Post-Session Update

June 10, 2019

The regular session ended last week with a balanced budget and a number of significant pieces of legislation poised to be signed into law. Today and in the coming week, I will share some of the highlights with you, beginning with the budget.

Budget:

  • Passed a $43 billion dollar budget that includes a Rainy Day fund balance of over $2 billion, the largest in CT history
  • Overcame an initial projected deficit of over $3 billion
  • Maintained level state aid to the town and Board of Education
  • Funded an agreement with local hospitals to improve healthcare access, protect thousands of jobs and avoid costly litigation
  • Maintained funding levels for dozens of crucial state programs
  • Avoided the teacher pension cost shifts to the town
  • Rejected the broad scope of the Governor’s proposed sales tax expansions
  • Addressed the growing teachers’ pension liability, stabilizing the fund as well as payment levels in the coming years

Growing Our Economy:

  • Expanded the Angel Investor tax credit to additional industries and small businesses, including minority & women-owned
  • Improved the workforce development pipeline to help fill employer needs for thousands of skilled employees in careers like engineering and advanced manufacturing
  • Revised the Transfer Act to stimulate commercial real estate transactions and economic growth
  • Created a marketing plan and incentive programs to promote CT as a hub for our emerging bio-science industry

Supporting our Workforce:

  • Increased the minimum wage to $15 per hour over the next 5 years to provide greater economic security to our working families
  • Established Family and Medical Leave Insurance program through employee contributions so that no one has to choose a paycheck over caring for a family member
  • Allowed for police officers, parole officers, & firefighters to receive certain workers’ compensation benefits for PTSD caused by traumatic experiences on the job

Thank you so much for your thoughtful feedback throughout the session, and your advocacy on so many important bills. Whether we have had an exchange via e-mail, by phone or in person, I have listened, studied and reflected in order to do my best to balance the diverse needs of our district and represent you in Hartford.