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Connecticut General Assembly

Harford
News
Take Action To Save Local News In Connecticut Take Action To Save Local News In Connecticut
Take Action To Save Local News In Connecticut As in the rest of the country, Connecticut-based news companies are facing difficult times as ad revenues (the typical source of income) fall. Local, ethnic and community news organizations find themselves competing with regional and national media conglomerates—which may not put their newsroom focus on local happenings—for advertising revenue. And with the loss of advertising dollars in an unbalanced industry, Connecticut news organizations are forced to close offices, decrease the scope of their reporting, and lose staff. An Act Concerning the Purchase of Print and Digital Advertising by t…

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by Vira Mamchur Schwartz
Brookfield
Sports
CT Lawmakers Clear Way For College Athletes To Sign Endorsement Deals CT Lawmakers Clear Way For College Athletes To Sign Endorsement Deals
CT Lawmakers Clear Way For College Athletes To Sign Endorsement Deals Connecticut has become the latest state to pass legislation allowing college athletes to profit from their names, images, and likenesses. Passed late on Tuesday, June 8 by the state Senate, college players will now have the ability to cash in on endorsements, content on social media, sponsorship deals, signatures, and personal appearances. Previously, such deals had been prohibited by the NCAA. Connecticut becomes the 17th state to pass “NIL legislation” permitting student-athletes to profit beginning as of Wednesday, Sept. 1. It now moves forward to Gov. Ned Lamont, who said he will revi…

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by Zak Failla
Fairfield
News
Online Gambling, Sports Betting Nearing Approval For Mohegan Sun Online Gambling, Sports Betting Nearing Approval For Mohegan Sun
Online Gambling, Sports Betting Nearing Approval For Mohegan Sun Lawmakers have struck a deal with Mohegan Sun to bring online and sports betting to the casino located in Uncasville, Connecticut. According to reports, Gov. Ned Lamont’s office has reached an agreement with casino officials to expand gambling efforts in Connecticut in a deal that is expected to be signed on Tuesday, March 2. 
“It is our goal to have an agreement of both tribal nations and the state of Connecticut to present to the General Assembly, particularly this committee of cognizance, in the very near future,” Lamont’s Chief of Staff Paul Mounds said to the General Assembly’s Pu…

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by Zak Failla
Brookfield
Politics
Legislators' Proposal To Name Pizza Official CT State Food Sparks Wide-Ranging Responses Legislators' Proposal To Name Pizza Official CT State Food Sparks Wide-Ranging Responses
Legislators' Proposal To Name Pizza Official CT State Food Sparks Wide-Ranging Responses Two Connecticut legislators think the state has the best pizza and are even proposing legislation making it the official state food. But other states, and plenty of people, say hang on a minute, what about New York, Chicago, and New Jersey. The two legislators, State Rep. Patricia Dillon, who represents New Haven, and State Senator Gary Winfield, who represents New Haven and West Haven, are ready to push for their favorite food, but so far they have only received about 255 votes on a Change.org petition. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, said: "We all know who's number one!" While New Jersey Go…

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by Kathy Reakes
Fairfield
Politics
Proposed Bill Would Fine CT Residents For Not Voting Proposed Bill Would Fine CT Residents For Not Voting
Proposed Bill Would Fine CT Residents For Not Voting Lawmakers in Connecticut have proposed a new bill that could force state residents to vote, or else face a fine. Mandatory voting with a potential $20 fee for violators who cannot provide a valid reason for not heading to the polls was one of more than two dozen election-related bills that have been submitted to the state’s General Assembly. If approved, beginning in 2024 the Secretary of State would mail all qualified voters who did not cast a ballot with a form inquiring as to why no vote was made. If approved, beginning with the 2022 state election, each ballot would include a notice a…

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by Zak Failla
Litchfield
Politics
COVID-19: Connecticut Advisory Board Working On Models To Selectively Reopen State COVID-19: Connecticut Advisory Board Working On Models To Selectively Reopen State
Covid-19: Connecticut Advisory Board Working On Models To Selectively Reopen State A collection of health, business, workforce, and education experts in Connecticut has been tasked with providing recommendations for when the state can start to begin the process of reopening non-essential businesses amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. The recommendations will be completed sometime before Wednesday, May 20. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont announced that a panel of experts will serve on the Reopen Connecticut Advisory Group organized by AdvanceCT that will offer advice about reopening the state. 
Lamont said the advisory group “will consult with his administration and…

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by Zak Failla
DV Plus - Fairfield
Politics
Fairfield Republican Wins Special Election For Open State House Of Representatives Seat Fairfield Republican Wins Special Election For Open State House Of Representatives Seat
Fairfield Republican Wins Special Election For Open State House Of Representatives Seat Republican Brian Farnen won a special election on Tuesday, Jan. 14 to fill Fairfield’s open 132nd District seat in the state House of Representatives. Farnen is a Representative Town Meeting member for District 9 and general counsel for the Connecticut Green Bank. In a close count, he won with about 2,460 votes, according to unofficial totals. Democrat Jennifer Leeper received 2,378 votes. They ran for the seat most recently occupied by Republican First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick, who resigned from the Connecticut General Assembly after she was elected town leader. In a post-election cam…

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by Jon Craig
DV Plus - Fairfield
Politics
Special Election For Open State House Of Representatives Seat Special Election For Open State House Of Representatives Seat
Special Election For Open State House Of Representatives Seat There is a special election on Tuesday, Jan. 14 for an open state legislative seat.  Democrat Jennifer Leeper faces Republican Brian Farnen in the election for the Connecticut House of Representatives District 132 seat. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. They are running for the seat most recently occupied by Republican First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick, who resigned from her role in the Connecticut General Assembly after she was elected town leader. Both candidates for the 132nd District seat campaigned outside the Fairfield train station on Monday ahead of the special electi…

