Legislative Update March 2021

Legislative Session Underway

It’s sausage making season under the Gold Dome…

The legislative session in Harford is in full swing as legislators and advocates alike are slowly adjusting to the new virtual reality of this session.  As of mid-March, there have already been over 2,678 bills introduced in the legislature.  Currently, CHCC is actively tracking over 79 different pieces of legislation moving through the process.

The months of February, March and April mean it is public hearing time in Hartford, or across the state via virtual platforms this year.  Legislative committee continue to hear from advocates and members of the public regarding the many bills under consideration, and then will proceed to vote to move the bills forward in the legislative process sometime before their committee’s JF (“Joint Favorable”) deadline.  Most committees have JF deadlines starting in mid-to-late March while other committees, like the two legislative “money” committees (i.e. those that deal with the budget – Appropriations and Finance), will not wrap-up their work until late April.  After the bulk of the committee work is done, in April, May and into June, the work shifts to “floor” sessions – full meetings of the House and Senate to pass legislation. 

Over the last few weeks, public hearings were happening at the legislature on various bills with topics ranging from occupational licensing reforms to workforce development, labor and employment regulations to taxes and fees, not to mention the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on residents and businesses across the state.  Most recently, CHCC was offering public hearing testimony on the following bills of interest:

Senate Bill 933 – An Act Extending Tax Credits For Apprenticeship Training Programs To Affected Business Entities And To All Trades That Have Registered Apprentices, before the Higher Education and Employment Advance Committee.  CHCC supports this bill which would allow owners of pass-through entities (including LLCs and S-corps) to claim apprenticeship tax credits, which are currently only available to traditional C-corporations. 

House Bill 6585 – An Act Concerning Association Health Plans, before the Insurance & Real Estate Committee.  This bill which would establish association health plans (AHP) in Connecticut to the maximum extent permitted under federal law.  CHCC supports this bill because an AHP would be another option that would allow our members and HVAC contractors to band together to negotiate and purchase health insurance.

Additionally, CHCC continues to actively track legislation dealing with workers’ comp reforms, unemployment comp reforms, indoor air quality in schools, and occupational licensing reciprocity with other states, among many others.

Remember, as former German Chancellor Otto Von Bismark once said, “Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made”. 

The 2021 State Legislative Session Is Underway -  Now Is The Time To Speak Up And Educate Your State Lawmakers - Tell Them What Matters To You And The HVAC Contracting Industry!  Ask Them To Support More HVAC Jobs! 

Have a question?  Want to express your opinion?  Just want to know who now represents you in Hartford?  Go to the website below and enter your address to look up your state legislators; with a few quick clicks you can visit their official webpage, email them, or get their office phone number to make a call.  Remember – as a CHCC member, your voice matters!   

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/cgafindleg.asp

As always, if you have questions on legislation or regulations or if you would like more information on an issue, please feel free to contact the CHCC Office or CHCC’s Lobbyist Andy Markowski of Statehouse Associates at:  (860) 707-3620 or aem@statehouseassociates.com.