Norwalk’s state legislators get to work

Updated, 3:26 p.m: More information; 7:32 a.m.: Copy edits

NORWALK, Conn. – State legislators from Norwalk are targeting dyslexia, cannabis and hemp, animal cruelty, board of education chair selections, and gentrification with bills introduced at the beginning of a new legislative session.

NancyOnNorwalk took a spin at the State legislative website Thursday and found that State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-25) has introduced multiple bills that would help and/or protect animals – including one that would prohibit dogs, cats and rabbits from being sold in pet shops – as well as a bill that would “authorize the chief elected official of a municipality to appoint the chairperson of the local Board of Education for such municipality if the budget for such Board of Education is equal to or greater than fifty per cent of the budget for such municipality, except all other officers of such board shall be elected by a majority of the members of such board.”

Expenditures for Norwalk Public Schools represent 53.8 percent of the 2018-19 Norwalk operating budget, according to budget documents available online. Mayor Harry Rilling said Friday that he was not aware that Duff was proposing this bill. 

Newly elected State Rep. Travis Simms (D-140) has introduced three bills.  One seeks to “end the displacement of low-income residents due to increased housing costs.”

State Rep. Lucy Dathan (D-142), also newly elected, is one of 53 legislators introducing a bill for a “Green New Deal.” On her own, she has introduced a bill to “permit school districts to establish later school start times for students in middle and high school that are appropriate to the needs of the school district and its students.”

State Rep. Gail Lavielle (R-143) has introduced 31 proposed bills, including one to “require physicians, advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants and nurses to be trained in recognizing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia,” that is co-sponsored by Dathan, Simms and State Rep. Themis Klarides (R-114), who is House Minority Leader. Lavielle has introduced a bill to eliminate the estate and gift taxes and another concerning a pilot program for regional marketing and economic development in Fairfield County.

State Rep. Chris Perone (D-137) has introduced one bill and is not listed as a cosponsor on any bills. State Rep. Terri Wood (R-141) has introduced 13 bills, including one to establish a Dyslexia Advisory Council, which is cosponsored by Dathan, and an act to create a Ways and Means Committee, to “create a comprehensive budget committee that considers both revenues and expenditures rather than the current process which establishes expenditures independent of revenue.”

Duff is one of 14 Senators listed as introducing a bill that would “provide the necessary reimbursement for Special Education costs to school districts.” He’s also one of 16 Senators introducing a bill to “enable students at public institutions of higher education to graduate without student loans.” Duff and State Sen. Catherine Osten (D-19) have introduced a bill to “require certain small school districts to create new or join existing regional school districts.”

A list of the proposed bills:

State Sen. Bob Duff (D-25)

Bills introduced by Duff:

