Shocked when they learned that there was no state agency responsible for power plant safety in Connecticut, the legislature failed to pass a bill that would have bolstered plant oversight.
The bill introduced in response to the Super Bowl Sunday explosion of the Kleen Energy plant in Middletown failed to even be called for a vote as lawmakers sped to the finish line last week. It’s likely an amendment regarding workers compensation is what killed the mostly bipartisan bill.
The power plant safety bill is just one of many the legislature failed to get to Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s desk.
A bill to regulate hedge funds, a bill to close corporate tax loopholes, and one that would allow workers to earn paid sick days all died before midnight Wednesday.
Perhaps one of the biggest losers of the legislative session was municipalities. At the last minute the legislature failed to extend the municipal conveyance tax. Given a pass this year by the Realtors Association, which generally opposes the tax, the Senate failed to include the extension of the tax on its 51 bill consent calendar.
Lawmakers and Rell have said they would like to see the tax, which brings in $20-$25 million in revenue to municipalities, extended. But municipalities will have to wait until the veto session, which is likely to occur the third week in June, to see if they’ll keep their word. The regional hotel tax, which would have allowed municipalities share three percent of hotel tax revenue, also failed to make it onto Senate consent calendar.
As far as winners are concerned, two freshman lawmakers saw their bills passed at the last minute.
Rep. Rosa Rebimbas, R-Naugatuck, saw her bill which lowers the punishment for minors that transmit nude or semi-nude photos of each other on their cellphones, pass both chambers Wednesday.
And Rep. Mae Flexer, D-Killingly, saw her package of three bills described as the “most comprehensive reforms of domestic violence policy in Connecticut in 25 years” make it through the Senate late Wednesday in the closing minutes of the 2010 legislative session, providing hope on many levels for domestic violence victims facing uncertain futures.
In addition House Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, R-Norwalk, scored a victory when his “ice missile” bill passed both chambers.
The bill imposes between $75 and $1,000 fines for drivers that fail to clean off the snow and ice off their vehicle. The effective date of the legislation is December 2013.
We know this doesn’t even come close to being a comprehensive list of winners and losers so please use the comment section below to add to this story.