2009 CCAG Legislative Agenda

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The legislative agenda is the master plan for this session’s lobbying, research and issue communications with members focusing on five main areas of public interest.



Jump to:

Environment,
Fair Budget,
Consumer Protection,
Health Care,
Democracy

ENVIRONMENT:

Toxic Chemical Reform

Safer Alternatives Bill

States need to lead the way toward comprehensive solutions that discourage a “one chemical at a time” approach. The Safer Alternatives bill would prioritize hazardous substances for phase-out when safer alternatives are available and provide technical assistance to companies seeking to transition to safer alternatives.



Phasing out BPA from Children’s Products

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a high production volume chemical used to make epoxy resin and polycarbonate plastic products, including some kinds of baby bottles and food storage and heating containers. BPA is an endocrine disruptor that has been linked to a number of health problems at low doses, including insulin resistance, gene changes, metabolic syndrome, altered brain development and sexual behavior, and prostate cancer. Safe solutions exist, and many companies have pledged to stop using BPA in the products they manufacture and sell. We’re committed to legislation that prohibits the use of BPA in the sale of food containers and in children's products intended for children age three or younger.



Green Cleaning in Schools

In 2007 Connecticut passed Public Act 100, requiring all state buildings to use certified green cleaning products. We’re working to extend this requirement to include public schools.

Bottle Bill


Since the bottle bill’s inception over 30 years ago, billions of bottles and cans have been kept off of our streets and out of our landfills and incinerators. The legislature now has the opportunity to keep hundreds of millions more containers from ending up as litter on our beaches or incinerated in our communities by expanding it to include all non-carbonated containers and increasing the deposit to 10 cents.

Global Warming


As a member of the Stop Global Warming Connecticut campaign, we helped to pass important climate change legislation, requiring the state to cut global warming emissions. Connecticut is one of the national leaders on such environmental issues. This year we are supporting efforts that will move us closer to reaching these carbon reduction goals by strengthening the state’s Green Building codes.

FAIR BUDGET:

Governor Rell’s proposed budget included deep cuts affecting every agency in the state. CCAG is a member of Better Choices for Connecticut, a coalition that believes that reliance on spending cuts is both unwise and unnecessary. Slashing public services in the midst of this recession places the Connecticut economy in grave danger. With smarter choices, Connecticut has the capacity to protect our schools, our transit, our infrastructure, our social services, and our public safety agencies.



Some of the specifics include:

  • Raising income taxes on the state’s wealthiest residents ($0.8 to 1.2 billion)
  • Scaling back public subsidies to the entertainment industry ($90 to 100 million)
  • Funds expected from the federal economic stimulus plan ($700 million)
  • Funds drawn from the state's "Rainy Day Fund" ($500 million)
  • Closing corporate tax "loopholes" ($130 to 150 million)
    1. a state earned income tax credit (-$50 million)
    2. a new small business property tax credit (-$100 million)

CCAG supports a multi-part revenue package that balances the budget while protecting our state's vital services. Better Choices for Connecticut is a community coalition working to help Connecticut make better choices. Better Choices for Connecticut seeks to improve the state's imbalanced revenue system in order to advance opportunity for shared prosperity for all Connecticut residents, to preserve services for children, families and the elderly, to create and sustain good jobs, and to reinvest in the middle class and our communities.

CONSUMER PROTECTION:

Energy


Deregulation has done nothing to curtail skyrocketing electric rates. Connecticut consumers continue to pay the highest electric rates in the country due to market manipulation and price gouging. CCAG supports legislation that would create a mechanism whereby the state of Connecticut could use its enormous purchasing power and economies of scale to purchase energy at reduced costs, passing those savings on to consumers. CCAG will also continue to advocate for investment in energy efficiency programs; for every $1 the state invests into conservation, ratepayers see a $4 benefit.