1. HB05765 An act establishing the federal shutdown affected employees loan program and providing additional assistance to federal employees.
2. HB05807 An act imposing a tax on liquid vaping products
3. HB05975 An act prohibiting the delivery of electronic nicotine delivery systems and vapor products to minors
4. HB05996 an act prohibiting certain contracts for the purchase of a cat or dog
5. HB06000 An act prohibiting the sale of dogs, cats and rabbits at pet shops
6. HB06001 An act restricting the use of wild and exotic animals in circuses and traveling shows
7. HB06013 An act prohibiting the expansion of hunting in Connecticut
8. HB06014 An act prohibiting the use of leghold and body crushing traps
9. HB06015 An act authorizing local control of animal trapping and hunting
10. HB06017 An act prohibiting the use of wild animals in circuses and traveling Shows
11. HB06018 An act prohibiting the import, sale and possession of the Big Six African species.
12. HB06019 An act establishing standards for adequate shelter for dogs during adverse weather conditions
13. HB06020 An act prohibiting wildlife trafficking
14. HB06310 An act concerning accelerated rehabilitation in the case of a person charged with intentional animal abuse
15. SB00001 An act concerning paid family and medical leave
16. SB00002 An act increasing the minimum fair wage
17. SB00003 An act combatting sexual assault and sexual harassment
18. SB00004 An act concerning the affordability and accessibility of prescription drugs
19. SB00005 An act concerning a workforce pipeline and job creation
20. SB00006 An act concerning net neutrality principles and internet privacy
21. SB00007 An act establishing Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk as a wildlife refuge
22. SB00009 An act adjusting fees for occupational licenses, certifications and registrations
23. SB00012 An act concerning transportation network company driver requirements
24. SB00020 An act prohibiting the import, sale and possession of African elephants, lions, leopards, black rhinoceros, white rhinoceros and giraffes
25. SB00049 An act requiring boards of education to conduct testing of school water supplies for the presence of lead
26. SB00110 An act concerning dual enrollment in high school
27. SB00164 An act including certain mental or emotional impairments within the definition of “personal injury” under the workers’ compensation statutes
28. SB00266 An act requiring polling places at institutions of higher education
29. SB00273 An act concerning free college
30. SB00375 An act concerning nursing home staffing levels
31. SB00394 An act concerning quality health care for women
32. SB00395 An act prohibiting deceptive advertising practices by limited services pregnancy centers
33. SB00397 An act prohibiting the sale of flavored vapor products
34. SB00423 An act concerning the creation of a Connecticut Transportation Authority
35. SB00435 An act providing a tax credit to businesses that provide employees with student loan repayment assistance
36. SB00457 An act concerning the size of school districts
37. SB00458 An act concerning Boards of Education membership
38. SB00496 An act concerning the legalization, taxation and regulation of the retail sale and recreational use of cannabis.
39. SB00512 An act assisting federal government workers
40. SB00526 An act concerning the municipal fiscal year
41. SB00530 An act concerning access to original birth records by adult adopted persons
42. SB00533 An act concerning access to diaper changing stations in public buildings
43. SB00556 An act concerning additional compensation for certain retired public safety employees
44. SB00588 An act prohibiting off-shore drilling for oil and gas in Connecticut
45. SB00594 An act prohibiting the use of certain contracts for the sale or lease of cats and dogs
46. SB00598 An act concerning the production of hemp in Connecticut
47. SB00637 An act concerning the funding for reimbursement of Special Education costs
48. SB00654 An act concerning a right to counsel for immigrant children
49. SB00655 An act prohibiting ghost guns
50. SB00665 An act concerning sports wagering

State Rep. Lucy Dathan (D-142)

Bills introduced by Dathan:

1. HB05001 An act ensuring that students in this state receive high-quality skills training.
2. HB05002  An act concerning the development of a Green New Deal
3. HB05003  An act implementing a paid family medical leave program
4. HB05004  An act raising the minimum fair wage
5. HB05005  An act supporting local businesses
6. HB05638  An act implementing a paid family medical leave program in the state of Connecticut
7. HB05722  An act establishing a public health insurance option
8. HB05807  An act imposing a tax on liquid vaping products
9. HB05914  An act increasing the minimum age to purchase tobacco products, electronic nicotine delivery systems and vapor products
10. HB05975        An act prohibiting the delivery of electronic nicotine delivery systems and vapor products to minors
11. HB06113   An act prohibiting employers from inquiring about date of birth or date of graduation on employment applications
12. HB06222  An act concerning the establishment of later middle and high school start times
13. HB06242  An act prohibiting surcharges from being levied on utility customers to subsidize interstate natural gas pipeline capacity
14. HJ00049    Resolution proposing an amendment to the State Constitution to permit no-excuse absentee voting

Dathan’s co-sponsored bills:

1. HB05030      An act restoring energy efficiency and clean energy funds
2. HB05033        An act eliminating the business entity tax
3. HB05132        An act requiring continuing medical education in recognizing symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia
4. HB05345        An act concerning safe firearm storage
5. SB00006         An act concerning net neutrality principles and internet privacy
6. SB00007         An act establishing Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk as a wildlife refuge
7. SB00195         An act establishing a Dyslexia Advisory Council
8. SB00220         An act concerning certain solar power facilities and net metering credits for municipalities where such facilities are located

State Rep. Gail Lavielle (R-143)

Lavielle has introduced these bills:

1. HB05130     An act concerning deceptive advertising practices of limited services pregnancy centers
2. HB05131        An act raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from eighteen to twenty-one
3. HB05132        An act requiring continuing medical education in recognizing symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia
4. HB05152        An act concerning a study to determine a way to detect when a driver is under the influence of marijuana
5. HB05173        An act concerning a study of funding for early college programs
6. HB05174        An act concerning the segregation and reporting of certain high school graduation rates data
7. HB05175        An act concerning a report on graduation data for the technical education and career system
8. HB05176        An act prohibiting the disaggregation of student data by ethnic subgroups in the public school information system
9. HB05202        An act concerning primaries for state or district office
10. HB05207        An act eliminating the board of regents for higher education
11. HB05211        An act requiring health insurance coverage for Smith-Magenis Syndrome
12. HB05285        An act concerning the licensing of new and used car dealers
13. HB05523        An act concerning the authority of the court to enter orders of support for an adult child who is twenty-one or older and has an intellectual, mental or physical disability
14. HB05606        An act concerning the social security benefits exemption from the personal income tax
15. HB05607        An act eliminating the estate and gift taxes
16. HB05615        An act concerning a report on the standards for admission of students to public institutions of higher education
17. HB05616        An act concerning deed restrictions for affordable housing units in set-aside developments
18. HB05617        An act concerning exemptions from the affordable housing land use appeals procedure
19. HB05633        An act concerning persons who may serve as the directors or officers of a nonstock corporation
20. HB05652        An act requiring the labeling of certain electronic nicotine delivery systems and vapor products
21. HB05665        An act concerning reports on gas tax revenue
22. HB05678        An act concerning the state budget process
23. HB05685        An act prohibiting the executive branch from making rescissions to a town’s education cost-sharing grant during the fiscal year
24. HB05720        An act concerning services for persons with Smith-Magenis syndrome
25. HB05725        An act concerning ghost guns
26. HB05726        An act concerning the definition of “neglected” in juvenile matters
27. HB05746        An act concerning the use of board certification of a health care provider as a condition for licensure, staff privileges and credentialing
28. HB05753        An act requiring the labeling of certain electronic nicotine delivery systems and vapor products
29. HB06185        An act concerning a pilot program for regional marketing and economic development in Fairfield County
30. HB06245        An act postponing the implementation of new net electric metering programs and creating a working group to provide recommendations on the value of solar
31. HB06362        An act prohibiting deceptive advertising practices by limited services pregnancy centers

She is not listed as cosponsoring bills.

State Rep. Chris Perone (D-137)

Perone has introduced HB05914, an act increasing the minimum age to purchase tobacco products, electronic nicotine delivery systems and vapor products

State Rep. Travis Simms (D-140)

Simms has introduced:

1. HB06257        An act concerning environmental justice.
2. HB06293        An act prohibiting Housing Authorities from using federal Section 8 program vouchers from displacing low-income residents
3. HB06294        An act concerning the displacement of low-income residents due to increased housing costs.

And the bills he’s cosponsoring:

1. HB05001        An act ensuring that students in this state receive high-quality skills training
2. HB05002        An act concerning the development of a Green New Deal
3. HB05003        An act implementing a paid family medical leave program
4. HB05004        An act raising the minimum fair wage
5. HB05005        An act supporting local businesses
6. HB05009        An act concerning the inclusion of African-American Studies in the public school curriculum
7. HB05132        An act requiring continuing medical education in recognizing symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia
8. HB05173        An act concerning a study of funding for early college programs
9. HB05194        An act exempting certain businesses from the business entity tax
10. HB05244        An act expanding the fracking waste ban
11. HB05255        An act concerning the tax deduction for certain Section 529 qualified state tuition program distributions
12. HB05273        An act concerning as of right multifamily housing zones
13. SB00005         An act concerning a workforce pipeline and job creation
14. SB00017         An act authorizing sports wagering, internet gambling and internet Keno

State Rep. Terri Wood (R-141)

Wood has introduced:

1. HB05725        An act concerning ghost guns
2. HB06051        An act concerning polling places for primaries
3. HB06052        An act concerning candidates for lieutenant governor
4. HB06053        An act creating a ways and means committee
5. HB06094        An act requiring health insurance coverage for peer support services provided by certified peer counselors
6. HB06111        An act authorizing employers to enroll employees in direct paycheck deposit programs
7. HB06127        An act encouraging the availability of mental health professionals in schools
8. HB06129        An act increasing the age for tobacco product purchases
9. HB06260        An act prohibiting the use of non-reusable plastic bags
10. HB06362        An act prohibiting deceptive advertising practices by limited services pregnancy centers
11. HB06367        An act requiring the inclusion of education concerning the dangers of vaping within the existing health curriculum
12. HJ00040          Resolution petitioning Congress to convene an Article V convention to establish term limits
13. SB00195         An act establishing a Dyslexia Advisory Council

She’s not listed as co-sponsoring bills.

The Leagues of Women Voters of Norwalk and Stamford are cosponsoring a meet and greet from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Norwalk High School, located at 23 Calvin Murphy Drive, with featured speaker Terri Ann Lowenthal discussing “The Census: Why It Matters To Every Community,” according to a press release.  Norwalk’s elected and appointed officials are invited and there will be time for audience questions.