It is decision time at the legislature in Hartford. Bills in committees are voted up or down for consideration. Meaning they are sent “to the floor,” or not. Or perhaps they are sent on a trip to another committee, most times to die.
This is also when it starts to get confusing.
So far during this legislative session I’ve been watching bills at four committees. Planning and Development is my favorite. Environment comes next. I also check bills at the Energy & Technology and Transportation committees, mainly to see if they have any significance for Weston.
At this early stage of this session’s “JF” (“joint favorable”) voting process, a few bills of interest have reported out successfully.
Which are they? At P&D that would be HB-5184. This bill, if passed, would permit towns to open their charters for the specific purpose of modifying budget adoption dates. If this bill passes, might Weston put in a bill next session to reopen charters for other specific purposes? Would we want to do this?
HB-5285, “An Act Concerning Authority for Municipalities to Extend Their Budget Adoption Processes,” like HB-5184, has implications regarding how municipalities can deal with the unpredictability of state funding. All those testifying preferred HB-5184, however.
For what it is worth, I asked the Board of Finance at the public hearing last week if the proposed school budget is predicated on receipt of any funding from the state in fiscal year 2019. The answer was no, except for special education.
HB-5283, “An Act Concerning Neighborhood Revitalization Zones,” has been JF’d to the floor. This one requires municipalities to defend and indemnify members of neighborhood revitalization zone planning committees if lawsuits are brought against them in connection with this work, thereby encouraging talented volunteers who might otherwise not be willing to participate in development of village districts and other forms of revitalization.
The possibility of incorporating a hydraulic fracturing waste ban into our town code was an issue the Board of Selectmen voted earlier this year to explore. Here’s a news flash! SB-103, out of the Environment Committee, “An Act Concerning Hydraulic Fracturing Waste in Connecticut,” has been JF’d to the floor for action this session. Now is the time for all who care about this issue to begin lobbying their legislators in support of this statewide ban.
Energy & Technology hasn’t reached the point where its bills are out yet, but Transportation’s HJ-14 has been JF’d as a joint resolution. This one needs as many calls as possible. I know you would be in favor of it, especially if you use Interstate 15. What does it say? “Encourage Congress to allow the sale or lease of rest areas to private entities.”
Finally, SB-291, “An Act Concerning Autonomous Vehicles,” received a JF and is also out on the floor. This is for a study only. It had support from AAA, the Insurance Association of Connecticut, and Auto Alliance Innovation supporters who provided model legislation to consider.
The Department of Motor Vehicles, indicated in the bill as the agency to be conducting the study, testified against it, stating it doesn’t have the money to perform it.
NOTE: “About Town” is also a television program. It appears on Fridays at 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 p.m. on Cablevision Channel 88 (Public Access). Or see it at aboutweston.com.