Jacqueline Rabe Thomas | Connecticut Public

The latest explanation from the state Department of Social Services for its failure to apply for millions of dollars in federal health care reimbursement has hospital officials and a key state legislator fuming. “The state should be aggressively moving forward” to collect the federal money, said Stephen Frayne, Connecticut Hospital Association’s senior vice president of […]

A legislative committee is scheduled to hear testimony today on the latest in a long series of so-far unsuccessful proposals to require seat belts in school buses–but the death of Rocky Hill student Vikas Parikh in a crash last month is giving new impetus to the idea. “From everything I have been told and have […]

When Jennifer Zampi was laid off from her job in November, her first thought was to make sure she could continue to feed herself and her two children. She immediately applied for food assistance. Three months later, she’s still waiting. “I am never able to get everything I need when I go to the store, ” […]

The state should keep domestic violence shelters open around the clock and require high-risk offenders to wear GPS ankle bracelets when restraining orders do not work, a group of state lawmakers recommend. “We are really going to change some key things for domestic violence victims,” Rep. Mae Flexer, chairman of the legislature’s bi-partisan domestic violence […]

Legislators are proposing a plan to rescue the state’s taxpayer-funded campaign finance program by significantly lowering the bar for participation by minor-party candidates. Sen. Gayle S. Slossberg (D-Milford), co-chairman of the committee responsible for election laws, said the proposal would save the Citizens’ Election Program so candidates can rely on money for their already-launched campaigns. […]

Towns across the state are required by law to spend thousands of taxpayer dollars to print notices in local newspapers to inform the public of government happenings – a mandate Gov. M. Jodi Rell is calling on the legislature to throw out. But at a time when they are already struggling to stay afloat,  newspapers […]

With demand for safety net programs growing, Gov. M. Jodi Rell on Wednesday proposed a social services budget that depends heavily on one-time federal stimulus grant money but reduces state spending on programs including rental assistance and aid for the elderly, disabled, blind and homeless. Gov. M. Jodi Rell “We have a state government that […]

Democratic lawmakers are expected to take up their first bill of the session that will extend health insurance assistance for laid-off workers, as outlined by the federal stimulus package. The stimulus law provides a 65 percent subsidy for laid-off individuals to pay for a temporary continuation of their health insurance plan for 15 months, and […]

Months after the state’s public campaign finance system was struck down by the U.S. district court, the legislature’s election committee shed some light on what their fix will include. Rep. James F. Spallone, co-chairman of the Government Administration and Elections committee, said Monday the bill to be introduced when the legislature convenes Wednesday will likely […]

Companies, organizations and others hoping to influence government decisions spent $38.6 million lobbying, said a report released on the eve on the 2010 legislative session – $1 million less than was spent the previous year, but $11.2 million more than the year before passage of a state law barring campaign contributions by lobbyists. In 2009, […]

Gov. M. Jodi Rell is again calling on the legislature to expand her budget-cutting authority as the state’s financial mess continues. “I am reiterating my call to give not just this governor but all who will follow me expanded authority to make budget rescissions,” Rell said. In recent months, Rell cut $67.2 million from the […]

A group of Democratic lawmakers laid out their recommendations to create jobs and jumpstart the economy the day before the legislature convenes. The plan – compiled from input from business owners, economists and legislators – recommends the state bond $12 million for “high-potential entrepreneurs”, create a tax credit for those investing in start-up companies, use […]

Senate Democrats Monday proposed a package of measures to help small businesses, funded by a tax on employee bonuses over $1 million paid by companies that received federal bailout money last year. Among the proposals for small businesses: Eliminate the $250 business entity tax for small businesses, create a small business loan fund and hold […]

Text messaging while driving may soon be illegal if Gov. M. Jodi Rell has her way. Rell said Saturday she plans to submit legislation that will expand current law that forbids drivers from talking on their cell phones without a hands-free device to include prohibiting sending text messages as well. “Over and over again we […]

Young workers are leaving Connecticut at alarming rates, in part because of the lack of affordable housing. But House Majority Leader Denise W. Merrill and the chairman of the state’s Planning and Development Committee Brendan J. Sharkey said Wednesday the state can and should do only so much to address the problem. “There’s no money. […]