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Dear Friend,
This is my State Capitol update for the week of June 5th.
If you prefer to watch rather than read, click on the video below to hear about the issues contained in this newsletter.
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We had a big week in the legislature, gaveling out our 2023 regular session on Wednesday night at midnight. Last night was my first full night of sleep at home in about two weeks, so I am proud of what we got done, glad to be home, and very relieved that both the fog of exhaustion and the literal smoke in the air are lifting.
The biennium budget we passed at about 1:40 am on Tuesday morning was the most bipartisan in recent history, and I have yet to find one that beats the margins of 139-12 in the House and 35-1 in the Senate. Originally, we hoped to run it at about 4pm on Monday, but negotiations continued, and continued, as we negotiated, re-drafted, re-negotiated, proofread, corrected, and amended this bill. At nearly 11pm, as the House Chair of Appropriations Toni Walker and I were standing at our desks ready to go, I got a call to come up to the dais for a final negotiation with Republican leadership over a particular section, after which we at last began debate.
The other significant bill that the Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee is responsible for is the “bond bill,” which delineates projects that the state will use its borrowing capacity to fund. It is always a long list, including large state-side programs run by executive branch agencies, down to small local projects requested by individual legislators. This year we rolled a few other bills into the bond bill. One was the school construction bill, which is exactly what it sounds like. Another was a bill we traditionally run every year, referred to as the “failure to file bill” and/or the “validator.” These bills allow for corrections of minor municipal issues which have no fiscal impact on either the state of the municipality.
This bill, House Bill 6942, was scheduled to run on our final day of session, and we used it to address another issue. That day, a nine-hour long filibuster in the Senate threatened to derail several important, and bipartisan, pieces of legislation. Among those was a major piece of campaign finance reform aimed at restoring the relevance of public financing to Connecticut’s gubernatorial campaigns after two elections dominated by wealthy self-funders. We incorporated that bill into HB 6942 to give it a better shot at passage.
In order to ensure passage of the overall bill, we did a lot of checking in with the various caucuses in the legislature, making sure that everyone had enough important issues addressed that it would earn their support. That meant that this bill was also negotiated up to the last minute. This time, as I was picking up the microphone to formally request passage, my Senate Co-Chair called with one final issue that needed to be addressed.
Ultimately, the bill passed in the House by 145-4, and by 35-1 in the Senate.
This was my first year as House Chair of the Finance committee and I can now personally attest to the tremendous amount of work that goes into this process – by colleagues and especially by our excellent staff. We were able to come together in a bipartisan way to fund the important services the state provides, while also cutting taxes for middle and working class families and retirees, and investing in economic growth.
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Now that I’m back in the district, I’m looking forward to attending local events again. Here are a few upcoming ones:
- Saturday, June 10, from 11am to 1pm: Swords to Plowshares, transforming guns into garden tools, will take place at the Community Garden at 30 Salmon Kill Road in Lakeville.
- Sunday, June 11:
- 7-11am: Sharon Ambulance pancake breakfast at the Sharon Firehouse
- Great Country Mutt Show, benefiting the Little Guild, at Lime Rock Race Track.
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Table of contents:
- COVID-19 weekly update. Click here
- Legislative Update. Click here.
- Legislation strengthening gun violence prevention laws signed by Governor Lamont Click here.
- Legislation establishing early voting in Connecticut elections and primaries signed by Governor . Click here
- Update on Sharon Hospital. Click here
- State Funding for Senior Centers. Click here
- Salisbury Housing Needs. Click here
- Falls Village Housing Trust acquires first affordable rental housing. Click here
- Timber Harvest and Defoliation Woods Tour Invitation. Click here
- Norwalk Historical Society Music and Arts Showcase. Click here
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For graphs and tables containing data on COVID-19, including a list of cases in every municipality click the button below.
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Note that the federal government is making at home test kits available free of charge. For more information, https://www.covid.gov/tests.
