Capitol Update From Hartford

Capitol Update: Next Wednesday, May 9th is the last day of the 2018 legislative session. I do have some good news to report and I am hopeful that we will be able to pass more business-friendly legislation – along with offering Connecticut residents a new state budget.

Earlier this week we passed legislation that creates a working group that will help Connecticut be at the forefront of emerging technology referred to as Blockchain. Blockchain technologies will not only establish Connecticut as a hub for Blockchain companies, but will also create strong demand for a highly skilled workforce with high-paying jobs. This is cutting edge and I look forward to the success of this working group.

Last night we also passed an amended bill that significantly expands Connecticut’s workplace harassment prevention training requirements. The measure requires that businesses with 20 or more employees provide training to all staff every 10 years. When originally voted out of committee the bill mandated that businesses with three or more employees train all workers – after some diligent work we were able to implement a provision that strikes a better balance between protecting all workers and protecting our Connecticut businesses.

This week Republican lawmakers also released a revised state budget proposal that focuses on the stabilization of Connecticut’s future. This proposal not only balances the budget today, but results in significant long-term savings. This proposal contains no new tax increases and results in a surplus of $17 million in fiscal year 2019.

Please stay tuned as I continue to work in Hartford to move our state in a fiscally responsible direction.