Rep. Pizzuto Provides Legislative Wrap Up of 2024 General Assembly Session

This short session is supposed to be the budget adjustment year, where the Appropriations Committee comes up with revisions to second year of the two-year state budget to account for changes in projected future deficits or revenues.

I was disappointed that the final product put forward by the majority party wasn’t a full revised budget, like House Republicans had proposed. The plan presented to us, shortly before it was called on the floor for a vote, instead reallocates the remainder of the federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars.

Watch my comments below in the House of Representatives.

Wednesday, May 15 was National Peace Officers Memorial Day and Governor Lamont signed a bill into law that I cosponsored. It establishes a Fallen Officer Fund to provide payments to the surviving family of a police officer killed in the line of duty. This is National Police Week, a recognition of those law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. This been a priority issue for the House Republican Caucus. The fund provides a lump-sum, non-taxable payment totaling $100k to surviving family members or beneficiaries of any Connecticut local or state police officer killed in the line of duty or who sustained injuries that cause an officer’s death. The legislation also creates a path for surviving family members to maintain health insurance coverage.

He also signed a bill I cosponsored expanding the period of time when the death of an officer or firefighter is considered in the line of duty to include 24 hours after attending training or engaging in duties. It also expands the presumption of workers’ compensation coverage for the death or disability of a police officer or firefighter to include deaths or disabilities resulting from a cerebrovascular incident or pulmonary embolism.

As a member of the General Law Committee, I was pleased a bill banning dog racing made it through both chambers during this short legislative session and signed into law. We tried to get this bill passed last session, and even had advocates with retired greyhounds come to the Capitol to testify. There are no currently active dog racetracks in Connecticut, but this had been occurring in the state for about 30 years. The legislation takes effect October 1st.

A bill aimed at easing a shortage of providers in the medical field made it through both the House and Senate. The proposal would allow Connecticut to enter the Nurse Licensure Compact so qualified nurses could obtain a multistate license. 41 separate jurisdictions, including the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam, allow registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and vocational nurses (VNs) to practice in any jurisdiction that acknowledges the compact. The bill passed the House unanimously and was sent to the Senate for further consideration.

A bill I co-sponsored also passed in the House, but unfortunately didn’t come up for a vote in the Senate before the end of session. HB 5413 concerns the illegal use of certain vehicles and street takeovers. This proposal would have allowed a city or town to pass a local law prohibiting a person from organizing, participating in, or gathering with the intent to observe a street takeover and to issue fines. Municipalities would have also been able to impound a vehicle used in a street takeover until the fine is paid, among other provisions. I will continue to advocate for this bill in the future.