Advocates Seek Changes To Risk Warrant Law
Her daughter died a week after asking Bridgeport police for help with a man she had been dating for two weeks who was threatening suicide, Jennifer Lawlor said. Police engaged him a brief chase after Emily Todd was on the phone with 911 explaining for more than an hour that he had a gun, which…
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Committee Checks Off Early Voting, No-Excuse Absentee Voting
Resolutions to let voters consider allowing early and no-excuse absentee voting cleared the Government Administration and Elections Committee Friday, marking the first step in a long process to amend the state constitution. If approved by the legislature, the resolutions would send ballot questions to Connecticut voters asking for greater flexibility to change state election laws.…
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Democratic Leadership To Align Competing Religious Exemption Bills
The Public Health Committee argued over transparency Friday after Democratic leaders delayed the advancement of legislation to eliminate the religious exemption to childhood vaccination requirements in order to prepare a second vehicle for the proposal. The committee has had two proposals on the controversial subject since February, but on Friday, co-chairman Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, D-Westport,…
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Gaming Expansion Still Hinges On Mashantucket Pequots
Earlier this week, Gov. Ned Lamont announced the state had reached an agreement with one of the two federally recognized tribes over gaming expansion, but his administration has since admitted that they need both tribes to sign onto the same deal. Lamont announced a deal with the Mohegan Tribal Nation over taxes on revenue from…
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Restrictions To Ease While Masks, Social Distancing Remain
The state will lift most COVID-related capacity limitations on Connecticut businesses on March 19 while leaving in place statewide mask-wearing and social distancing requirements, Gov. Ned Lamont said during a Thursday press conference. The sweeping change will eliminate the 50% capacity limits on restaurants, gyms, stores, and offices. It will also lift the limits on…
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State Delays Compliance With Paid Family Medical Leave For Itself
Connecticut businesses have been forced to comply with the state’s new Paid Family Medical Leave provision, but the state has been unable to figure out how to make it work for its non-unionized state employees. More than 60,000 businesses have signed up with the state to start a mandatory payroll deduction of 0.5 percent for…
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Workers Call For Increase In Mental Health Funding
HARTFORD, CT — Accidental drug overdoses were up at least by 13% in 2020, but according to members of the New England Health Care Employees Union, District 1199 SEIU, the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services remains underfunded in Gov. Ned Lamont’s two-year budget. “We absolutely need to restore our bed capacity, but…
Continue readingEducation Committee Tackles Equity In Funding
The legislature’s Education Committee is hearing testimony Wednesday about how to make Connecticut’s education funding formula more equitable. “What this bill does is it really simplifies the process of funding students that goes based on need,” Subira Gordon said. Gordon, executive director of ConnCAN, said the legislation increases the weight for English language learners and…
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Pedestrian Safety Bill To Move Forward
The Transportation Committee gave the green light Wednesday to an omnibus pedestrian safety bill including a pilot program allowing towns and cities to install automatic speed enforcement cameras. The panel held votes open until after 6 p.m. Wednesday, but lawmakers present voted 25 to 4 in support of sending the wide-ranging bill to the broader…
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State Watchdogs Warn of Vaccine Scams
While high demand for the coronavirus vaccine is a promising step toward beating the virus, it has also created a ripe environment for scammers, who officials say are looking to take advantage of people’s eagerness to receive a dose. “Right now, [people] want the vaccine. They want to be safe. They want a cure,” said…
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Lamont Officials Ink Deal On Sports Betting, Online Gaming With One Tribe, CT Lottery
A deal between Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration and the Mohegan Tribal Nation would allow the Connecticut Lottery a hand in online gambling and sports betting, assuming the state can get the approval of the Mashantucket Pequot Nation. Lamont announced the agreement via press release Tuesday after all three parties testified before the Public Safety and…
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Committee Vote on Changes To Police Accountability Law Was Temporarily Put On Hold
