Connecticut Politics - Connecticut - onPolitix

Auto glass steering bill moves to Conn. governor

2013-05-22T22:50:27Z

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut bill that would expand a ban on steering by auto damage appraisers to include glass repairs is moving to the governor's desk.

The state Senate voted Wednesday, 34-2, in favor of a bill requiring an insurance company or third-party claims administrator to inform customers of their right to choose where to have their vehicle's glass repaired.

The legislation would also require an insurance company that refers customers to a glass shop owned by the company to provide the name of at least one other local glass shop.

Democratic Sen. Joseph Crisco of Woodbridge, co-chair of the Insurance Committee, said the proposal would help consumers be aware of their options.

The House of Representatives passed the bill earlier this month.

New gun laws cause backlog for pistol permits

2013-05-22T22:18:38Z

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- It's been just over six weeks since Governor Malloy signed one of the toughest gun laws in the nation following the tragedy at Sandy Hook.

The new law has created an enormous backlog for pistol permits as gun owners rush to keep legal under the new law.

Dale Kearney spent over $250 for the NRA course and multiple fees to get his pistol permit more than two months ago.

The 59-year-old from Vernon has never been in trouble, but he is still waiting for his permit.

"It's supposed to be six to eight weeks on the permit and I'm going on 11," Kearney said, "and I have a few friends that are 13 weeks, 14 weeks...still waiting."

And the head of one of the state's largest sportsmen's groups says, it's really much worse than that.

"We hear reports of three months, six months, sometimes even longer than that, so it's an imposition on the citizenry," said Bob Crook, Alliance of CT Sportsmen, "the police are not doing their job because by statute they're required to do it within eight weeks."

It really began before Governor Malloy signed the new gun law last month. Monthly applications for gun permits have quadrupled because some kind of a permit is going to be required for long guns and buying ammunition for the first time.

So many gun owners are opting to get a pistol permit, which will be good for everything.

At State Police headquarters the agency is asking for more employees to handle all the new paperwork and the glut of applications.

The Governor's advisor for criminal justice matters says some new jobs are likely to be approved, but that the delays should begin to ease.

"There's definitely been a wave of applications over the last six or eight months, but we think that wave is going to crest relatively soon and we'll get back to normal before the end of the year," said Mike Lawlor, Governor's Criminal Justice Advisor.

"If it was going to be three or four months, they should have just told us that, you know, with the money we have invested and the time involved," Kearney said.

On a related note, a group called the "Connecticut Citizens Defense League' announced they have filed a lawsuit in federal court challenging the constitutionality of the state's new gun law.

The Malloy administration is confident the new law will survive any court challenges.

Conn. lawmakers advance school pool safety bill

2013-05-22T17:46:21Z

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Legislation that sets stronger pool safety measures following the recent deaths of two Connecticut students is advancing in the General Assembly.

The state House of Representatives voted Wednesday, 140-0, to approve a proposal establishing standards for people who can teach and supervise a physical education course using a swimming pool.

A student at Manchester High School and a youngster at East Hartford High School drowned last year in their school pools.

The legislature's proposal would require an additional supervisor to be on hand at any course or athletic activity involving a school swimming pool. It would also mandate that school districts create a swimming pool safety plan and update it each year.

The bill now moves to the Senate and must be signed by the governor before becoming law.

Bill would block release of some Newtown records

2013-05-22T17:25:50Z

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Should the 9-1-1 recordings and the crime scene photos of the tragedy at Sandy Hook be released to the public?

The Chief State's Attorney is attempting to change the state's 'Freedom of Information' law to keep both out of public view.

Crime scene photographs are not routinely released, but they are subject to Freedom of Information laws.This change would mean that all the crime scene photographs would never be released, as well as the 9-1-1 recordings from the school.

State prosecutors had said the final report on the investigation into the tragedy at Sandy Hook would be ready for public release next month.

On Wednesday, they will only say sometime this summer but in the weeks remaining in the legislative session, they are working with the Governor and lawmakers to limit what is released.

"We're concerned largely with the profusion of internet communications," said Kevin Kane, Chief State's Attorney.

The Chief State's Attorney knows that graphic crime scene photos will not be shown on local TV or published in local newspapers, but internet sites are another matter.

"We think we can carve out a very small exception to our Freedom of Information Act laws to protect these families," said John McKinney.

The Governor's chief of staff saying; "a lot of people, including our office, have heard the concerns expressed by the families of Newtown victims and are exploring ways to respect the families' right to privacy while also respecting the public's right to information."

