Rep. Kathy Kennedy: News Laws for the 2020 New Year

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I want to wish you and your families a safe and happy New Year! With 2019 coming to an end, you should be aware of new taxes and laws that will be going into effect on January 1, 2020.

These new taxes, along with many others that were passed this year all of which I opposed when they came up for debate, include:

• Dry Cleaning – Existing state sales tax rate will be expanded to dry cleaning services & laundry services
• Parking – Existing state sales tax rate will be expanded to parking fees
• Interior Design Service – Existing state sales tax rate will be expanded to interior design services
• Safety Apparel – Tax exempt status on safety apparel will be repealed, subjecting these items to existing sales tax rate (reflective vests, protective gloves, etc.)

New legislation effective dates are typically January 1st, July 1st, and October 1st throughout the calendar year. These new laws may have an impact on you, your business, or our community. I have highlighted some noteworthy new laws below and encourage you to take a look at the full list, which can be accessed by clicking here.

An Act Concerning Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorder

This new law creates a level of parity and protection for patients seeking mental health and substance abuse disorder treatments. To review the full summary, click here.

An Act Concerning Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Training and Best Practices

This new law, requires certain health care professionals who provide primary care or emergency treatment for adults to receive training in recognizing the signs and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and to establish a working group to develop recommendations on improving the care of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia patients. To review the full summary, click here.

An Act Concerning Prescription Drug Costs

This new law, originally passed in 2018, requires greater reporting requirements on pharmacy benefits managers, health carriers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, the Office of Health Strategy and the Insurance Department concerning prescription drug rebates and the cost of prescription drugs. To review the full summary, click here.

Please pass this information along to those who may benefit from knowing what to expect in the New Year in the State of Connecticut.

As always, if you have questions or concerns about state government please contact me at Kathy.Kennedy@housegop.ct.gov or 1-800-842-1423.