State Capitol Update for the Week of May 17

May 21, 2021

It is good to be back in the district today after a long week in Hartford.  As we move to some of our thornier pieces of legislation, with more of us in and around our chamber, even the difficult negotiations include gratitude for the ability to be together to have them: a difficult compromise feels more solid when struck in person than it does on a Zoom screen.  
 
If you are one of the people that watches debate on the floor from time to time, you may have noticed that our district has been a theme of regular banter from the dais.  The Speaker of the House, Matt Ritter, has made it a point that every time he recognizes a legislator on the floor, he names not only their district, but every town they represent.  It’s a gesture of respect, but it’s also become a source of amusement as we test his abilities, and there has been a lot of conversation about whether he could rise to the ultimate challenge and name all nine towns in the 64th District.  I am pleased to report that, on Thursday night, when I brought out a Public Safety bill, he did just that.  Good leadership!
 
One of the most significant bills in Public Safety this year is HB 6451, “An Act Concerning Gaming Agreements with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe and The Mohegan Tribe of Indians”.  This bill, which we passed yesterday night, is the result of many long hours of negotiation over the last year, and the culmination of multiple legislative proposals for many years before that.  It legalizes sports betting and online gaming, creates a new regulatory framework, generates significant revenue for the state, and materially enhances consumer protections and investment in resources for prevention and treatment of problem gambling.

I am particularly proud of that last part: while online gambling will be accessible to more people, the protections we put in place will make it significantly easier to enforce age limitations, catch addictive or financially calamitous behavior earlier, and prohibit other illegal bets from taking place.   It’s also been a thoroughly bipartisan and principled negotiation and debate.  I respect and understand the rationale of those who chose not to support the bill for a variety of reasons, and am very proud of the strong bipartisan support we achieved, on an issue that has been contentious in the past. 

Here’s a list of today’s topics:

  • Financial Report Update. Click here.
  • Legislation Passed this Week. Click here
  • Variant Update. Click here.
  • Nursing Home Update re Nursing Homes. Click here.
  • COVID Alert Map. Click here.
  • Executive Orders. Click here.
  • Connecticut DOL Reinstates Weekly Work Search Requirement. Click here
  • Insulin Savings for CT Residents. Click here

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “Data Tracker.”

AnchorAnother strong financial report for Connecticut
 
In another sign of the growing strength of Connecticut’s economic recovery, this week we received the monthly fiscal update, which revealed that Connecticut will have an additional $500 million in surplus funds (on top of our existing surplus) in the fiscal year ending June 30th. $300 million of this will be contributed to our pension fund since the Budget Reserve Fund (also known as the “Rainy Day Fund”) is already full.   

AnchorLegislation Passed This Week

HB 5429
Reckless and distracted driving, even in work zones and school zones, are unfortunately still a problem across our roads and highways. HB 5429 is a commonsense approach that will enhance motor vehicle safety, keeping all those on the road safer. 

HB 6107

Zoning has been a divisive and thorny topic this year, as it touches on issues of foundational importance that affect us where we live.  There have been a number of zoning bills proposed, and a lot said about them, particularly on social media, some of which is not accurate.  Several of those bills (including SB 1024), I do not support.  The bill we passed this week, HB 6107, did earn my support.  This is a complicated area of law, so I think it deserves more background. 
 
The framework for zoning in our towns is 100 years old now.  For those 100 years, the state has given authority to towns regarding what they can do, cannot do, and may do with respect to planning and zoning.  It’s nothing new. Some towns have chosen to opt out of zoning entirely.  But a lot has happened in 100 years, and we are certainly due for an update, which this bill provides.  The bill does not eliminate local decision making, and actually provides additional tools for towns (including tools to opt out entirely).  It adds clarity, transparency and consistency to local zoning regulations.
 
The bill changes the way “accessory dwelling units” (ADUs) are treated.  An ADU is an apartment over your garage, or in a part of your house with a separate entrance.  They can allow an elderly parent to move in and maintain privacy, adult children to have some affordable independence, or a way to make a little extra income for a homeowner.  This bill vests more authority in the homeowner, streamlining the process to create an ADU, as long as it meets whatever regulations that local boards and commissions create for these units.
 
The bill requires training for elected Zoning Commissioners including education on alternative or affordable housing.  Towns will not be responsible for training or code development costs, and state and regional groups are willing to provide training, which can be conducted online. Some groups are already offering training to commissioners, and many planning and zoning commissioners already volunteer for these trainings. Municipalities would not bear the burden of these costs. 
 