Republican State Senator John McKinney represents Newtown and has been in constant contact with the families.

"Many are fearful that pictures of their kids, as part of the crime scene, will be made public, there, other siblings will see those and it could have a traumatic effect on them and their other kids," said McKinney.

But the Chief State's Attorney wants to expand it beyond Sandy Hook to keep the lid on some 9-1-1 recordings in the future.

"Certain 9-1-1 tapes, we're asking be restricted; for example somebody being actually murdered during the course of a 9-1-1 call, which we've had over the years," said Kane."And it might apply in Sandy Hook, yes."

That appears to be somewhat of a revealing answer from the State's Attorney. This proposed change in law is still being written but you can read a draft version of it here.

Push to make genetically altered foods labeled

2013-05-22T15:12:50Z

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH)-- Connecticut is moving a step closer to becoming the first state to require that genetically altered food be labeled.

It's a growing movement and Tuesday, it got a big boost from Connecticut lawmakers from both political parties.

There was a buffet outside the State Capitol Tuesday, farmers, chefs and other retailers featuring all non genetically modified foods.

The organizers say that since some foods are now genetically modified to be herbicide tolerant, more herbicides are ending up in our food.

And because some foods are being genetically modified to contain what you might call built-in pesticides, that is an additional danger, especially to kids.

The push to make Connecticut the first state to require that genetically modified foods be labeled is being spearheaded by a young mom from Fairfield.

"When I learned about GMOs and the fact they were in almost 80% of all the processed food in America, I just really felt I had no choice but to fight for my rights to know, so I could make my own choices," said Tara Cook-Littman.

The State Senate moved forward Tuesday on a proposal require the labeling, getting the support of leaders from both parties.

"What we are embarking on is nothing less than the most important fight of our generation, when it comes to our food," said Sen. Don Williams,(D) Senate President Pro tem.

"One of the basic obligations of government is to protect its people, and that goes beyond just fire and police officers, that means public safety in protecting what you're eating," said Sen. John McKinney, (R) Minority Leader.

But the association representing the big supermarket chains says to do this would add about $400 a year to the family food bill, plus they say there's already a way to find GMO-free foods.

"The consumers right to know is easily satisfied by the availability throughout Connecticut supermarkets for a product named 'USDA-Organic' which is readily available in Connecticut supermarkets right now," said Stan Sorkin, Pres., CT Food Association.

Some in the research community say there is no proof that genetically altered foods are a danger, but the advocates for the labeling say research in other countries has raised doubts about their safety and many countries already require the labeling, and some even ban them.

Conn. bill allows parole review for juveniles

2013-05-21T23:36:43Z

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Legislation that would give certain juvenile offenders in Connecticut serving lengthy prison sentences a second chance to have their cases reviewed is progressing through the General Assembly.

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed legislation, on a 137-4 vote, allowing parole hearings for people who were convicted of serious crimes when they were 14-to-17 years old. They have served at least 12 years in prison or 60 percent of their sentence, whichever is greater, to be eligible.

The bill sets a maximum of 30 years that a juvenile must serve before their case is reviewed. It now moves to the Senate.

The Connecticut Sentencing Commission recommended the changes after the U.S. Supreme Court required these offenders receive a meaningful opportunity to seek release sometime during their sentence.

Jury convicts aide to former Conn. House speaker

2013-05-21T23:33:17Z

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) — A federal jury on Tuesday convicted a former aide to ex-Connecticut House Speaker Christopher Donovan in connection with illegal contributions to Donovan's failed congressional campaign last year.

The jury in New Haven found Robert Braddock Jr. guilty of campaign finance and conspiracy charges, only hours after hearing closing arguments. Braddock was the finance manager for Donovan's campaign for the 5th Congressional District seat. Donovan's congressional campaign ended up getting derailed by the allegations.

Prosecutors say Braddock and seven other co-defendants who pleaded guilty were involved in a scheme that funneled nearly $28,000 to Donovan's campaign through straw donors.

Authorities say the scheme was aimed at getting Donovan to kill proposed state legislation to raise taxes on roll-your-own cigarette shops last year. Shop owners gave the money to employees and others, who then wrote checks to Donovan's campaign to conceal the fact that the money was coming from the store owners.

Defense lawyer Frank Riccio II said Braddock has not decided if he will appeal, but an appeal is likely.

Donovan wasn't charged. As he has since Braddock was charged last year, Donovan insisted he's innocent in an appearance outside the courthouse Tuesday before the verdict was reached.

