CTNewsJunkie

Judicial Committee Hears Testimony On ICE Accountability Bill Senate Bill 39, “An Act Concerning Democracy and Government Accountability,” would also allow for the attorney general to bring action against any law enforcement officer violating constitutional rights and create a database tracking Immigration and Customs Enforcement conduct in Connecticut.

Judicial Committee Hears Testimony On ICE Accountability Bill #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

More Kids Are In ERs For Tooth Pain. Trump Cuts And RFK Jr.’s Anti-Fluoride Fight Aren’t Helping. Dentists, hygienists, and researchers say a shortage of rural dental care professionals and worsening oral hygiene since the Covid-19 pandemic mean more kids are ending up in the emergency room for tooth decay.

More Kids Are In ERs For Tooth Pain. Trump Cuts And RFK Jr.’s Anti-Fluoride Fight Aren’t Helping. #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Quinnipiac Poll Shows Opposition To Iran War, Expectation Of Terror Attack "Voters are unenthusiastic about the air attack on Iran and there is overwhelming opposition to putting American troops on Iranian soil to fight a ground war," said poll analyst Tim Malloy.

Quinnipiac Poll Shows Opposition To Iran War, Expectation Of Terror Attack #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Analysis | A Bad Deal For Connecticut Just Got Worse Healthcare analyst Ellen Andrews says that AHEAD, the problematic health-reform plan that Connecticut signed-up for in 2024, is slated to start in January 2028. Very few people have heard of it, including many who work in healthcare, but it will have a massive impact on our state’s health.

Analysis | A Bad Deal For Connecticut Just Got Worse #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Carney Announces He Won’t Seek Reelection After Six Terms OLD SAYBROOK, CT – State Rep. Devin Carney, R-Old Saybrook, announced Monday he will not seek reelection this fall after serving six terms representing the 23rd House District that includes Lyme and Old Lyme. 

Carney Announces He Won’t Seek Reelection After Six Terms #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Lamont, Police Chiefs Push For Ban On Sale Of ‘Convertible’ Pistols House Bill 5043, An Act Concerning the Manufacture and Sale of Convertible Pistols, would ban the future sale and importation of “convertible” pistols in the state.

Lamont, Police Chiefs Push For Ban On Sale Of ‘Convertible’ Pistols #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

CT Could Ban Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers In New Bill Senate Bill 319 would make it illegal to sell gas-powered handheld or backpack leaf blowers by Jan. 1, 2029, and would make it illegal to use them by Sept. 1, 2030. 

CT Could Ban Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers In New Bill #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Incarcerated Suspect Who Escaped From Hospital Apprehended, CT Officials Say Officials said the department, Connecticut State Police and New London police coordinated efforts, and the individual was taken into custody without incident.

Incarcerated Suspect Who Escaped From Hospital Apprehended, CT Officials Say #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Lawmakers Consider Statewide School Cellphone Ban, Sparking Debate Among Students Two bills moving through the legislature would require districts to implement “bell-to-bell” cellphone bans, leaving local school boards to determine how the policies are enforced.

Lawmakers Consider Statewide School Cellphone Ban, Sparking Debate Among Students #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

CT Lawmakers Warn Iran Strikes Without Congressional Approval Could Lead to Ground War Connecticut's two senators and a U.S. House member accused President Donald Trump of waging an illegal war without congressional authorization and warned the conflict could escalate into a ground invasion, costing thousands of American lives and trillions of dollars.

CT Lawmakers Warn Iran Strikes Without Congressional Approval Could Lead to Ground War #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Rep. Frank Smith To Retire This Year State Rep. Frank Smith, D-Milford, won’t seek reelection this year when his third term is completed, staff announced Friday.

Rep. Frank Smith To Retire This Year #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

State Health Dept. Advises Against Eating Fish From West River After Fuel Spill “This advisory is being issued as a precaution following a recent fuel oil spill,” said Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani. “Residents should avoid consuming fish from this section of the West River while the odor and taste of the fish are impacted from the spill.”

State Health Dept. Advises Against Eating Fish From West River After Fuel Spill #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

With Fewer Than 80 Dairy Farms Left, Connecticut Farmers Push Lawmakers For Price Stabilization Fewer than 80 dairy farms remain in Connecticut — a 63% decline over two decades. In the heyday of the industry during the 1950s and '60s, the state had nearly 1,000.

With Fewer Than 80 Dairy Farms Left, Connecticut Farmers Push Lawmakers For Price Stabilization #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

CT Sen. Ceci Maher Won’t Seek Reelection State Sen. Ceci Maher, D-Wilton, said Thursday she will not seek re-election when her term is up this year.

CT Sen. Ceci Maher Won’t Seek Reelection #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

CT Joins 23 Other States In Lawsuit Against New Trump Tariffs In the lawsuit, the states contend that these new tariffs violate the law, upend constitutional separation of powers, and violate the Administrative Procedure Act. The suit asks the court to block the new tariffs and refund to the states any tariffs collected under Section 122 of the 1974 trade act.

