Senators Leone and Kasser Announce the Reopening of the Stamford DMV
STAMFORD, CT – Today, Senator Carlo Leone (D-Stamford), Chair of the Transportation Committee, and Senator Alex Kasser (D-Greenwich), Vice Chair of the Transportation Committee, announced that the Stamford DMV will resume services Friday, July 31.
As of tomorrow, the Stamford DMV will accept up to 150 online requests per day. On Tuesday, August 4, the physical location, located at 137 Henry Street, will open and additional services will be available by appointment.
“I am pleased the Stamford DMV branch office will be allowed to reopen and even expand service capabilities,” said Senator Leone. “The Stamford office was temporarily shut down due to the pandemic crisis, but the local vendor was unable to continue services creating the risk of imminent shutdown. However, our local delegation and the partnership with DMV allowed for a seamless transition to re-open the facility. I thank DMV and their leadership for their immediate responsiveness to the concerns raised, and their commitment in servicing our community.”
“When we reached out and asked DMV to make services available in Stamford, they listened,” said Senator Alex Kasser. “I’m grateful to be part of a team that works together to serve the residents of Stamford. And I’m glad to see our state government adapting to new conditions and responding to the community’s needs. This is what good government looks like!”
“The Department of Motor Vehicles has experienced a series of challenges this year as a direct result of the COVID-19 global health pandemic, reinforcing the importance of agility,” said DMV Deputy Commissioner Tony Guerrera. “In addition to improving how customers are served, we’ve recently had to develop a plan to reopen our Stamford DMV Express office after receiving notice that The WorkPlace would be unable to continue operations. Our dedicated team swiftly developed a plan to reopen the Stamford location. Today, I am proud to announce that our DMV Express Office, located in Stamford, will reopen by appointment on Tuesday, August 4th. Appointments are now available. Our employees did an excellent job reopening the Stamford office.”
Services offered at the Stamford location include:
- Driver’s License Renewals
- Learner’s Permit (duplicates and name changes only)
- Non-Driver ID Card (renewals, duplicates, name changes)
- Registrations (renewals, duplicates and name changes only)
- Disabled Parking Permits (new, renewals and replacements)
- Driver Histories
To make an appointment online, please visit their website.
Highlights of ‘An Act Concerning Police Accountability’
Highlights of ‘An Act Concerning Police Accountability’
This legislation is designed to provide additional accountability for police departments across the state to improve public interaction and to ensure officers are held responsible if they act in an unacceptable manner. It takes significant steps to overhaul current practices, including the following:
Requires police officers and correctional officers to intervene when a colleague is using excessive illegal force. If the onlooking officer does not intervene, then he or she may be charged for the same acts as the officer breaking the law.
Demilitarizes the police through the following measures:
- Bans the acquisition of military grade equipment on the Department of Defense federal control list.
- DESPP is authorized to order police departments dispose of certain pieces of equipment currently in possession.
- Prohibits any such equipment in possession from being used for crowd control or intimidation tactics.
Entirely overhauls police training in the state by enacting the following:
- All future training would be conducted by the Police Officers Standards and Training Council (POST), which would be restructured with new members and more oversight. This would be a significant shift from our current system where police training varies from state police to town police, and from town to town.
- All officers will be mandated to receive implicit bias training.
- Statewide standard would be developed for crowd control.
Sets standards for applicable for police departments across the state. Starting in 2025, and going forward, each police department must obtain and maintain accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc.
- POST will use its resources to assist departments to achieve accreditation if it is not obtained or lost in future years.
- The benefit of accreditation goes beyond building community trust, it also promotes accountability within the department and lowers risk of liability.
Authorizes an independent statewide council to revoke the certification of any police officer. Allowing POST to suspend or revoke an officer’s certification will ensure independent review is conducted of police misconduct.
- Disciplinary records would be made available to the public through FOIA
- If an officer’s certification is revoked, he or she would be barred from working for another department or as a private security officer
Eliminates qualified immunity for claims against police officers who in bad faith violate a person’s equal protection rights. This immunity prevents legal claims against officers for discretionary acts that are not willful or reckless.
- This change will make the state, towns, and officers more accountable for their actions, and make law enforcement adjust the way they have operated.
Establishes a new independent Office of the Inspector General to investigate deaths caused by police. Since 2001, 76 people have died in our state when an officer used a gun or other deadly force. After investigations by the State’s Attorney Office, only one officer was charged with a crime, and there was no conviction. The State’s Attorneys develop close relationships with police to ensure our laws are enforced, but those relations can also create conflicts of interest, which we can eliminate with a new independent Inspector General’s office.
