HB 6263    

ASSESSMENT OF CERTAIN FOREST LANDS 

Would allow properties currently in the 10 mil Preservation Program for forest lands to convert to PA 490 for assessment purposes.

Current Location: House Floor

HB 6642    

COMPLIANCE WITH NATIONAL PRISON RAPE ELIMINATION COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS 

Would require that municipalities, the State and private providers comply with the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission-recommended standards regarding "prevention, detection and monitoring of, and response to, sexual abuse in adult prisons and jails, community correction facilities, juvenile facilities and lockups."

Current Location: House Floor

HB 5847    

CONTRACTS TO SELL ENERGY AND CAPACITY 

Would impose an administrative burden on an electric public service company, municipal electric energy cooperative or municipal electric utility that has received a contract proposal from a person, firm, or corporation seeking to sell energy and capacity as a private power producer, to inform within 90 days after receiving such contract proposal, such a person, firm or corporation of the reasons why such contract proposal was rejected.

Current Location: House Floor

HB 6641    

CREDIT REPORTS ON EMPLOYMENT APPLICANTS 

Would prohibit employers from obtaining credit reports on applicants, except under certain conditions.

CCM is concerned that existing exceptions do not seem to include municipal employees whose positions require them to handle cash (such as tax collection staff or treasury/accounting staff) or people who hold positions of public trust, such as police officers or firefighters. The bill should be amended to include in the exceptions outlined above.

Current Location: House Floor

HB 6226    

CROSS-REPORTING OF CHILD ABUSE AND ANIMAL CRUELTY 

Would, among other things, require animal control officers to file a detailed written report when observing animal abuse or neglect.

Current Location: House Floor

HB 6489    

DNA TESTING MANDATE 

Would require that persons arrested on serious felony charges submit to DNA testing.

DNA testing is an expensive endeavor. The bill saddles police departments with these costs. It could have a significant impact on local budgets.

Current Location: House Floor

SB 954    

ELECTRONIC RECORDING OF POLICE INTERROGATIONS 

Would mandate that law enforcement agency interrogations for capital felony A or B crimes be inadmissible in court, unless such interrogations are recorded electronically.

Current Location: Senate Floor

SB 983    

EMERGENCY PLANNING MANDATE

Although CCM appreciates the intent behind this proposal, it could be costly to towns and cities. The bill requires the Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security to update its disaster plan to "address the needs of children during natural disasters, man-made disasters and terrorism". Towns and cities must comply with the new responsibilities (without knowing what they might be). DEMHS should develop the regulations, then entertain compliance.

Current Location: Senate Floor

HB 6344

EYEWITNESS IDENTIFICATION 

May have fiscal implications for smaller communities. CCM understands that the research on sequential line-ups vs. simultaneous is inconclusive.

Current Location: Judiciary Committee

HB 5045    

HEALTH CARE PROVIDER PHOTO ID MANDATE 

Would require certain health care providers to wear photographic ID badges. There are some municipal health care groups, including emergency medical service organizations, that would be required to wear ID badges if they currently do not do so.

Current Location: House Floor

HB 6260    

JEOPARDY TAX MANDATE 

Would require municipal tax collectors to provide written notice to persons subject to a jeopardy tax, explaining why such tax collection is necessary. Such notice must contain a "detailed explanation."

Current Location: House Floor

HB 6634

JUVENILE DETENTION 

Would require that police departments seek a court order to detail children in juvenile centers, and would establish standards and protocol regarding the treatment of juveniles.

Current Location: Judiciary Committee

SB 487    

LIMITATIONS ON MUNICIPAL BUILDING CODES 

Would prohibit municipalities from enforcing local building codes or construction standards that exceed those found in the State Building Code.

Current Location: Senate Floor

HB 5603    

MUNICIPAL PENSION MANDATE 

Would prohibit towns from granting "any elected municipal official any benefit changing such officials' benefit plan" within 120 days preceding an election. If the proposal is of such statewide import, it should include state officials also.

