Legislation Co-Sponsored by Senator Needleman Providing Relief for Employers Regarding COVID-19 PPE Expenses Passes Senate
Tonight, State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) joined the Senate in passing legislation benefitting businesses against the financial strains caused by the COVID-19 pandemic that he co-sponsored. The legislation takes an important step to benefit businesses by providing them with a tax exemption for purchasing necessary protective equipment to limit the spread of COVID-19.
“At the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, acquiring personal protective equipment like masks and disinfectants was a significant challenge for businesses statewide, especially concerning the financial hit they had to take to keep employees safe,” said Sen. Needleman. “It simply makes sense for us to provide them with some relief against those financial strains. By putting this tax exemption in place for purchase of PPE, we make sure businesses can meet the safety needs of their employees now and in the future without additional tax requirements. I’m glad we can give these businesses some assistance in such a difficult time.”
Senate Bill 711, “An Act Concerning COVID-19 Relief For Small Businesses And Requiring Federal Regulatory Analysis For Proposed State Regulations,” establishes a sales and use tax exemption for small businesses for personal protective equipment used or worn to prevent COVID-19 infection or transmission. Small businesses will need to present certificates at point of sale; “small business” is defined as a business with 100 or fewer full-time employees.
The legislation previously passed the Commerce Committee by a unanimous vote.
Legislation Led by Sen. Hartley Providing Relief for Employers Regarding COVID-19 PPE Expenses Passes Senate
Legislation Led by Sen. Hartley Providing Relief for Employers Regarding COVID-19 PPE Expenses Passes Senate
Today, state Senator Joan Hartley (D-Waterbury, Middlebury, and Naugatuck), Senate Chair of the Commerce Committee, led unanimous passage in the Senate of legislation benefitting businesses against the financial strains caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation takes an important step to benefit businesses by providing them with a temporary tax exemption for purchasing necessary protective equipment to limit the spread of COVID-19.
“At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, small businesses faced great challenges in acquiring PPE to keep their employees and businesses safe. This coincided with businesses struggling with the financial impact of the pandemic,” said Sen. Hartley. “This common-sense bill recognizes their continuing efforts to protect the health and safety of employees, and provides financial relief by removing the tax burden on purchases of PPE.”
Senate Bill 711, “An Act Concerning COVID-19 Relief For Small Businesses And Requiring Federal Regulatory Analysis For Proposed State Regulations,” establishes a sales and use tax exemption for small businesses for personal protective equipment used or worn to prevent COVID-19 infection or transmission. The tax exemption is in effect from July 1, 2021 until July 1, 2023. Small businesses will need to present certificates at point of sale. A “small business” is defined as a business with 100 or fewer full-time employees.
The legislation previously passed both the Commerce; and Finance, Revenue and Bonding committees by unanimous votes.
State Senator Needleman Leads Senate Approval of Key Energy Bills Aiming to Provide Relief to Utility Ratepayers
State Senator Needleman Leads Senate Approval of Key Energy Bills Aiming to Provide Relief to Utility Ratepayers
Today, State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) led the Senate’s approval of multiple key energy bills that will hold utility companies accountable to their ratepayers. These bills will take action to support public safety and ensure ratepayers’ interests are considered, better representing the people of Connecticut.
“There are thousands of miles of underground wires and pipes delivering vital utilities like water, electricity, telecommunications and natural gas in our state, and work without care around them can create hazardous conditions,” said Sen. Needleman. “By passing legislation that closes a loophole in the Call Before You Dig program, one utilities have used to sidestep liability and penalties for violations, and requiring them to be liable for issues they’re responsible for instead of blaming third parties, we take action to better protect our workers and our systems alike.”