Prohibits officers from searching you or your car simply by asking for your consent.If an officer asks to conduct a search, people often feel obligated to give consent despite their right to say no because they are afraid of escalating a situation with law enforcement or being charged for disobeying an officer.
- An officer cannot search a person without probable cause, and cannot search a car without probable cause or the driver’s unsolicited consent.
Senator Cohen Votes for Insulin Price-cap, Police Accountability, Absentee Ballot, Telehealth Legislation
Senator Cohen Votes for Insulin Price-cap, Police Accountability, Absentee Ballot, Telehealth Legislation
Special Senate Session Gives Final Approval to Four New Public Policies
HARTFORD – State Senator Christine Cohen (D-Guilford) today joined with her colleagues in a special session of the Connecticut State Senate to approve a host of new public policy initiatives to improve police interactions with residents, expand the use of absentee ballots during the COVID-19 pandemic, cap out-of-pocket costs for lifesaving insulin, and continue telehealth medical consultations during the coronavirus crisis.
The bills – which were approved by the House of Representatives last week – now head to Governor Lamont, who is expected to sign them into law.
“These important pieces of legislation are a testament to the trying times upon us,” said Sen. Cohen. “However, with widespread bipartisan support and the ability to find compromise, we’ve passed four bills that will certainly improve the lives of many across Connecticut. The absentee ballot bill is going to ensure that people who want to vote can vote this fall, regardless of concerns over coronavirus. The insulin and telehealth bills will make for a healthier populous without the stress of rationing supplies or wondering if one will have the ability to pay for a physicians visit. Lastly, the police accountability bill, with the changes incorporated after law enforcement and legislative input, will improve race relations and training across the state. I’m grateful to my colleagues for their collective hard work which made for a successful and rewarding special session.”
Highlights of the bills approved today by Sen. Cohen include:
Capping the Price of Insulin and Related Supplies
The bill caps a person’s out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $25 per month, caps noninsulin drugs like glucagon at $25 per month, and caps diabetic equipment and supplies (such as blood glucose test strips, glucometers, lancets, and syringes) at $100 per month. The bill also authorizes pharmacists to prescribe and dispense up to a 30-day supply of ’emergency’ insulin if a person has less than a seven-day supply and would otherwise not be able to obtain any lifesaving insulin.
Telehealth
The bill continues for the foreseeable future the temporary waiver of customary restrictions on online medical health care services (“telehealth”) so that during the COVID-19 pandemic more patients can be attended to in the comfort of their own home.
Increasing Police Accountability with the Public
Prompted by protests around Connecticut in response to the brutal murder of George Floyd, this bill provides additional accountability for police departments to improve relationships between the communities and the police. Highlights include:
- Changes in the membership of the Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST), which provides certifications and trainings to police officers in Connecticut. POST will be reconstituted to include persons impacted by the judicial system and towns of various sizes.
- POST will issue an annual report on police department efforts to recruit minority officers, and it will develop new crowd control policies, require implicit bias training, and ensure that police disciplinary records are subject to Freedom of Information Act requests.
- Uniformed police officers must have their names and badge numbers readily visible on all outer garments.
- Cities and towns can create civilian review boards, which will have subpoena power through their local legislative bodies (i.e. Board of Selectmen).
- Body and dashboard cameras will be mandatory for any officer interacting with the public.
- Chokeholds, strangleholds and other tactics restraining oxygen and blood flow are banned, and officers will have whistleblower protections to report excessive use of force.
- A new Independent Office of the Inspector General will conduct use of force investigations.
Temporarily Expanded Absentee Ballot Access
This bill allows Connecticut citizens who are concerned about contracting the coronavirus at a polling location to vote instead by mail in the November election– an option which had previously been denied them. Connecticut law currently only allows state residents the right to vote by absentee ballot for six specific reasons:
- If the voter is on active duty with the U.S. Armed Forces
- If the voter will be absent from town during the entire time that polls are open
- If the voter is ill
- If the voter has a physical disability which prevents them from voting in person
- If the voter’s religion prohibits them from voting that day
- Or if the voter is working at the polls in a primary, election or referendum
The COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected more than 48,000 people in Connecticut and killed more than 4,400 state residents, has raised concerns about standing in line at the polls or voting in a crowded polling location, especially for the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions, who are particularly susceptible to the coronavirus.
The new bill amends Connecticut law for 2020 only to allow for absentee voting due to “the sickness of COVID-19.” The bill also allows any person who is in line to vote before polls close at 8 p.m. to access Connecticut’s “same-day registration” procedure at that polling location, as long as they meet all of the state’s voter eligibility requirements (existing state law only allows for same-day voter registration from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. at specific locations in town, but then the voter must proceed to their own local polling place in order to cast their vote.)
