A New Batch of Future Leaders Sworn In
The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) at UConn swore in its new leaders this week.
Story here.
The Undergraduate Student Government (USG) at UConn swore in its new leaders this week.
Story here.
A Public Defender has commentary on the proposed ban on Volleyball games in Danbury, an attempt by the city to combat illegal immigrants.
Commentary here.
Connecticut Law Blog is following a proposed Senate bill that would restricting the validity of the driver's license of someone who is not a citizen and is in the country on a visa of limited time-period, until the expiration of that visa.
Story and Commentary here.
The House passed a bill that would allow drivers to place and answer calls, but they would have to conduct their conversations with headphones or some other hands-free technology. In the past the bill has been bottled up in the Senate, but Lt. Gov. Sullivan, an opponent, no longer controls the Senate agenda, increasing the likelihood of passing.
The bill would also ban drivers under 18 from using cellphones at all, and impose a $100 for driving while distracted, such as eating or drinking, leads to a moving violation.
Stories here and here.
The House voted 96-44 to increase the state minimum wage to $7.65 in 2007. The bill passed with primarily Democratic support. No word on the increase's fate with in the Senate or the Governor.
Storie here, here and here.
House Minority Leader Robert Ward (R-North Branford) has proposed legislation that would institute steroid testing for high school athletes. The bill would affect almost 100,00 students in the state.
Story here.
The Senate has passed a bill that bans the sale of soda at schools, including school fundraisers. Next the Senate will certainly take up the pressing issue of making sure that shoes laces are always tied.
Story here.
Gov. Rell and House Speaker James Amann continue to be at loggerheads over the budget, but appear to be doing so in nicer terms.
Story here.
In a bow to the reality that they were losing the PR battle of the budget, Democrats in Hartford postponed sending a budget to Gov. Rell, in the face of her threats to veto it.
Story here.
According to AG Blumenthal, portions of the much embattled emission testing program may be illegal, since there is a cap of $10 a year for testing, each test is $20, and some cars may have to be tested in consecutive years. (Figures this would happen the week after I finally get my car tested.
Story here.
In a state that has seen a Governor and several mayors packed off to jail, it probably isn't shocking to find out that only 59 percent of towns have written codes of ethics for public officials. A proposed bill in the legislature would change that.
Story here.
The Courant runs down the current state of the 2006 US House races.
Story here.
The New London Day has a story on the steps that Danbury has been taking to deal with illegal immigrants -- which may represent 10-15,000 people in the city of 75,000.
Story here.
Opponents of Connecticut's new Civil Unions law (both those opposing any law, and those favoring marriage rights) rallied this weekend at the Capitol.
Stories here, here and here.
Judge Janice Brown, nominated to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals by President Bush and filibustered by Democrats in the Senate, was in Connecticut this past weekend. Her comments certainly were not the soothing type likely to get Democrats eager to confirm her.
Story here.
Harvey Firestein (Ridgefield) is unhappy with the compromise on civil unions, arguing against anything short of gay marriage. Other activists are glad for the baby steps.
Story here.
The Legislature's Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee passed a budget which includes an extension of the business-tax surcharge and an increase in the inheritance tax focused on the wealthiest citizens in the state. The tax increase would raise over a billion dollars in the next two years.
Gov. Rell has called the tax increase "unacceptable." Democrats counter that their plan is more fair than the tax increases pushed by the Governor.
Stories here, here, here.
Gov. Rell signed the law last night which creates civil unions for gays and lesbians.
Connecticut is the first state to allow civil unions or marriage for gays and lesbians via the legislative process.
Stories here, here, here, here, here, and here.
However, some practical problems may arise, like who will perform the ceremony.
Story here.
Entering a simmering controversy, the ACLU is monitoring the activities of city officials that are targeting ethnic groups and illegal immigrants. According top the CT ACLU's legal director, "Any time you have a law that targets one particular nationality or ethnic group, that is obviously anathema to the Bill of Rights."
Story here.
According to recently released FEC reports, Rep. Rob Simmons has raised $290,000 for his 2006 reelection fund, $200,000 of which has come from Political Action Committees. 2004 opponent, and possible 2006 challenger, Joe Courtney has raised $60,000.
Given Simmons close election, and the withering attacks he has been facing for his connections with Tom DeLay, expect Simmons to raise a whole lot for 2006 -- because as the GOP's most vulnerable House member, he will need it.
Story here.
A Federal Court is reviewing Connecticut's requirement that voters register at least two weeks before an election in order to vote. Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz and Attorney General Richard Blumenthal are both named in the suit, but both have expressed sympathy for abolishing the two week deadline.
The current law allows unregistered citizens to vote for president, but not other federal or state races. The plaintiffs allege that 30,000 unregistered Connecticut citizens voted for president in 2004, but they were barred from voting in other federal and state races.
Story here.
The budget fight is on!
After Gov. Rell's denouncing of the Democratic budget propsal, House Speaker James Amann (D-Milford) said that Democrats would pass their budget and dare Rell to veto it. And if she does, according to Amann, they'll send another one right back. "If she vetoes it, we'll have another one on her table before she catches her breath," Amann said. "She fired a shot at us."
The differences are regarding the Governor's proposed $15.27 billion budget and the Democrats' $15.53 billion proposal.
Story here, here, here and here.