Connecticut

Bill Shields Doctors in Treatment of Lyme Disease

June 22, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced she has signed a bill allowing doctors to prescribe long-term antibiotics in the treatment of persistent Lyme disease – outside of standard guidelines – without fear of sanctions from state health regulators if the patient’s clinical diagnosis of the tick-borne disease and treatment have been documented by a licensed physician.    » read more »

Legislation Prompted by Sudden Death of NFA Student

June 18, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today signed a bill that makes automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) available in schools and ensures at least two staff members are trained to use the live-saving equipment.

“This is legislation is intended to do one thing – save lives, precious lives,” Governor Rell said during a bill-signing ceremony at Norwich Free Academy. “It is in the best interest of our children and our communities.”    » read more »

Governor Rell Signs Bill to Help More Students Get Higher Ed Loans

June 10, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell has signed a bill that will help more students get access to low-interest loans for higher education through a financing partnership the Governor helped establish last year with Connecticut credit unions. (Senate Bill 842: An Act Concerning A Student Loan Guarantee Program Reserve Fund.)    » read more »

June 9, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that her plan to distribute $3.6 million in federal stimulus block grants to help small cities and towns rebuild their neighborhoods hit hardest by the foreclosure crisis will be the subject of a public hearing Wednesday at the Legislative Office Building.

The Governor said funds will allow a dozen communities to buy and rehabilitate foreclosed and vacant homes so that they can be re-sold at affordable prices to low- and moderate-income families. The municipalities will also be able to upgrade critical infrastructure in those neighborhoods, such as water and sewer lines, streets and sidewalks.    » read more »

HARTFORD, CT -- NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous joined with Connecticut House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan to condemn Governor Jodi Rell’s veto of HB-6578.

The NAACP Connecticut State Conference launched a campaign in support of the bill which would have replaced the death penalty with life in prison without the possibility of parole for all capital felonies committed after the bill’s enactment. The bill was recently passed by the Connecticut Judiciary Committee and by both the House and the Senate, but can be vetoed by Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell.    » read more »

June 5, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today vetoed HB 6578, An Act Concerning the Penalty for a Capital Felony, which sought to eliminate the death penalty as a sentencing option in Connecticut.

A copy of the Governor’s veto message is attached.

June 5, 2009

The Honorable Susan Bysiewicz

Secretary of the State

18-20 Trinity Street

Hartford, CT 06106

Dear Madame Secretary:

I am hereby returning without my signature HB 6578, An Act Concerning the Penalty for a Capital Felony. This bill eliminates the death penalty as a sentencing option for crimes committed on or after the bill's effective date.    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today issued the following statement concerning House Bill 6578, An Act Concerning the Penalty for a Capital Felony:

“I appreciate the passionate beliefs of people on both sides of the death penalty debate. I fully understand the concerns and deeply held convictions of those who would like to see the death penalty abolished in Connecticut. However, I also fully understand the anguish and outrage of the families of victims who believe, as I do, that there are certain crimes so heinous – so fundamentally revolting to our humanity – that the death penalty is warranted.

“I will veto this bill as soon as it hits my desk.”

Source: Connecticut Governor

Dodd Attends Signing Ceremony Joined by Two Connecticut Residents

May 20, 2009 -- Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, the Chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, today attended President Obama’s signing ceremony for the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, legislation that Dodd sponsored to help prevent foreclosures and increase the availability of credit for consumers and businesses.

Dodd was joined at the ceremony by two supporters of the bill from Connecticut: Tony Emerson, the Executive Director of the Credit Union League of Connecticut, and Carol Walter, the Executive Director of the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness.    » read more »

May 19, 2009 -- WASHINGTON - Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) last week announced the release of $7,579,126 to help eliminate dangerous lead-based paint from low-income homes and protect young children from lead poisoning in Connecticut. The funds were released by the Department of Housing and Urban Development as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.    » read more »

May 14, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the Department of Public Health (DPH) has confirmed 9 new cases of novel H1N1 flu (swine flu) among Connecticut residents. Eight cases were confirmed by the Connecticut DPH Laboratory and one by the Massachusetts State Laboratory.

Positive results for H1N1 flu were confirmed for Fairfield, Manchester, Ridgefield (2), Southbury, Stamford, Trumbull, Waterbury, and Woodbury.    » read more »

May 13, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the Department of Public Health has confirmed 5 new cases of novel H1N1 flu (swine flu) among Connecticut residents.

Positive results for H1N1 flu were confirmed today at the department’s Public Health Laboratory for two residents of Ridgefield as well as for residents of Hamden, Redding, and Wilton.

“We are fortunate that the cases that we are seeing in Connecticut continue to be relatively mild and folks are recovering without hospitalization,” Governor Rell said. “However, just like seasonal flu, H1N1 can lead to serious illness and it is important that people take simple precautions to protect themselves. People with flu-like symptoms should call their doctor.”    » read more »

May 12, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the Department of Public Health has confirmed 5 new cases of novel H1N1 flu (swine flu) among Connecticut residents.

One of the positive results for H1N1 flu was confirmed today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the other four were confirmed today by the department’s Public Health Laboratory. The confirmed cases are residents of Darien, Greenwich, Pawcatuck, and Fairfield.    » read more »

Directive Will Result in Sharp Reduction in State Agency ‘P-Cards’

May 12, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced additional measures to reduce spending and help control the current year state budget deficit, including a directive to all state agency heads to sharply cut back on the number of state Purchasing Cards (“P-Cards”) and credit cards.    » read more »

State Receives $1.1 Million for Food Assistance

May 12, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the state has received approximately $1.1 million in federal stimulus funds for food assistance so that the two major food banks in Connecticut can buy more food to accommodate the increase of families and individuals in greater need this year because of the economic downturn.

“Connecticut Food Bank and Foodshare do an outstanding job year after year to combat hunger in Connecticut,” Governor Rell said. “Unfortunately, the struggling national economy has now made their mission all the more challenging and we are committed to doing everything we can to help.”    » read more »

May 11, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the Department of Public Health has confirmed 11 new cases of novel H1N1 flu (swine flu) among Connecticut residents.

Positive results for H1N1 flu were confirmed today at the department’s Public Health Laboratory for three residents of Ridgefield as well as for residents of Danbury, Darien, Derby, Greenwich, Old Saybrook, Waterbury and Wilton.    » read more »