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| ICYMI: Here's a sample of some of the bills that we passed this week: |
Secures energy predictability, affordability, and transparency for rate payers. This bill empowers PURA to look out for the rate payers in our state.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=7
Connecticut takes a big step towards sustainable waste management with the passage of H.B. 6664. This bill establishes a funding mechanism through the CT Green Bank for new waste disposal and food scrap diversion facilities.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=6664
SB 972 requires police officer training on strategies including crisis intervention and develops recommendations on how police officers and social workers can collaborate to help people with mental illness who are in crisis.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=972
This bill continues in the realm of getting communities together for roundtable and stakeholder meetings to deal with the growing issue of gun violence, particularly in our urban centers. SB 1162 establishes criteria for communities to have these meetings to collect accurate data about the community gun violence. https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=1162
We’re continuing our focus on the mental, physical, and emotional wellness of children. SB 2 is part of a series of bills the General Assembly has passed over the last several years that focus on helping children meet all aspects of their needs. https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=2
The affidavit residential property sellers must sign attesting to the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors is a complex document. HB 6580 simplifies the affidavit so sellers can be confident in the safety and compliance of the property. https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=6580
Prescription drugs that fall into the wrong hands can cause personal damage and or death. HB 6718 will direct pharmacies to affix warning labels on containers or packaging if the substance poses a danger to children and should be kept out of reach.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=6718
We delivered on a state budget that includes the largest income tax cut in the state’s history, significant increases in funding for schools and special education, and important investments to support children, families, seniors, and safety net programs.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=6941
Senior citizens are often the target of scammers and financial predators. SB 1088 allows for qualified financial institutions to put a hold on suspicious transactions to protect seniors in cases where fraud is suspected and investigate further.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=1088
People who own mobile manufactured homes often don’t own the land under their homes. SB 988 would require mobile manufactured home park owners to give the park’s residents notice and an opportunity to purchase the park before completing a sale of the park.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=988
HB 6805: This bill expands the ability to install solar panels on condominiums and cooperatives and ensures swimming pools continue to be required to have fences around them and not just pool covers or alarms.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=6805
Healthcare providers have some of the most important jobs in the country. HB 6741 requires the Department of Public Health to take actions to discourage aggressive or violent behavior toward our healthcare providers.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=6741
HB 6669 is a sweeping measure that protect patients and prohibits unnecessary health care costs by promoting more equitable access. It establishes a drug discount card program, lowers prescription drug costs, allows for negotiating discounts with drug manufacturers, and centralizes drug purchasing.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=HB06669&which_year=2023
H.B. 6835 makes changes to public health and vital record statutes to ensure that those working in healthcare are properly trained, licensed, and certified. https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=6835
Free speech is a fundamental right. That’s why H.B. 6567 requires the UConn Board of Trustees and the Board of Regents for Higher Education to develop policies protecting freedom of expression on campus while also ensuring a safe and respectful environment for all. https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=6567
S.B. 968 requires all licensed security officers to undergo state and national criminal history records checks during license renewal. https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=968
S.B. 1 Promotes transparency in school districts and helps foster equitable educational experiences for school communities by reevaluating disciplinary measures, conducting opt-in social climate surveys, and setting guidelines for training and documentation with local school boards.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=1
SB 984: This bill streamlines the state hiring process to make it easier for state agencies to hire qualified candidates and ensure that adequate staffing levels are achieved and maintained.
https://cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=House+Cal&which_year=2023&bill_num=582
Say goodbye to sneaky subscription charges! H.B. 5314 requires businesses to obtain your consent before charging your card for automatic renewals or continuous services. Plus, this bill makes it easier for you to opt out with toll-free phone numbers, email addresses, and online options.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=5314
HB 5003: To protect students and provide a healthy and safe learning environment, HB 5003 seeks to update state laws around school climate and bullying. Additionally, this comprehensive bill aims to help recruit a more diverse teaching corps and improve transparency involving local school budgets.
https://cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&which_year=2023&bill_num=5003
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Legislation that received bipartisan support in the General Assembly strengthening Connecticut’s gun violence prevention laws was signed into law this week. The comprehensive bill includes provisions to prevent community gun violence, stop mass shootings, avoid firearm-related accidents, add protections for domestic violence victims, and avert suicides.
The legislation, House Bill 6667, was developed in consultation between the Governor and bipartisan state lawmakers. Input came from diverse stakeholders, including mayors, police chiefs, prosecutors, victim advocates, gun safety advocates, families who have lost loved ones to gun violence, and many others.
While the bill’s sections have various effective dates, portions closing loopholes in the assault weapons ban regarding so-called “other” firearms and “pre-ban” firearms became effective immediately upon receiving the governor’s signature today.
(For a detailed analysis of the bill, including its effective dates, click here.)
