Thumbs up/down, the session edition
Thumbs up to a two-year $43 billion state budget deal agreement being reached in advance of the General Assembly’s Thursday deadline. Now, that wasn’t a stretch given the Democratic majority, but we’ll take it given that some lawmakers are probably still recovering from the epic 2017 session that didn’t result in a budget being signed by former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy until Halloween. Lawmakers’ work isn’t quite done. Among other things, they need to approve a tentative agreement Gov. Ned Lamont reached with the Connecticut Hospital Association to settle a 2015 lawsuit over a state hospital tax.
Thumbs down to lawmakers who fail to recognize that it’s a bad idea to give a free pass on transparency to a $200 million privatepublic partnership aimed at enhancing Connecticut schools. State Sen. Mae Flexer, D-Killingly, summed up the problem succinctly as she sought a remedy in the session’s closing hours: “I think it’s outrageous that the language in the budget made it so there’s no ethical or Freedom of Information oversight of that money.” If the goal is to educate children, this was an inappropriate lesson on ethics.
Thumbs up to raising the minimum wage, which should have a positive impact on the lives of 300,000 Connecticut residents. The current standard of $10.10 would increase to $11 an hour in October, with gradual increases until it reaches to $15 in 2013. Lawmakers made a reasonable concession to limit 16- and 17-year-old seasonal workers to 85 percent of the minimum wage for 90 days, after which they would receive the full amount.
Thumbs down to the failure of a measure that would have given all adult adoptees access to their original birth certificates. Currently, only people whose adoptions were finalized on or after Oct. 1, 1983, can access their original paperwork. We support the measure, while appreciating that lawmakers are struggling with the issue. But they should not have tabled the matter, which only serves to dodge making a difficult choice. Adoptees in pursuit of family medical histories and a fuller sense of identity deserved for this to come to a vote. The decision to research their personal history should be up to them, not lawmakers.
Thumbs up to Connecticut finally improving its family and medical leave law to include pay. Starting in July 2021, up to 12 weeks of wages would be provided on a sliding scale. The six-year campaign nearly stalled as Lamont and fellow Democrats reached an impasse before settling their differences.
Thumbs down to legislators failing to make it easier for people to vote, then blaming one another for it. The legislation would, among other things, have allowed the use of electronic signatures to sign election-related documents and instituted an automatic voter registration system. Secretary of the State Denise Merrill blamed Republican gamesmanship; they fired back in kind. Democracy was not served.
Thumbs up to the session resulting in tighter gun laws in Connecticut. Lamont has already signed bills that will require safe storage of firearms in households with children, along with a ban on “ghost guns” that are assembled from parts purchased online.
Thumbs down to Republicans creating a fight over a new law that would prevent police officers from shooting into a fleeing vehicle. “We should not be telling (officers) what they need to do,” Republican Rep. Rosa Rebimbas of Naugutuck reasoned. Yes, you should. Everyone needs oversight, including law enforcement. This measure was inspired by recent shootings of two unarmed drivers in New Haven and Wethersfield.