Senate Bill 858, “An Act Concerning ‘Call Before You Dig’ Program Violations And Certain Modifications To Gas Pipelines Processes,” makes various changes in laws related to gas pipelines and underground utility facilities, most notably requiring violations of the “Call Before You Dig” law’s marking requirements be directly paid by the entity being penalized without recovering that penalty from a third party. Additionally, PURA commissioners can stop work on a “Call Before You Dig” project if there’s a life-threatening hazard resulting from a willful violation of the law.
The bill also expands PURA’s authority over certain gas transportation entities; PURA can gain access to facilities, investigate them, order certain improvements or repairs, can impose penalties, gives whistleblower protections to employees and will be required to be notified about certain accidents. PURA would further gain authority over gas transportation entities by explicitly citing federal regulations the state adopts as safety standards for pipeline facilities and gas transportation and capping maximum penalties at maximum amounts allowed under federal regulations rather than federal law.
The bill previously passed the Energy & Technology Committee by a unanimous 26-0 tally.
“When as many as 30% of low and moderate-income households needing energy-efficient updates but having too many safety hazards, we need to enact change to protect residents,” said Sen. Needleman. “By adding voting members to the state’s Conservation and Load Management Plan Energy Efficiency Board, specifically representing these low-income residential customers and municipalities, we give them a seat at the table and a voice to ensure their needs and desires are properly reflected.”
Senate Bill 856, “An Act Increasing Representation on the Energy Conservation Management Board,” rectifies an oversight limiting consumer activity in key energy oversight boards and adds two voting members to the Conservation and Load Management Plan Energy Efficiency Board to represent low-income residential customers and municipalities. This board helps develop the state’s conservation and load management plan before it’s submitted to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for approval. Adding these members will better represent the ratepayers of Connecticut.
It previously passed the Energy & Technology Committee by a unanimous 26-0 tally.
“As electric distribution companies continue to impact vulnerable customers, many on fixed incomes, we need to take action to protect them,” said Sen. Needleman. “This legislation will eliminate early termination fees, ensure third-party contractors selling electric generation services are legal agents of such a supplier, and permit PURA to regulate electric supplier assignments and transfers as well as suppliers as a whole. This protects customers from being taken advantage of.”
State Senator Anwar Joins Senate Passage of Bill that Gives a Voice to Residents in Long-term Care Facilities
State Senator Anwar Joins Senate Passage of Bill that Gives a Voice to Residents in Long-term Care Facilities
Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) joined passage of a bill that would require input from residents’ councils and family councils at long-term care facilities on any state-wide policies affecting living conditions for residents in these facilities.
“Among the many things revealed by the COVID-19 outbreak was that we need better standards in place for residents of long-term care facilities, and their families, to advocate for themselves,” said Sen. Anwar. “This legislation will add power to residents’ families and benefit residents’ lives by giving a council of family members the power to express their concerns and submit testimony on any proposals impacting their loved ones. This makes sure these residents and their families have the agency and ability to ensure optimal care.”
Senate Bill 973, “An Act Strengthening The Voice Of Residents And Family Councils,” gives a voice to those who reside in long-term care facilities and their family council. The family council is comprised of family members of residents of long-term care facilities that bring concerns to management about residents’ living conditions and care.
Under this bill, it will be required for family councils to be able to express their concerns over new policies or future proposals that would have an impact on their loved one living in a long-term care facility. The family members would be encouraged to submit testimony on any new proposals that impact a long-term care facility.
Also, under this bill, any state-wide task force studying issues concerning living or care conditions at long-term care facilities, will include representatives of residents including their family. The members of the task force will schedule meetings that provide family a chance to speak their concern, whether the meeting is in-person or remote.
Older and disabled people can speak for themselves and they should be invited to participate in conversations about their own health, safety, and futures. They deserve the opportunity to discuss how policy proposals will impact their daily lives and to share their ideas for how policies can best meet their needs.
Family councils can provide vital data, accounts of experiences, and knowledge of daily operations occurring in a facility. Task force members can learn from residents in which procedures excel, fail, or need adjusting.
