Senate Democrats took the extraordinary step in the final hour of the 2015 session Wednesday of threatening to cut off debate to ensure passage on a 19-17 vote of a new state budget that raises tax revenues by $2 billion.
June 3, 2015
Posted inNews
Himes says he’ll side with Obama on key Pacific trade deal vote
WASHINGTON – Rep. Jim Himes, targeted as a key swing vote, has decided to back President Obama on legislation that would help the president negotiate a controversial trade deal with 11 Pacific Rim nations.
Posted inEnergy & Environment, Politics
Sunday bow-hunting passage ends a political saga
One of the Connecticut General Assembly’s epic lobbying campaigns, a 20-year story of close calls, colorful personalities and hardball politics, concluded Wednesday with final passage by the Senate of legislation allowing the bow hunting of deer on private property on Sundays.
Posted inPolitics
Esty effort to boost manufacturing misses by one miscast vote
WASHINGTON – It had bipartisan support, but Rep. Elizabeth Esty’s effort to boost funding of a popular manufacturing program failed by a single vote because a fellow Democrat made a mistake in casting his ballot. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., one of three Democrats to oppose Esty’s amendment, was not fully informed on what he was voting on, his office said.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Play-by-play: The budget debate
After months of wrangling over the next state budget, lawmakers took up a controversial tax and spending plan on the last day of the legislative session. Here’s how it went down.
Posted inMoney
State aid: How much is your town gaining or losing?
Connecticut cities and towns currently receive a little more than $3 billion per year from the state. Explore these maps to see details on how much your town now can expect to receive in the fiscal year that begins July 1.
Posted inEducation, Health, Money, Politics
House adopts controversial state budget
Connecticut’s long-running budget drama began drawing to a close early Wednesday as the House of Representatives adopted a $40.3 billion, two-year package that largely restores deep cuts to social services and expands municipal aid while bolstering tax revenues by almost $2 billion.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
CT restraining order bill — protection for women or an infringement of firearms rights?
Dozens of witnesses have offered their opinion on Senate Bill 650, a proposal that would enhance in several ways protection for restraining order applicants. One controversial element, however, would also abridge the rights of Connecticut firearms owners, opponents say. Here are excerpts from a sampling of the written testimony both in favor of and opposing the firearms portion of the bill.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
East Hartford taking on racial disparity in school discipline
Studies show that implicit racial bias is widespread in the U.S. They also show that it can be checked more effectively if we are made aware of our tendencies to be biased. By raising awareness of the problem of disproportionate minority contact, the ongoing dialogues in East Hartford can help adults to make fairer decisions regarding students and youth.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Connecticut women’s lives depend on fate of firearms removal bill
Two bills currently before the legislature would greatly expand protections for victims of domestic violence by ensuring that if a judge determines a victim is in imminent danger and grants a temporary restraining order, all firearms must be taken away from the person being served with the order. It’s time Connecticut closed a dangerous and unnecessary loophole that jeopardizes women’s safety and security in the home.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Budget would cut health, social services, but less than gov’s plan
Updated at 6:40 a.m.
The budget deal between legislative leaders and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s administration calls for millions of dollars in cuts to programs that serve seniors, poor families, and people with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses. But compared to the deep reductions Malloy proposed in February, many of the cuts are relatively modest.
Posted inPolitics
A second chance for Malloy’s justice reforms
Salvaged by a late bipartisan deal, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s proposal to end racially disparate sentencing and reduce incarceration for non-violent crimes was passed at midnight Tuesday by the Senate and sent to the House.