February 2, 2021

2021 Legislative Proposals to Watch

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The 2021 legislative session is underway and while it looks different from previous years due to social distancing and virtual meetings and votes, bill proposals are still being made and committees are beginning to discuss new, and rebooted, legislative concepts.

Last year, the session was cut short and effectively ended in March when the capitol complex was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most legislative business, except for a few items taken care of during one-day special sessions, were left untouched. This year, many of those same concepts are being filed again, and there are plenty of new ideas being promoted. It’s usual for some bills to carry over from session to session, however, last year’s capitol shutdown created such a backlog that the sheer number of bill proposals this year is staggering. Each of these proposals has the possibility of affecting you, your family or your employer or neighbors.

In an effort to keep you informed about what the legislature is considering, a long list of important proposals, including many measures I introduced or co-sponsored, can be viewed here. To be sure, many of these proposals will die in committee, others will be modified or rolled into a similar proposal, while still others will push through to a vote before the full legislature nearly in-tact.

Here is a sampling:

Protecting Our Communities

HB05170 – AN ACT CONCERNING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSFER OF AUTO THEFT CASES OF CERTAIN JUVENILE REPEAT OFFENDERS TO THE CRIMINAL DOCKET

HB05270 – AN ACT EXEMPTING FROM THE PERSONAL INCOME TAX STIPENDS PAID TO VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND VOLUNTEER AMBULANCE MEMBERS

HB05407 – AN ACT REQUIRING THE DISPENSING AND ADMINISTERING OF METHADONE TO BE REPORTED THROUGH THE ELECTRONIC PRESCRIPTION DRUG MONITORING PROGRAM.

HB05473 – AN ACT CONCERNING ADDITIONAL METHODS AND RESOURCES TO DETER JUVENILE AUTO THEFT.

SB00515 – AN ACT RESTRICTING EARLY RELEASE FOR PERSONS CONVICTED OF CRIMES INVOLVING SEXUAL ASSAULT OR FIREARMS

Protecting Our Families

HB05044 – AN ACT CONCERNING CHILDREN AND DIGITAL PRIVACY

HB05050 – AN ACT CONCERNING THE UNLAWFUL DISSEMINATION OF INTIMATE IMAGES

HB05087 – AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF ALLOWING VIDEO CAMERAS IN THE ROOMS OF NURSING HOME RESIDENTS.

HB05120 – AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROVISION OF SUPPORT SERVICES TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

HB05303 – AN ACT PROHIBITING TELEMARKETING OF AUTOMOBILE WARRANTIES, INSURANCE PRODUCTS AND UTILITY SERVICES.

HB05671 – AN ACT EXPANDING MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR ADULTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER.

HB06252 – AN ACT CONCERNING THE PUNISHMENT FOR MURDER RESULTING FROM AN ACT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

HJ00049 – RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION CONCERNING CRIME VICTIMS’ RIGHTS.

SB00608 – AN ACT CONCERNING THE SAFETY OF CHILDREN WHEN BUYING ICE CREAM FROM AN ICE CREAM TRUCK.

Addressing the Pandemic

HB05022 – AN ACT LIMITING THE DURATION OF A RENEWAL OF THE DECLARATION OF A PUBLIC HEALTH OR CIVIL PREPAREDNESS EMERGENCY DURING A PANDEMIC.

HB05103 – AN ACT CONCERNING LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL OF RENEWALS OF DECLARATIONS OF EMERGENCY AND THE CONTINUATION OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS.

HB05278 – AN ACT EXEMPTING PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT FROM THE SALES AND USE TAXES

HB05475 – AN ACT CONCERNING FUNDING FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR PERSONS SUFFERING FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

HB05607 – AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF COVID-19 RELIEF FUNDS TO REPLENISH THE UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION TRUST FUND.

HB05644 – AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TAX-EXEMPT SCHOLARSHIP FUND TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR ALTERNATIVE COURSES OF STUDY TO LOW-INCOME AND SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS DURING A DECLARED PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY.

HB05870 – AN ACT CONCERNING STATE CONTRACTS ASSOCIATED WITH A DECLARATION OF EMERGENCY.

HB06171 – AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TEMPORARY PERSONAL INCOME TAX CREDIT FOR ESSENTIAL OR FRONTLINE WORKERS WHO INCUR PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION EXPENSES.

Creating a Less Expensive State

HB05010 – AN ACT LIMITING THE NUMBER OF STATE AGENCY REGULATIONS

HB05089 – AN ACT CONCERNING LEGISLATIVE PENSION CALCULATIONS AND THE TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCE.

HB05099 – AN ACT ELIMINATING THE PASSPORT TO THE PARKS VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEE FOR PERSONS OVER SIXTY-FIVE YEARS OF AGE AND FOR VETERANS AND REQUIRING PAYMENT OF SUCH FEE ON ONLY ONE CAR OWNED BY A PERSON.

HB05104 – AN ACT PROHIBITING CHAMBER ROLL-CALL VOTES BETWEEN CERTAIN HOURS

HB05149 – AN ACT EXCLUDING REIMBURSEMENTS TO STATE EMPLOYEES FOR MILEAGE AND PAYMENTS FOR OVERTIME FROM THE CALCULATION OF RETIREMENT INCOME

HB05460 – AN ACT REQUIRING PUBLIC HEARINGS ON REPORTS OF THE AUDITORS OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS.

HB05638 – AN ACT CREATING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY INCREASED ACCOUNTABILITY AND COMPETITION IN THE ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION MARKET.

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To obtain more information on any of these bills, as well as the many others on my list, please click here. Thank you for your time and attention as to what is going on in YOUR legislature.