Senator Anwar Joins Senate Democrats to Lead Passage of Bill to Increase Public-Police Trust Statewide
Senator Anwar Joins Senate Democrats to Lead Passage of Bill to Increase Public-Police Trust Statewide
Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) joined the fellow senators led the passage of legislation on the Senate Floor that will increase accountability for police officers who do not represent the values of the police or our state. This long term issue came back to the forefront and Connecticut legislators heard the cries of protestors nationwide as a movement erupted in May 2020 in wake of the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, among countless others, by some police and law enforcement.
“Police officers do important work to keep our communities safe and they are part of the community, and there have been unfortunate instances where some bad cops’ actions have resulted in maligning the entire police force” said Sen. Anwar. “This bill seeks to ensure that as the police departments serve to protect their communities through various changes, including proactive and preventive mechanisms to avert such incidents.”
Among the legislation’s many changes include the reconstitution of the Police Officer Standards and Training Council, or POST, which provides certifications and trainings to police officers in Connecticut. Police officers will be required to become POST-certified, with new standards including periodic mental health screenings at least every five years, development of new policies to guide police interactions and POST gaining the ability to suspend, censor or decertify officers who act in ways undermining public confidence in law enforcement.
This legislation is designed to provide additional accountability for police departments across the state to improve public interaction and to ensure officers are held responsible if they act in an unacceptable manner. It takes significant steps to overhaul current practices, including the following:
- POST will be reconstituted, with current membership to conclude at the end of the year. Newly appointed members, of which six will be made by legislative leaders, will be sought with focus on persons impacted by justice and representing towns of different sizes across the state.
- POST will issue an annual report on Connecticut police departments’ efforts to recruit minority officers. It will also develop new crowd control policies, require implicit bias training and ensure officers’ disciplinary records are subject to Freedom of Information Act requests.
- Officers will need to become POST certified, including receiving periodic mental health screenings at a police chief’s discretion, happening at least every five years and when an officer changes departments.
- Uniformed officers must have names and badge numbers readily visible on outer garments.
- POST will be able to hold hearings and potentially suspend, censor or decertify officers, making determinations if an officer undermines public confidence in law enforcement or uses excessive or unjustifiable force.
- Cities and towns will be able to create civilian review boards, which will have subpoena power through local legislative bodies.
- Police departments will review a potential need for more social worker-based responses.
- Body and dashboard cameras will be mandatory for any officer interacting with the public, with the mandate including funding for storage.
- Quotas, already banned for traffic stops, will be extended to pedestrian stops.
- Vehicle searches cannot occur without probable cause.
- Officers will only be able to use force when they have exhausted other resources, there is no risk of injury to a third party and such force is necessary.
- Chokeholds, strangleholds and other tactics restraining oxygen and blood flow will be banned.
- Officers must report excessive use of force, with whistleblower protections provided.
- There will be an Independent Office of the Inspector General to conduct use of force investigations.
- Penalties for false reports to police based on race, gender, nationality or sexuality will be increased.
- The Police Transparency and Accountability Task Force will focus on increasing minority officer recruitment.
- The bill does not defund or even reduce funding for police. In fact, it provides $4 million in new bonding authority so that towns and cities can acquire dashboard and body cameras.
- If any civil action brought against the police officers, the qualified immunity shall only be a defense to a claim for damages when, at the time of the conduct complained of, the police officer had an objectively good faith belief that such officer’s conduct did not violate the law.
Senator Kasser Votes for Four Bills In Special Session
Senator Kasser Votes for Four Bills In Special Session
Absentee Ballot, Insulin Price-caps, Telehealth and Police Accountability
HARTFORD – State Senator Alex Kasser (D-Greenwich) joined her colleagues in a special session of the Connecticut State Senate to approve four new public policy initiatives that the public demanded. These four bills, which passed in the House last week and will be signed into law by the Governor, expand the use of absentee ballots during the COVID-19 pandemic, cap out-of-pocket costs for lifesaving insulin, continue telehealth medical consultations during the coronavirus crisis and improve police interactions with minorities.
“While I wish we had voted on dozens of bills to address all forms of injustice – Economic, Education and Environmental – I am proud to support these bills which advance our state in meaningful ways. The COVID pandemic has exacerbated inequities and impacted lives in devastating ways. We’re not through it yet, and there is more work to be done. But these new laws will improve the lives of many Connecticut residents – seniors and others who now rely on telehealth services, people who suffer from diabetes and for whom insulin is a life-saving necessity and people of color who have been the undeserving targets of police brutality,” said Sen. Kasser. “And though the Absentee Ballot bill we passed expires in less than 100 days and is limited to one election, this was a necessary action to ensure that every citizen can choose how they feel safe voting in the upcoming November election.” she added. “I’m proud that we have taken these actions to protect public health, safety and democracy in Connecticut,” Sen. Kasser added.
