Journal of the Senate 04/14/2021
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JOURNAL OF THE SENATE Wednesday, April 14, 2021 The Senate was called to order at 1:09 p.m., President in the Chair. The prayer was offered by Acting Chaplain, Kathy Zabel of Burlington, Connecticut. The following is the prayer: When we are confused, guide us, when we are weary, energize us, when we are tired, renew us. May the work that we do benefit all those we serve. PLEDGE Senator Moore of the 22nd led the Senate in the Pledge of Allegiance. REPORT The following report was received, read by the Clerk and referred to the Committee indicated: Report – Auditors of Public Accounts – University of Connecticut for Fiscal Years ended June 30, 2016, 2017 and 2018. (Pursuant to Section 2-90 of the Connecticut General Statutes.) Date received: September April 13, 2021. Referred to Committees on Appropriations, Higher Education and Employment Advancement, and Legislative Management. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS SENATE AND HOUSE BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS On motion of Senator Duff of the 25th, the first reading of the following bills and resolutions was waived, the list of bills and resolutions as prepared by the Clerks was accepted, and the bills and resolutions referred to the Committees as indicated thereon in concurrence: FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING S.B. No. 1094 (RAISED) FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING. 'AN ACT AUTHORIZING BONDS OF THE STATE FOR CTNEXT AND THE INNOVATION PLACE PROGRAM', to provide funding for CTNext and the innovation place program. - 619 - JOURNAL OF THE SENATE [Wednesday, S.B. No. 1095 (RAISED) FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING. 'AN ACT EXPANDING THE ANGEL INVESTOR TAX CREDIT PROGRAM TO SOCIAL EQUITY APPLICANTS', to expand the angel investor tax credit program to cannabis establishments for which social equity applicants have been granted provisional licenses or licenses. S.B. No. 1096 (RAISED) FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING. 'AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE EXCHANGE OF EXCESS CREDITS WITH THE STATE AT A REDUCED RATE', to authorize corporations and affected business entities to exchange excess credits with the state at a reduced rate. S.B. No. 1097 (RAISED) FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING. 'AN ACT CONCERNING MEETINGS OF THE STATE BOND COMMISSION', to require the State Bond Commission to meet at least once each calendar quarter and the agenda for each meeting to be jointly agreed on by the Governor, the president pro tempore of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Representatives, in consultation with the minority leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives. S.B. No. 1098 (RAISED) FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING. 'AN ACT AUTHORIZING BONDS OF THE STATE FOR PEDIATRIC EARLY LITERACY PROGRAMS', to fund the provision of pediatric early literacy programs in alliance districts. S.B. No. 1099 (RAISED) FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING. 'AN ACT AUTHORIZING BONDS OF THE STATE FOR A RESEARCH FACULTY RECRUITMENT AND HIRING PROGRAM BY THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT TO ENCOURAGE THE CREATION OF NEW BUSINESS VENTURES', to provide funding for a research faculty recruitment and hiring program by The University of Connecticut, with the goal of encouraging and facilitating the creation of new business ventures. S.B. No. 1100 (RAISED) FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING. 'AN ACT CONCERNING THE FAILURE TO FILE FOR CERTAIN GRAND LIST EXEMPTIONS', to allow certain persons to file for property tax exemptions, notwithstanding certain statutory deadlines. S.B. No. 1101 (RAISED) FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING. 'AN ACT ESTABLISHING CT RENAISSANCE AND CONCERNING INVESTMENTS IN RENAISSANCE ZONES', to require the establishment of the CT Renaissance to implement investments and project financing in eligible municipalities through designated renaissance zones, and to increase the funds for state investments in community banks and credit unions to promote community or economic development in such zones. S.B. No. 1102 (RAISED) FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING. 'AN ACT CONCERNING A LOAN PROGRAM TO ASSIST TAXPAYERS WITH THE PAYMENT OF CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY TAXES', to establish a loan program to assist taxpayers with the payment of certain real property taxes. S.B. No. 1103 (RAISED) FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING. 'AN ACT CONCERNING EMISSIONS AND DECIBEL LEVEL TESTING, THE TAXATION OF CERTAIN MOTORCYCLES AND PARTS AND THE PASSPORT TO THE PARKS FEE', to require emissions and decibel level testing for motor vehicles and motorcycles, establish a higher rate of sales and use taxes for motorcycles and aftermarket motorcycle mufflers that exceed the maximum allowable decibel level and limit the Passport to the Parks fee to one vehicle per owner. S.B. No. 1104 (RAISED) FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING. 