Update: Voting, Theft Measures Advance

April 5, 2022

In recent days, two priority proposals I co-sponsored have advanced: expanded eligibility for absentee ballots, which is now law, and legislation aimed to curb the theft and transfer of catalytic converters, now headed for a Senate vote.
 
House Bill 5262, now Public Act No. 22-2, expands eligibility for voting by absentee ballot. Under the bill, qualified voters may vote by absentee ballot if they are unable to appear at their polling place because of (1) sickness, rather than because of their own illness, or (2) physical disability, rather than because of their own physical disability. Additionally, the bill authorizes qualified voters to vote by absentee ballot if they are unable to appear at their polling place because of absence from the town of their voting residence. This change will help many people who work outside of the city and may struggle to make it to their polling place in time to vote. 

Because this can be complicated, I’m linking to a nonpartisan analysis of the legislation and testimony at the public hearing.
 
Public Safety: SB 256 would prohibit vehicle recyclers from receiving catalytic converters that are not attached to a vehicle, and require a VIN to be etched into any converter they sell. .Many car thefts in greater New Haven were motivated by attempts to steal catalytic converters, which contain precious metals. Converters have been openly removed from cars in  parking lots. Reportedly, some car models are at more risk than others. Here’s a link to testimony on the Public Safety bill I cosponsored, and also testimony on a similar proposal that we heard in Judiciary.
  
SB 256  passed the Public Safety Committee and is headed for the Senate.