Current Location: House Floor

SB 1138    

NEW EDUCATION MANDATE: TRAINING FOR UNCERTIFIED SCHOOL EMPLOYEES 

Among other things, would require that certain uncertified school employees be trained in bullying prevention. The OFA has indicated that this is a STATE MANDATE that could cost local boards of education upwards of $20,000 per year to implement.

Current Location: Senate Floor

HB 6499    

NEW EDUCATION MANDATE: TRUANCY REPORTING 

Among other things, would require notification to parents by mail of their child's truancy. OFA cites this as a STATE MANDATE on municipalities with an estimate of about $5,000 per district, with the greatest impact being on those districts with a high rate of truancy.

Current Location: House Floor

SB 1048    

NEW HEALTH CARE MANDATES: DENTAL COVERAGE 

Would increase dental coverage cost to certain municipalities with fully insured, free-standing, dental policies.

Current Location: Appropriations Committee

HB 5610    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATE: BRAND NAME EPILEPTIC PRESCRIPTIONS 

Would disallow generic substitution of prescription medications used in the treatment of Epilepsy or the prevention of seizures, unless the prescribing physician for the medication has expressly stated the substitution can be made. OFA cites that this provision may increase costs to certain municipal plans that currently require generic substitution requirements.

Current Location: House Floor

HB 5438    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATE: CHIROPRACTIC SERVICES 

Would prohibit local health plans from implementing copayments in excess of 50% of certain covered chiropractic procedures. OFA has concluded that this would be a new "STATE MANDATE" on municipal health insurance policies that could "increase costs to certain fully insured municipal plans..." (File No. 233).

Current Location: House Floor

SB 1085    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATE: OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES
Would mandate that all health insurance policies prohibit implementing out-of-pocket expenses (i.e. co-payments) for additional colonoscopies.

According to OFA, this is a new "STATE MANDATE" on hometowns and that provisions of this proposal "may increase costs to certain fully insured, non-grandfathered municipal plans which require copayments for follow-up colonoscopies. The coverage requirements may result in increased premium costs when municipalities enter into new health insurance contracts...".

Current Location: Appropriations Committee

SB 1154    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES: ANNUAL REPORTS 

Among other things, would (1) mandate that all municipalities submit, to the Comptroller, annual reports that contain health insurance claim information for all active employees and retirees, and (2) authorize the Comptroller to use such data to "survey" municipalities with concern to "payment delivery reforms". OFA has incorrectly analyzed this proposal -- and should be labeled as a "STATE MANDATE". This proposal requires municipalities -- regardless of resources -- to perform new administrative tasks. Staffing and resources to capture such data could force towns to incur additional costs of up to $10,000 -- which is $10,000 too much, particularly as hometowns struggle to manage the bottom-line.

Although the objective to share information has merit - CCM has concerns are focused on the administrative costs and overall intent of this bill, as this new proposed mandate could also create the potential for additional mandates down the road.

Current Location: Senate Floor

HB 5032    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES: BONE MARROW TREATMENTS 

Would mandate that all health insurance policies cover certain testing procedures for bone marrow transplants.

The expansion of insurance coverage will increase insurance costs and thus premiums, which will eventually be born by policy holders - municipalities to name one. This would result in increased insurance costs statewide. This has been identified by OFA (File No. 40) as a "STATE MANDATE" on municipalities.

Current Location: Appropriations Committee

SB 1083    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES: BRAND NAME PRESCRIPTION DRUGS 

Would prohibit local health insurance plans from requiring employees use an alternative brand name prescription drugs or over-the-counter drugs before using brand name prescription drugs. Although well intended, OFA has concluded this bill would be a new "STATE MANDATE" on towns and cities with potential new costs (File No. 226).

