Budget and Session Recap

session
June 15, 2021
Last Wednesday concluded the 2021 Legislative Session. I couldn’t be prouder of the work we have been able to accomplish as we all learned new and unprecedented ways to stay connected with each of you.
 
I am grateful for your input, participation and recommendations throughout the last few months as we worked together on issues and priorities that you care about and that I adopted as my own.
 
This session, we passed a $46.4 billion biennium budget with a $2.3 billion surplus that offers relief from the ravages of COVID-19, helps jumpstart our economy, and invests in our cities and towns, nonprofits and working families.
 
We also kept our commitment to funding local schools – ensuring we give towns predictability by honoring our formula for state grants, and ensuring no town receives less than it got the year before.
Our 2022-2023 Biennium budget: 
  • Expands healthcare for 40,000 residents and families
  • Increases town aid and fairly funds Education Cost Sharing (ECS) 
  • Increases the state's earned income tax credit to 30.5% of the federal credit
  • Fully funds debt-free community college
  • Includes relief for arts, culture and tourism
  • Includes tax relief for restaurants and allows certain businesses to keep 13.6% of the 7.35% sales tax they collect on sales of meals and beverages for FY 22
  • Supports small businesses and minority-owned businesses
  • Expands workforce training so that we can get people back to work
  • Maintains our historic balance in the state's $3.5 billion Rainy-Day Fund

In addition, we listened to many of you and provided increased funding for hospitals and local health departments in response to COVID-19. We included additional resources to those on the front lines of the pandemic including nursing homes, prisons, schools and nonprofit providers. We are also delivering the necessary tools for state agencies to safely reopen and serve our residents.

As we recover emotionally and financially from the pandemic, adopt a balanced state budget, and move forward with a wide variety of accomplishments this session, I am optimistic that Connecticut is coming back stronger than ever before.
SB 837: The continued use of forever chemicals like PFAS, which is often found in firefighting foam, pose a significant environmental hazard. Most recently, in June 2019, the state saw a spill of PFAS containing foam threatening the aquatic habitats in the Farmington River. To better support and protect our environment, SB 837 will begin take critical steps to reduce our use of PFAS.
 
HB 6448: COVID-19 offered an opportunity for municipalities to review existing policies and procedures to find new ways to serve their communities. HB 6448 will make permanent some changes made during the pandemic to improve processes, expand public participation, and streamline opportunities for our local restaurants. While I voted for this bill, I do not think it is enough and firmly believe we should expand Husky to all eligible individuals, regardless of their immigration status.
SB 759: Connecticut is home to a diverse group of individuals – but with the use of only "he/him/his," our constitution does not represent this diversity. To better reflect everyone, across all genders, SB 759 will create a task force to examine the Constitution of Connecticut to preserve its meaning while replacing gendered language to affirm that our state is home to all. 
 
HB 6688:Trucks cause extreme wear and tear to our roads, and with no means to recoup the cost to fix those roads taxpayers are all left to shoulder the burden. HB 6688 will allow for a user fee only on large trucks so that trucking companies pay their fair share to repair and maintain our roads.  
 
HB 6687: Access to healthcare is a right that should not be defined by immigration status. HB 6687 will expand HUSKY healthcare coverage, regardless of immigration status, to children 8 and under, pregnant women, and women who have just given birth.