2008 OTHER Proposed Bills

Proposed bills have limited language and convey only a concept. The Deadline for submitting Proposed bills was February 10. Subject Matter Public Hearing means a hearing will be held. Raised/Committee bills, the next step a bill must attain, are voted upon by the Committee, and will have statutory language. 

Short Session (this year) bill procedures; Unlike the long session (odd years, last year), in the short session Proposed bills have less importance due to the short time frame. Most bills are submitted by legislators to the Committee for consideration by the leadership (sponsors lobby the leadership) and may not be a proposed bill. All proposals must be raised as a committee bill. The committee meetings are normally pro-forma (All bills on the Agenda RAISED), and CONCEPT bills are generally raised with NO objections. These bills will be published in about a week and a Public Hearing held. We, and many legislators, do not know the Number or specific content (actual language) of the CONCEPT bills until printed although a general concept may be known. For example: Sunday Hunting (06) has been Raised, but until the actual bill is printed we do not know exact language.

Reading statutory language format: Language bracketed means REMOVE: Language Underlined/Capitalized is NEW. 

In Committee: JF means Joint Favorable (Report) - which means acceptance of the bill as written. Our CT committees, unlike Congress, are Joint Committees - including both Senators and Representatives. JFS is Substitute language which could include complete elimination of the original bill substituted with something else, addition or deletion of sections, or major/minor language changes. A straight JF means it will go to the Floor of the House/Senate. Other bills may be JF'd to specific committees.                                             

On the Floor: Disagreeing Action means Amendments passed in one chamber do not agree with the other chamber. Recommit means sending the bill back to Committee with no action. Public Act is the final law Passed awaiting the Governor's signature. 

When you get to the bill site, click on Proposed bill or Raised Bill or Committee Bill to view specific bill language. A  FILE is the version that will be debated on the floor. When Amendments are added a New File may be produced reflecting the Amendment(s).

Remember, Nothing is ever Dead until the end of the session

Note: many revenue/cost bills died due to the Governor's "No new budget" actions keeping intact the 2 year budget passed in 2007. A Special Session is expected to resolve new budgeting this Summer.

ACTIVE BILLS

Firearms

S. B. No. 503 (RAISED) AN ACT REVISING CERTAIN MOTOR VEHICLE LAWS. Rep. Miner motioned to strike lines 1242 through 1247 (Sec.20) and the subsequent paragraph (Police Exemptions), which prohibits possessing a gun in your vehicle. Sec. 20. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2008) (a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, no person in any building or upon any grounds of the Department of Motor Vehicles shall possess any weapon, loaded or unloaded, from which a shot may be discharged, or any other dangerous or deadly weapon or instrument, or any explosive, incendiary or other dangerous device. The motion was seconded by Rep. Chapin and passed unanimously. The clerk called the roll and the vote was held open until the first chamber went into session. The motion passed unanimously, with one absentee. File Number 219. Referred by Senate to Committee on Environment 04/03. Joint Favorable Substitute 04/09. File Number 697. Referred by Senate to Committee on Judiciary 04/23. Joint Favorable 04/28. Referred by Senate to Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding 04/30. No Action 05/02.

S. B. No. 603 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING AMMUNITION CODING.  To require that ammunition for handguns and assault weapons manufactured or sold in this state be coded with a unique identifier and that records be maintained of all purchases of the coded ammunition and of the individuals who purchased such ammunition. Judiciary Committee. [OPPOSE]. Public Hearing 03/17.  CCS TESTIMONY. Committee DEADLINE, NOT JF'd  03/24.  DEAD

S. B. No. 607 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING THE IDENTIFICATION OF CERTAIN FIREARMS AND THE CRIMINAL POSSESSION OF FIREARMS. Judiciary Committee. [OPPOSE]. To facilitate the linking of used cartridge cases to the firearm that fired them by requiring the microstamping of semiautomatic pistols and to make all the disqualifiers for the possession of a handgun applicable to the possession of a long gun. [OPPOSE]. Public Hearing 03/17. CCS TESTIMONY. Committee DEADLINE, NOT JF'd  03/24. DEAD