"I talk to people all the time about issues that concern them. I knew they were concerned about their small businesses. I'm concerned about small businesses," he said. "There was no quid pro quo."

"My vote was never for sale," the former speaker said.

Riccio criticized Donovan for the appearance.

"The timing was surprising," the defense lawyer said. "He literally has been incommunicado since August," when Donovan lost in the primary to Elizabeth Esty, who went on to win the general election in November.

Braddock pleaded not guilty in the case and didn't testify at his trial. The defense rested Monday without calling a single witness.

The jury convicted Braddock of three counts — accepting more than $10,000 in federal campaign contributions made by persons in the names of others; conspiring to make false statements to the Federal Election Commission and to defraud the U.S. by impeding the FEC; and causing a false report to be filed with the FEC.

Braddock faces up to 12 years in prison and a possible fine of up to $750,000 at his sentencing Aug. 13.

Deirdre M. Daly, acting U.S. attorney, said the evidence during the trial "revealed a disturbing scheme operated by individuals who believed that our federal campaign finance laws are meaningless, and that the legislative process can be easily corrupted with campaign contributions."

"This case demonstrates exactly why our campaign finance laws exist in the first place and why this system must be transparent," she said.

The bill on roll-your-own tobacco shops failed in last year's regular session, but was approved in a subsequent special session.

Jurors heard audio and video recordings of Braddock and Donovan obtained by Harry Ray Soucy, a former state prison guard and labor union official who has acknowledged facilitating the straw donations and cooperated with prosecutors.

Soucy wore hidden video recording equipment to the Democratic nominating convention for the congressional seat in Waterbury in May of last year. He managed to get a brief meeting with Donovan behind the closed curtain of the auditorium stage. The video shows Donovan, who apparently was surprised by Soucy's visit, exchanging greetings with Soucy, and Donovan saying, "I took care of you, didn't I?"

Soucy thanked Donovan and told him he had another $10,000 to give to Donovan's campaign manager, Joshua Nassi, who also has pleaded guilty in the case.

The video shows Donovan appearing to get upset and telling Soucy, "I didn't kill the bill. I worked on the legislative side. I did what's right," before walking away.

Malloy speaks at tourism conference in Hartford

2013-05-21T11:44:46Z

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Senate President Donald E. Williams Jr. are speaking at a Hartford conference on tourism.

Their remarks came at Tuesday's event at the Connecticut Convention Center, which also included a presentation on the impact of Connecticut's "Still Revolutionary" campaign.

Malloy said the two-year, $27 million state marketing initiative, unveiled last year, has paid off. He said there were more than 270,000 additional visits to Connecticut in the past year, generating an extra $161 million on dining, entertainment and vacationing.

Williams called for supporting Malloy's proposal to change the definition of the state's constitutional cap on spending to exempt additional Medicaid spending and free up resources for "critical enterprises" like tourism.

House Speaker Brendan Sharkey is scheduled to deliver remarks later in the day.

Conn. regionalism panel releases recommendations

2013-05-21T11:36:51Z

Regionalism panel makes recommendations — HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A bipartisan legislative commission is recommending phasing out Connecticut's system of taxing motor vehicles.

A plan unveiled Tuesday by the Municipal Opportunities & Regional Efficiencies Commission creates a ceiling for how much cities and towns can tax vehicles, beginning July 1, 2014. Over time, the ceiling will drop until the car tax is eliminated by 2020.

The panel was charged with coming up with ideas to help municipalities save money and operate more efficiently. Some proposals, including the car tax plan, will be voted on by lawmakers this session.

This year the lawmakers hope to pass legislation that could possibly lead to a common school calendar. Another bill would eliminate mandated publishing of public notices in newspapers.

Democratic House Speaker Brendan Sharkey of Hamden created the commission, which includes both House and Senate members.

Conn. surgeons calling for medical spa regulations

2013-05-21T11:19:02Z

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut plastic surgeons are meeting at the state Capitol complex in Hartford to urge passage of a bill addressing safety at medical spas.

They're holding a Tuesday news conference to highlight the need for patient safety requirements at medical spas, which offer a range of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic services including liposuction and Botox injections.

A bill before the General Assembly would grant the public health commissioner regulatory oversight for these facilities and require a state-licensed physician be employed to oversee operations.

Anyone who violates the new regulations would have to pay a fine of up to $500 a day.

The news conference is organized by the Connecticut Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons.