Senate Votes To Raise Minimum Wage By 75 Cents Per Hour

By On May 23, 2013 · 17 Comments

The state Senate voted Thursday night to raise the minimum wage - an issue that has been controversial through the years.

The latest version calls for raising the wage by 75 cents per hour over two years with no index for inflation. As such, the wage would increase to $9 per hour by Jan. [...]

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Senate Debates Improving Mental, Emotional Health of Children in Post-Newtown Era

By On May 23, 2013 · Leave a Comment

Five months after the Newtown massacre, the state Senate debated Thursday over a bipartisan bill designed to improve the emotional and mental health of children in an attempt to avoid another tragedy.

The measure is designed to detect behavioral problems at an early age and then begin early intervention to prevent the issues from [...]

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Outside GOP Dinner, a Small Group Protests McKinney

By On May 20, 2013 · 8 Comments

Union activists weren’t the only ones demonstarting outside Monday’s state Republican party fundraising dinner.

A handful of people protested the party’s decision to give its top award to state Sen. John McKinney, the Republican leader in the state Senate. They planted signs branding McKinney, party Chairman Jerry Labriola Jr. and others as RINOS, Republicans in Name [...]

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Sen. Joe Markley Says No Way He’ll Support Changing Spending Cap; Has Not Discussed It With Sen. Joan Hartley, Key Swing Voter

By On May 15, 2013 · 4 Comments

The hottest issue at the moment at the state Capitol is whether Gov. Dannel P. Malloy can get 22 votes in the state Senate to change the definition of the state spending cap.

Malloy’s budget exceeds the spending cap, but it would be under the cap only if he’s successful in changing the [...]

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McKinney Says IRS Controversy Points to Need for CT Inspector General

By On May 13, 2013 · 12 Comments

Disclosures that the Internal Revenue Service targeted conservative groups for federal tax audits point to the need for an inspector general at the state level, says Connecticut Sen. John McKinney of Fairfield.

McKinney, the state Senate’s Republican leader, applauded  J. Russell George, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Inspector General for Tax Administration who helped bring [...]

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Dems, GOP Squabble Over the Budget

By On May 9, 2013 · 4 Comments

Democrats say the legislature’s Republican leaders have failed to offer a constructive budget proposal. Republicans say Democrats are trying to distract the public from the fact that their numbers don’t add up. And both sides are accusing the other of “playing politics.” On Thursday, officials with the state Democratic party came to the Capitol. (They [...]

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Malloy “Decided To Head The Whole Thing Off” on People Magazine – Washington Controversy

By On May 2, 2013 · 9 Comments

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Thursday that he “probably shouldn’t have” allowed People Magazine to pay for his recent trip to Washington, D.C. that has caused days of controversy at the state Capitol.

Malloy reimbursed the magazine by writing a check for $1,234 for travel and other expenses for a 22-hour trip to Washington, D.C. [...]

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Malloy Reimbursement To People Magazine Is Almost 16 Years To The Day of John Rowland’s Meadows Music Ticket Fine In Hartford

By On May 2, 2013 · 4 Comments

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s decision to reimburse People Magazine for a trip to Washington, D.C. comes almost 16 years to the day that then-Gov. John Rowland was fined for attending six rock concerts in Hartford.

Malloy will reimburse the magazine for more than $1,200 in expenses for a 22-hour trip that included attendance at the White [...]

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Speaker Sharkey Defends Malloy On People Magazine Trip; Says Malloy Could Reimburse The Washington, D.C. Expenses If Necessary

By On May 1, 2013 · 6 Comments

House Speaker J. Brendan Sharkey came to the defense of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy regarding his weekend trip to a high-profile dinner in Washington, D.C. that was paid by People Magazine.

Senate Republican leader John McKinney charged Wednesday that it was a clear violation of the state’s ethics laws for a major corporation to pay [...]

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Oregon Lawmakers OK Drivers Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants

By On May 1, 2013 · 3 Comments

Oregon is poised to become the latest state to permit undocumented immigrants to obtain state-issued drivers licenses.

The Oregon House on Tuesday gave final legislative approval to a bill that would let undocumented Oregon residents apply for special cards. The cards, which would be valid for four years, that would permit them to legally drive in the [...]

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