April 28 Session Updates

April 28, 2022

The House just passed HB 5172 to allow retired municipal police and fire department employees to continue serving their communities as school security officers without risk of losing their retirement benefits. Through this initiative municipalities can access a qualified talent pool to address current staffing shortages.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2022&bill_num=5172

 

We're facing a critical truck driver shortage – and many good paying roles are currently unfilled. SB 334 will open opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals, allowing them to gain a career in a currently in-demand industry.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2022&bill_num=334

 

Our children's lives have become increasingly virtual and with that, they face increasing risk of encountering potentially harmful and inappropriate communication. HB 5468 creates a new law prohibiting this dangerous communication and setting additional penalties to keep our kids safe online.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2022&bill_num=5468 

 

🍭 How sweet! The House just passed HB 5498 to designate a Connecticut invention, the lollipop, as the official state candy.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2022&bill_num=5498

 

CT just took big steps to protect your personal information. SB 6 essentially lays out a consumer "bill of rights" by providing individuals the right to see which companies are collecting their personal data and opt out of sales or sharing of their information – giving consumers, not corporations the control.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2022&bill_num=6

 

The Board of Regents and Board of Trustees play a critical role in overseeing our state universities and community colleges. SB 18 requires proper training of new board members to the Board of Regents and Board of Trustees so that they are adequately prepared to carry out their responsibilities.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2022&bill_num=18

 

JUST PASSED: SB 93 expands financing for zero-emission vehicle infrastructure and resiliency measures – helping the state to build out the infrastructure needed to support the increasing demand and putting Connecticut on the road towards a greener future.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2022&bill_num=93

 

Hate crimes have become a systemic issue and with incidences on the rise, Connecticut needs a clear set of resources and best practices to report and investigate hate crimes and criminal acts committed by extremist groups. SB 217 establishes the Hate Crimes Investigative Unit within the State Police to combat the problem.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2022&bill_num=217

 

Mitigating the effects of climate change is an urgent matter and hitting our target of zero greenhouse gas emissions in the electric sector is one of the more meaningful steps in addressing this problem. SB 10 reaffirms our commitment to slowing the acceleration of the climate crisis by codifying a set target for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2022&bill_num=10

 

JUST PASSED: The House is continuing to prioritize a clean energy focused future by passing SB 176 to continue building out local deployment of solar power and creating several clean energy jobs.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2022&bill_num=176

 

The state's prevailing wage laws exist to ensure compensation transparency and fairness for workers – just passed through the House, SB 418 will implement reasonable measures to hold accountable contractors who have repeatedly violated these laws.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2022&bill_num=418

 

The child care industry was hit hard by the pandemic and as we look to rebuild, we know this is an area where we must focus our attention. With the passage of SB 408, the House just acted to develop and implement a small business child care incentive program to promote the expansion of existing child care centers and the development of new child care centers in the state.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2022&bill_num=408

 

Student athletes should have the opportunity to build their brand – and last year, the General Assembly worked to allow athletes to profit off their name, image, and likeness. Just passed, SB 20 builds on this initiative by laying out the steps to include their team's logo in those endorsement deals.

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2022&bill_num=20