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by Jon Craig
DV Plus - Fairfield
Politics
Lamont Announces Multi-State Effort To Curb Vaping, Cannabis, Smoking Hazards Lamont Announces Multi-State Effort To Curb Vaping, Cannabis, Smoking Hazards
Lamont Announces Multi-State Effort To Curb Vaping, Cannabis, Smoking Hazards After a meeting with the governor of New York on Wednesday, Sept. 25, Gov. Ned Lamont said states are working together to regulate recreational marijuana and vaping products. After meeting privately at Lamont’s official residence, he and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced there will be a meeting of regional partners on Oct. 17 to discuss ways states can come up with some common details for a possible legalized recreational marijuana program, such as taxation rates and what forms of marijuana should be sold. Cuomo said states are getting a lot of confusion and a lot of debate -- but n…

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by Jon Craig
DV Plus - Fairfield
Politics
State Legislators Also Tackled Minimum Wage, Family Leave, Legalizing Marijuana State Legislators Also Tackled Minimum Wage, Family Leave, Legalizing Marijuana
State Legislators Also Tackled Minimum Wage, Family Leave, Legalizing Marijuana This story has been updated. A higher minimum wage, getting high legally and paid family leave were some of the miscellaneous bills before the Connecticut General Assembly in the closing days of its 2019 session.  The first two bills were approved earlier this month, while legalizing marijuana was postponed another year, according to legislative leaders.  The marijuana legalization bill is projected to yield about 20 percent in taxes on legal pot. That's similar to Massachusetts, so legal cannabis in Connecticut would be at competitive prices to those over the border. The c…

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by Jon Craig
Fairfield
News
CT Lawmaker Calls For Officials To Hit Brakes On Tolling Bills CT Lawmaker Calls For Officials To Hit Brakes On Tolling Bills
CT Lawmaker Calls For Officials To Hit Brakes On Tolling Bills One Connecticut lawmaker is urging the state to hit the brakes after the Connecticut General Assembly’s Transportation Committee approved several tolling bills. Last week, the Committee passed Gov. Ned Lamont’s and two separate committee plans by a vote of 23-13, which includes installing tolls on Interstates 91, 95, 84 and along parts of the Merritt and Wilbur Cross parkways. The tolls are expected to generate an estimated $800 million in revenue annually. In total, up to 53 potential toll-collecting gantries are expected to be erected, down from the originally proposed 82 gantry model. H…

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by Zak Failla
Bridgeport
Schools
Local Parents Head To Hartford To Protest School District Consolidation Local Parents Head To Hartford To Protest School District Consolidation
Local Parents Head To Hartford To Protest School District Consolidation Fairfield County parents are among dozens taking the trek to Hartford to express their discontent over proposals to consolidate state school districts. A standing-room-only crowd is expected at the Connecticut State Capitol on Friday, March 1 to urge Gov. Ned Lamont and other lawmakers to further evaluate proposals to consolidate school districts. Hundreds of written complaints in opposition of the plan were sent to the governor’s office, and there was reportedly a line of concerned parents at the Capitol ready to speak well in advance of the 1 p.m. Education Committee of the General Assemb…

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by Zak Failla
Fairfield
Politics
7 Biggest Takeaways From CT Election Results 7 Biggest Takeaways From CT Election Results
7 Biggest Takeaways From CT Election Results For Connecticut political history buffs, the Nov. 6 election delivered some major firsts and a predictably close race. Public opinion polls forecast it, and it proved true: Democrat Ned Lamont of Greenwich won the governor's race in a narrow victory over Republican Bob Stefanowski of Madison.  As the attached map shows, Lamont's greatest support came from Fairfield County, the northeastern corner of Connecticut and the cities of Bridgeport, Danbury, New Haven, Hartford and Stamford. An anti-President Trump vote was seen as helping Lamont from Danbury to Westport. Close gubernatorial e…

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by Jon Craig
Fairfield
News
CT Residents Under 21 May Be Banned From Buying Tobacco CT Residents Under 21 May Be Banned From Buying Tobacco
CT Residents Under 21 May Be Banned From Buying Tobacco State residents younger than 21 may be banned from buying tobacco, e-cigarettes or vapor products under a law being considered by the Connecticut General Assembly. The state has a near national average rate of high school smoking despite a well-below national average rate of adult smoking.  The state imposes one of the highest taxes in the country, at $3.90 per pack. Given the average rate of high school smoking and the low rate of adult smoking, however, it appears Connecticut is not making progress in tobacco prevention. Currently, 1,500 children become daily smokers each year, and an es…

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by Jon Craig
Bridgeport
Schools
GoFundMe Helps Kolbe Students Who Learned The Ins And Outs Of Government GoFundMe Helps Kolbe Students Who Learned The Ins And Outs Of Government
GoFundMe Helps Kolbe Students Who Learned The Ins And Outs Of Government BRIDGEPORT, Conn. — The community is rallying to help send 11 students from Kolbe Cathedral High School in Bridgeport to attend the YMCA Youth & Government State Conference. "These students have worked hard to create bills they would like to see become laws, drafted persuasive opening statements, and learned the ins and outs of parliamentary procedure," said a GoFundMe page started to help the students raise needed funds. "Now, they would like the opportunity to represent Kolbe and Bridgeport at the annual State Conference!" The fundraiser, launched Thursday, had alr…

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by Daily Voice