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Capitol Update

Posted on May 24, 2021

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Dear Friends and Neighbors,

With the session coming to an end on June 9th, it appears that the legislative leadership will continue to keep the Capitol closed to the public, despite the statewide lifting of business restrictions, and the governor ordering state government staff back to their offices.

This week, we deliberated on several bills, the most significant concerned zoning and online gambling. But we also voted on bills related to easing enrollment of children of military families and bills that will prevent child abuse.

Online Casino Gambling

The House of Representatives passed House Bill 6451, which was the agreement between the state, the Mashantucket Pequot and the Mohegan Tribes to allow online gaming. This bill has been a true collaborative effort and I am delighted to see it finally come to fruition.

The tens of millions in tax revenue generated from this agreement stand to benefit the region and the entire state of Connecticut. The agreement takes a step further by utilizing around $3 million to fund gambling addiction prevention and treatment programs. I would also like to acknowledge the tribes’ enormous contributions to the state from an economic, employment and philanthropic perspective and this agreement will continue that tradition.

Key components of the agreement include:

  • 18% tax rate for the first five years on new online commercial casino gaming offerings, followed by a 20% tax rate for at least the next five years
  • 13.75% tax rate on sports wagering
  • Connecticut Lottery shall have the right to operate 15 retail sports betting locations, as well as operate an online sports betting skin
  • Connecticut Lottery shall have the right to sublicense locations to the state-licensed parimutuel operator
  • Connecticut Lottery will undertake new retail sports betting venues in Hartford and Bridgeport
  • License agreement to be for ten years with a five-year extension option
  • Both tribes agree to halt development of an East Windsor casino through the duration of this agreement

Zoning

The House passed HB 6107 this week to increase Hartford control over local zoning. I voted no on HB 6107 in favor of East Lyme and Salem.

Key components of the bill:

  • Represents a “significant first step” towards the Hartford takeover of local zoning. Those are the words of Sara Bronin, the leader of Desegregate CT, an organization advocating for state control over zoning and later echoed by House Majority Leader Jason Rojas on the floor of the House.
  • Requires towns and cities to allow accessory apartment (also known as accessory dwelling units) “as of right” – meaning that zoning regulations cannot prohibit their construction
  • There are other smaller provisions in the bill, including amending sewer and water pollution control measures to allow for higher-density housing and allowing mobile homes and mobile home parks the same zoning rights as single family homes
  • Sets limits on the number of parking spaces that can be required, capping the number of spaces required to one for one-bedroom units and two for units with two or more bedrooms.
  • Deletion of maintaining the “character” of a municipality as the basis for zoning regulations.

Easing Enrollment for Children of Military Families

This week I spoke in favor of House Bill 6483, An Act Concerning Enrollment of Children of Members of the Armed Forces in Public Schools and Establishment a Purple Star School Program on the House Floor.

This bill allows military orders to be accepted as proof of residency for children in military families and establishes a Purple Star School Program that offers targeted supports to military-connected students. As military service members are routinely reassigned to new duty stations in the summer, it is crucial for families to be able to register their children in the appropriate school system using the information they have available at the time, so that the children can begin school on time. In addition, when determining federal funding awards, the Department of Defense considers factors including military student transition procedures. This bill increases potential federal funding to defense facilities and programs in Connecticut.

Child Abuse Prevention

I voted in favor of House Bill 6113, An Act Requiring the Provision of Information Concerning Child Sexual Abuse, to prevent child sexual abuse. Through this bill, the Department of Children and Families is required to develop, and operators of youth athletic activities and youth camps to distribute, information concerning appropriate interactions with children and child sexual abuse. It is the goal of this bill to educate parents, youth sport administers and youth athletes to prevent abuse before it starts.

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