Current Location: Appropriations Committee

SB 848    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES: BREAST SCREENINGS 

Would mandate all health insurance policies cover the full costs of breast ultrasound screening. There are significant cost implications on local budgets already dealing with increases in health insurance. According to OFA (File No. 12), this is a "STATE MANDATE" on municipalities that would increase costs to certain local plans.

Current Location: Appropriations Committee

SB 21    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES: CLINICAL TRIALS 

Would mandate all health insurance policies cover the costs associated with routine patient costs relating to clinical trials for the treatment of disabling, progressive or life-threatening medical conditions (i.e. cancer). This proposed new state mandate on municipal health plans would undoubtedly cause a negative impact on local budgets and force significant increases in local premiums costs during the worst recession in decades.

The expansion of insurance coverage will increase insurance costs and thus premiums, which will eventually be born by policy holders - municipalities to name one. This would result in increased insurance costs statewide. According to OFA (File No. 15) -- this is a "STATE MANDATE" on municipalities.

Current Location: Appropriations Committee

HB 6471    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES: CONTRACTING 

According to OFA (File No. 151) this proposal would be a "STATE MANDATE" on municipalities that would "inhibit municipalities' ability to assure the lowest price paid for services." Towns and cities need discretion and flexibility to make decisions based on the individual needs of their communities.

Current Location: House Floor

SB 13    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES: COPAYMENTS 

Would prohibit individual health insurance policies and group medical contracts covering prescription drugs from imposing different co-payments for prescriptions based on where the prescription is filled (i. e., retail v. mail-order pharmacy). In a similar proposal from last year, OFA estimates that this mandate may increase costs to certain fully insured municipal plans which offer discounted copayments for prescriptions filled through the mail-order pharmacy, in comparison to the local retail pharmacy, such as the Municipal Employees Health Insurance Plan, (MEHIP). According to OFA (File No. 10), this bill is a "STATE MANDATE" on municipalities.

Current Location: Appropriations Committee

SB 879    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES: EYE DROPS 

Would mandate that all health insurance policies provide additional coverage for prescription eye drops for employees in certain situations.

This proposal has been identified by OFA (File No. 45) as a "STATE MANDATE" on municipalities that could "increase costs to certain fully insured municipal plans that currently do not provide the coverage mandated." This new mandate could result in increased premium costs when municipalities enter into new health insurance contracts.

Current Location: Appropriations Committee

SB 10    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES: MRI's 

Would, among other things, mandate that municipalities provide increased coverage for the costs associated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with relation to certain mammograms.

This proposal has been identified by OFA (File No. 55) as a "STATE MANDATE" on municipalities that could "increase costs to certain fully insured municipal plans" which currently do not cover MRIs at this proposed required level. The expansion of insurance coverage will increase insurance costs and thus premiums, which will eventually be born by policy holders - municipalities to name one. This would result in increased insurance costs statewide. This proposal was defeated as a mandate last year, and should be treated as such in 2011.

Current Location: Appropriations Committee

HB 6472    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES: OSTOMY SUPPLIES 

Would mandate the expansion of all health insurance policies by raising the threshold of covered costs of ostomy supplies. OFA has concluded this proposal is a new "STATE MANDATE" on municipalities (File No. 108).

Current Location: House Floor

SB 1084    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES: OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES 

Would prohibit health insurance plans from implementing out-of-pocket expenses (i.e. copayments) for nonpreferred brand name drugs. OFA (File No. 227) has concluded that this bill is a "STATE MANDATE" on municipalities that could "increase costs to certain fully insured municipal plans...". Simply put: local budgets cannot incur additional costs -- hometowns need relief from state mandates, not new ones forced on them during this historic recession.

Current Location: Appropriations Committee

SB 12    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES: OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS 

Would prohibit municipal health insurance policies from implementing co-payments for various "preventive care services" such as for tobacco cessation programs, obesity training programs, and routine pre-natal and well-child care. The intent of SB 12 has merit, however, according to OFA (File No. 14), this is a "STATE MANDATE" on municipalities that would increase costs to local health insurance plans.