Highlights of the bills include:
Increasing Police Accountability
“We are so grateful for the service of our dedicated, professional police officers in Connecticut. This is not an anti-police bill, but rather a pro-human rights bill that codifies best practices and creates standardized training criteria so that all police officers in Connecticut get the training they deserve. There are many myths and misinformation circulating about this bill, as well as emotion and fear, but when the fear subsides and the facts emerge, we will see that this bill benefits police officers by improving morale, training and practices, as well as community relations and recruitment,” said Sen. Kasser. Highlights of the Police bill include:
- Limiting qualified immunity so that if an officer knowingly breaks the law, violates someone’s constitutional rights and acts in a malicious, willful and wanton way that causes extreme harm, they can be held accountable. Without this change to current law, if an officer in CT acted in the same manner as the officer who killed George Floyd, they could not be held accountable.
- Chokeholds, strangleholds and other tactics restraining oxygen and blood flow are banned, and officers will have whistleblower protections to report excessive use of force.
- A new Independent Office of the Inspector General will conduct use of force investigations.
- The Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST), will include persons impacted by the judicial system and will establish standardized training so that every police officer in the state receives the best and most complete training,
- POST will develop new crowd control policies, require implicit bias training, and ensure that police disciplinary records are subject to Freedom of Information Act requests.
- Uniformed police officers must have their names and badge numbers readily visible.
- Cities and towns can create civilian review boards, which will have subpoena power through their local legislative bodies.
- Body and dashboard cameras will be mandatory for officers interacting with the public (and $4 million of state funding will help defray these costs).
Temporarily Expanded Absentee Voting
This bill allows Connecticut citizens who are concerned about contracting the coronavirus to vote by mail in the upcoming November election.
The global COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected more than 48,000 people in Connecticut and killed more than 4,400 state residents, has raised concerns about standing in line at the polls, or voting in a crowded polling location – especially for the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions, who are particularly susceptible to the coronavirus.
The bill also allows any person who is in line to vote before polls close at 8 p.m. to access Election Day registration at that polling location, as long as they meet all of the state’s voter eligibility requirements.
Capping the Price of Insulin and Related Supplies
The cost of insulin has increased by more than 1,000 percent since the 1990s. This bill caps a person’s out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $25 per month, caps noninsulin drugs like glucagon at $25 per month, and caps diabetic equipment and supplies (such as blood glucose test strips, glucometers, lancets, and syringes) at $100 per month. The bill also authorizes pharmacists to prescribe and dispense up to a 30-day supply of ’emergency’ insulin if a person has less than a seven-day supply and would otherwise not be able to obtain any lifesaving insulin. The cost of not treating diabetes far exceeds the cost of providing insulin.
Telehealth
The bill continues the waiver of restrictions on online medical health care services (“telehealth”) until March, 2021. This will allow patients to continue to access medical care, mental health care and other healthcare services from their own home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senator Maroney Votes for Police Policy Reform Bill
Senator Maroney Votes for Police Policy Reform Bill
Today, State Senator James Maroney (D-Milford) joined the Senate Democratic Caucus as it proudly led the passage of legislation on the Senate Floor that will increase accountability for police officers statewide. In recent years, Senate Democrats have championed the passing of similar legislation, and these latest changes come as they heard the cries of protestors nationwide as a movement erupted in May 2020 in wake of the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, among countless others, by police and law enforcement.
“It was a difficult vote but after talking it over with my son and Senator Gayle Slossberg, I know I am making the right decision,” said Sen. Maroney. “A lot of the bill everyone can agree with, but a lot of the bill still is questionable, but much has been improved thanks to Senator Winfield. I appreciate the time he took to make changes to some requests that I made and I look forward to continuing to improve the bill. A great piece of advice I received when making my decision was don’t let perfect get in the way of good. And this bill is good.”
This legislation is designed to provide additional accountability for police departments across the state to improve public interaction and to ensure officers are held responsible if they act in an unacceptable manner. It takes significant steps to overhaul current practices, including the following:
- POST will issue an annual report on Connecticut police departments’ efforts to recruit minority officers. It will also develop new crowd control policies, require implicit bias training and ensure officers’ disciplinary records are subject to Freedom of Information Act requests.
- Officers will need to become POST certified, including receiving periodic mental health screenings at a police chief’s discretion, happening at least every five years and when an officer changes departments.