Substitute for S.B. No. 178 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING THE REGULATION OF FIREARMS AND THE LICENSING OF BAIL ENFORCEMENT AGENTS, PROFESSIONAL BONDSMEN AND SURETY BAIL BOND AGENTS. Public Safety Committee. [OPPOSE Sections 1 & 2]. Public Hearing 02/19. CCS TESTIMONY. Joint Favorable Substitute to Judiciary  02/28. SUBSTITUTE LANGUAGE: Deletes sections 1 and 2 concerning an extension of the time period for processing a temporary permit to carry a firearm, and in section 1 (formerly section 3) provides that the gun show promoter shall notify the chief of police who in turn shall notify DPS of the particulars of the gun show. Joint Favorable 03/24. File Number 503. Referred by Senate to Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding 04/15. Joint Favorable 04/22. File Number 733. Senate Passed Amended by Senate Amendment A. Consent Calendar. 05/01. Died on House Calendar 05/07.

Hunting

H. B. No. 5855 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING HUNTING OF MOOSE AND BEAR. Environment Committee. [SUPPORT] To establish hunting seasons during which moose and bear may be taken, to establish methods by which moose and bear may be taken, to establish permits relating to the taking of moose and bear, to set fines for the illegal taking of moose and bear and to suspend the hunting license of any person who takes moose and bear illegally. Public Hearing 03/10.  CCS TESTIMONY. Joint Favorable Substitute 03/12. File Number 333. Referred by House to Committee on Judiciary 04/08. Joint Favorable 04/11. House Passed Amended by House Amendment A  04/30. File Number 769. Senate Passed as Amended by House Amendment A, Consent 05/07.  PASSED. Public Act 08-144. Signed by the Governor 06/05.

Fishing

H.B. No. 5142 (RAISED). 'AN ACT CONCERNING THE MOTOR BOAT FUEL TAXES AND THE CONSERVATION FUND'.  To provide a secure funding source for Department of Environmental Protection programs that generate motor boat fuel tax revenue. [SUPPORT] Public Hearing 02/22. Joint Favorable 02/27. File Number 6. Referred by House to Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding 03/13. No Action- Budget.    

H. B. No. 5831 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING NATURAL RESOURCE PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION. Environment Committee. To establish a marine district recreational fishing license, subject to certain exemptions, to establish new recreational fishing and hunting license combinations, to establish free annual hunting and fishing licenses for persons over sixty-five years of age, to provide the opportunity for marine district recreational fishing license reciprocity with New York and New England states and to require the Commissioner of Environmental Protection to permit qualified applicants to obtain hunting, fishing and trapping licenses and permits via the Internet. [SUPPORT]  [In 2007 PASSED Environment Comm 26-3; Finance Comm 31-22.] Public Hearing 03/06.  CCS TESTIMONY. Joint Favorable 03/10. File Number 329. Died on House Calendar 05/07.

H.B. No. 5143 (RAISED). 'AN ACT CONCERNING DESIGNATION OF THE LOWER FARMINGTON RIVER AND SALMON BROOK WITHIN THE NATIONAL WILD AND SCENIC RIVERS SYSTEM'. Environment Committee. To preserve the portion of Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook which is the subject of the authorized study by the Lower Farmington River and Salmon Brook Wild and Scenic River Study Committee as provided for in the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Public Hearing 02/22. Joint Favorable 02/27. File Number 7.  House Passed 04/16 Consent Calendar . Senate Passed Consent Calendar 04/23. PASSED. Public Act 08-37. Signed by the Governor 05/07.