Current Location: Appropriations Committee

HB 6349    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES: PRESCRIPTION DRUGS 

Would mandate that local health insurance plans are deemed unable to make adjustments to certain prescription drug coverages regarding the treatment of chronic illnesses and the process for refilling such prescriptions. This proposal would be a new state mandate on local health insurance plans.

The fiscal analysis (File No. 102) fails to recognize that there would be an impact on certain local health plans -- as not all municipalities are self-insured and therefore, this proposed mandate would apply to certain towns and cities.

Current Location: House Floor

SB 396    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES: PROSTRATE CANCER TREATMENTS 

Would mandate that all health insurance policies cover costs for (1) radiation therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer, and (2) phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor prescription drugs for dysfunction that may result following a radical prostatectomy.

The expansion of insurance coverage will increase insurance costs and thus premiums, which will eventually be born by policy holders - municipalities to name one. This would result in increased insurance costs statewide -- which is also the conclusion released by OFA (File No. 49) -- which states this is a new "STATE MANDATE" on municipalities with "cost" implications. Hometowns need relief -- not new state mandates.

Current Location: Appropriations Committee

SB 312    

NEW HEALTH INSURANCE MANDATES: SPECIALIZED FORMULAS 

Among other things, would mandate that health insurance policies cover the costs of administering specialized formulas for people of any age. Current law requires certain policies to provide coverage for children up to age 12.

This bill has significant cost implications on limited local resources. According to OFA (File No. 42), this bill is a "STATE MANDATE" on municipalities that could produce "increased costs." Local budgets need relief from health insurance costs -- new mandated "increases" would be the opposite of relief.

Current Location: Senate Floor

SB 934    

NON-CERTIFIED EDUCATIONAL EMPLOYEES UNEMPLOYMENT MANDATE 

Would mandate that "the reasonable assurance" of non-certified educational employees' (i. e. paraprofessionals and teachers' aides -- of which there are approximately 40,376 statewide) return to work be in a written or verbal offer, or assignment for the following academic year or term. In other words, this bill would ban such employees' work-history as evidence of a "the reasonable assurance" that they would be re-employed after the school-year break. According to OFA (File No. 78), this proposal "...may result in increased costs to the state, local and regional boards of education..." as it would create an new eligiblity threshold for unemployment compensation payments.

Current Location: Senate Floor

SB 913    

PAID SICK DAYS MANDATE 

Would, among other things, mandate that municipalities provide paid sick days to employees. CCM is sympathetic to the intent of this proposal. However, according to OFA, this proposal would be a new "STATE MANDATE" on municipalities that could cost towns and cities additional money with regard to associated wages and overtime costs.

Current Location: Senate Floor

HB 6629

POLICE: NEW FAMILY VIOLENCE GUIDELINES 

Would, among other things, require that police departments "duly" promulgate new guidelines regarding "arrest polices in family violence incidents" due to changes contained in this bill.

It will require updating procedures and manuals.

Current Location: Judiciary Committee

HB 6464    

POSSESSIONS OF EVICTED TENANTS 

Would require towns to reimburse landlords for the cost of removing and delivering evicted tenant possessions from the proceeds of a sale at auction of such possessions.

Current Location: House Floor

SB 930    

SCHOOL ENTRANCE AGE 

Would require children to begin school no later than age six, unless the child meets certain criteria. The Office of Fiscal Analysis has labeled this proposal a STATE MANDATE that could cost between $4.5 million and $6.5 million statewide.

While the bill is well-intended, it would impose yet another unfunded mandate on local government, further exacerbating the tough financial situation on the local level.

K-12 public education costs approach 70% of most municipal budgets in our state. The State's share of which is a dismal 37.8%.

