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Priority policies fighting against 2024 legislative deadline

Lawmakers are working against the clock to send new laws to Gov. Ned Lamont’s desk, from climate to childcare to healthcare, along with an approved spending plan.

HARTFORD, Conn. — With just days left in this short legislative session, here is a look at what’s been approved in both chambers, what’s still got a fighting chance in each and what can’t make it into law. 

SPENDING PLAN & ALLOCATING ARPA FUNDS

For a short session, the General Assembly has focused on some big omnibus bills, all while a spending plan still isn’t in place. That quickly became the story of the session: a budget battle carried over from last year, a strict spending cap despite the state surplus and federal American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds up for grabs. 

During the 2023 session, the state passed a $51.1 billion dollar budget: $25.1 billion dollars for this fiscal year and $26 billion dollars for 2024-25. The budget adjustments for those funds likely won’t get done until right against the deadline, but people are starting to get glimpses. 

STATE SUPPORT FOR COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

Among others like nonprofit workers, Connecticut’s colleges were back this session pleading for increased state support, particularly after temporary COVID-19 funds from D.C. ran out. Despite fiscal guardrails tying up much of the state’s rare surplus, lawmakers went into this session with $360 million dollars of unused ARPA money to distribute.

That is what is covering $160 million dollars in additional funding for the public colleges and universities who say they’re already having to make cuts. UConn is getting $100 million of that for a total of a bit more than $500 million. That is $50 million dollars less than what they asked for, but more than what they were told to expect.

"GREEN MONSTER" CLIMATE CHANGE LEGISLATION

Beyond the debates over spending this session, legislative committees still turned out huge policy packages starting with the bill nicknamed the "Green Monster". The wide-ranging omnibus is full of climate incentives from solar power support to climate mitigation and resilience projects including protection for Connecticut’s forests and marshlands. The re-work of the proposal gutted last year was authored and led by State Rep. Christine Palm and sets 2050 as the new state goal for majorly reduced greenhouse gas emissions. It’s now waiting for Senate action.

GAS-POWERED CARS & ELECTRIC VEHICLE MANDATE

The phase-out of new, gas-powered car sales, often called the potential "electric vehicle mandate," has been stalled in the session and will have to be picked up again next year. Republicans call this a "win" for residents, saying it needs more discussion and work.

"AGING IN PLACE" GRANTS & NURSING HOME STANDARDS

Along with the potential climate laws that have moved forward to the Senate, the House is waiting for that chamber to approve their solutions to the state’s aging population. While it mostly makes state grants available for those aging in place, instead of at a nursing home, they added some expectations for elderly care centers too.

SENATE’S CONSUMER PROTECTION PROPOSALS

Meanwhile, state senators have passed their big consumer protection bill on to the House. Some of the highlights of that legislation is banning Chinese-made drones, requiring junk-fees to be shown upfront and protecting residents from the 24/7 listening technology of Alexa and Google Home. 

EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE & EDUCATION

The vote tally board lit up green Friday with massive support for the early childhood care and education package. If the Senate passes it in time, there will be a whole new state fund to expand childcare centers and a one-time payment of at least $1,800 dollars to thousands of early childhood educators. Plus, more pilot programs to shift and supplement the cost burden for families. Child care expenses have increased 214% since 1990 and lawmakers agreed this session it’s a crisis across the country.

ROAD SAFETY FINES & WORK-ZONE CAMERAS

The omnibus based on the Department of Transportation’s recommendations has passed the House. While making tweaks and updates to several state policies, the attention grabber is the approval of permanent work-zone speed cameras across the state after a successful pilot program in 2023. Sections of the bill also increase maximum fines for violating traffic control and road safety order from $5,000 to $10,000. 

MEDICAL DEBT, HOME HEALTHCARE WORKERS & PRESCRIPTIONS

A major priority that has gotten approval from both chambers and now heads to Gov. Ned Lamont’s desk could make a difference in residents’ credit scores. In a historic move, Connecticut’s lawmakers approved the majority of medical debt not being reported to credit agencies. If signed into law, it would go into effect July 1, 2024 and would not be retroactive.

The provisions of the bipartisan public health bill might not make as immediate a difference but both the House and Senate moved forward priorities like safety for staffing and better prescription policy. After visiting nurse Joyce Grayson in Willimantic was killed, lawmakers are pushing through safety standards and better training for home-based healthcare workers. The senate act also outlines several working groups and state studies into other reforms, like the delays caused by pre-authorization requirements on prescriptions.

Other bills being watched closely until adjournment include controversial ones facing an uphill battle like the artificial intelligence proposal, paid sick days mandate, ‘just cause’ eviction protection and ‘Work Live Ride’ transit-oriented housing development. 

RELATED: Push to reform nursing homes and elder care at both the state and federal level

RELATED: Connecticut bill for at-home healthcare safety changes amid concerns to provide hospice care

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