Sen. Cohen Leads Senate Passage of Bottle Recycling Bill
Sen. Cohen Leads Senate Passage of Bottle Recycling Bill
Connecticut updates bottle recycling for first time in 50 years
HARTFORD – State Senator Christine Cohen (D-Guilford) this evening led the state Senate in the near-unanimous passage of a bill which, beginning this October, directs Connecticut liquor wholesalers to begin collecting a 5-cent surcharge on 50ml “nip” liquor bottles and then turn that money over to cities and towns to fight the widespread litter of these little liquor bottles under a bill passed today in the state Senate.
The bill also expands the list of drink bottles requiring a deposit to include hard seltzer and hard cider as well as plant water, juice, juice drinks, tea, coffee, kombucha, plant infused drink, and sports and energy drinks, and it raises the deposit amount on them from 5 cents to 10 cents, beginning January 1, 2024.
Senate Bill 1037, “AN ACT CONCERNING SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT,” passed the Senate on a bipartisan 33-1 vote and now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.
“Functioning bottle deposit and return systems create more jobs and beautify our environment. But these systems need to be updated to reflect the times and current trends. And Connecticut has not updated its bottle deposit system in four decades,” said Sen. Cohen, who is Senate Chair of the Environment Committee. “But with this bill we have the ability to put a large dent in the environmental issues that outdated bottle return policies create. This is long overdue, and it’s going to benefit our cities and towns, our environment, and our future generations.”
SB 1037 is the result of a long debate in Connecticut about how to remove plastic and glass bottle litter from our environment, and how to address the popularity of new types of drinks – besides just soda and beer – to include the variety of hard seltzers, hard ciders, sports drinks, and other popular new beverages crowding grocery store aisles and the resulting litter in our environment.
The issue of “nip” litter has been especially troublesome: with no deposit required on them, the tiny liquor bottles have become the focus of local, annual grassroots nip clean-up drives that can collect as many as 50,000 nip bottles in a single day from neighborhood streets, parks, riverbanks, forests, and storm drains.
SB 1037 bill specifically requires that liquor wholesalers who sell nip bottles must pay 5 cents per bottle sold twice a year to the city or town where the nips were sold, with the money to be used by the town specifically for cleaning up any nip bottle trash by – for example – hiring a recycling coordinator, installing storm drain filters, or purchasing a mechanical street sweeper or vacuum to remove nip trash from streets, sidewalks and lawns.
To help address the issue of solid waste management, and to save municipalities money in their waste disposal costs, SB 1037 also directs the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to begin the in-state processing of no less than 80% of the wine and liquor bottles sold into Connecticut and turn them into furnace-ready cullet (broken glass ready for recycling) to be used in cement, glass and fiberglass products.
Sen. Needleman Welcomes Agricultural Grant for Farms in East Haddam, Moodus
Sen. Needleman Welcomes Agricultural Grant for Farms in East Haddam, Moodus
State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) today welcomed news that farms in East Haddam and Moodus have applied for and received state agricultural grants that will help strengthen farmers who are looking to expand, diversify or improve their existing operations.
ACRE Farm DBA Four Root Farm of East Haddam and Walden Farm of Moodus were part of a package of 24 farm grants totaling nearly $500,000 in matching state grants announced today by state Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt as part of that department’s Farm Transition Grant program.
“This is an example of the benefits of foresight, as 15 years ago, the General Assembly acted to fund farmland and historic preservation programs, and today, our communities continue to benefit from them,” said Sen. Needleman. “I’m proud that ACRE Farm and Walden Farm are among the recipients of this important grant to benefit their operations.”
In the “Farmer Grant” category, Walden Farm has been awarded a grant to allow for the purchase of equipment to allow for better irrigation of crops. Walden Farm offers a variety of crops including vegetables and fruit as well as fresh eggs.
