Politics & Government
State Rep. Palm Provides Update On House Bills
The state representative offers status updates on several bills and which legislative committees are addressing them.
Press release from State Rep. Palm:
March 9, 2021
Dear Neighbor,
Find out what's happening in Essex-Chester-Deep Riverfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Bills are being raised out of various legislative committees with increasing speed as we enter the third month of the legislative session. The three bill-raising committees on which I sit – Judiciary; Government Administration and Elections (GAE); and Environment – have a robust agenda and have been holding regular public hearings on an astonishingly wide variety of subjects. For example, last week Judiciary heard testimony on a bill to require a property owner to pay for the removal of dead tree limbs (rather than the neighbor on whose land the limb falls); GAE considered expanding voting access through a Constitutional Amendment on absentee ballots; while in Environment we heard the pros and cons of banning polystyrene trays in our public schools. Most days my colleagues and I are “double and triple zooming” – meaning listening virtually to several public hearings and committee meetings concurrently.
(If you would like to watch any of these public hearings, you can find out what bills are being heard, and when, by clicking HERE. Go to the CGA Schedule of Events, click on the committee you’re interested in and then click on the Agenda.)
Find out what's happening in Essex-Chester-Deep Riverfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
After committee members hear public testimony in public hearings, they then vote to raise the bills and send them on to the floor of the House (or Senate) for a vote by the full assembly. (Deadlines for this process vary, so not all committees have voted to raise bills.) Some of the more significant bills that have been heard in public hearings and have subsequently been voted out of committee include the following. (Please remember this is only a sampling. If you have a specific subject interest or would like to know the status of a certain bill, feel free to email my office and we will get the information for you.)
Environment Committee:
AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF PERFLUOROALKYL OR POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES IN CLASS B FIREFIGHTING FOAM.
*SB00838
AN ACT CONCERNING MINOR REVISIONS TO CERTAIN FISHING PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
*SB00839
AN ACT CONCERNING ELECTRONIC DOCUMENTS AND PESTICIDE REGULATION IN THE STATE.
*SB00840
AN ACT CONCERNING CONNECTICUT'S SHELLFISH RESTORATION PROGRAM AND THE CONNECTICUT SEAFOOD COUNCIL.
Government Administration and Elections (GAE)
AN ACT EXTENDING TO MAY 31, 2021, SEVERAL CHANGES IMPLEMENTED FOR THE 2020 STATE ELECTION AS A RESULT OF COVID-19.
*HJ00058
RESOLUTION PROPOSING A STATE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO ALLOW NO-EXCUSE ABSENTEE VOTING.
*HJ00059
RESOLUTION APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION TO ALLOW FOR EARLY VOTING.
*SB00901
AN ACT EXTENDING TO JUNE 30, 2021, CHANGES IMPLEMENTED FOR THE 2020 STATE ELECTION AS A RESULT OF COVID-19.
Public Health
AN ACT CONCERNING AID IN DYING FOR TERMINALLY ILL PATIENTS.
*SB00285
AN ACT ALLOWING MEDICAL ASSISTANTS TO ADMINISTER VACCINES.
*SB00326
AN ACT PROHIBITING THE SALE OF FLAVORED CIGARETTES, TOBACCO PRODUCTS, ELECTRONIC NICOTINE DELIVERY SYSTEMS AND VAPOR PRODUCTS.
*SB00835
AN ACT CONCERNING DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING PRACTICES OF LIMITED SERVICES PREGNANCY CENTERS.
Energy & Technology
AN ACT CONCERNING THE SOLICITATION OF BIOGAS INJECTION PROPOSALS FROM ANAEROBIC DIGESTION FACILITIES.
*HB06414
AN ACT REQUIRING THE STUDY OF THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE STATE.
*SB00855
AN ACT CONCERNING THE DECOUPLING OF THE PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
*SB00865
AN ACT REQUIRING THE STUDY OF ENERGY SOURCES.
Labor and Public Employees Committee
AN ACT CONCERNING BREASTFEEDING IN THE WORKPLACE.
*HB06376
AN ACT CREATING A RESPECTFUL AND OPEN WORLD FOR NATURAL HAIR.
*HB06378
AN ACT CODIFYING PREVAILING WAGE CONTRACT RATES.
*HB06380
AN ACT CONCERNING THE DISCLOSURE OF SALARY RANGE FOR A VACANT POSITION.
*HB06382
AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE PROBATE COURT SYSTEM.
*HB06383 AN ACT CONCERNING CALL CENTERS AND NOTICE OF CLOSURES.
Aging
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO PROTECT SENIOR CITIZENS FROM FRAUD.
AN ACT LOWERING THE AGE OF ELIGIBILITY FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR SENIOR CITIZENS.
*SB00056
AN ACT DETERRING AGE DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT APPLICATIONS.
*SB00812
AN ACT EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY FOR THE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESPITE CARE PROGRAM.
*SB00816
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A REVOLVING LOAN FUND TO ASSIST ELDERLY HOMEOWNERS.
*SB00897
AN ACT CONCERNING AN INCOME TAX DEDUCTION FOR LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE PREMIUMS.
*SB00900
AN ACT INCREASING FUNDING FOR AGING IN PLACE INITIATIVES.
Banking Committee
AN ACT REQUIRING THE BANKING COMMISSIONER TO ESTABLISH A FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER SAVINGS ACCOUNT PROGRAM AND ESTABLISHING A TAX DEDUCTION FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYER SAVINGS ACCOUNTS.
*HB05090
AN ACT CONCERNING MORTGAGE FORBEARANCE AND CRUMBLING CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS.
Again, this is just a sampling of the work going on at the Capitol (virtually). While we all long for the days when we can meet in person, there is no doubt that one silver lining of the pandemic is that migrating to virtual public hearings has afforded many more people the opportunity to make their voice heard.
Please help me reach your neighbors, who may be in need, by forwarding this email to them. Feel free to contact me by email at Christine.Palm@cga.ct.gov with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Christine Palm
State Representative
This press release was produced by State Rep. Palm. The views expressed here are the author's own.