- Uniformed officers must have names and badge numbers readily visible on outer garments.
- POST will be able to hold hearings and potentially suspend, censor or decertify officers, making determinations if an officer undermines public confidence in law enforcement or uses excessive or unjustifiable force.
- Cities and towns will be able to create civilian review boards, which will have subpoena power through local legislative bodies.
- Police departments will review a potential need for more social worker-based responses.
- Body and dashboard cameras will be mandatory for any officer interacting with the public, with the mandate including funding for storage.
- Quotas, already banned for traffic stops, will be extended to pedestrian stops.
- Vehicle searches cannot occur without probably cause.
- Officers will only be able to use force when they have exhausted other resources, there is no risk of injury to a third party and such force is necessary.
- Chokeholds, strangleholds and other tactics restraining oxygen and blood flow will be banned.
- Officers must report excessive use of force, with whistleblower protections provided.
- There will be an Independent Office of the Inspector General to conduct use of force investigations.
- Penalties for false reports to police based on race, gender, nationality or sexuality will be increased.
- The Police Transparency and Accountability Task Force will focus on increasing minority officer recruitment, whether officers should carry professional liability insurance and whether no-knock warrants should be banned.
Senator McCrory Votes for Police Accountability, Absentee Ballot, Insulin Price-cap Legislation
Senator McCrory Votes for Police Accountability, Absentee Ballot, Insulin Price-cap Legislation
Special Senate Session Gives Final Approval to Requested Public Policies
State Senator Doug McCrory (D-Hartford) joined with his colleagues in a special session of the Connecticut State Senate to approve a host of new public policy initiatives that the public demanded in order to improve police interactions with minority residents, expand the use of absentee ballots during the COVID-19 pandemic, cap out-of-pocket costs for lifesaving insulin, and continue telehealth medical consultations during the coronavirus crisis.
The bills – which were approved by the House of representatives last week – now head to Governor Lamont, who is expected to sign them into law.
“Connecticut residents, from cities to small towns, have raised their voices in demanding reform in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. We have heard their calls for action and not just talk. This legislation moves our state in the right direction toward greater transparency, improvements in training, and stronger oversight,” said Sen. McCrory on the police accountability legislation. “Today, is an important step forward. Now, we must continue to work in addressing racial inequities in our state and the trust divide between police departments and communities of color.”
“During these unprecedented times, we must take steps to ensure Connecticut voters have the opportunity to cast a ballot, while protecting their health and the health of their family,” said Sen. McCrory on the absentee ballot legislation.
Highlights of the bills approved today by Sen. McCrory include:
Increasing Police Accountability with the Public
Prompted by protests around Connecticut in response to the brutal murder of George Floyd, this bill provides additional accountability for police departments to improve relationships between the communities and the police. Highlights include:
- Changes in the membership of the Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST), which provides certifications and trainings to police officers in Connecticut. POST will be reconstituted to include persons impacted by the judicial system and towns of various sizes.
- POST will issue an annual report on police department efforts to recruit minority officers, and it will develop new crowd control policies, require implicit bias training, and ensure that police disciplinary records are subject to Freedom of Information Act requests.
- Uniformed police officers must have their names and badge numbers readily visible on all outer garments.
- Cities and towns can create civilian review boards, which will have subpoena power through their local legislative bodies (i.e. Board of Selectmen).
- Body and dashboard cameras will be mandatory for any officer interacting with the public.
- Chokeholds, strangleholds and other tactics restraining oxygen and blood flow are banned, and officers will have whistleblower protections to report excessive use of force.
- A new Independent Office of the Inspector General will conduct use of force investigations.
Temporarily Expanded Absentee Ballot Access
This bill allows Connecticut citizens who are concerned about contracting the coronavirus at a polling location to vote instead by mail in the November election– an option which had previously been denied them. Connecticut law currently only allows state residents the right to vote by absentee ballot for six specific reasons:
- If the voter is on active duty with the U.S. Armed Forces
- If the voter will be absent from town during the entire time that polls are open
- If the voter is ill
- If the voter has a physical disability which prevents them from voting in person
- If the voter’s religion prohibits them from voting that day
- Or if the voter is working at the polls in a primary, election or referendum
The COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected more than 48,000 people in Connecticut and killed more than 4,400 state residents, has raised concerns about standing in line at the polls or voting in a crowded polling location, especially for the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions, who are particularly susceptible to the coronavirus.
The new bill amends Connecticut law for 2020 only to allow for absentee voting due to “the sickness of COVID-19.” The bill also allows any person who is in line to vote before polls close at 8 p.m. to access Connecticut’s “same-day registration” procedure at that polling location, as long as they meet all of the state’s voter eligibility requirements (existing state law only allows for same-day voter registration from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. at specific locations in town, but then the voter must proceed to their own local polling place in order to cast their vote.)