In the “Infrastructure Investment” category, ACRE Farm DBA Four Root Farm has been awarded a grant to drill and construct a new well to support increased vegetable crop production. The Four Root Farm is a small and diverse farm dedicated to growing organic vegetables and cut flowers.
The Farm Transition Grant Program is a competitive matching grant program with state funding provided through a public act passed 16 years ago, in 2005, titled “An Act Concerning Farmland Preservation, Land Protection, Affordable Housing, and Historic Preservation.” State grant funds are reimbursed to the farm after its project is successfully completed, and a final financial and written report outlining all expenses and tasks associated with the project has been received and approved, and site inspection by agency staff is conducted.
Connecticut is home to more than 5,500 farms contributing more than $4 billion to the state’s economy.
Sen. Anwar Welcomes Agricultural Grant for Pell Strawberries in South Windsor
Sen. Anwar Welcomes Agricultural Grant for Pell Strawberries in South Windsor
State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) today welcomed news that a South Windsor farm has applied for and received a state agricultural grant that will help strengthen farmers who are looking to expand, diversify or improve their existing operations.
Pell Strawberries, LLC was part of a package of 24 farm grants totaling nearly $500,000 in matching state grants announced today by state Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt as part of that department’s Farm Transition Grant program.
“Today, we benefit from the actions of the past, where 15 years ago, the General Assembly took action to fund farmland and historic preservation programs,” said Sen. Anwar. “Those programs are still directly benefitting our communities today, protecting open spaces and vital farmland supporting small businesses across the state. I’m happy for Pell Strawberries in its receipt of this important grant.”
In the “Infrastructure Investment” category, Pell Strawberries, LLC has been awarded a grant to purchase equipment intended to extend the indoor strawberry growing season. Pell Strawberries offers nursery products, strawberries and cut-your-own Christmas trees in the north-central Connecticut area.
The Farm Transition Grant Program is a competitive matching grant program with state funding provided through a public act passed 16 years ago, in 2005, titled “An Act Concerning Farmland Preservation, Land Protection, Affordable Housing, and Historic Preservation.” State grant funds are reimbursed to the farm after its project is successfully completed, and a final financial and written report outlining all expenses and tasks associated with the project has been received and approved, and site inspection by agency staff is conducted.
Connecticut is home to more than 5,500 farms contributing more than $4 billion to the state’s economy.
Senator Haskell Votes to Approve Updates to ‘Bottle Bill,’ Automatic College Enrollment and Assistance for Small Businesses
Senator Haskell Votes to Approve Updates to ‘Bottle Bill,’ Automatic College Enrollment and Assistance for Small Businesses
Tonight, State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport) joined the Senate in passing updates to the state’s Bottle Bill as well as forming an automatic college enrollment program for public state universities and approving a COVID-19 relief bill for Connecticut businesses.
Under the new bottle bill, SB 1037, Connecticut liquor wholesalers will begin collecting a 5-cent surcharge on 50ml “nip” liquor bottles, the revenue of which will go to cities and towns to fight the widespread litter of these liquor bottles. The bill also expands the list of drink bottles requiring a deposit to include hard seltzer and hard cider as well as plant water, juice, juice drinks, tea, coffee, kombucha, plant infused drink, and sports and energy drinks, and it raises the deposit amount from 5 cents to 10 cents, beginning January 1, 2024.
“To protect our local parks, playgrounds, and green spaces, we need to align our recycling standards with the modern day,” said Sen. Haskell. “This bill accomplishes exactly that. It updates our bottle return policies to reflect the vastly expanded offerings available in stores today and doubles the returnable surcharge on those bottles and cans. Taking steps like these will advance our efforts to reduce litter and address the increasing popularity of all the new drinks released since the Bottle Bill was first enacted – 40 years ago.”
SB 1037 is the result of a long debate in Connecticut about how to remove plastic and glass bottle litter from our environment, and how to address the popularity of new types of drinks – besides just soda and beer – to include the variety of hard seltzers, hard ciders, sports drinks, and other popular new beverages crowding grocery store aisles and the resulting litter in our environment.