The clock is ticking on the implementation of a new standard for the use of deadly force as laid out in the police accountability law passed in July. But Judiciary Committee members came no closer Monday to moving forward with a bill that makes a few changes to the law and pushes the training deadline…
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Vaccine Supply To Grow As Over-55 Group Overwhelms With Demand
With some newly-eligible residents receiving vaccination appointments stretching into April, Gov. Ned Lamont said Monday he was confident that most people over 55 years old who wanted a shot would get one in the next three weeks. The state lowered its age threshold for COVID vaccine eligibility to 55 Monday, giving around 500,000 people their…
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Senate Sends CROWN Act to Governor
The Senate gave final passage to a bill Monday that would prohibit discrimination against women of color for wearing their hair in natural styles. The Senate voted 30-0 with five members absent. The legislation is “good law,” Sen. Jorge Cabrera, D-Hamden, said. But “this is bigger than just passing legislation.” He said it sends a message…
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After Emotional Debate, Committee Sends Aid-In-Dying To House
Lawmakers on the public health committee struggled Friday with a bill that allows a terminally-ill person to end their life. Lawmakers on both sides of the issue set politics aside and used their personal experience to guide them in making the decision to send the bill to the House.
Continue reading210 Capitol Ave Blog Adds A Reporter
Former reporter Julie Martin Banks is back on a writing beat. Banks, who was previously a reporter for the Naugatuck Daily News in Naugatuck and the Journal Inquirer in Manchester, has begun writing for the website’s 210 Capitol Ave blog.
Continue readingPublic Policy Job Listings
SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTENT CREATION ASSOCIATE: The Narrative Project, Connecticut’s only anti-racist & social justice communications firm, is seeking a full-time associate who will be responsible for developing and producing social and digital-first creative content for The Narrative Project and the organizations we serve. FOR MORE INFO AND TO APPLY
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Committee Debates Housing As A Human Right Bill
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our perception of housing as a basic need. The legislature’s housing committee debated legislation Thursday to make sure people don’t get evicted and are able to access housing. “Many believe…
Continue readingCT COVID-19 Update: 4 p.m., Thursday, March 4
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and members of his administration provided a briefing on efforts to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic. Click to watch the video.
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ANALYSIS | The Slow COVID-19 Thaw
COVID-19 cases and case prevalence, or the number of new cases per 10,000 people, dropped again this week after rising for the first time since early January. Case numbers are now at their lowest ebb since late October.
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Plan To Expand Child Tax Credit Offers Hope Along With Direct Payments
Read more from the Connecticut Health Investigative Team.
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OP-ED | Preserve Patient Benefits with Reliable Dental Insurance
Dr. Tam Le of the CSDA says dental insurance should be reliable and predictable, and dental patients should not have to overcome red tape to pursue the dental care they seek to stay healthy.
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Podcast: Bringing the Voices of the Underserved to the Table
In order to bring about real change when it comes to racism in this country, policymakers need to remember racism isn’t just about red caps, the South and Jim Crow, according to Josh Gray, Vice…
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OP-ED | A Republican Exodus is Happening, But Not Toward the Democratic Party
The headlines trumpet Republicans leaving their party, but Jonathan L. Wharton says it’s time both parties started working to recruit new members
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Public Policy Job Listings
SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTENT CREATION ASSOCIATE: The Narrative Project, Connecticut’s only anti-racist & social justice communications firm, is seeking a full-time associate who will be responsible for developing and producing social and digital-first creative content for The Narrative Project and the organizations we serve. FOR MORE INFO AND TO APPLY
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OP-ED | Making the Public Option Better
Ellen Andrews gives her prescription to improve Connecticut’s public option
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Dannehy Returns to State Service in Lamont Administration
Nora Dannehy, a highly respected federal prosecutor who most recently assisted Special Counsel John Durham’s investigation of the 2016 election, will replace Robert Clark as general counsel to Gov. Ned Lamont, his office announced Monday. …
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