'AN ACT CONCERNING COMMUNITY RESTORATION FUNDS', to implement certain community restoration and revitalization efforts through the establishment of community development - 620 - April 14, 2021] JOURNAL OF THE SENATE corporations, community development credit unions and community impact zones, using tax revenue from the sale of cannabis and cannabis products and deposits in lieu of taxes payments. S.B. No. 1105 (RAISED) FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING. 'AN ACT ELIMINATING THE PROPERTY TAX ON CERTAIN MOTOR VEHICLES AND ADJUSTING THE UNIFORM PROPERTY ASSESSMENT RATE', to eliminate the property tax on certain motor vehicles and adjust the uniform property assessment rate. S.B. No. 1106 (RAISED) FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING. 'AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE CONNECTICUT EQUITABLE INVESTMENT FUND AND DEDICATING CERTAIN REVENUES TO SAID FUND', to establish the Connecticut Equitable Investment Fund and council and dedicate certain revenues to said fund to be used for certain purposes. S.B. No. 1107 (RAISED) FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING. 'AN ACT CONCERNING THE TAXATION OF AMBULATORY SURGICAL CENTER SERVICES', to sunset the ambulatory surgical centers tax and subject ambulatory surgical center services to the sales tax. S.B. No. 1108 (RAISED) FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING. 'AN ACT CONCERNING A CONNECTICUT NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT PROGRAM', to establish a Connecticut new markets tax credit program for calendar years 2022 and 2023. H.B. No. 6675 (RAISED) FINANCE, REVENUE AND BONDING. 'AN ACT CONCERNING A MUNICIPAL OPTION FOR A HOMESTEAD PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION', to authorize municipalities to establish a homestead property tax exemption. FAVORABLE REPORTS OF THE JOINT STANDING COMMITTEES SENATE BILLS The following favorable reports were received from the Joint Standing Committees indicated, read the second time and tabled for the calendar and printing. ENVIRONMENT. S.B. No. 924 (RAISED) (File No. 451) "AN ACT CONCERNING THE STAFFING AND RESOURCES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION." ENVIRONMENT. Substitute for S.B. No. 926 (RAISED) (File No. 452) "AN ACT CONCERNING THE PRESENCE OF PFAS IN CERTAIN CONSUMER PACKAGING." ENVIRONMENT. Substitute for S.B. No. 1031 (RAISED) (File No. 458) "AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF SODIUM CHLORIDE TO MITIGATE ICE AND SNOW ACCUMULATIONS." GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS. Substitute for S.B. No. 138 (COMM) (File No. 440) "AN ACT CONCERNING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORS." GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS. Substitute for S.B. No. 183 (COMM) (File No. 441) "AN ACT CONCERNING REMOTE MEETINGS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT." GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS. S.B. No. 353 (COMM) (File No. 442) "AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS." - 621 - JOURNAL OF THE SENATE [Wednesday, GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS. Substitute for S.B. No. 753 (COMM) (File No. 448) "AN ACT CONCERNING THE COUNTING OF INCARCERATED PERSONS FOR PURPOSES OF DETERMINING LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS." GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS. S.B. No. 1014 (RAISED) (File No. 455) "AN ACT CONCERNING A MUNICIPAL ELECTION MONITOR FOR THE 2021 MUNICIPAL ELECTION AND THE 2022 STATE ELECTION." GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS. S.B. No. 1016 (RAISED) (File No. 456) "AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL ETHICS." GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS. Substitute for S.B. No. 1052 (RAISED) (File No. 459) "AN ACT CONCERNING A DISPARITY STUDY." GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS. S.B. No. 1072 (RAISED) (File No. 460) "AN ACT CONCERNING FREEDOM OF INFORMATION." JUDICIARY. Substitute for S.B. No. 363 (RAISED) (File No. 443) "AN ACT CONCERNING THE DUTIES OF THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL." JUDICIARY. S.B. No. 972 (RAISED) (File No. 453) "AN ACT CONCERNING THE COST OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES." JUDICIARY. S.B. No. 988 (RAISED) (File No. 454) "AN ACT CONCERNING JUDICIAL COMPENSATION." LABOR AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES. Substitute for S.B. No. 658 (COMM) (File No. 445) "AN ACT REQUIRING EMPLOYERS TO RECALL CERTAIN LAID-OFF WORKERS IN ORDER OF SENIORITY." LABOR AND PUBLIC EMPLOYEES. S.B. No. 660 (COMM) (File No. 446) "AN ACT EXPANDING WORKERS' COMPENSATION BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN MENTAL OR EMOTIONAL IMPAIRMENTS SUFFERED BY HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS IN CONNECTION WITH COVID-19." PUBLIC HEALTH. Substitute for S.B. No. 683 (COMM) (File No. 447) "AN ACT CONCERNING HOSPITAL BILLING AND COLLECTION EFFORTS BY HOSPITALS AND COLLECTION AGENCIES." PUBLIC HEALTH. Substitute for S.B. No. 834 (RAISED) (File No. 449) "AN ACT CONCERNING WATER QUALITY NOTIFICATION." PUBLIC HEALTH. Substitute for S.B. No. 1030 (RAISED) (File No. 457) "AN ACT CONCERNING LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES." TRANSPORTATION. Substitute for S.B. No. 605 (COMM) (File No. 444) "AN ACT CONCERNING THE PORT AUTHORITY." TRANSPORTATION. S.B. No. 866 (RAISED) (File No. 450) "AN ACT CONCERNING THE CONNECTICUT PORT AUTHORITY." - 622 - April 14, 2021] JOURNAL OF THE SENATE INTRODUCTION OF SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION RESOLUTION ADOPTED The following