The issue of “nip” litter has been especially troublesome: with no deposit required on them, the tiny liquor bottles have become the focus of local, annual grassroots nip clean-up drives that can collect as many as 50,000 nip bottles in a single day from neighborhood streets, parks, riverbanks, forests, and storm drains. The bill specifically requires that liquor wholesalers who sell nip bottles must pay 5 cents per bottle sold twice a year to the city or town where the nips were sold, with the money to be used by the town specifically for cleaning up any nip bottle trash by – for example – hiring a recycling coordinator, installing storm drain filters, or purchasing a mechanical street sweeper or vacuum to remove nip trash from streets, sidewalks and lawns.
Senate Bill 1037, “AN ACT CONCERNING SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT,” passed the Senate on a bipartisan 33-1 vote and now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.
To help address the issue of solid waste management, and to save municipalities money in their waste disposal costs, SB 1037 also directs the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (to begin the in-state processing of no less than 80% of the wine and liquor bottles sold into Connecticut and turn them into furnace-ready cullet (broken glass ready for recycling) to be used in cement, glass and fiberglass products.
Senate Bill 711 takes an important step to benefit businesses by providing them with a tax exemption for purchasing necessary protective equipment to limit the spread of COVID-19.
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, small businesses in Connecticut suffered immensely” said Sen. Haskell. “One way we can provide relief is by lifting the tax burden on the very products they need to keep their employees and customers safe. I’m happy that the legislature is acting in the name of small businesses.”
Senate Bill 711, “An Act Concerning COVID-19 Relief For Small Businesses And Requiring Federal Regulatory Analysis For Proposed State Regulations,” establishes a sales and use tax exemption for small businesses for personal protective equipment used or worn to prevent COVID-19 infection or transmission. Small businesses will need to present certificates at point of sale; “small business” is defined as a business with 100 or fewer full-time employees. The sales tax exemption would last for two years through 2023.
The legislation previously passed the Commerce Committee by a unanimous vote.
Finally, through his vote to approve Senate Bill 881, “An Act Concerning Workforce Development,” Sen. Haskell voted to make Connecticut the 13th state to provide an “auto-admission” program for public higher education in Connecticut. Students who meet or exceed academic standards set by the state, qualify as in-state students, are in their last year before graduation in high school and earn a high school diploma, will automatically be accepted as a full-time, first-year student for an in-person bachelor’s degree program at Western Connecticut, Southern Connecticut, Eastern Connecticut, and Central Connecticut.
“We know our workforce will require as many as 70% of workers to have college degrees in the next few years. We also know that college admissions are declining nationwide, including in Connecticut, where admissions declined 3.5% compared to 2.5% nationally,” said Sen. Haskell. “With this legislation, students who may plan to attend college out of state may find they have better, less expensive opportunities here in Connecticut. First-generation college students will have a chance to prove themselves. And the graduates who get their diplomas a few years later will be ready for the workforce. This bill is a huge step up for businesses and students alike.”
Senate Bill 881 would create the Connecticut Automatic Admissions Program, which would consist of an online application form for students to apply to public universities in Connecticut. That application would also inform students of information and resources regarding college admissions and financial aid and the net cost of completing a bachelor’s degree program, graduation rates and average earnings for graduates. Thresholds for admission will include class rank percentile, grade point average, or a combination of GPA and performance on college readiness assessments like the SAT.
Lesser Slams Dangerous Republican Health Care Plan
Lesser Slams Dangerous Republican Health Care Plan
Today, State Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown), co-Chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee, released a statement in response to the GOP leadership press conference regarding health care in Connecticut.