 H.B. No. 5828 (RAISED). 'AN ACT CONCERNING CANDLEWOOD LAKE BOAT USE PERMITS'. Environment Committee. To require a permit to operate certain motorboats and sailboats on Candlewood Lake. [OPPOSE]. Public Hearing 03/10.  CCS TESTIMONY. Committee DEADLINE, NOT JF'd  03/17. DEAD

Boating

H.B. No. 5032 AN ACT CONCERNING OPERATION OF A VESSEL WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF INTOXICATING LIQUOR OR DRUG. Environment Committee. To implement the Governor's budget recommendations. Public Hearing 03/03. Joint Favorable 03/12. File Number 225. Referred by House to Committee on Environment 04/08. Joint Favorable 04/16. Died on House Calendar 05/07.

H.B. No. 5806 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING BOATING SAFETY. Environment Committee. To amend boating statutes to incorporate by reference federal safety, navigation lighting and equipment requirements, to hold a person in control of a boat or personal watercraft responsible for permitting a person under sixteen years of age to operate a boat or personal watercraft without a safe boating certificate or certificate of personal watercraft operation, to authorize the Department of Environmental Protection to penalize persons teaching unapproved boating courses, to define the term "boat livery" and place certain restrictions on persons who rent and persons who operate rental boats. [SUPPORT] Public Hearing 03/07. Joint Favorable Substitute 03/12. File Number 312. House Passed 04/08. On Consent Calendar / In Conncurrence Senate Passed. PASSED. Public Act 08-26. Signed by the Governor 04/29.

Miscellaneous

S.B. No. 24 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING A STATE PARKS AND FORESTS STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM. Environment Committee. To implement the Governor's budget recommendations. Public Hearing 02/25. Joint Favorable Substitute 02/29. File Number 11. Referred by Senate to Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding  04/07. Joint Favorable Substitute 04/09. File Number 692. Joint Favorable Substitute 04/09. File Number 692 04/21. Moved to Foot of the Calendar, Senate 04/29. Died on Senate Calendar 05/07.

 S. B. No. 371 (RAISED) AN ACT INCREASING MINIMUM STAFFING LEVELS FOR DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION CONSERVATION OFFICERS. Environment Committee. [SUPPORT] Public Hearing 03/10.  CCS TESTIMONY. Joint Favorable Substitute 03/12. File No. 332. Referred by Senate to Committee on Appropriations 04/03. No Action - Budget.

S.B. No. 615 AN ACT CONCERNING ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION POLICE OFFICERS. Environment Committee. To protect the residential addresses of Department of Environmental Protection Conservation Police from public disclosure. [SUPPORT] Public Hearing 03/10. Joint Favorable 03/12. File Number 280. Referred by Senate to Committee on Government Administration and Elections 04/07. Joint Favorable 04/08. Senate Passed Consent 04/16. House Passed Amended by House Amendments A,B 05/07. Senate Passed as Amended by House Amendments  A,B Consent 05/07. PASSED. Public Act 08-186. Signed by the Governor 06/12.  

S.B. No. 631 (RAISED). 'AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS OF THE STATE FOR INCREASED STATE PARK FUNDING'. Environment Committee. To prevent the deterioration of public services in state parks in order to continue to provide healthful outdoor recreation for state residents and visitors. [SUPPORT] Public Hearing 03/10. Joint Favorable Substitute 03/12. File Number 283. Referred by Senate to Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding 04/09.  No Action - Budget.

S.B. No. 694 (RAISED). AN ACT CONCERNING ERASURE OF CRIMINAL RECORDS. Judiciary Committee. To provide that criminal records be erased upon a dismissal, nolle or a person being found not guilty with respect to a criminal count that is one of multiple criminal counts, in the same manner as such records are erased with respect to a single criminal count. Public Hearing 03/20. Joint Favorable 03/24. File Number 522. Senate Passed Amended by Senate Amendment A. Consent Calendar 05/01. House Passed as Amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A 05/07. PASSED.Public Act 08-151. Signed by the Governor 06/12.  

