The House of Representatives gave unanimous final approval in special session Thursday to a plan to rebalance Connecticut’s credit card in the face of shrinking tax revenues, canceling or delaying about $1 billion in financing for a wide array of projects and programs.
House rebalances state’s credit card, cancels $1B in bonding
Posted inPolitics
CT House gives retiring speaker Sharkey a video sendoff
The state House of Representatives offered a fond farewell Thursday to retiring Speaker J. Brendan Sharkey through a video that was part roast, mixed with moments of gratitude and a little advice.
Posted inNews
Bridgeport schools leader says she asked the state for help
The superintendent of one of the state’s lowest-performing districts said Thursday the state had declined her request to mandate training for the rancorous, locally elected school board.
Posted inEducation
Feds, UConn faculty settle conflict-of-interest case
A handful of professors at the University of Connecticut have agreed to pay $400,000 to settle claims that they inappropriately used federal research grants for a tech company three of them owned while not accurately disclosing their role in the company. The professors did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement.
Posted inJustice
House Democrats say Malloy’s bail reform bill is dead for 2016
House Speaker J. Brendan Sharkey, D-Hamden, declined Thursday to call Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s bail reform legislation for a vote, effectively killing of the measure for 2016. Sharkey told reporters after a House Democratic caucus that legislators support the governor’s goal of ensuring that no one is jailed only for an inability to afford bail, but they had too many questions about his approach.
Posted inJustice
Criminal-justice reformer questions Malloy’s approach to bail
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s proposal to begin an overhaul of Connecticut’s bail system with the limited step of eliminating bail for non-violent misdemeanors is viewed by the head of a national criminal-justice reform group as a political compromise of questionable value.
Posted inMoney, Politics
Only half of planned state layoffs ordered as key deadline nears
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s efforts to reduce the state’s workforce are progressing more slowly than originally planned — an issue that could worsen a likely deficit this fiscal year and pose a bigger threat to finances after July 1.
Posted inPolitics
Kudlow to headline Shaban fundraiser
Washington – Larry Kudlow disappointed many Connecticut Republicans when he decided not run against Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal, but the conservative commentator is trying to help in another way. Kudlow will appear at a fundraiser for John Shaban, a Republican state representative from Redding, who is running against Rep. Jim Himes, D-4th District.
Posted inPolitics
August Wolf faces accusations from another ex-campaign aide
A former campaign fundraiser claims in a lawsuit that Republican U.S. Senate candidate August Wolf violated election laws, created a hostile work environment with explicit sexual banter, and reneged on a $50,000 compensation deal.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Poverty should not be the cause of imprisonment in Connecticut
In 2014, at York Correctional Institution, Amy Rolon fell from her wheelchair. Nearby, correction officers watched her fall. Rolon, who was suffering from heroin withdrawal, writhed on the ground after hitting her head. She tried to climb back into the wheelchair and fell again. For 20 minutes, scores of staff members at York witnessed Rolon struggle. Nobody helped.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
Legislative witnesses hold forth on how old a juvenile should be
After stalling out during the regular legislative season, Gov. Dannel Malloy’s proposal for a Second Chance Society is awaiting action by the General Assembly later this week. Among other things, the governor asked for the elimination of bail bonds for misdemeanor offenses and that 18- to 20-years be tried as juveniles — an idea that engendered both support and opposition. The governor has now dropped the age adjustment idea as a political compromise, but a long list of witnesses provided testimony both for and against the idea during a Judiciary Committee hearing earlier this year. Here are some excerpts from witnesses on the age issue and the bail legislation as well:
Posted inPolitics
DNC delegates picked with eye toward diversity and loyalty
A postscript to Connecticut’s Democratic presidential primary played out Tuesday in caucuses to select 36 delegates to Democratic National Convention on the basis of gender, race, sexual orientation and pledges of loyalty to Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders.
Posted inNews
Malloy vetoes first bill of 2016
The first bill vetoed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy in 2016 is Senate Bill 302, An Act Concerning the Impact of Proposed Regulations on Small Businesses. In a veto message delivered Tuesday, Malloy said he supports the concept, but the bill was overly broad and burdensome to state agencies.
Posted inJustice, Politics
Malloy bows to legislature, narrows ‘Second Chance’ to bail
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy publicly acknowledged Tuesday what has been increasingly clear: The only portion of his “Second Chance” criminal justice reforms with a chance of passage in special session this week is a provision eliminating bail for minor crimes. Legislators effectively set a deadline of Thursday for agreeing on the parameters of a bail measure.
Posted inEducation
Charter school enrollment set to rise
More students than ever are about to have the chance to enroll in charter schools in Connecticut. The State Board of Education is expected to sign off Wednesday on increasing enrollment at these schools by 4 percent next school year.