“Senator Kelly and Representative Candelora are once again spouting gobbledygook on health care. Their scheme is ill-conceived, un-funded and obsolete. It would raise premiums for literally every family buying individual coverage in Connecticut. The only folks who would benefit are insurance companies. Once again, the Republican Party is putting insurance companies over families, small businesses and the people of Connecticut. Reinsurance was a good idea – before the passage of President Biden’s American Rescue Plan – but implementing it now would reduce federal subsidies for families in Connecticut buying individual coverage making their coverage even less affordable than it is now. After years of fighting to destroy Medicare and the Affordable Care Act, if Republicans now want to be the party of health care, I would welcome the opportunity to work with them. So far, what they’ve peddled is thin swill.”
Sen. Osten Votes to Expand Workers’ Compensation Benefits to Correctional Officers, EMS, Dispatchers and Others
Sen. Osten Votes to Expand Workers’ Compensation Benefits to Correctional Officers, EMS, Dispatchers and Others
HARTFORD – Building on a promise she made two years ago to expand workers’ compensation benefits to other first responders besides police, firefighters and parole officers, state Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) today joined her colleagues in the state Senate in voting for a bill that will expand eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits for post-traumatic stress injuries to include emergency medical services personnel, Department of Correction employees, telecommunicators such as 911 emergency dispatchers and — under certain COVID-19-related circumstances — health care providers.
Under Senate Bill 660, “An Act Expanding Workers’ Compensation Benefits For Certain Mental Or Emotional Impairments Suffered By Health Care Providers In Connection With COVID-19,” post-traumatic stress injury events covered under workers’ compensation include incidents where: an individual views a deceased minor; witnesses a person’s death or incident causing a person’s death or an injury to someone who dies before or upon admission to a hospital; traumatic physical injury leading to permanent disfigurement or amputation; or having physical contact with/treating injured persons who die before or upon admission. Emergency dispatchers can qualify if they hear such incidents by radio or telephone.
Health care providers who witnessed death due to COVID-19, witnessed injury to someone who died from COVID-19, cared for someone who died of COVID-19 or witnessed traumatic physical injury leading to loss of vital body function due to COVID-19 would be eligible for PTSI workers’ compensation benefits.
“This was a promise made and a promise kept to people who work in high-stress jobs, with a lot of post-traumatic stress and a lot of suicides in their professions,” Sen. Osten said. “We always talk about honoring and recognizing our first responders and our health care workers as heroes. This bill recognizes the important and very difficult work that they do, and it gives them a little bit of protection if they find themselves having difficulty coping with the sights and sounds and experiences that first responders go through day-in and day-out.”
In 2019, after six years of effort and opposition from various city and town leaders, Sen. Osten led state passage of a bill that provided Connecticut’s police officers and firefighters with workers’ compensation coverage for the emotional and mental injuries they suffer on the job after witnessing some particularly horrible trauma.
That bill expanded the definition of ‘personal injury’ in state workers’ compensation laws to include so-called “mental-mental” injuries (a mental injury without an accompanying physical injury), as of July 1, 2019. The new provisions covered an estimated 36,000 state and local employees, including 26,800 firefighters, 8,180 police officers, 958 state police officers and 140 parole officers.
For her work on that 2019 bill, Sen. Osten received a Distinguished Leadership Award from the Police Officers Association of Connecticut in appreciation of her leadership and advocacy in protecting Connecticut’s first responders.
The following year, Sen. Osten sat through an emotional four-hour public hearing on the need to extend Post Traumatic Stress Injury benefits to EMS workers, emergency dispatchers and corrections officers. She pledged then to introduce and pass a bipartisan measure in the state legislature.
“It was always just a matter of time until we added EMS workers, dispatchers and correctional officers to the list of people who need and deserve workers’ comp coverage for post-traumatic stress events,” she said at the time. “The old arguments from some town officials and fiscally conservative Republicans that we just can’t do this because it’s too expensive – those arguments don’t hold water anymore, especially the way workers’ comp costs have dropped so dramatically in Connecticut over the past several years.”