Gov. Lamont is using his first budget to start a conversation, rather than drive specific solutions, about a host of key issues ranging from tolls and sports betting to recreational marijuana and labor cost-savings.
Clarice Silber
Clarice Silber was a General Assignment Reporter at CT Mirror. She formerly worked for The Associated Press in Phoenix as a legislative and general assignment reporter. In 2016, she conducted extensive interviews and research in Portuguese and Spanish for the Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative team at McClatchy, which was the only U.S. newspaper to gain initial access to the Panama Papers. She is a Rio de Janeiro native and graduated from the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism.
Posted inHealth
Lamont’s health budget vs Connecticut hospitals
Gov. Ned Lamont’s new budget replaces a previously approved tax cut for hospitals with a $43 million tax hike.
Posted inMoney
Lamont presents $43 billion, two-year plan to legislators
The two-year state budget lays the groundwork for tolls, shifts more pension debt onto future taxpayers, deals another blow to hospitals, but closes a multi-billion dollar shortfall without raising the income tax.
Posted inJustice
Lawmakers take up bills to strengthen felons’ voting rights, change inmate count practice
Connecticut is one of 22 states where felons lose their voting rights during incarceration.
Posted inGovernment
Paid family and medical leave a point of contention at Capitol
Lawmakers heard hours of testimony from supporters and opponents of paid family and medical leave Thursday.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Group pushes health insurance for undocumented residents
An immigrant advocacy group has unveiled a measure that would allow residents without legal status to purchase private health insurance, a bill they say would be the first of its kind.
Posted inPolitics
Senate GOP calls for public-private partnerships, new tax incentives
Republican lawmakers aim to lower government costs by implementing public-private partnerships with state human services agencies.
Posted inPolitics
Ex-Senate GOP counsel charged with defrauding PAC
Prosecutors say Michael J. Cronin stole a total of $267,800 from a GOP political action committee.
Posted inPolitics
Democrats revive ‘Time’s Up Act’ to combat harassment, assault
Senate Democrats announced the tail end of their legislative agenda on Friday, highlighting their focus on strengthening gender equity and passing a revived bill aimed at overhauling Connecticut’s sexual assault and sexual harassment laws.
Posted inJustice
Lamont’s prison chief questioned about tenure in Utah during confirmation hearing
Corrections nominee Rollin Cook was grilled during a wide spanning confirmation hearing Thursday about his tenure as head of Utah’s department of correction.
Posted inHealth
Lawmakers seek to curb youth access to e-cigarettes, tobacco
An e-cigarette. Connecticut lawmakers are sounding the alarm on teen vaping and tobacco use with a wave of legislation that would impose further restrictions on the products and attempt to curb youth access as states across the country are taking up similar measures. Bills introduced from both sides of the aisle or with bipartisan support […]
Posted inEnergy & Environment
Eliminate third-party electricity suppliers, officials urge
“We continue to see widespread and persistent marketing abuses by suppliers,” the state’s Consumer Counsel says.
Posted inJustice
Officials say prison population declines have slowed
The shrinking of the state’s prison population is hitting a slowdown after several years of dramatic declines.
Posted inPolitics
Lawmakers take aim at new and revived gun bills
Connecticut lawmakers are pushing an array of firearm bills that highlight issues regarding gun safety, rights, and reforms.
Posted inPolitics
Marijuana legalization debate gets heated at Capitol press conference
Bo Huhn, the spokesman for the Connecticut chapter of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, speaks at a press conference Wednesday. The debate over whether Connecticut should legalize recreational marijuana got heated at the State Capitol Wednesday as advocates opposing legalization held a press conference that was repeatedly interrupted by heckling pot supporters. “I believe we really do […]