At 2:55 a.m. today, a bat made its entrance in the House of Representatives, circling the ornate, high-ceilinged chamber to the amusement and discomfort of legislators. And then things got weird. House Republicans bitterly objected to the prospect of beginning a debate on a major energy bill at 2:55 a.m., a debate delayed by a […]

A sweeping education bill that calls for tougher high school standards, a more demanding evaluation system for teachers and a greater voice for parents in school governance won approval in the state House of Representatives early today. After some political maneuvering, lawmakers combined elements of two separate education bills into a single landmark bill that […]

The Democrat-controlled General Assembly will attempt to wipe a $726 million deficit from the next state budget today as the 2010 legislative session approaches its midnight deadline. Despite House and Senate leaders’ assertions that rank-and-file Democrats grudgingly endorsed the $19 billion package, which avoids tax hikes but cuts nearly $172 million from current programs and relies on […]

A bill creating tax incentives to school systems that use buses with 3-point seat belts, paid for by increasing the fines to reinstate suspended licenses, has unanimously passed the Senate. It now heads for Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell‘s desk. “A lot of schools are going to take advantage of this,” said Rep. Antonio Guerrera, […]

State legislators got a crash course in budget high finance Tuesday, mixed with a dash of constitutional law. After more than 12 months of planning, securitization – that mysterious financial process that can close a $1 billion-plus budget gap without tax hikes or deep program cuts – was yanked unceremoniously off the budget table. In […]

The House gave final legislative approval at 6:01 a.m. today to a bill that subsidizes solar power, encourages energy efficiency and exerts influence over a deregulated electric industry that has given Connecticut the nation’s second-highest electric rates. The most heavily lobbied bill of year was passed 20 to 14 in the Senate on Tuesday night […]

Kermit the Frog was right all these years. Despite what Gov. M. Jodi Rell declared in her State of the State address in February, it’s not easy being green, at least not in Connecticut. Last week, Gov. Rell proposed hijacking $54.5 million of energy efficiency and renewable energy funds annually to help plug the deficit. […]

In these tight fiscal times, state legislatures across the nation are examining almost every imaginable creative financing scheme to avoid program cuts and broad based tax increases. One of the more troubling is Connecticut’s plan to borrow to plug a $1.3 billion revenue hole intentionally left in the $18.9 billion state budget that begins July […]

A bill aimed at enticing businesses to open in the towns surrounding Bradley International Airport is headed for the governor’s desk. The bill that passed almost unanimously by the House Tuesday provides tax breaks and exemptions for existing and startup manufacturing businesses. The bipartisan bill will “help expand jobs in this state,” said Rep. Mike Alberts […]

The Senate has begun debate on an energy bill that turned into the session’s most heavily lobbied piece of legislation. Here is our most recent story.

Over Republican objections, the Senate Tuesday night gave final approval to a $362 million plan favored by Gov. M. Jodi Rell to build a new hospital tower and research facilities at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington. The legislation would make the financially troubled UConn Health Center part of a regional health network […]

The tentative state budget deal presented to legislators this morning relies on more than $15 million in savings tied to reduced prison populations, as well as additional cuts targeting tourism programs and an already-delayed state contract review agency. According to draft documents obtained by The Connecticut Mirror, the plan would reduce overall spending by $171.8 […]

Here are the bills marked as a “go” in the House today. The “go list” is a misnomer. These are bills ready to be debated, not ones that are guaranteed to come before the House. G O L I S T Tuesday, May 4, 2010 Cal. No. Title File No. Action FAVORABLE REPORTS 0113 Substitute […]

The Senate recessed at 1:30 a.m. today without debating an energy bill whose prospects are growing dimmer as the General Assembly nears its annual adjournment deadline of midnight Wednesday. The Senate Democratic majority followed Monday night’s session with a caucus to review changes in the bill and determine if there is the support to take […]

Texting while driving, budget transparency, vocational-technical education, child day care subsidies and concussions: While much attention is focused on the state budget, the state legislature is spending its last few days of the regular session dealing with myriad other issues as well. One bill sent to Gov. M. Jodi Rell Monday is aimed at improving […]