Current Location: Appropriations Committee

HB 5326    

SCHOOL FACILITIES MANDATE 

Would mandate the installation of carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in all existing schools, schools under construction, and any plans for new schools. While well-intended, according to professional public safety personnel, it has been estimated that a properly installed CO detection system could cost as much as $10,000 per school.

Current Location: House Floor

HB 5465    

STATE MANDATED BENEFITS FOR PARAPROFESSIONALS 

Would mandate that towns and cities provide municipal paraprofessionals benefits in accordance with the federal Family Medical Leave Act.

Although well-intended, the Office of Fiscal Analysis has labeled this is a new "STATE MANDATE" on municipalities. Given the fact that hometowns have already faced - and will probably face more - budget cuts, layoffs, and concessions, this is not the time to establish new precedents, nor enact new mandated administrative burdens on local governments.

Current Location: Planning and Development Committee

HB 6585

STAY IN SCHOOL TILL AGE 18 

Would mandate that all individuals remain in school until the age of 18, unless graduated, by removing the ability of the parent or legal guardian to consent to their withdrawal at age 17.

While well intended, this could cost towns and cities as much as $40 million statewide. Statistics show that there are approximately 3,000 dropouts in a given year. Using the current net expenditure per pupil for FY2010 of roughly $13,500, the calculation is crippling.

It is disappointing that the Office of Fiscal Analysis failed to provide a detailed fiscal note on a bill that will have such and enormous impact on local governments.

Current Location: Appropriations Committee

SB 896    

SUBDIVISION ZONING MANDATE 

Would, among other things, (a) require zoning commissions to designate an official and that official is then responsible for approving or denying site plan applications, (b) prohibit planning and zoning commissions from modifying or rejecting a subdivision plan, unless such a plan fails to comply with planning or inland wetland regulations, and (c) prohibit public hearings on subdivision proposals.

Current Location: Appropriations Committee

SB 860    

SUBDIVISION ZONING 

Among other things, would (a) devise a comprehensive revision of the fiscal and physical protections that towns rely on to allow development projects to proceed. It would not only addresses subdivision development, but also proposes revisions to zoning statues pertaining to these same protections, (b) prohibit a maintenance bond to ensure that such public improvements as new roads are in fact constructed properly and maintained for a reasonable period and to protect the town from inheriting responsibilities for deficient construction. This puts town at significant risk, and (3) require release of a bond thirty days after a release request, with only the commission being 'reasonably satisfied that the modifications' have been completed. Assuming by 'modifications' the language intends to mean public improvements, this will limit town control of new public improvements for which it must assume permanent responsibility. Further, thirty days is insufficient time to conduct the necessary engineering, environmental, and other technical evaluations that are often required to ensure that all applicable standards and condition as are met.

Current Location: Senate Floor

SB 1230    

TRAFFIC STOPS 

While CCM appreciates the intent behind this proposal, it would impose require that police officers comply with traffic stop standards adopted by the Office of Policy and Management and the Criminal Justice Information System Governing Board.

If the proposal is to move forward, the Committee should include a funding source to reimburse municipalities for costs associated with this bill.

Current Location: Senate Floor

SB 936    

UNEMPLOYMENT EXTENDED BENEFIT MANDATE 

Would broaden the circumstances under which unemployed people can access unemployment extended benefits -- by lengthening the "look back period," from 2 to 3 years. According to OFA (File No. 63) -- this bill is a "STATE MANDATE" on municipalities that could impose added costs on local budgets, as towns and cities are responsible for 100% of the costs of extended benefit claims.

Current Location: Senate Floor

HB 6403    

UTILITY TERMINATION 

Would, according to the Office of Fiscal Analysis, result in an estimated cost of up to $50,000 to municipalities by lengthening the time during which certain utility customers may not have their service disconnected.

Current Location: House Floor

SB 1050    

AED OPERATION AND CPR TRAINING MANDATE RELIEF 

Would eliminate the statutory requirement that an AED and a school personnel trained in AED operation/CPR be present at school sponsored events not occurring during operations of school hours.

