Full List: Bills Proposed by Waterford's State Legislators This Year

By July, if Waterford’s two state legislators have their way, Waterford town employees will be paying more for their retirements, it will be illegal to smoke in a car with a child 6-years-old or younger and police officers will be better trained to handle runaway livestock.

The state’s General Assembly is now in session and www.cga.ct.gov has listed the proposed bills all state legislators have introduced or co-sponsored. Monday, Patch took a look at the bills introduced or co-sponsored by State Sen. Andrea Stillman, D-Waterford, and State Rep. Betsy Ritter, D-Waterford, Waterford’s two state representatives.

The topics of the bills were vast, from a proposal by Stillman to require all police officers to receive training on “the management of escaped livestock” to a proposal by both to require gas stations to have generators. There also were several proposals that related directly to Waterford issues, such as a proposal by Stillman to have tolls on Connecticut highways, which would be used to fund the extension of Route 11.

Proposals

One proposal Ritter and Stillman introduced is a bill that would require employees covered under the Municipal Employee Retirement System (MERS) to pay a larger percentage of their salaries to their pension plans. Town of Waterford employees are covered by MERS and

In 2004, a municipal employee would pay 2.25 percent of their salary to their pension plan, and the town would pay 3.75 percent of regular employee’s salary to their pension and 4.25 percent of a police officer’s or firefighter’s pension. Now, the employee still pays 2.25 percent of their salary to their pension, while the town pays 11.79 percent of a regular employee’s salary to their pension and 16.65 percent of a police officer’s or firefighter’s salary.

This proposal, if adopted, would have the employees pay more and the town less. The reason, in the bill proposed by Stillman and Ritter, is to have “the contribution rate for members of the municipal employee retirement system to be more commensurate with rates in the private sector.”

Stillman has also sponsored a bill to have tolls on Connecticut’s highways. This is to put electronic tolling on the non-completed section of Route 11 only, once it is built, as another way to raise revenue to build the extension, according to a previous Patch story on the issue.

There is a full list of all the proposals by both women below, along with a link to see the bill. All of the proposals are just that, proposals, and need to be approved by the state’s General Assembly before they are instituted.

Bills Introduced or Co-Sponsored by Ritter

• HB05077 AN ACT CONCERNING SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A PERSON WHO IS PHYSICALLY HELPLESS.
• HB05267 AN ACT CONCERNING THE REGIONAL DELIVERY OF SOCIAL SERVICES.
• HB05313 AN ACT REQUIRING GASOLINE STATIONS TO BE EQUIPPED WITH GENERATORS.
• HB05334 AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE WAIVER OF STATE PARK FEES FOR THE PURPOSE OF CERTAIN PROM PHOTOS.
• HB05345 AN ACT CONCERNING HOMEMAKER COMPANION AGENCIES AND CONSUMER PROTECTION.
• HB05380 AN ACT PROHIBITING SMOKING IN MOTOR VEHICLES WITH MINOR CHILDREN.
• HB05393 AN ACT AUTHORIZING BONDS OF THE STATE FOR THE LYMAN ALLYN ART MUSEUM IN NEW LONDON.
• HB05460 AN ACT ESTABLISHING A MODEL PLAN FOR EMERGING BIOSCIENCE AND PHARMACEUTICAL BUSINESSES IN SOUTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT.
• HB05539 AN ACT CONCERNING INFLUENZA IMMUNIZATIONS FOR EMPLOYEES OF CERTAIN HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS.
• HB05595 AN ACT CONCERNING A "HOARDERS' TAX".
• HB05597 AN ACT CONCERNING THE SALES TAX EXEMPTION FOR ICE CREAM SOLD BY THE DAIRY BAR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT.
• HB05666 AN ACT CONCERNING THE FORFEITURE OF MONEYS AND PROPERTY DERIVED FROM HUMAN OR SEX TRAFFICKING.
• HB05722 AN ACT MAKING TECHNICAL CHANGES TO THE STATUTES GOVERNING MUNICIPAL TAX COLLECTORS.
• HB05730 AN ACT CONCERNING REIMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICES PROVIDED AT SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS.
• HB05936 AN ACT CONCERNING THE ADMISSIBILITY OF EVIDENCE RELATING TO A PARTY'S FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE STATE'S SEATBELT LAW IN CIVIL ACTIONS.
• HB05995 AN ACT CONCERNING THE COST TO TRANSFER MEDICAL RECORDS TO A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.
• HB05996 AN ACT AUTHORIZING BONDS OF THE STATE FOR A HEALTHCARE FACILITY IN THE TOWN OF GRISWOLD.
• HB06007 AN ACT CONCERNING "BLUE ALERTS".
• SB00115 AN ACT CONCERNING THE APPROVAL PROCESS FOR RESIDENTIAL NURSING FACILITIES SERVING INMATES AND MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS.
• SB00339 AN ACT CONCERNING THE CHARTER OAK HEALTH PLAN.
• SB00700 AN ACT CONCERNING NUMBER PLATES FOR VETERANS WHO RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART.
• SB00731 AN ACT ADJUSTING THE CONTRIBUTION RATE FOR MEMBERS OF THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
• SB00755 AN ACT CONCERNING STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS AND REQUIRING CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS

Bills Introduced or Co-Sponsored by Stillman

• HB05027 AN ACT PROHIBITING THE SALE OF DOGS OR CATS FROM SUBSTANDARD DOMESTIC ANIMAL MILLS AT PET SHOPS.
• HB05125 AN ACT ESTABLISHING TOLLS ON CONNECTICUT'S HIGHWAYS.
• HB05195 AN ACT ESTABLISHING AN OUTAGE CREDIT TO CUSTOMERS OF PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANIES.
• HB05225 AN ACT CONCERNING AMENDMENTS TO CONTRACTS BETWEEN THE STATE AND A MUNICIPALITY IN WHICH A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY IS LOCATED.
• HB05308 AN ACT CONCERNING CERTAIN APPLICATIONS FOR REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE UNDERGROUND STORAGE TANK PETROLEUM CLEAN-UP PROGRAM.
• HB05313 AN ACT REQUIRING GASOLINE STATIONS TO BE EQUIPPED WITH GENERATORS.
• HB05358 AN ACT PROHIBITING STATE CONTRACTS WITH ENTITIES MAKING CERTAIN INVESTMENTS IN IRAN.
• HB05380 AN ACT PROHIBITING SMOKING IN MOTOR VEHICLES WITH MINOR CHILDREN.
• HB05393 AN ACT AUTHORIZING BONDS OF THE STATE FOR THE LYMAN ALLYN ART MUSEUM IN NEW LONDON.
• HB05460 AN ACT ESTABLISHING A MODEL PLAN FOR EMERGING BIOSCIENCE AND PHARMACEUTICAL BUSINESSES IN SOUTHEASTERN CONNECTICUT.
• HB05666 AN ACT CONCERNING THE FORFEITURE OF MONEYS AND PROPERTY DERIVED FROM HUMAN OR SEX TRAFFICKING.
• HB05936 AN ACT CONCERNING THE ADMISSIBILITY OF EVIDENCE RELATING TO A PARTY'S FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE STATE'S SEATBELT LAW IN CIVIL ACTIONS.
• HB05996 AN ACT AUTHORIZING BONDS OF THE STATE FOR A HEALTHCARE FACILITY IN THE TOWN OF GRISWOLD.
• SB00031 AN ACT CONCERNING AUDITS BY PHARMACY BENEFIT MANAGERS.
• SB00042 AN ACT CONCERNING THE CRIMINAL POSSESSION OF AMMUNITION.
• SB00045 AN ACT CONCERNING SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
• SB00070 AN ACT RESTORING BENEFITS TO VETERANS DISCHARGED UNDER "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL".
• SB00108 AN ACT EXEMPTING PROPANE GAS USED IN RESIDENTIAL EMERGENCY GENERATORS FROM THE PETROLEUM PRODUCTS GROSS EARNINGS TAX.
• SB00110 AN ACT CONCERNING INCOME TAX REFUNDS.
• SB00115 AN ACT CONCERNING THE APPROVAL PROCESS FOR RESIDENTIAL NURSING FACILITIES SERVING INMATES AND MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS.
• SB00124 AN ACT BANNING LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION MAGAZINES.
• SB00148 AN ACT CONCERNING HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENTS ORDERED BY A COURT.
• SB00149 AN ACT CONCERNING STATE ACTION TO REDUCE HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND ASSIST THE VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
• SB00160 AN ACT CONCERNING ECS GRANT AMOUNTS AND THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN ENROLLED IN HALF-DAY KINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS.
• SB00163 AN ACT CONCERNING HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR A SECOND MAMMOGRAM.
• SB00169 AN ACT CONCERNING THE ASSESSMENT AND DELIVERY OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND INTERVENTIONS FOR CHILDREN.
• SB00202 AN ACT CONCERNING THE ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
• SB00275 AN ACT CONCERNING RECEIPT AND ADOPTION OF THE MASTER PLAN DEVELOPED BY THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP TASK FORCE BY THE INTERAGENCY COUNCIL FOR ENDING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP.
• SB00352 AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL SEWERAGE SYSTEMS.
• SB00530 AN ACT CONCERNING FUNDING FOR THE CONSORTIUM OF CONNECTICUT ART MUSEUMS.
• SB00561 AN ACT REQUIRING CERTAIN STATE AND LOCAL POLICE TO RECEIVE TRAINING ON THE MANAGEMENT OF ESCAPED LIVESTOCK.
• SB00700 AN ACT CONCERNING NUMBER PLATES FOR VETERANS WHO RECEIVED THE PURPLE HEART.
• SB00705 AN ACT EXPANDING THE POWERS OF MUNICIPAL STORMWATER AUTHORITIES.
• SB00723 AN ACT CONCERNING AN EXEMPTION FROM THE ESTATE TAX FOR FARM ASSETS.
• SB00731 AN ACT ADJUSTING THE CONTRIBUTION RATE FOR MEMBERS OF THE MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
• SB00746 AN ACT CONCERNING EXTRADITION OF FUGITIVE CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS.
• SB00753 AN ACT CONCERNING SUNDAY SALES OF ALCOHOLIC LIQUOR AT RESTAURANTS.
• SB00755 AN ACT CONCERNING STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS AND REQUIRING CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND LAND SURVEYORS.

*All bill information from http://www.cga.ct.gov.