AT THE CAPITOL
The 2022 legislative session ends tomorrow. It has been both the shortest session and one which did not hold the traditional last Saturday to discuss the budget adjustments. They continued to be discussed over the weekend and will be reviewed and voted on during Monday and Tuesday. The budget is set to be $24 billion with $600 million in tax cuts, extending the 25-cent gas holiday through December 1, 2022.Most of the $600 million in tax reduction is guaranteed for only one year.
LEGISLATION
With public access to the Capitol heavily restricted and the legislature only meeting in session infrequently, the passage of bills has moved more slowly than usual throughout this legislative session. Many committee bills were enjoined into a single bill to run on the floor, and others are being placed on the consent calendar. There are also many bills that are being included in the budget implementer so they can be passed without taking up time on the floor of the House or the Senate.
Some bills that are or were being discussed that would have a statewide effect and may be on the way for the governor’s signature include:
HB5417, AN ACT CONCERNING JUVENILE JUSTICE AND SERVICES, FIREARMS BACKGROUND CHECKS, AND LARCENY OF A MOTOR VEHICLE.
SB459,AN ACT CONCERNING THE CORRECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE USE OF ISOLATED CONFINEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY FOR CONDITIONS OF INCARCERATION.
HB5414, AN ACT CONCERNING THE CORRECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE USE OF ISOLATED CONFINEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY FOR CONDITIONS OF INCARCERATION.
SB163, AN ACT PROTECTING EMPLOYEE FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND CONSCIENCE.
SB10, AN ACT CONCERNING CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION.
SB6, AN ACT CONCERNING PERSONAL DATA PRIVACY AND ONLINE MONITORING.
SB4,AN ACT CONCERNING FALSE CLAIMS AND OTHER PROHIBITED ACTS.
Several bills are still being worked on during the last few days of the session. Some have been included in the Court Ops bill and some didn’t make the cut in a timely fashion, but had there been a longer session they would have had a better chance of being approved. Next year’s longer session will provide sections ample time to communicate with other sections to assure their support on language for proposed bills.
SENATE MEMBERS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MEMBERS
RULES COMMITTEE
The Annual public hearing, which includes approved issues from throughout the year, will take place on Monday May 16, 2022 at 10:00 a.m., followed by a meeting of the committee to approve issues to be forwarded to the Judges Annual meeting in June.
JUDGES
Two Judges Schools should conclude in time for more than forty new judges to join for the annual judges meeting in mid-June. The last group of nominees were approved on April 29, putting aside their prior legal responsibilities to attend judges school and face their new challenges.
TELEVISION COVERAGE
CT-N, The Connecticut Network, provides daily live and taped coverage of the legislature's activities. When hearings, committee meetings or floor sessions are being taped, live video coverage will be available in the Capitol and LOB over the in-house television system. House and Senate sessions will be covered in their entirety and selected hearings and committee meetings will also be covered. This live coverage can be viewed in-house on the channel assigned to the room where the proceeding is taking place. CT-N itself can be seen on channel 98 of the in-house system and on Comcast Cable’s Hartford system.
CT-N is available full-time on cable TV statewide, and on basic or expanded cable in most of the state.
For more information on The Connecticut Network or to find out where CT-N is available in your area, visit their website at www.ct-n.com or call (860) 240-1400.