This does not include school-sponsored athletic events taking place on school grounds.

Current Location: Education Committee

HB 6330    

ELECTION MANDATE REFORM 

Among other things, this bill would allow local registrars or voters the option to appoint (1) one or two official checkers, instead of requiring two, and giving them the same discretion concerning ballot clerks; and, (2) a single certified moderator per polling place when more than one political party holds a primary on the same day.

Current Location: House Floor

SB 939    

JOINT PUBLICATION OF NOTICES 

Would allow two or more towns to jointly post certain elections notices in local/regional publications. This proposal would allow such towns to share the cost of meeting this state mandate.

Current Location: Planning and Development Committee

HB 6498    

MANDATE RELIEF - HIGH SCHOOL REFORM 

Would, among other things, provide some relief from the High School Reform mandate set forth by Public Act 10-111 by postponing the implementation dates.

Public Act 10-111 imposed new graduation and other requirements on local school districts in the hope that the State would receive funds from the federal Race to the Top (RTTT) program. According to the Office of Fiscal Analysis, this new mandate will cost local school districts an estimated $12 to $18 million.

Unfortunately, the State was not awarded the RTTT funds, and this unfunded mandate must be repealed or modified. Of course it is important for education results to improve - but a new $12-$18 million mandate is untenable when the State is already underfunding existing education programs.

In addition, Section 9 establishes a task force to "examine issues related to the changes to the high school graduation requirements." CCM hopes that this will be a much more all-inclusive and open process to examine the many high-impact matters this subject entails - unlike the closed door meetings that produced PA 10-111, which excluded municipal CEOs - those with the sole responsibility of raising revenue to cover new unfunded state mandates.

Current Location: House Floor

HB 6429    

MANDATED STORAGE OF STOLEN PROPERTY 

Would amend the state-mandated threshold that requires local police officials seize and store (as evidence) stolen property -- from a current value of over $250 to a proposed value of over $750.

CCM supports this as a reasonable proposal that would relieve local law enforcement personnel from certain administrative burdens (i.e, logging, storage, and inventory of such items) - as well as permit rightful owners access to their property in a more timely manner. The threshold for this state mandate has not been adjusted since the mid-1980's.

Current Location: House Floor

SB 465    

MOBILE HOME REMOVAL COSTS 

Would require that the owners of mobile manufactured home parks reimburse municipalities for costs associated with removing mobile homes because of summary process action.

Current Location: Senate Floor

HB 6103    

REVIEW OF SPECIAL EDUCATION MANDATES 

Would require a comprehensive review of state-mandated special education requirements. Special education costs are the single largest cost accelerant of education spending in Connecticut. It is estimated that special education costs grow 5%-6% per year, 1%-2% faster than most other education costs. How, and at what level, the State reimburses municipalities for these mandated costs are among the hottest state-local issues - and the State has been falling behind.

With special education expenditures now topping the $1.5 billion mark, the local share may now reach $1 billion. Special education spending accounts for at least 14% of all education spending in Connecticut and costs keep growing faster than other school spending (5%-6% vs. 3%-4%). Complicating matters, unforeseen demands for the most expensive special education services too often result in local mid-year budget shuffling, supplementary appropriations, and other extraordinary measures. This is particularly true in smaller towns where the arrival of a single new high-cost special education student during the school year can create a budget crisis.

Current Location: House Floor

SB 888    

TRAINING EXEMPTIONS FOR CERTAIN PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL 

Would allow certain public safety personnel to be exempt from emergency medical dispatch training (1) if such PSAPs contract with another entity to provide local emergency medical dispatch services (i.e., medical interrogation, dispatch prioritization, and pre-arrival instructions); or (2) if the police officer is certified through POST.

This is a reasonable means to streamline the implementation of this vital training - while not compromising emergency response services provided by local emergency personnel.

Current Location: Senate Floor