Below are some highlights of the key legislation impacting Bridgeport, which now moves to the House and Senate floors for further consideration:
- HB 5507 amends a statutory provision relating to the rights of parties and intervenors in proceedings before the Connecticut Siting Council (CSC) relating to the construction of electric transmission lines. This bill was a legislative priority for me this session because it will help environmental justice communities like Bridgeport by ensuring that when utility companies like United Illuminating or Eversource submits applications to the CSC, they must not only consult city or town leaders where the project is located in, but also notify affected landowners, as well as the members of the Connecticut General Assembly who represent the location of the project. It also expands the ability for intervenors in CSC decisions to obtain judicial review of an issue order. United Illuminating's monopole transmission line project through parts of Fairfield and Bridgeport is an illustrative case study as to why HB 5507 was needed legislation. I have been working diligently with the Mayor and City Attorney’s Office in Bridgeport, as well as the First Selectman and my colleagues in Fairfield, to pressure UI to accept more community input and mitigate the detrimental effects of its project plans. We also met with UI leadership and the Governor’s Office to outline the adverse impact this project would have on the landscape, ecosystem and economy.
- HB 5466 permits the prosecution of an elections-related crime during the period of time prescribed by the statute of limitations, or the period of time ending six months after the date of referral by the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) of a complaint, statement or evidence concerning such crime, whichever period of time ends later. Currently, the SEEC may take years to investigate elections-related crime, so there must be time to bring criminal actors to justice. The only thing that deters crime is the enforcement of laws.
- HJ 171 is a Constitutional amendment that would move Connecticut toward a risk-based bail system. Reexamining and reforming the state’s bail infrastructure was another top legislative priority for me as we presently have an inability to detain people accused of committing violent crimes, but we keep poor and low-income people locked up pretrial who aren’t dangerous but can’t afford bail. Constitutional amendments must pass through the House and Senate with three-fourths majority support in one legislative term, or a simple majority in two successive legislative terms. They then have to garner majority support among voters. While this is a long process, it is also a much needed one. Bail reform is coming to our state, and it is not a matter of if but when it does.
To view the rest of the bills passed by the Judiciary Committee, please click HERE.
I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their work this session on every piece of legislation we advanced since their deliberation and intellectual rigor helped shape the outcome of our collective work as well as our partisan and nonpartisan staff for their attention to detail and keeping us on task.
In addition, everyone who testified in person, via Zoom or submitted written testimony is an important part of the legislative process. Thank you in advance for your advocacy and commitment. |