Capping the Price of Insulin and Related Supplies
The bill caps a person’s out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $25 per month, caps noninsulin drugs like glucagon at $25 per month, and caps diabetic equipment and supplies (such as blood glucose test strips, glucometers, lancets, and syringes) at $100 per month. The bill also authorizes pharmacists to prescribe and dispense up to a 30-day supply of ’emergency’ insulin if a person has less than a seven-day supply and would otherwise not be able to obtain any lifesaving insulin.
Telehealth
The bill continues for the foreseeable future the temporary waiver of customary restrictions on online medical health care services (“telehealth”) so that during the COVID-19 pandemic more patients can be attended to in the comfort of their own home.
Senator Moore Votes For Police Accountability, Absentee Ballot, Insulin Price-cap Legislation
Senator Moore Votes For Police Accountability, Absentee Ballot, Insulin Price-cap Legislation
Special Senate Session Gives Final Approval to Requested Public Policies
HARTFORD – State Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport) today joined with her colleagues in a special session of the Connecticut State Senate to approve a host of new public policy initiatives that the public demanded in order to improve police interactions with minority residents, expand the use of absentee ballots during the COVID-19 pandemic, cap out-of-pocket costs for lifesaving insulin, and continue telehealth medical consultations during the coronavirus crisis.
The bills – which were approved by the House of representatives last week – now head to Governor Lamont, who is expected to sign them into law.
“Today, the Senate stood on the right side of history,” said Senator Moore. “After months of protests demanding accountability for police, we finally passed legislation that seeks to bring concrete reform to police departments in Connecticut. It’s long overdue and there are still many systemic issues we need to address including police accountability, but I’m proud that the voice of activists and organizers across the state and in our community were heard. While we did not get the support to monitor absentee ballots in Bridgeport, I will continue to request the Secretary of State and the Governor to do it through Executive Order. All four of the bills passed will make residents safer in their communities and protect their health as we continue to endure this pandemic and I’m glad the legislature took action and addressed these critical issues.”
Highlights of the bills approved today by Senator Moore include:
Increasing Police Accountability with the Public
Prompted by the demands of citizens outraged by the murder of George Floyd, this bill provides additional accountability for police departments across Connecticut to improve public interactions, particularly with minority residents. Highlights include:
- Changes in the membership of the Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST), which provides certifications and trainings to police officers in Connecticut. POST will be reconstituted to include persons impacted by the judicial system and towns of various sizes.
- POST will issue an annual report on police department efforts to recruit minority officers, and it will develop new crowd control policies, require implicit bias training, and ensure that police disciplinary records are subject to Freedom of Information Act requests.
- Uniformed police officers must have their names and badge numbers readily visible on all outer garments.
- Cities and towns can create civilian review boards, which will have subpoena power through their local legislative bodies (i.e. Board of Selectmen).
- Body and dashboard cameras will be mandatory for any officer interacting with the public.
- Chokeholds, strangleholds and other tactics restraining oxygen and blood flow are banned, and officers will have whistleblower protections to report excessive use of force.
- A new Independent Office of the Inspector General will conduct use of force investigations.
Temporarily Expanded Absentee Voting
This bill allows Connecticut citizens who are concerned about contracting the coronavirus at a polling location this year to vote instead by mail – an option which had previously been denied them. Connecticut law currently only allows state residents the right to vote by absentee ballot for six specific reasons:
- If the voter is on active duty with the U.S. Armed Forces
- If the voter will be absent from town during the entire time that polls are open
- If the voter is ill
- If the voter has a physical disability which prevents them from voting in person
- If the voter’s religion prohibits them from voting that day
- Or if the voter is working at the polls in a primary, election or referendum
The global COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected more than 48,000 people in Connecticut and killed more than 4,400 state residents, has raised concerns about standing in line at the polls, or voting in a crowded polling location – especially for the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions, who are particularly susceptible to the coronavirus.
The new bill amends Connecticut law for 2020 only to allow for absentee voting due to “the sickness of COVID-19.” The bill also allows any person who is in line to vote before polls close at 8 p.m. to access Connecticut’s “same-day registration” procedure at that polling location, as long as they meet all of the state’s voter eligibility requirements (existing state law only allows for same-day voter registration from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. at specific locations in town, but then the voter must proceed to their own local polling place in order to cast their vote.)
