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Health & Fitness

This Week at the Capitol

This Week at the Capitol... On June 5 at midnight the session will come to a close. In the days and hours leading up to that we have had many late nights and much debate into the early morning. I'm hoping to keep you up to date on the course of events during the final stretch. Below are a few of the legislative highlights from the last week and a few more for the upcoming remaining days of the session: Drug Free Zones By a vote of 78-65, an amendment which became the bill was approved despite opposition by all Republicans and a handful of Democrats. After lengthy debate, the bill, HB 6511, An Act Concerning the Recommendations of the Connecticut Sentencing Commission Regarding the Enhanced Penalty for the Sale or Possession of Drugs near a Schools, Day Care Centers, and Public Housing Project was “passed temporarily” meaning it was withdrawn for the time being, but could resurface. I stood in opposition to the bill which reduces the size of drug-free zones around schools and daycares statewide from 1500 feet to 300 feet. An Increase to the Minimum Wage The House voted 89-53 in favor of an increase to the minimum wage. This bill increases the hourly minimum wage from its current $ 8.25 to $ 8.70 on January 1, 2014 and from $ 8.70 to $ 9.00 on January 1, 2015. Driver’s Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants A bill allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain valid driver’s licenses from the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles starting in 2015 passed the House. HB 6495 passed on Wednesday night in the Senate, and just before 6:00 am on Thursday of last week in the House, after a debate that began at 10:00 pm the night before. House Passes Children’s Mental Health Bill The House on Friday unanimously passed a proposal aimed at better coordinating mental health services for young people, a measure in response to the massacre at Newtown’s Sandy Hook Elementary School. The bill previously passed the Senate unanimously and now heads to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s desk. The proposal focuses primarily on adults and young people aged 16 and up. Changes in Campaign Finance Reform The Connecticut House voted 71 to 59 early Saturday morning to revise sweeping campaign finance reforms adopted in 2005. The bill allows legislative leadership PACs and party committees to make their own unlimited expenditures and now those committees can also use negative campaigning in their advertising. Massive changes to Connecticut's public policy shouldn't be brought up for a vote when the public is sleeping. Budget Both Governor Malloy and the majority party presented the 2014-2015 budgets that would increase spending by close to 10%, in each case exceeding the spending cap by more than $1 billion over the course of the biennium. The state’s budget deficit for Fiscal Years 2014 and 2015 totals $2.46 billion dollars. The passed budget borrows $122 million for state aid to cities and towns. It closes the budget gap by bonding over $3 billion, moves $900 million out from under the state spending cap, and the extension of the following taxes and credits: generation tax, caps on insurance premiums, a corporate surcharge, and the implementation of the “Amazon Tax.” GMO legislation On Friday night, the Senate amended and voted on HB 6527, the GMO labeling bill voted on by the House last Thursday. After several days of intense negotiation between the Senate, the House, and the Governor's office, a compromise was reached. All four leaders of the House and Senate, Senator Williams, Senator McKinney, Representative Sharkey, and Representative Cafero, are all sponsors of the amended bill. The Amended bill is headed back to the House this week. I hope you find this helpful. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at Brenda.Kupchick@cga.ct.gov. Sincerely, Brenda L. Kupchick 132nd District Proudly serving Fairfield and Southport

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