Raghib Allie-Brennan

State Rep. Raghib Allie-Brennan (D-Bethel, Danbury, Newtown, Redding) – House Vice-Chair of the Energy and Technology Committee – today brought out House Bill 6571 and urged his colleagues to support the legislation.

"Eliminating barriers for employers to invest in zero-emission vehicle infrastructure and resiliency measures will also help the state reach its greenhouse gas reduction targets and meet its zero emission vehicle deployment goals," said Rep. Allie-Brennan.

HB 6571, An Act Concerning the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Program, offers businesses a tool to pay for zero-emission vehicle infrastructure and resiliency measures and makes certain projects eligible under the Green Bank's Commercial Assessed Clean Energy Program (C-PACE). It exempts the projects and zero-emission vehicle refueling infrastructure from certain program standards and requires the Green Bank to develop separate eligibility criteria for resilience projects.

A "zero-emission vehicle" is defined in the bill as a battery electric vehicle, hybrid electric vehicle, range-extended electric vehicle, and any vehicle certified by the California Air Resources Board executive director to produce zero emission of any criteria pollutant under all operational modes and conditions.

Examples of resiliency measures include mitigation against sea level rise, coastal degradation and inland flooding; the use of sustainable building materials, practices and landscapes design green roofs and tree canopies; and urban farming and community gardens.

House Bill 5592, An Act Redefining "Veteran" and Establishing a Qualified Condition Review Board, will allow Connecticut to provide veterans' benefits to those who were deemed ineligible based on their sexual orientation.

Estimates have found over 100,000 American veterans received less-than-honorable discharges from the service for their sexual orientation between World War II and the repeal of "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

"The brave Americans who served this nation deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and deserve the benefits they earned," said Rep. Allie-Brennan. "Who you are or who you love shouldn’t have an impact on the care you receive. This bill will correct an incredible injustice."

Benefits the legislation would restore include insurance, education and employment opportunities, and the right for burial in a military cemetery.

All of the public hearing testimony on HB 5592 supported this legislation, including that of Veterans' Affairs Commissioner Thomas Saadi.

 

"I want to thank all those involved who supported these important measures, which I co-sponsored, and I am also grateful to my constituents for entrusting me with the people's business," said Rep. Allie-Brennan. "Onto the Senate."

 

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