When students come to school worried about bullying, they can’t learn. That’s why we strongly support Senate Bill 1138, a comprehensive “safe school climate” bill before the Connecticut General Assembly. One in four Connecticut high school students – and 35 percent of the state’s 9th graders – were bullied or harassed on school property in […]
May 19, 2011 @ 12:00 am
Posted inNews
Connecticut can’t afford to lose more children to bullying
When students come to school worried about bullying, they can’t learn. That’s why we strongly support Senate Bill 1138, a comprehensive “safe school climate” bill before the Connecticut General Assembly. One in four Connecticut high school students – and 35 percent of the state’s 9th graders – were bullied or harassed on school property in […]
Posted inNews
House passes bill outlawing transgender discrimination
With every Republican in opposition, the House of Representatives voted 77 to 62 Thursday night for legislation barring discrimination against perhaps one of the last unprotected minorities, the transgender population. The bill barring discrimination on the basis of gender identity applies to employment, housing and public accommodations, including the use of restrooms – a topic […]
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Senate poised to pass paid sick days by slimmest of margins
With Gov. Dannel P. Malloy openly lobbying for the bill, proponents of controversial legislation mandating paid sick days said Thursday night they appeared to have at least the bare minimum of votes necessary for passage in the Senate. House approval is considered likely. “We’re cautiously optimistic we have the votes,” said Jon Green, the director […]
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Compromise will allow some towns to cut spending on education
Legislation that would allow communities in which student populations have declined markedly to cut school funding appears likely to pass this year–but some hard-pressed cities and towns won’t be eligible. Joseph Cirasuolo of school superintendents association: ‘That’s a very questionable public policy’ (WNPR) Rep. Andy Fleischmann, the co-chairman of the Education Committee, said legislative leaders […]
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Paychecks take a double hit from income tax hike starting Aug. 1
Many Connecticut wage earners will notice their paychecks shrinking faster than anticipated starting this August, when the Department of Revenue Services begins implementing the new $875 million state income tax increase. That’s because the tax hike, which adds three new tax rates, reduces a property tax credit and adds an earned income credit for poor […]
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Malloy at energy summit: Connect energy, economy, environment
WASHINGTON–Gov. Dannel P. Malloy today urged a group of state and local environmental officials to push the envelope on energy efficiency and to make an inextricable connection between lower energy costs, increased economic competitiveness, and a cleaner environment. Speaking at a “clean energy summit,” organized by the U.S. Department of Energy and held in a […]
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Applicants are scarce for the state’s top education job
With almost half the states looking for A-list candidates to fill vacancies in their top education positions so far this year, Connecticut’s national search has generated little interest since Education Commissioner Mark McQuillan resigned abruptly nearly five months ago. “We were hoping we would get a larger range of applications,” said State Board of Education […]
Posted inHealth
House passes most favored nation ban
A proposal to ban a controversial provision used in contracts between health care providers and insurance companies passed the House by a vote of 140-0 Thursday. It now goes to the Senate. The provision, known as a most favored nation clause, requires a hospital or health care provider to give an insurance company the lowest […]
Posted inEducation
Bill scrapping college requirement for substitute teachers heads to governor’s desk
Substitute teachers may soon need just a high school diploma to be hired, as the state House of Representatives sent to the governor’s desk a bill that would no longer require substitute teachers have a bachelor’s degree. “We’ve heard from a lot of districts it’s causing a burden on them,” said Rep. Andy Fleischmann, D-West Hartford […]
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Foley’s Greenwich house has link to Utah politician
The first person to ask a question of Gov. Dannel Malloy at today’s “Clean Energy Summit,” organized by the federal Department of Energy, was Peter Corroon, the Mayor of Salt Lake County in Utah. He prefaced his query, which focused on renewable energy, by telling Malloy, “I think your competitor last year now lives in […]
Posted inEducation
Legislators will not intervene in case of mother sending child to wrong school
State legislators do not plan on intervening this year in the case where a mother from Bridgeport was arrested for sending her child to a better school in the neighboring city. “It wouldn’t make sense to have a knee-jerk reaction. I think we will wait and look into it for possible action next year,” said […]
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MTA project director chosen to lead IT agency as workers demand upgrades
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy finally announced his new chief technology administrator Thursday, albeit with less fanfare than other agency commissioners received. But Mark Raymond, the new chief information officer of the Department of Information Technology, will face considerable challenges when he assumes his new role on June 2. Not only is DOIT slated to be […]
Posted inHealth
Test your knowledge of Obamacare vs. Romneycare
Can you tell the difference between Obamacare and Romneycare? PolitiFact has created a quiz to test your knowledge of the two health reform plans.
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Political anger closes minds
Anger is a great political motivator, Lee Drutman says at Miller-McCune, but it has its downsides, not least of which is that it makes people impervious to other points of view. Researchers who study politics and emotion say two major factors lead people to become angry over adverse circumstances, rather than fearful or anxious. One, […]