Consumer Credit Discrimination


With skyrocketing unemployment and foreclosures, several states, including Connecticut, are working to pass legislation that would create new rules to stop employers from unfairly screening out job applicants who demonstrate a poor credit score. Aside from the common problem of inaccurate credit scores, there are many instances where a credit score has nothing to do with a prospective employee’s ability to fulfill the requirements of the job and could be used to discriminate against those with lower scores. Credit capacity should not be used as a condition of employment unless the report substantially relates to the employee’s potential job, if the report is already required by law, or if the employer has reasonable cause to believe that the employee has engaged in specific activity that constitutes a violation of law.

HEALTH CARE:

Moving Towards Quality, Affordable Health Care For All


SustiNet is a new proposal to ensure that everyone in Connecticut has high quality, affordable health care regardless of pre-existing conditions, job changes, self-employment, divorce and other life changes. It offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes dental and mental health coverage. People can choose their own doctors, and have the option of keeping their existing health plans.



SustiNet is for any Connecticut resident who needs it:

  • people without coverage
  • people with unaffordable coverage
  • people with inadequate health benefits through their employer

SustiNet is also available to businesses, nonprofits and municipalities that would like to offer their employees good, comprehensive health care benefits at affordable rates. Your premium payments would be based on a sliding scale depending upon your income. Because the plan would create a large public-private insurance pool, SustiNet would negotiate more competitive rates and create savings for individuals and businesses. People with SustiNet plan would save $875 or more per year on health care costs. The new system’s emphasis on prevention, better management of chronic illnesses and use of electronic medical records will also reduce costs.

Medical Loss Ratio


CCAG is once again supporting legislation that aims to provide transparency for consumers by requiring the disclosure of the medical loss ratio of a company or organization. The bill’s intent is to require that health insurers report to consumers the percentage spent on patients and medical care versus administration and profits. We believe that, in an effort to increase competition and efficiency in the health care system, there should be a minimum medical loss ratio established.


It is important that the state force insurers to disclose how many of your premium dollars are being spent on profit and administrative costs, while requiring that insurers spend at least 87.5% on medical care. Now more than ever, it is vital that the public and policy makers are provided with information that demonstrates how much an insurer is spending on administration, marketing and profit. Setting a minimum medical loss ratio encourages efficiency and competition; two things sorely needed if we are to control the cost of health care premiums. Recently, we’ve seen insurance company profits rising as fast as our health care costs. Consumers have a right to know how much of their premiums are going into wasteful administrative costs and CEO pay.

DEMOCRACY:

Campaign Finance Reform


The Governor's budget mitigation package in November cut $5 million from the Clean Elections Fund, and the January 2009 deficit package stripped another $7.5 million from the fund. The Governor’s budget now calls for an additional $12 million in cuts to the Citizen Election fund in 2010, and then another $12 million in 2011. We understand that during these tough economic times every program should and must be examined, but these cuts will likely make the historic legislation passed in the wake of the Rowland scandal inoperable. Scandals over the past several years have cost Connecticut taxpayers millions of dollars in bad deals, no bid contracts, and a massive loss in public trust. We will work to ensure that the Clean Elections system is not undermined by the undue influence of lobbyists and special interests over the electoral and legislative process.

Special Election for Senate Vacancies


Connecticut law provides that the Governor chooses a member of the U.S. Senate when someone leaves that office and that the Governor's selection remains as long as two full years or until the next regular election. CCAG supports legislation that empowers the voters to choose a vacancy for U.S. Senate, allowing for the democratic process to play out as we do for other vacancies such as in the U.S House of Representatives.


As we’ve seen from the scandal surrounding former Governor Blagojevich, we should allow the people to choose their representatives rather than relying on an old and unfair system or political patronage.

Election Day Registration/Early Voting


Increased participation in our electoral process only strengthens our democracy. CCAG supports legislation, similar to that of nine other states, that removes arbitrary voter registration deadlines and allows a greater percentage of citizens to participate in the electoral process. Voter turnouts for elections in states that allow Election Day registration see higher turnouts on average of 10-12% over states without.


Election results indicate that almost 40 million people, 30% of the 2008 voter turnout in the general election, voted prior to Election Day. Thirty-two states allow no-excuse pre-Election Day in-person voting - either by early voting on a voting machine or by in-person absentee voting. Connecticut currently does not allow this.