2019 Legislative Items
June 27, 2019Budget
The $43 billion two-year budget:
- Includes increasing the Rainy Day Fund balance to more than $2 billion, the largest in CT history
- Rejects the broad scope of the Governor’s proposed sales tax expansions
- Avoids an initial projected deficit of over $3 billion
- Maintains level state aid for education and cities and towns
- Funds an agreement with hospitals for improved healthcare access, protecting thousands of jobs and avoid costly litigation
- Maintains funding levels for dozens of crucial state programs
- Avoids the teachers' pension cost shift to towns
- Addresses the growing teachers’ pension liability
- Stabilizes the teachers’ pension fund as well as payment levels in the coming years
Growing Our Economy
- Opens up the Angel Investor tax credit to more industries and small businesses, including those that are minority & women-owned
- Improves the workforce development pipeline to help employers fill thousands of position in the fields of engineering and advanced manufacturing
- Revises the Transfer Act to stimulate commercial real estate transactions and economic growth
- Creates a marketing plan and incentive programs to promote CT as a hub for the emerging bio-science industry
Supporting our Workforce
- Increases the minimum wage incrementally to $15 per hour over the next 5 years. This will ensure greater economic security for working families
- Establishes the Family and Medical Leave Insurance program through employee contributions so that no one has to choose a paycheck over caring for a family member
- Allows for police officers, parole officers & firefighters to receive certain workers’ compensation benefits for PTSD caused by traumatic experiences on the job