CT Joins 23 Other States In Lawsuit Against New Trump Tariffs #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Opinion | Without Immediate State Investment, Workforce Progress Will Reverse A group of business leaders and advocates say Connecticut is weeks away from a workforce funding cliff that will be felt throughout the state.

Opinion | Without Immediate State Investment, Workforce Progress Will Reverse #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

FT comments section this morning - saying what everyone else is thinking, right?

State Officials Hail $154M Federal Grant To Improve Health In Rural Areas The Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) will serve as the lead agency on behalf of the state, partnering with other state agencies to implement dozens of projects organized across four core initiatives.

State Officials Hail $154M Federal Grant To Improve Health In Rural Areas #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Flock Safety Official Testifies In Favor Of CT’s Privacy Bill A Flock Safety official testified to the General Law Committee in support of a proposed privacy bill that would also put guard rails around use of automated license plate readers. 

Flock Safety Official Testifies In Favor Of CT’s Privacy Bill #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Judge Dismisses Challenge To CT’s Open Carry Ban, Handgun Purchase Limit Judge Janet C. Hall granted the state’s motion for summary judgment, as she ruled that We the Patriots USA, an Idaho-based conservative advocacy and legal organization, and the two individual plaintiffs lacked standing to challenge the laws as they are constitutional.

Judge Dismisses Challenge To CT’s Open Carry Ban, Handgun Purchase Limit #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Judge Dismisses Challenge To CT’s Open Carry Ban, Handgun Purchase Limit Judge Janet C. Hall granted the state’s motion for summary judgment, as she ruled that We the Patriots USA, an Idaho-based conservative advocacy and legal organization, and the two individual plaintiffs lacked standing to challenge the laws as they are constitutional.

Judge Dismisses Challenge To CT’s Open Carry Ban, Handgun Purchase Limit #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Lamont, UConn Officials Celebrate New Affiliation For Waterbury Hospital “UConn Health Waterbury Hospital is open,” said Andrew Agwunobi, CEO of the UConn Health Community Network.

Lamont, UConn Officials Celebrate New Affiliation For Waterbury Hospital #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Senate Democrats And City Leaders Push For Increase In CT’s School Aid Formula Senate Bill 7 would raise the “foundation grant” in the state’s Education Cost Sharing formula — the per-student baseline used to calculate how much aid flows to every school district — from $11,525 today to $15,500 by 2030, a 35% increase.

Senate Democrats And City Leaders Push For Increase In CT’s School Aid Formula #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

CT Regulators Allow UI $68M Added Revenue The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority ruling sets UI’s electric distribution revenue requirement at about $452.8 million and authorizes a 9.45% return on equity.

CT Regulators Allow UI $68M Added Revenue #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Federal Aid For Lead Cleanup Is Receding. That’s A Problem For Cash-Strapped Cities. Congress and the Trump administration have partially rolled back the federal rules and resources for lead cleanups, potentially making it more challenging for cash-strapped cities and towns to undertake sweeping lead remediation programs.

Federal Aid For Lead Cleanup Is Receding. That’s A Problem For Cash-Strapped Cities. #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Lamont Vetoes Earmarks From Controversial Bill Passed Under Emergency Certification Senate Bill 298 is a wide-ranging omnibus bill that addresses education, warehouse working conditions, police training, firefighter cancer funds, and more.

Lamont Vetoes Earmarks From Controversial Bill Passed Under Emergency Certification #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Unions Back Bill To Protect Workers’ Jobs At Labor Committee Hearing Worker retention is part of House Bill 5003, an omnibus bill that also includes provisions on protecting healthcare workers assaulted on the job, free tuition at CT State for children of service members, and municipal labor union provisions, among other things in the bill’s 40 sections and 68 pages.

Unions Back Bill To Protect Workers’ Jobs At Labor Committee Hearing #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

CT Comptroller Projects $77.3M Budget Surplus, Touts Quantum Tech As Key To State’s Future Economy Connecticut has become a budding center of quantum technology, according to Michelle Parlos, an economist in Scanlon’s office, 

CT Comptroller Projects $77.3M Budget Surplus, Touts Quantum Tech As Key To State’s Future Economy #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

Proposed Privacy Bill Would Limit Data Sharing From Plate Readers, Flock Cameras The American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut has raised concerns about the cameras, saying they can put residents at risk, especially immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, and those seeking reproductive or gender-affirming care out of state.

Proposed Privacy Bill Would Limit Data Sharing From Plate Readers, Flock Cameras #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics

CT Senator Demands Vote On War Powers Resolution Following Iran Strikes Enacted in 1973, a war powers resolution, also known as a war powers act, requires Congressional authorization or an emergency created by an attack on the United States, its territories or armed forces before a president can send troops into action abroad. It also limits military action to 60 days without Congressional approval or a declaration of war.

CT Senator Demands Vote On War Powers Resolution Following Iran Strikes #ctnewsjunkie #ctpolitics