On behalf of my wife and myself, I would like to extend our condolences to the family of Don Gross. He will be missed.
There was plenty of drama in our first two-day session of 2016 in the State House. Perhaps the most unusual moment came when the electronic voting system failed.
It failed in the middle of a vote on SB 136, previously passed by the Senate unanimously. This bill would have established a committee to review the Supreme Court decision on Citizens United. Citizens United is better known for recognizing corporations as people and allowing them to spend unlimited amounts of money in political races.
The vote had gone to the proponents of overturning the Supreme Court decision by a 156 to 152 margin. Some Republicans had joined Democrats in this vote of Ought To Pass. Minority leader Steve Shurtleff then asked for reconsideration of the vote and urged representatives to vote No so that this vote could not be changed later on. It is at this precise moment that the electronic voting system failed.
Half an hour later, the Speaker asked for a verbal roll call vote and, lo and behold, the vote for reconsideration came in as a Yes by 159 to 144. This led to an Inexpedient To Legislate motion which passed by a partisan vote of 166 to 137.
What happened to the Republicans who voted with the Democrats on the first vote? No one wants to say. But yours truly knows that one such Republican who voted her conscience on the first vote was taken aside by a Republican leader and subsequently changed her vote. This was a classic case of arm twisting, and the failure of the voting system provided the Republican leadership with enough time to do just that.
One bill that saw bipartisan support was HB 626, which asked the Northern Pass utility to consider laying the lines alongside highway corridors as well as burying them. The Science and Technology Committee’s recommendation was to kill the bill, but in a surprise vote the “kill” recommendation was defeated 187-165, and the bill passed on a voice vote.
HB 500 authorized the use of silencers on guns while hunting. This passed with a partisan vote of 184-124.
HB 582, repealing the license requirement for carrying a concealed weapon, passed on a partisan vote of 206-146. This will allow anyone, with no background check, to carry a concealed weapon.
A similar Senate bill was also approved last year but vetoed by the Governor, and the veto was upheld by the House. I predict the same fate for this bill, which would basically eliminate background checks at a time where most people would agree that we need more, not less.
A nearly unanimous vote of 360-1 on HB 197 allows wine makers to set up two additional “off-site” tasting rooms.
HB 372 passed on a voice vote. It would exempt farmers from having to purchase Workers Compensation insurance if their payroll does not exceed $10,000 a year. They would still be required to have liability insurance and medical payment coverage of not less than $5,000.
HB 617, requiring state police to wear body cameras, a bill I co-sponsored, was amended to make it voluntary for police departments and passed on a voice vote.
If you want to raise bisons, HB 499 will allow you to put the animal down at the farm and sell it directly to consumers.
Standards for the use of drones, HB 602, passed on a 246-66 vote and included protections for privacy.
CACR 5, a constitutional amendment giving taxpayers standing in court against the government, was tabled.
HB 430 closes a gap in veterans’ eligibility for municipal tax credits and passed on a voice vote.
HB 334, a bill I sponsored, regarding the sale of our private information by Internet service providers, was amended as a study committee and sailed through on a voice vote.
To become law, all House bills must still go through the Senate.
Soon to come: A battle to “free” or “jail” the nipple; HB 1525 would classify the showing of a female breast as indecent exposure, with an exception for breast feeding. What can I say?
On the serious side of things, a series of bills to address the opioid crisis will make its way to the floor in the next few weeks.
The renewal of Medicaid expansion may fare well in the Senate but faces an arduous slog through the House, where many Republicans are dead set against it.
I have signed on to three broadband expansion bills and intend to make the lack of reliable coverage an issue this year.
In local news, I want to congratulate the Danbury residents who were instrumental in getting an LCHIP grant for the South Danbury Church. This is a matching grant and donations are welcome. Please call 768-3191 in Danbury.
I had the pleasure of having Nathan French, a student at Bard College and a resident of Andover, as my guest for the January 6 session. I again encourage people to attend sessions and/or committee meetings. They are open to the public.
I am always available at 735-5440 or at MarioRatzki@nullgmail.com.