And the bill enhances the ability of towns to plan accurately and efficiently with respect to traffic and parking. Traffic flow will be measured more accurately, so our local boards can make data-driven decisions about local development. Those decisions will be made by town bodies. The bill limits artificially high parking minimums, allowing towns to control both building costs and the environmental impact of multiple automobiles in limited space.  Towns may also opt out of this requirement.
 
AnchorData updates on variants in Connecticut
 
The following data contains the cumulative number of SARS-CoV-2 variants that have been identified among Connecticut residents as of today:
 
Variants of concern
 

  • B.1.1.7 (first detected in the United Kingdom): 2,765 cases
  • B.1.351 (first detected in South Africa): 28 cases
  • P.1 (first detected in Brazil): 93 cases
  • B.1.427 (first detected in California): 62 cases
  • B.1.429 (first detected in California): 144 cases

 
Variants of interest
 

  • B.1.526 (first detected in New York): 852 cases
  • B.1.526.1 (first detected in New York): 202 cases
  • B.1.525 (first detected in Africa and Europe): 17 cases
  • P.2 (first detected in Brazil): 7 cases
  • B.1.617 (first detected in India): 0 cases
  • B.1.617.1 (first detected in India): 0 cases
  • B.1.617.2 (first detected in India): 2 case
  • B.1.617.3 (first detected in India): 0 cases

 
Substitutions of Therapeutic Concern

  • E484K: 854 cases
  • L452R: 436 cases

 
For more information on variants, see page 7 of this week’s extended COVID-19 data report.
 
AnchorWeekly update on the impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes and assisted living facilities
 
The following documents contain the weekly data regarding each of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Connecticut that have reported positive cases of COVID-19 among their residents. The data is presented as it was reported to the state by each of the facilities.
 

**DownloadReport from May 20, 2021 on COVID-19 in Connecticut nursing homes
**DownloadReport from May 20, 2021 on COVID-19 in Connecticut assisted living facilities

 

 
AnchorWeekly update of the Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 Alert Map: 8 of 169 municipalities in red zone alert level
 
The Connecticut Department of Public Health today released its weekly COVID-19 Alert Map, which indicates that 8 of 169 towns and cities in Connecticut are currently in the red zone alert level, the highest of the state’s four alert levels.
  
The COVID-19 Alert Map is updated every Thursday afternoon and can be found within the Data Tracker page of the state’s coronavirus website at ct.gov/coronavirus.
 
AnchorGovernor Lamont signs executive orders as part of ongoing response to COVID-19 pandemic
 
Governor Lamont today signed two executive orders as part of his administration’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They include:
 

  • Executive Order No. 12A: Revises the executive order issued Tuesday updating the state’s mask and face covering protocols to further clarify details on mask requirements for high-risk and high-density settings.
  • Executive Order No. 12B: Terminates several previously issued executive orders, extends the duration of others until June 30 or July 20, 2021, and makes minor revisions to some of the orders that are being extended.

 
AnchorConnecticut Department of Labor reinstates weekly work search requirement effective May 30
 
Connecticut Department of Labor Commissioner Kurt Westby today announced that the work search requirement for unemployment benefits will begin again on May 30, 2021. The mandatory work search requirement was waved on March 19, 2020, as part of Connecticut’s public health response to the pandemic. The waiver allowed unemployment claimants to receive benefits even though they were not engaged in work search activities that are normally a condition of unemployment benefits.
 
Connecticut joins more than two dozen states in restoring the work search requirement and, beginning May 30, 2021, will require claimants to document their efforts to find a job.
 
For more information, read the press release issued today by the Connecticut Department of Labor.

AnchorCT Residents Can Now Save Up To 50% Off On Insulin

Anyone living in Connecticut can now save on the cost of insulin by accessing an ID card through the State of Connecticut Drug Discount Program, regardless of insurance status or health care provider.

Connecticut residents can create a personalized discount card online through the program to obtain certain forms of Novo Nordisk insulin at 50 % less than the retail cost.

To receive the discounted prices, residents must simply present their card when purchasing their insulin medication. Discounted medications available through the program include:

  • Novolin R 10ml vial ($25)
  • Novolin N 10ml vial ($25)
  • Novolin 70/30 10ml vial ($25)
  • NovoLog® 10ml vial ($120)
  • NovoLog® PenFill Cartridge - 5x3ml ($180)

The discount cards will be accepted at all participating Connecticut network pharmacies.