Legislative Update

When it comes to negative legislation, Connecticut businesses could use a break.   As you know, the Connecticut General Assembly is currently in session and our state elected officials are busy in Hartford hearing hundreds of proposed measures that will either be killed or eventually become law.  While there are plenty of positive proposals being heard, but there are also plenty of negative proposals that are downright horrible for businesses and residents in the state of Connecticut. The Chamber’s legislative agenda once again includes issues like healthcare, affordable housing, transportation, energy and labor, and focuses on the overall cost of doing business.  I want to give a big thanks to Anthony Assante and Rich Carella, Co-Chairs of the Chamber’s Legislative Committee, along with the committee members, who take the time each year to reach out to legislators and vocalize the concerns of the business community. One particular proposal that the Chamber is opposing is Senate Bill 362, An Act Concerning Riverfront Protection.  If passed, this measure would expand the jurisdiction of municipal inland wetlands and watercourses commissions in both geographic extent and the reasons they can use to deny activity, which would overturn decades of administrative law.   Basically, this legislation would create a “no touch” zone of one hundred feet along both sides of watercourses, possibly preventing lawns, landscaping, sheds, decks and swing sets.  There is not a clear definition of exactly which watercourses would be affected by this proposal, either.  If passed, this would make affordable housing even more unattainable in Connecticut, and would be a major economic development setback. The existing wetland and watercourse protection law is very successful in protecting rivers and streams and if the intent of this bill is to protect these bodies of water, it is not necessary.  There is already a very difficult permitting standard in place which includes mandating applicants prove (with expert testimony) that their activity will have no adverse impact on any wetland or watercourse.   Any business directly in the one hundred foot corridor would be immediately impacted if this bill becomes law, not to mention redevelopment would be restricted and property values could be reduced for parcels of land with riverfront areas on them. Unfortunately, some of our friends up in Hartford don’t realize what businesses are faced with each day just to survive.  Because of the high costs that accompany doing business in Connecticut, we are seeing existing businesses close or leave and we aren’t seeing new businesses coming in.  Why would you want to relocate your business to a state that is so incredibly unfriendly to business?   On top of that, our young people are being forced out because it’s just too expensive to live here.  Connecticut has lost more 25 – 34-year olds than any other state since 1990!  That’s a 30.1% decline (Carsey Institute, University of New Hampshire).  If that statistic doesn’t make you want to do something, I don’t know what will. There are a number of other proposed measures that would be detrimental to Connecticut’s business community.  If passed, each of these bills would make doing business in this state even more difficult and costly than it already is.  The Chamber continues to track and oppose the following particular measures and I would encourage you to do the same. House Bill 5536, An Act Establishing the Connecticut Healthcare Partnership, would expand the rich health care plan for state employees by permitting municipalities and small employers to participate in it.  It would permit the state health care plan to operate outside of the state’s protective health insurance laws. Senate Bill 64, An Act Concerning Scarring Rewards Under the Workers’ Compensation Act, would increase workers’ compensation costs by allowing benefits for scars occurring anywhere on the body, regardless of their visibility or impact on earning capacity. Senate Bill 217, An Act Mandating Employers Provide Paid Sick Leave to Employees, would increase business costs by requiring all employers of 25 or more employees to provide a minimum amount of paid sick leave each year, regardless of their existing paid time off benefit structure, workforce demands or type of industry.  It makes no distinctions between full-time, part-time and seasonal employees and allows for indefinite carryover of accrued sick time.  Most CT businesses already offer these benefits.  This measure will have a detrimental impact on economic development in the state. Senate Bill 255, An Act Concerning Additional Benefits for Wage Loss Under the Workers’ Compensation Act, would increase workers’ compensation insurance costs for employers more than 50% by expanding the amount of discretionary benefits. As you can see, residents and business owners will suffer and costs will significantly rise if these proposals pass.  I urge you to pick up your phone and contact your state legislator.  These issues are too important to ignore! We are lucky to have some of the best state legislators representing Middlesex County.  They are approachable and they want to hear from their constituents, so let’s take this opportunity to tell the people who we have elected to represent our best interests that we don’t want to see certain bills pass and become law.   Instead of sitting back and watching Connecticut become less and less attractive and more and more challenged, we can make an effort to participate in the legislative process and hopefully see less harmful measures being approved. There is one month left of the 2008 legislative session, as it adjourns on May 7th.  The negative bills that have been voted out of committee will soon be heard in the House of Representatives and the Senate.  Now is the time to let your legislators know how you feel and I hope you make an effort to do just that! For more information on the legislative committee, legislative issues or contact information for Middlesex County legislators, please contact Taren McKinney at the Chamber at (860) 347-6924 or by email at

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