| Look before you leap |
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In an effort to be as informed as possible when
making decisions for the state, legislators rely on
a number of alternatives for gathering and analyzing
data to ensure that Connecticut is moving in the right
direction.
One such option is the legislative Program Review
and Investigation (PRI) Committee that meets
year round to study the effectiveness of agency
programs and related issues. The PRI Committee is
currently studying the sunset law in
Connecticut, homeland security,
Connecticut's long term planning efforts,
Connecticut's Regional Planning
Organizations, DCF Monitoring and
Evaluation, and the BEST program
(Phase 1 of Teacher Certification). In the 2008
session, legislation will be drafted by the committee
based on the recommendations formulated from the
results of these studies.
When drafting legislation in general, it may seem
sometimes that legislators simply dive into big
issues. On the contrary, the Legislative Office Building
is actually filled with staffers, researchers, and
lawyers who aide in providing legislators with
information as possible. Sometimes this information
simply isn't enough and an issue warrants further
investigation or discussion. As a result, each year a
number of bills are passed that authorize studies
or create commissions or task forces to focus on
specific subjects. This year is no exception.
The studies authorized this year range from
studying high school graduation requirements
to the possible implementation of an earned
income tax credit. Below is a sample of some of
this year's other studies:
Blue Ribbon Commission on Housing and
Economic Development (PA 07-4/SB 1500) - To
study housing affordability needs of the state, with
particular emphasis on the impact of such needs on
economic growth and development.
Property Tax Cap Commission (PA 07-4/SB
1500) - To study and evaluate the impact to taxpayers
and municipalities of the various methods available to
limit the rate of growth of local property taxes.
Responsible Growth Task Force (PA 07-239/
HB 7090) - To identify responsible growth criteria and
standards to guide the state's future investment
decisions, and study transfer of development rights
laws, policies and programs.
Small Business Incubator Advisory Board (PA
07-4/SB 1500) - To evaluate and recommend
changes in the state's small-business incubator
program's guidelines.
HealthFirst Connecticut Authority (PA 07-
185/SB 1484) - To examine and evaluate policy
alternatives for providing quality, affordable and
sustainable health care for all individuals residing in
this state, including, but not limited to, a state-wide
single payer health care system and employer-
sponsored health plans.
The results of most of this year's studies will be
reported to the legislature by the beginning of the
2008 session. Legislators will use this information to
set future public policy. With a population of over 3.5
million, over 100 state agencies, and numerous state
laws, there is a lot at work within the borders of
Connecticut! Utilizing legislative-commissioned
studies helps cut down on complicating how state
government functions. Instead, the general assembly
can "look before they leap" and make more informed
decisions when planning Connecticut's future.
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| Newly passed legislation |
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According to the joint rules of the legislature, after a
bill is passed by both the House and Senate during
session, the Governor has 5 calendar days, exclusive
of Sundays and holidays, from when a bill is
presented to sign or veto the bill. After session has
adjourned, the bill becomes a law unless the
Governor vetoes the bill within 15 calendar days after
presentment. It takes at least 2/3 of the members of
each house to override the Governor's veto. The
Democrats currently have the numbers to do so in
both chambers.
As the House and Senate pass bills, S&L will
continue to post the bills that are of interest to our
clients that have been signed into law and become
public acts (PA) or special acts (SA), or vetoed, by
Governor Rell. The Governor has signed or vetoed all
of the regular and special session bills that were
passed to date.
