WASHINGTON – Pressing for a vote on President Obama’s stalled nomination of Merrick Garland for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court, Sen. Chris Murphy said the nation may be heading for an “era” when there will be fewer than nine justices to interpret the nation’s laws.
Murphy, Blumenthal say Supreme Court diminished by vacancy
Posted inCT Viewpoints
A new Connecticut optimism is young, energetic — and socialistic
A 2011 Pew poll reported a higher opinion of socialism than capitalism among those aged 18 to 30. I doubted it, must be a fluke, and paid no attention. Five years later on the New Haven Green, on college campuses, in workplaces and neighborhoods I see this opinion taking positive shape.
Posted inHealth
Can an apartment cut health care costs of homeless ‘super users’?
Connecticut is part of a national demonstration program aimed at finding a new way to address the needs of homeless health care “super users.” It’s designed to test the questions: Can housing and support be the answer? Can it save money? And can it be sustainable?
Posted inHealth, Politics
CT lawmakers seek more money as House, Senate split on Zika funds
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate have split on how to fund federal efforts to fight the Zika virus, with Connecticut lawmakers playing key roles in trying to boost the amount of money that would go to states to battle the spread of the disease.
Posted inHealth
Malloy signs medical marijuana for minors bill
The measure takes effect Oct. 1 and would apply to minors with one of five medical conditions. They must have permission from two doctors and a parent or guardian.
Posted inPolitics
Merrill, DMV agree to boost ‘motor voter’ registration in 2018
It will take two years to develop, but the secretary of the state’s office and the Department of Motor Vehicles have signed an agreement to produce a system that will automatically register eligible DMV customers to vote.
Posted inNews
LOB is evacuated after power strip catches fire
The Legislative Office Building was evacuated Tuesday after a power strip in a legislator’s office overheated and caught fire, Capitol police said. Chief Walter Lee quickly extinguished the fire, but employees were being kept out of the building while the electrical system was checked for damage, police said.
Posted inCT Viewpoints
CT legislature undermining the future of its higher education system
Gov. Dannel Malloy announced last week that TheDream.US, the largest privately funded national scholarship program, will be dispersing hundreds of scholarships to undocumented immigrant students to attend ECSU. Bravo!
But while Gov. Malloy can applaud the disbursement of hundreds of thousands of dollars in private scholarships, he falls flat when it comes to supporting those very institutions poised to make the biggest impact on our state’s young people and their ability to succeed.
Posted inPolitics
In 4th Congressional District, Shaban gears up to take on Himes
The race to represent Fairfield County in Congress pits a former Rhodes scholar and Wall Street whiz kid against an attorney and former semi-pro football star with roots in local politics.
Posted inEducation
Coming to a high school near you: financial aid for college courses
Starting next school year, hundreds of children from low-income Connecticut families will have a chance to complete their first year of college entirely for free – while they are still in high school, federal officials announced Monday.
Posted inJustice
Malloy launches a last try for ‘Second Chance 2.0’ in 2016
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy stepped up efforts Monday to promote bail and juvenile justice reforms that the administration is struggling to pass in special session, while House Speaker J. Brendan Sharkey, D-Hamden, warned that Malloy still needs to win over House members.
Posted inEnergy & Environment, Politics
U.S. House votes to temporarily halt Plum Island sale
WASHINGTON — Connecticut lawmakers and environmental groups who want to stop a federal sale of Plum Island, won a key victory as the U.S. House of Representatives voted Monday to temporarily halt efforts to sell the property.
Posted inPolitics
Derek Slap seeks return to Capitol as a House member
The number of retirements among House Democrats has reached 11 with a decision by Rep. Brian Becker, D-West Hartford, not seek a fourth term representing parts of West Hartford, Avon and Farmington. Democrats have found a potential successor: Derek Slap, the former chief of staff for the Senate Democrats who now is the associate vice president of external relations for the UConn Foundation.
Posted inPolitics
It’s Ritter, Walker in contest for House majority leader
As House Speaker J. Brendan Sharkey, D-Hamden, publicly acknowledged his political retirement plans Sunday, the telephone scramble began by three House Democrats competing for two leadership jobs.
House Majority Leader Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, immediately confirmed he was running to succeed Sharkey as speaker, igniting a competition for his job between Matthew D. Ritter of Hartford and Toni E. Walker of New Haven.
Posted inEducation
Report: CT 4th worst in unfunded pension liabilities per teacher
Connecticut has the 4th highest pension costs for its public school teachers in the U.S., a new report released Monday shows. The high costs are largely attributed to a failure to save enough to pay for future pension promises, the report from TeacherPensions.org concludes.