Inside the Capitol and Issues & Policies Articles

More Healthcare Penalties Must Be Rejected

2013-05-17T17:50:15+00:00

The legislature is considering a bill that penalizes employers if their employees or their dependents opt-in to the state’s subsidized HUSKY A or B health insurance program. HB 6614 not only penalizes employers and in turn could impact their employees, but will also frustrate the implementation of federal healthcare legislation (the Affordable…

Session’s Heading Wrong Way on Healthcare Costs

2013-05-17T17:24:27+00:00

Federal healthcare legislation is almost certain to increase the cost of health insurance premiums for many in the state and yet lawmakers are considering bills that will make matters worse. With a little over two weeks left in the 2013 session, state lawmakers must stop driving up health…

Found State Budget Savings Should Encourage Finding More

2013-05-17T16:01:00+00:00

News this week of about $300 million in healthcare savings for retired state employees over the next two fiscal years should encourage lawmakers to find more rather than change the state’s constitutional spending cap. Lawmakers are considering a proposal (HB 6352) that would modify the spending cap in order to make the…

Workers’ Comp Bill Has Far-Reaching Negative Impacts

2013-05-17T14:28:19+00:00

When a legislative proposal costs too much, that’s bad for Connecticut’s economy. When it also risks proper medical treatment for workers, that’s worse: for the employees, their families, and their employers. The State Senate should reject SB 907 because it prevents employers from ensuring that their employees get appropriate quality…

Improvements to State’s Regulatory Environment Win Senate Approval

2013-05-17T12:31:26+00:00

This week the state Senate unanimously approved two measures to improve Connecticut’s regulatory climate. Before approving SB 1019, a bill streamlining the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the Senate added a section providing businesses with relief from penalties for first-time, noncriminal violations of regulations if they are corrected…

Senate Approves Fixes to Paid Sick Leave Law

2013-05-17T12:06:22+00:00

The state Senate this week unanimously approved a bipartisan bill offering commonsense changes to the state’s mandatory paid sick leave law. SB 1007 helps clear up many of the uncertainties Connecticut employers have run into trying to comply with the mandate since it came into law in 2011. To address those…

Construction Leads April Job Growth

2013-05-16T16:41:50+00:00

April saw the end of winter and judging by the state's latest jobs numbers, a flurry of construction activity. The sector added 2,000 jobs for the month out of a total of 6,300 new positions across Connecticut. The Department of Labor reported that April was the best month for job…

Manufacturers Optimistic but Watching the Legislative Clouds

2013-05-15T19:29:53+00:00

Despite facing steep challenges and a persistently slow economy, Connecticut manufacturers are still optimistic about the future—especially if state lawmakers take action this year to help them achieve their potential. At Manufacturing & Technology Day at the State Capitol this week, more than 40 Connecticut companies impressed state lawmakers and…

Healthcare 2014: “Clunky, Inconsistent, Unstable”

2013-05-14T16:31:35+00:00

In a little over seven months, most of the requirements of the Federal Affordable Care Act go into effect. What should businesses expect from the new healthcare universe? "The reality is that the rollout on January 1 will be clunky, it will be inconsistent, and it will take at least…

Results of International Trade Survey

2013-05-10T16:39:59+00:00

Results of the 2013 International Trade Survey of Connecticut Businesses will be released at a free program on Wednesday, May 22, at CBIA offices in Hartford. The program runs from 8:30 to 11 am. A light breakfast will be served, and all attendees will receive a complimentary copy of the…