H.B. No. 5139 (RAISED) AN ACT CREATING A TASK FORCE ON ANIMAL CRUELTY. Environment Committee. To create a task force to study the current offenses of cruelty to animals. Public Hearing 02/25. Committee DEADLINE, NOT JF'd  03/17. DEAD

H. B. No. 5602 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES. Environment Committee. To require all purchasers of an all-terrain vehicle to pay a one per cent user fee, to create an all-terrain vehicle account to be used for trail maintenance, enforcement and administration costs of the Department of Environmental Protection and for grants to an all-terrain vehicle association for safety and education courses, and to require the Department of Environmental Protection to designate four trails for all-terrain vehicle use by January 1, 2009. Public Hearing 02/27. Joint Favorable Substitute 03/12. File Number 299. Referred by House to Committee on Appropriations 04/08. Joint Favorable 04/15. Referred by House to Committee on Transportation 04/17. Joint Favorable 04/22. Referred by House to Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding 04/24.No Action - Budget.

H. B. No. 5655 (RAISED) AN ACT AUTHORIZING BONDS OF THE STATE FOR THE PURCHASE OF APPROXIMATELY ONE THOUSAND ACRES OF OPEN SPACE LAND IN THE TOWNS OF OLD SAYBROOK ESSEX AND WESTBROOK. Environment Committee. To protect and preserve Connecticut's largest intact subcoastal forest and the various ecosystems of such forest. [SUPPORT] Public Hearing 02/29. Joint Favorable to Finance, Revenue and Bonding 03/11. No Action - Budget.

H. B. No. 5852 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING THE CONTROL OF LYME DISEASE. Environment Committee. [SUPPORT] To reduce the number of Lyme disease cases in the state. Public Hearing 03/10.  CCS TESTIMONY. Joint Favorable Substitute 03/12. File Number 332. Referred by House to Committee on Appropriations 04/08. Joint Favorable Substitute 04/15. File Number 723  04/24. Died on House Calendar 05/07.

H.B. No. 5853 (RAISED).'AN ACT CONCERNING THE ALLOCATION OF STATE FOREST TIMBER SALES, THIRD-PARTY CERTIFICATION FOR CONNECTICUT STATE FORESTS AND A SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT PLAN'. Environment Committee. to increase the current allocation of state timber sales, to require third-party certification of state forests and to study, develop and fund a plan regarding sustainable harvesting of state forests. [SUPPORT] Public Hearing 03/10. Joint Favorable Substitute 03/14. File Number 407. Referred by House to Committee on Appropriations 04/08.  Joint Favorable Substitute 04/14. File Number 724   04/24. House Adopted House Amendment Schedule A. Referred by House to Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding 04/30. Joint Favorable 05/02. House Passed Amended by House Amendment Schedule A,B  05/05. Senate Passed as Amended by House Amendment Schedule A, B Consent 05/07.PASSED. Public Act 08-172. Signed by the Governor 06/06.  

BILLS NOT ACTIVE

Firearms
 

Proposed H.B. No. 5099 REP. GREENE, 105th DIST.; REP. HAMZY, 78th DIST.; REP. BURNS, 77th DIST.; REP. D'AMELIO, 71st DIST.; REP. DELGOBBO, 70th DIST.; REP. WILLIAMS, 68th DIST. 'AN ACT CONCERNING FUNDING FOR THE STATE-WIDE FIREARMS TRAFFICKING TASK FORCE'. Public Safety Committee. To increase funding for the state-wide firearms trafficking task force. No Action.

S.B. No. 36 AN ACT CONCERNING EVICTION FOR ILLEGAL DRUG OR FIREARM SALES OR POSSESSION. Judiciary Committee. To implement the Governor's budget recommendations. Public Hearing 03/03. No Action.

Proposed S.B. No. 72 SEN. CAPPIELLO, 24th DIST. 'AN ACT AUTHORIZING BONDS OF THE STATE FOR A NOISE ABATEMENT STRUCTURE AT THE WOOSTER MOUNTAIN GUN CLUB IN DANBURY'. Environment Committee. To provide bonding for the construction of a noise abatement structure for the shooting range at the Wooster Mountain Gun Club in Danbury. No Action.

