Democrats pass on challenging Malloy [Journal Inquirer]

By Mike Savino | Journal Inquirer

HARTFORD — The Democrat-controlled legislature took no action Monday on any of the eight bills that fellow Democrat Gov. Dannel P. Malloy vetoed.

The House of Representatives raise none of the bills for discussion during a mandated special session for vetoed bills that comes in a state election year featuring the governor’s race. Only a handful of legislators even attended.

Among the bills Malloy vetoed was one intended to address school nutrition but that would have banned chocolate milk in schools. Malloy said when he vetoed the bill that he supported the general goal but felt compelled to kill it because of the unintended consequence.

Sen. Joseph Markley, R-Southington, said he was disappointed that Malloy had vetoed a bill that would have required insurance companies and hospitals to report information about people treated for substance abuse. He said the bill is needed to identify gaps in treatment for people dealing with substance abuse.

He went on to call it a “dereliction” of duty that the legislature hadn’t even discussed the possibility of overriding any of Malloy’s vetoes.

Rep. Mary M. Mushinsky, D-Wallingford, co-chairwoman of the Program Review and Investigations Committee that recommended the bill, said lawmakers realized the bill had a “technical problem.”

Malloy cited that problem in his veto message, saying he was concerned people falsely would report their treatment as being for something other than substance abuse, skewing the data.

Mushinsky said she tried to prepare an amendment to address the issue but couldn’t get it attached to a separate bill. She also said she’s confident the committee will raise the issue next year, enabling the legislature to fix the problem.

Democrats said no one requested to speak Monday on the vetoed bills. But House Minority Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., R-Norwalk, said it was clear the majority party didn’t want to entertain any discussion.

He said that while overriding vetoes was an “annual event” for the Democrat-controlled legislature when Republican M. Jodi Rell was governor, he’s confident legislators will address concerns about the vetoed bills in the next legislative session.

Beside chocolate milk and substance abuse treatment reporting, Malloy vetoed bills that would have:

• Made tree owners liable if their tree falls on a neighbor’s property. Now, the owner of the property the tree falls onto is liable for any damage.
• Forced towns to reimburse other municipalities if they poach a police recruit within two years of his her hire in another town.
• Lifted a ban on glass eel fishing.
• Allowed towns to limit tax credits for low-income elderly and disabled residents.
• Created an office of administrative appeals in the Social Services Department.
• Increased a cap on neighborhood assistance funds.