read more about the bill.

Rather than a theoretical stance on local town autonomy, I voted in support of a business community that has been devastated by the pandemic. I was disappointed that nearly 40% of my Republican colleagues, who last year voted for outdoor dining, voted against this bill. Restaurants are far from regaining their solvency. I believe they continue to need our support, not hidebound ideas about local zoning. 

Planning a Sustainable Future
With the House passage of HJ 107, A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE STATE PLAN OF CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT, "CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT POLICIES: THE PLAN FOR CONNECTICUT, 2018-2023" the State's Plan of Conservation and Development is updated to ensure that even as we battle the lasting effects of the pandemic and other challenges, Connecticut continues to commit to building a more sustainable, adaptable, and resilient future. Click the following to read more: https://bit.ly/3MPLeZg

---

I encourage you to track these bills as they move forward for a vote in the Senate. I will keep you informed with further updates.