Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Vaccine Info
  • Money
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Vaccine Info
    Money
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

Malloy, leaders close to setting scope of special session

  • by Mark Pazniokas
  • June 8, 2012
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"

The scope of next week’s special budget session at the General Assembly is expanding to include state police staffing levels, energy issues, economic development, roll-your-own cigarettes and the sale of state land.

Not on the list — at least not by late Friday afternoon as Democratic legislative leaders were to try to finalize the scope with Gov. Dannel P. Malloy — was an effort to amend a campaign finance disclosure bill in danger of a veto.

“That’s not on our list right now,” said Senate President Pro Tem Donald E. Williams Jr., D-Brooklyn. “We hope to finalize things by the end of the day and have the bill drafted over the weekend.”

House Majority Leader J. Brendan Sharkey, D-Hamden, said the House and Senate Democratic leaders agree on 95 percent of the agenda, and the leaders and Malloy have resolved about 80 percent of the scope.

Everything would be packed into one or possibly two bills to be voted on Tuesday, a session originally called to take up relatively technical bills necessary to implement elements of the budget.

But, as is often the case, the budget implementers become an opportunity to resurrect pieces of bills that died on the House or Senate calendars when time ran out at midnight May 9 on the annual legislative session.

“It’s like doing a session over again,” said House Minority Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., R-Norwalk. “Let’s just come in for one day and we’ll throw 70 bills into one omnibus ‘e-cert’ and go call it a day.”

During a special session, every bill is an e-cert, or emergency-certified bill, meaning it bypasses the usual procedures that subject legislation to review by committees and a public hearing.

Cafero said he will object to the inclusion of any subject matter that is not required to implement the budget.

The Democratic majority, however, has the votes to reject procedural challenges. It also has the ability to simply expand the call, or proper scope, of the session.

It has been clear since the end of the session that a popular Senate jobs bill would be taken up. It was a victim of a Senate-House fight over a proposal by House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan, D-Meriden, to increase the minimum wage.

Donovan agreed soon after the session ended to support the jobs bill, dropping his insistence on passage of the minimum wage.

Other issues have crept onto the agenda.

The administration would like to repeal or amend a law that sets minimum staffing levels for the state police, saying that is properly within the discretion of the administration.

The land-sale issue is a routine piece of business lost in what was an especially chaotic close of the session. Almost every year, there is surplus state land given or sold to a municipality.

Another issue likely to be addressed in special session is expanding the voting membership of the board overseeing the health insurance exchange. Consumer advocates have complained it was tilted toward the insurance and health-care industries.

The compromise is a minor adjustment. Instead of adding more members, it appears the legislature will instead grant voting rights to the state health-care advocate, who was an ex officio member.

Malloy’s staff has raised objections about portions of a campaign finance-disclosure bill, saying it was poorly drafted and imposes potentially unconstitutional reporting requirements on nonprofits and corporations.

“I have had some discussions with staff in the Senate Democrats” about the governor’s reservations, said Andrew McDonald, a former state senator who is Malloy’s general counsel. “But we were not negotiating anything.”

Malloy has until the end of next week to veto or sign the bill.

An unfolding federal investigation has given a high profile to a minor issue: a proposal to tax and increase fees on shops that allow customers to use machinery to roll their own cigarettes.

The FBI last week arrested the finance director of Donovan’s congressional campaign, accusing him of accepting illegal contributions meant to push the speaker to kill the tobacco legislation.

No evidence has surfaced that Donovan was aware of the effort or did anything to stop the bill. In fact, the measure was a Senate bill that never reached the House.

Even before the arrest, Democratic leaders were preparing to include the tax measure in the budget implementer bill.

Donovan has recused himself from negotiations over the scope of the special session, but he intends to vote Tuesday for whatever bills are produced by the negotiations.

Cafero, who opposed the tobacco bill, also has been tangentially caught up in the case. He returned five $1,000 checks to House GOP political action committees that he believes were related to the FBI case.

The FBI has told Cafero that neither he nor his staff are investigative targets.

Cafero said he sees no reason for him to drop his opposition to the tax and fees on roll-your-own cigarettes.

“I can’t think of a one,” he said. “It’s a tax on small business.”

Cafero said the administration had offered a compromise during the regular session that would have delayed the effective date until July 1, 2013, which undercuts the argument it needed to be approved in special session.

But the bill Tuesday is expected to be based on the original language, making the tax effective in 2012.

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mark Pazniokas

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
It’s time to standardize arts grants in Connecticut
by Mandi Jackson and Daniel Fitzmaurice

What all arts organizations need most right now is multi-year, unrestricted general operating support with simplified, fair processes for accountability. This would allow the arts community to better respond to the needs of Connecticut residents instead of the political process, lobbyists, or wealthy donors.

Accessory dwelling units are a good thing
by Toni Gold

Connecticut’s large, old houses are a resource that any town should treasure — not just for their charm and historical value, but because of their potential for adaptation. One tool that can help ensure the viability of these structures is zoning, and particularly zoning for accessory dwelling units (ADUs). There’s a movement to  legalize ADUs statewide. It’s a good idea whose time has come.

New Haven and Yale: Giamatti and DiLieto:  A historic moment? Or a model? 
by Neil Thomas Proto

The City of New Haven’s effort today to seek an increase in financial contribution from Yale is more historically justified than is often recognized.

As seniors complain of trouble scheduling COVID vaccines, Connecticut beefs up its appointment phone line
by Jenna Carlesso

Gov. Lamont praised Connecticut's efforts to vaccinate seniors but wasn't as eager to discuss problems with the state's appointment system.

Lamont to extend COVID emergency until April 20
by Mark Pazniokas

Unless a committee of 10 lawmakers votes to reject the declaration, it will take effect within 72 hours of signing.

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion It’s time to standardize arts grants in Connecticut
by Mandi Jackson and Daniel Fitzmaurice

What all arts organizations need most right now is multi-year, unrestricted general operating support with simplified, fair processes for accountability. This would allow the arts community to better respond to the needs of Connecticut residents instead of the political process, lobbyists, or wealthy donors.

Opinion Accessory dwelling units are a good thing
by Toni Gold

Connecticut’s large, old houses are a resource that any town should treasure — not just for their charm and historical value, but because of their potential for adaptation. One tool that can help ensure the viability of these structures is zoning, and particularly zoning for accessory dwelling units (ADUs). There’s a movement to  legalize ADUs statewide. It’s a good idea whose time has come.

Opinion New Haven and Yale: Giamatti and DiLieto:  A historic moment? Or a model? 
by Neil Thomas Proto

The City of New Haven’s effort today to seek an increase in financial contribution from Yale is more historically justified than is often recognized.

Opinion A call to save arms: is vaccination really the solution?
by Genevieve Diamant

Economic modelling done by professional statisticians is often used to claim that the ounce of prevention provided by a vaccine is much better than the pound of cure that well-funded hospitals, fully staffed with professional nurses and doctors, using effective pharmaceutical remedies, can provide. But is this actually true?

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than numbers in a prison and much more than victims of societal dispositions. This piece depicts a melanated young man draped in a cape ascending high above multiple forms of oppression. […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s like to wake up in new skin?”

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is the catalyst to all my work, and plays a major influence in each piece of work.”

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture and Art masterpieces and applying the vintage 1960’s and 70’s classic figures (Fisher Price, little people) to the make an amusing pieces. Here is my homage to Fisher -Price, Yellow […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO