State Rep. Terrie Wood, who represents Darien and Rowayton residents in the 141st District, has announced to her constituents that public hearings will be taking place soon on “issues of critical importance in Hartford next week. You can get your testimony in and possibly influence how the Legislature will (or won’t) act.
Terrie Wood / Terrie Wood
State Rep. Terrie Wood (R-141st District)
“Part of our democratic process is to offer the opportunity to be heard on issues that impact our community and our state,” Wood said in the announcement. “Interested in testifying or submitting testimony? I’d be happy to assist you in drafting and submitting testimony on the legislation being considered by the General Assembly this session.”
Here’s Wood’s description of the public hearings:
Prevailing Wage Thresholds and Collective Bargaining Issues
Labor & Public Employees Committee:
Tuesday, Feb. 21, 3 p.m., Room 2E, Legislative Office Building (LOB), Hartford
Submit testimony to LABtestimony@cga.ct.gov
- HB-432 and HB-6211 – Increases the prevailing wage thresholds
- HB-552 – Removes retirement benefits as a subject matter for collective bargaining for new state and municipal employees
Mandate Relief
Planning & Development Committee:
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 10:30 a.m., Room 2D, Legislative Office Building, Hartford
Testimony: Submit testimony to PDtestimony@cga.ct.gov
The legislature’s Planning & Development Committee is holding a public hearing on several COST priority issues. A complete list of bills along with links to the language is here.
- SB-793 -The Governor’s proposal to 1) increase the prevailing wage thresholds to $1 million for new construction and $500,000 for renovations; 2) provide for the random selection of neutral arbitrators and the use of a single neutral through an agreement of the parties in the binding arbitration process; 3) allows towns to negotiate MERS employee contribution rates as a subject of collective bargaining.
- HB-6923 and HB-5158 – Requires any new or expanded unfunded municipal mandate to be approved by a 2/3 majority of the General Assembly
- HB-5448 and HB-6929 – Eliminates the mandate that towns store the property of evicted tenants
Regionalism
Planning & Development Committee
Feb. 22, 10:30 a.m., Room 2D, Legislative Office Building
Testimony: Submit testimony to PDtestimony@cga.ct.gov
- HB-6924 – Requires OPM to implement a regionalization efficiency tool to assess a town’s performance in regionalizing various functions
- HB-6920 -Makes significant changes to COGs, including allowing a majority of towns in a COG to decide to enter into a regional revenue enhancement agreement and allowing COGs to create ethics boards. Of particular importance is Section 8 of HB 6920 which would allow for the majority of towns in the Council of Governments to share property tax revenues. Right now the language allows that all towns in the COG’s must agree to share commercial and industrial tax revenues.