Capping the Price of Insulin and Related Supplies
The bill caps a person’s out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $25 per month, caps noninsulin drugs like glucagon at $25 per month, and caps diabetic equipment and supplies (such as blood glucose test strips, glucometers, lancets, and syringes) at $100 per month. The bill also authorizes pharmacists to prescribe and dispense up to a 30-day supply of ’emergency’ insulin if a person has less than a seven-day supply and would otherwise not be able to obtain any lifesaving insulin.
Telehealth
The bill continues for the foreseeable future the temporary waiver of customary restrictions on online medical health care services (“telehealth”) so that during the COVID-19 pandemic more patients can be attended to in the comfort of their own home.
Eastern Connecticut Legislators Demand Answers from Eversource
Eastern Connecticut Legislators Demand Answers from Eversource
Today, State Senators Norm Needleman (D-Essex), Cathy Osten (D-Sprague), Paul Formica (R-East Lyme) and Heather Somers (R-Groton) along with State Representatives Kate Rotella (D-Stonington), Joe DelaCruz (D-New London), Kevin Ryan (D-Norwich), Christine Conley (D-Groton, Ledyard), Anthony Nolan (D-New London), Brian Smith (D-Colchester), Holly Cheeseman (R-East Lyme), Mike France (R-42), Kathleen McCarty (R-Waterford, Montville) and Devin Carney (R-Lyme), demanded answers from Eversource Energy following a significant number of state residents reporting increases in their electric bills. As of July 1, 2020, Eversource said it passed along a rate increase to customers due to a state mandated agreement with the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant to buy power, but Senators and Representatives are calling for a hearing to determine exactly why this spike in Eversource electric bills has occurred.
Eastern Connecticut legislators are asking Eversource to explain why this charge is being passed onto customers and to stop placing the blame on a recent state law regarding Millstone.
“I am asking Eversource not to place their extra charges onto customers especially during a pandemic,” said Sen. Needleman. “Some folks can’t afford the basic necessities and an extra charge on their bill is making it even harder for families to get by. I am asking Eversource for answers. What is the real reason so many are seeing a huge increase in their electricity bills.”
“This is an inappropriate time for such a drastic increase in the distribution rates from Eversource especially as generation rates are declining in Connecticut,” said Sen. Formica. “The Energy Committee leadership will hold an electronic public hearing so that Eversource can come before us and testify as to their justification for this rate hike. Additionally, I have signed a letter with all leaders of the General Assembly to PURA asking for an immediate suspension of these increases and for PURA to conduct a thorough review of this request.”
“This is an inappropriate time for such a drastic increase in the distribution rates from Eversource especially as generation rates are declining in CT,” said Sen. Osten. “The Energy Committee leadership will hold an electronic public hearing so that Eversource can come before us and testify as to their justification for this rate hike. Additionally, I concur with the letter of the Energy Committee leadership to PURA asking for an immediate suspension of these increases and for Pura to conduct a thorough review of this request.”
“Connecticut citizens are already subjected to some of the highest electricity costs in the nation. It is unacceptable that PURA would approve this drastic increase during a pandemic,” said Sen. Somers. “Eversource needs to critically explain and justify this especially in light of the fact generation rates re decreasing in Connecticut. The fact generation is decreasing should be evidence this increase is not due to a Millstone Agreement but rather other factors in including transmission”
“Many Connecticut residents are still reeling from the economic impact of COVID-19. Consumers should not be expected to shoulder the burden of these extra costs, especially during this time of uncertainty. These extra charges must be stopped at once”, said Rep. Conley.
“I am saddened and disturbed that Eversource is attempting to blame the historic power purchase agreement that preserved 1500 jobs, carbon free power and 1.6 billion dollar annual contribution to the Connecticut economy for recent increases in customers’ bills,” said Rep. Cheeseman. “Eversource’s own filing with the Public Utility Regulatory Authority states: ‘….the impact of the July 1st rate change for a typical residential (Rate 1) Standard Service customer using 700 kWh per month will be a rate increase of 3.5 % or $5.58 per month.’ If that is the case, it is impossible to believe Eversource’s assertion that bills have doubled because of the Dominion agreement. I join my colleagues’ call for an immediate suspension of these rate increases and a legislative hearing to demand real answers from Eversource, not more excuses.”
The rate increase comes as hundreds of thousands of residents are unemployed or have been furloughed because businesses were forced to shut down.
The Department of Energy Environmental Protection has directed electric distribution companies like Eversource to enter into long-term agreements to purchase a specified amount of energy, which allows a constant price for their energy over a long period of time. The electric distribution companies, which, in Connecticut do not own generation, can resell the purchased energy and recover the costs from ratepayers through a reconciling component of their bills. These legislative leaders are calling upon Eversource to provide an explanation to customers as to why their bills have spiked and will continue to go up. It is believed there are other factors that are going into this extra charge and say the state being responsible is not the underlying reason.