 

Hunting

H.B. No. 5642 (RAISED) AN ACT BANNING THE SALE OR USE OF COMPUTER SOFTWARE OR SERVICES TO REMOTELY OPERATE WEAPONS TO HUNT ANIMALS OR BIRDS. Public Safety Committee. Public Hearing 02/26. Joint Favorable to Judiciary. Committee DEADLINE, NOT JF'd  03/24.  

H.B. No. 5854 (RAISED). 'AN ACT CONCERNING THE DONATION OF DEER MEAT TO NONPROFIT ENTITIES'. Environment Committee. To allow deer hunters to take two additional deer, provided the deer meat is donated to a nonprofit entity that serves food to the needy. Public Hearing 03/10. Committee DEADLINE, NOT JF'd  03/17.

S.B. No. 124 (RAISED) AN ACT BANNING THE SALE OR USE OF COMPUTER SOFTWARE OR SERVICES TO REMOTELY OPERATE WEAPONS TO HUNT ANIMALS OR BIRDS. Environment Committee. To prevent the sale and use of remotely operated devices to manipulate weapons to hunt live animals or birds. Public Hearing 02/25. Joint Favorable 02/27. File Number 4.  Referred by Senate to Committee on Judiciary 03/28. Rules DEADLINE, NOT JF'd.  

Fishing

H.B. No. 5608 (RAISED). AN ACT EXPANDING THE DEFINITION OF LITTER TO INCLUDE FISHING LINE AND REQUIRING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TO PRINT CONSPICUOUS NOTICES ON RECREATIONAL FISHING LICENSES REGARDING PENALTIES FOR IMPROPERLY DISCARDING FISHING LINE. Environment Committee. To expand the definition of litter to include fishing line, to prohibit the discarding of fishing line on state land and in state waters and on certain private land, and to require printed notices on recreational fishing licenses regarding fines for improper discarding of fishing line. Public Hearing 03/03. Committee DEADLINE, NOT JF'd  03/17.

Boating

Proposed S.B. No. 224 Sen. Doyle, 9th Dist. AN ACT CONCERNING THE PAYMENT OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE FUELS TAX BY BOATERS. Environment Committee. To allow boat owners who purchase gasoline for their boats to receive a full refund of the motor fuel tax they pay for gas for their boats.  No Action.  

S.B. No. 302 AN ACT CONCERNING HARBOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. Environment Committee. To maintain the viability of the state's commercial and recreational ports. Public Hearing 02/29. Joint Favorable Substitute 03/07. File Number 163.  Referred by Senate to Committee on Transportation 04/03. No Action. 

H.B. No. 5135 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING HARBOR MASTERS AND NO-WAKE ZONES. Environment Committee. To allow harbor masters to enforce vessel speed limits in no-wake zones. Public Hearing 02/22. Joint Favorable Change of Reference Transportation 02/27. Joint Favorable 03/07. File Number 202. Referred by House to Committee on Judiciary 04/03. No Action. 

Miscellaneous

H.B. No. 5651 (RAISED). 'AN ACT DEDICATING A PORTION OF SALES TAX REVENUE TO THE PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACE'. Environment Committee. to set aside one-quarter of one per cent of sales tax revenue for the preservation of open space land. Public Hearing 02/29. Committee DEADLINE, NOT JF'd  03/17.

Proposed S.B. No. 134 SEN. CAPPIELLO, 24th DIST. 'AN ACT AUTHORIZING BONDS OF THE STATE FOR THE PURCHASE OF OPEN SPACE LAND'. Environment Committee. To authorize bonds of the state for the purchase of open space land. No Action.

Proposed S.B. No. 222 SEN. RORABACK, 30th DIST.; SEN. HERLIHY, 8th DIST.; SEN. FREEDMAN, 26th DIST. 'AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS OF THE STATE FOR THE PURCHASE AND PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACE LAND'. Environment Committee. To appropriate fifty million dollars in state funding for the purchase and preservation of open space land.  No Action.