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Legislation creating a system of early voting for general elections, special elections, and primaries in Connecticut was signed into law this week.
The legislation, Public Act 23-5, requires 14 days of early voting for general elections, 7 days of early voting for most primaries, and 4 days of early voting for special elections and presidential preference primaries. It will apply to elections and primaries that occur on or after January 1, 2024. Every municipality in the state will be required to establish at least one early voting location and has the option of establishing more.
Connecticut is one of the last states in the nation to adopt a system of early voting. Now that Governor Lamont has signed this bill, the only states that do not permit early voting are Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire. All other states allow it.
The bill passed the House of Representatives on May 4, 2023, on a bipartisan vote of 107-35, with nine people absent. It passed in the Senate on May 31, 2023, on a bipartisan vote of 27-7, with two people absent.
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The hearing records at the Office of Health Strategy (OHS), regarding both Nuvance’s request to close the maternity unit, and their request to change the Intensive Care Unit to a Progressive Care Unit, at Sharon Hospital, are both now closed.
We are now awaiting the decision of the Office of Health Strategy (OHS). Since the public hearings several months ago, lawyers for Nuvance and Save Sharon Hospital have filed various motions, clarified arguments, and answered regulators' questions.
OHS only recently closed the hearing record for both applications, which means that no further submissions are being accepted. Although state statute gives regulators 60 days after the hearing record closes to issue an opinion, it can often take longer than that. For reference, OHS officially closed the maternity record on May 5 and the ICU record on June 7.
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Congratulations to the Falls Village Housing Trust (FVHT) for acquiring their first affordable rental housing!
On May 9th, FVHT closed on acquisition financing from CT LISC to purchase an existing 5-unit rental property. This will create the first five dedicated affordable rental housing units in the town.
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Timber Harvest and Defoliation Woods Tour Invitation - Housatonic State Forest - June 22, 2023, 1:00-3:30pm
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You are invited to attend a public outreach tour of an upcoming timber harvest, W-458, at the Sharon Mountain Block of Housatonic State Forest led by natural resource managers from the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) along with guest speaker Dr. Jeffrey Ward, Chief Scientist Emeritus, at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES).
As you likely are all well aware, there have been two consecutive years of severe spongy moth (Lymantria dispar dispar) defoliation followed by a summer drought in 2022 within the Sharon, Cornwall, Canaan, Kent region. This has resulted in the decline and mortality of numerous oaks, and other tree species, across the landscape.
The woods tour will discuss the specifics of Timber Harvest W-458, view defoliated sites, discuss current forest health conditions and learn more about the crown assessments DEEP Forestry is conducting to guide forest management decisions of affected sites. Additional topics that will be covered include forest regeneration goals, invasive plant treatment plans, wildlife habitat benefits, and results from forest research monitoring plots on site. Please see the attached PDF Invitational Flyer for additional information.
The public outreach tour will be held on Thursday, June 22nd, 2023 from 1:00-3:30 pm on Mount Easter Road at the Sharon Mountain Block of Housatonic State Forest. Access to the Forest is from Swaller Hill Road. Please RSVP by June 20th to Jeremy.clark@ct.gov so adequate parking/logistics can be planned for. There is limited parking available on site; please carpool if possible.
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Music and art have had a long and storied history in Norfolk. A list of illustrious names provides testament—Samuel Coleridge Taylor, Jean Sibelius, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Ralph Vaughan Williams, John Cage, Ben Shahn, Josef Albers, Chuck Close, Eva Hesse. Performers, teachers, students, mentors, these artists and musicians had varied roles in Norfolk but each contributed to a long-term objective that had been established in the earliest days of the 19th century: to educate and elevate; in the words of Carl Stoeckel, “to shed light on culture, music, art and other matters pertaining to higher life.” Stoeckel was referring to the name of the music hall he and his wife, Ellen Battell Stoeckel, had built on their Norfolk estate in 1906 and to the purpose for which it served. That moment in time is a fulcrum about which the narrative of music and art in Norfolk is woven.
For more information visit, www.norfolkhistoricalsociety.org.
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It is my honor to represent our district. I look forward to hearing from you about the issues raised in this newsletter, or any other topics you think I should know about. You can email me at maria.horn@cga.ct.gov or call me at (860)-240-8585. Thanks for reading, and I wish you a safe weekend.
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Sincerely,
Maria Horn
State Representative
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