Senate Democrats Proudly Lead Passage of Bill Increasing Police Accountability Statewide
Senate Democrats Proudly Lead Passage of Bill Increasing Police Accountability Statewide
Today, the Senate Democratic Caucus proudly led the introduction and passage of legislation that will increase accountability for police officers statewide. In recent years, Senate Democrats have championed the passing of similar legislation, and these latest changes come as they heard the cries of protestors nationwide as a movement erupted in May 2020 in the wake of the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, among so many others, by police and law enforcement.
“Since June, we’ve seen residents across Connecticut raise their voices in peaceful protest, demanding change,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney (D-New Haven). “With Senate passage of the police accountability bill, we have affirmed to the people of Connecticut that their voices were not ignored and that changes in laws and policies enhancing transparency and professionalism in policing will be the new norm in our state.”
“Over the past few months, I’ve heard from and marched with constituents who demanded change and accountability in policing,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk). “These calls have been echoed across the state and throughout our country, putting us in a unique position for change. By passing this bill, it shows that, as a legislature, we are committed to addressing the structural issues that exist and seek reform so that residents, particularly residents of color, regain trust and confidence in their police departments.”
“Today, the Senate took a step to right the wrongs of the past,” said Senator Gary Winfield (D-New Haven) who serves as Senate Chair of the Judiciary Committee. “For years, I’ve stood side by side with activists and organizers who have fought tirelessly for social justice and changes in our criminal justice system. This is long-term work and addressing the systemic and racist policies that exist in this system and in policing will not be solved by one piece of legislation. But by passing this police accountability bill, we are finally acknowledging that these entrenched, systemic behaviors are unacceptable, and change is needed.”
This legislation is designed to provide additional accountability for police departments across the state to improve public interaction and to ensure officers are held responsible if they act in an unacceptable manner. It takes significant steps to overhaul current practices, including the following:
- Requires police officers and correctional officers to intervene when a colleague is using excessive illegal force. If the onlooking officer does not intervene, then he or she may be charged for the same acts as the officer breaking the law.
- Demilitarizes the police. Bans the acquisition of military grade equipment on the Department of Defense federal control list, authorizes DESPP to order police departments dispose of certain pieces of equipment currently in possession, and prohibits any such equipment in possession from being used for crowd control or intimidation tactics.
- Entirely overhauls police training in the state. Instead of our current system, where police training varies from state police to town police, and from town to town, all future training would be conducted by the Police Officers Standards and Training Council (POST), which would be restructured with new members and more oversight. Implicit bias training would be mandatory for all officers, and a statewide standard would be developed for crowd control.
- Sets standards for applicable for police departments across the state – Starting in 2015, and going forward, each police department must obtain and maintain accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. These standards will ensure a proper level of professionalism and organization so that all of our departments can provide the service deserving of the people’s trust. POST will use its resources to assist departments to achieve accreditation if it not obtained or lost in future years. The benefit of accreditation go beyond building community trust, it also promotes accountability within the department and lowers risk of liability.
- Authorizes an independent statewide council to revoke the certification of any police officer. Individual police departments do not always remove officers who violate the law or their code of ethics, in part because the departments are too protective of their own. Allowing POST to suspend or revoke an officer’s certification will ensure independent review is conducted of police misconduct. Further, disciplinary records would be made available to the public through FOIA, and if an officer’s certification is revoked, he or she would be barred from working for another department or as a private security officer.
- Eliminates qualified immunity that prohibits legal claims against police officers who violate a person’s equal protection rights. This immunity prevents legal claims against officers for discretionary acts that are not willful or reckless. Even good intentions of officers can lead to violations of our rights. This change will make the state, towns, and officers more accountable for their actions, and make law enforcement adjust the way they have operated.
- Establishes a new independent Office of the Inspector General to investigate deaths caused by police. Since 2001, 76 people have died in our state when an officer used a gun or other deadly force. After investigations by the State’s Attorney Office, only one officer was charged with a crime, and there was no conviction. The State’s Attorneys develop close relationships with police to ensure our laws are enforced, but those relations can also create conflicts of interest, which we can eliminate with a new independent Inspector General’s office.
- Prohibits officers from searching you or your car simply by asking for your consent. Unfortunately, interactions with police can be scary, tense, and confusing. If an officer asks to conduct a search, people often feel obligated to give consent despite their right to say no because they are afraid of escalating a situation with law enforcement or being charged for disobeying an officer. Under the bill, an officer cannot search a person without probable cause, and cannot search a car without probable cause or the driver’s unsolicited consent.