Senate Leadership
June 6, 2008
Williams Says New National Job Numbers Should Spur Governor Rell to Sign Business Friendly Bills
Health care pooling and reciprocal preference bills could help struggling businesses, keep jobs in Connecticut
Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) says new national job numbers showing the largest monthly increase in the unemployment rate since 1986 should inspire Gov. Rell to immediately sign two bills that will help Connecticut businesses and job growth. (The Connecticut Healthcare Partnership--HB 5536--and the reciprocal preference bill--SB 679).
"It's time for Gov. Rell to take the cap off her pen and sign these bills into law," said Senator Williams. "The national recession is hitting Connecticut and residents expect state government to do what it can to help. The General Assembly has put two bills on the Governor's desk that can help keep jobs in Connecticut. Now it's Gov. Rell's turn to act."
There are mounting signs that the national downturn will continue to affect Connecticut. The Connecticut Center of Economic Analysis, according to published reports, projects that Connecticut will lose 24,000 jobs by the beginning of 2010. Nationally, employers have now cut jobs for five straight months and the unemployment rate is widely expected to reach 6 percent by next year.
The Connecticut Healthcare Partnership (HB 5536) would help small businesses, municipalities, and non-profits lower their health care costs. The plan would allow them to voluntarily join the state employee health insurance plan, creating a large pool of insured lives leading to increased bargaining power and lower costs.
Senate Bill 679--the so-called Golden Rule Bill--will help Connecticut businesses win Connecticut state contracts--keeping tax dollars and jobs in the state instead of shipping them elsewhere. Currently, the State of Connecticut has hundreds of contracts, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, with out-of-state companies. Many of those companies are from states that have enacted laws that make it difficult--or even impossible--for Connecticut companies to compete for their state's contracts. The President of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut, Tony Sheridan, represents just one of the many Chambers of Commerce supporting the bill.
|
Senator Williams’ Derek Slap |
Listing of Leadership’s recent press releases. |
Senator Looney’s Derek Slap |