The Governor recently signed the following bills:
PA 07-218 (HB 5729) AN ACT CONCERNING THE
SALE, LEASE OR TRANSFER OF MUNICIPAL
PROPERTY
PA 07-221 (HB 5707) AN ACT PROHIBITING THE
DIMINISHMENT OR ELIMINATION OF MUNICIPAL
RETIREE BENEFITS
PA 07-225 (HB 7262) AN ACT CONCERNING
ELECTRONIC INSURANCE FILINGS
PA 07-230 (HB 7392) AN ACT CONCERNING
SEIZURE AND CUSTODY OF NEGLECTED OR
CRUELLY TREATED ANIMALS
PA 07-231 (HB 6768) AN ACT CONCERNING THE
APPROVAL OF SMALL ALTERNATIVE ON-SITE
SEWAGE TREATMENT SYSTEMS
PA 07-232 (HB 7367) AN ACT CONCERNING THE
ADMINISTRATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION
PA 07-234 (SB 581) AN ACT CONCERNING THE
ALLOCATION OF PRIVATE ACTIVITY BONDS FOR
RESIDENTIAL HOUSING AND REQUIRING THE
CONNECTICUT HOUSING FINANCE PROGRAM TO
STUDY PRODUCTION AND PRESERVATION OF
MULTIFAMILY HOUSING
PA 07-237 (HB 6989) AN ACT CONCERNING
NONCOMPETE AGREEMENTS
PA 07-239 (HB 7090) AN ACT CONCERNING
RESPONSIBLE GROWTH
PA 07-243 (SB 1089) AN ACT CONCERNING THE
RELEASE, SALE AND ACCURACY OF CONVICTION
INFORMATION, THE ISSUANCE OF A REARREST
WARRANT OR CAPIAS FOR FAILURE TO APPEAR,
THE DUTIES OF BOARDS OF DIRECTORS AND
EXECUTIVE BOARDS OF CONDOMINIUMS AND
OTHER COMMON INTEREST COMMUNITIES, AND
THE DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
MANAGER
PA 07-244 (SB 1341) AN ACT CONCERNING
APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC
CONVENIENCE AND NECESSITY, PROTECTING
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE WATER SUPPLIES FROM
CONTAMINATION AND AUTHORIZING THE LEASE OF
CERTAIN WATER COMPANY OWNED CLASS I AND
CLASS II LANDS
PA 07-246 (HB 7269) AN ACT CONCERNING
CRIMINAL HISTORY BACKGROUND CHECKS,
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, REPEATED FALSE ALARMS,
THE DESTRUCTION OF SEIZED FIREWORKS,
AMUSEMENT PATRONS' SAFETY AND ASSESSOR'S
DRAWINGS
PA 07-252 (HB 7163) AN ACT CONCERNING
REVISIONS TO STATUTES RELATING TO THE
DEPARTMENTS OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND SOCIAL
SERVICES AND TOWN CLERKS
PA 07-254 (HB 7282) AN ACT CONCERNING
PROPERTY TAX DELINQUENCIES OF
TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES, MUNICIPAL
BROADBAND NETWORKS, MACHINERY
SURCHARGES AND CERTAIN TAX EXEMPTIONS
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Hurry up and wait |
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It is official - the House and Senate have announced
the Veto Session for Monday, July 23 at 10
am.
To prepare for veto session, leaders must gauge
whether or not they have the votes to override the
Governor's most recent vetoes. The vetoed bills
include the controversial legislation legalizing
marijuana for patients with prescriptions and
another bill that would offer in-state tuition to
illegal immigrants for CT state colleges and
universities.
The rumor is that the votes just aren't
there and that the legislature has no choice but to let
the vetoes stand and regroup for the 2008 session. In
fact, there has already been talk about dealing with
some of these issues again next session. If no
business is brought up at veto session, the chambers
will hold what's referred to as "a tech session" where
they simply tap in and tap out. Nonetheless, things
can certainly turn on a dime at the Capitol, so we'll
keep you posted on any change in plan.
As mentioned in last week's newsletter, the
legislature still needs to wrap up the bonding
package and transportation budget implementer
in special session as well. Word is that the
bonding package is still a work in progress and isn't
ready for action this coming Monday.
There are several rumors around the building related
to why there is no agreement. First, the Democratic
leaders want to have more involvement in setting
the agenda and that they want to be able to
control their own destiny by having a pool of bond
funds to allocate to projects important to their
constituents. Then there is the rumor that some also
want to have the "ear marks," as passed during
the committee meeting held during session, to
remain in the process along with the "pool theory".
And finally, there's the matter of just how much
bonding the state can afford to promise to
projects. It
definitely appears that for those individual projects
approved during the session, there's still more work to
be done before anyone can be assured of state
participation on capital projects. We'll keep you in the
loop!
The Governor has now signed or vetoed all of the bills
that were passed by the legislature in the 2007
regular session or special session to date:
Total number of bills signed by Governor: 261
Total number of bills vetoed: 6
Total number of vetoes overridden: 1
Next week the Sullivan & LeShane team will report on
the legislature's progress. Will the bonding package
and transportation implementer be passed
smoothly? Will the Dems manage to muster up the
numbers to override another veto? Right now, it looks
like more of the same: Hurry up and wait.
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