JOURNAL OF THE HOUSE

Friday, February 27, 2009

The House of Representatives was called to order at 11: 31 o'clock a. m. , Representative O'Rourke of the 32nd District in the Chair.

Prayer was offered by the guest Chaplain, Amanda B. Alfonso of West Hartford, Connecticut.

The following is the prayer:

Let us pray. Lord, we come together to address the growing needs of our citizens. Grant us the wisdom to sort through the bills coming forth from Committees and provide good, just legislation for all. Amen.

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Amanda B. Alfonso of West Hartford, Connecticut.

COMMUNICATION FROM HER EXCELLENCY,

THE GOVERNOR

The following communication was received from Her Excellency, the Governor, on the date indicated, read by the Clerk and referred to the Committee on Executive and Legislative Nominations.

February 26, 2009

TO THE HONORABLE GENERAL ASSEMBLY:

Pursuant to Sections 4-1 and 10-1 of the Connecticut General Statutes, I have the honor to nominate and, with your advice and consent, reappoint ALLAN B. TAYLOR, ESQUIRE from Hartford, to be a member of the State Board of Education to serve a term ending March 1, 2013 or until a successor is appointed and has qualified, whichever is longer.

M. JODI RELL

Governor

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS

HOUSE AND SENATE BILLS

On motion of Representative McCluskey of the 20th District, 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.

INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE

H. B. No. 5093 (COMM) INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE. 'AN ACT CONCERNING PROSTHETIC PARITY', to require coverage for prosthetic devices under health insurance policies, Medicaid, HUSKY Plan, Charter Oak Plan or state-administered assistance plans that is at least equivalent to that provided under Medicare.

H. B. No. 5441 (COMM) INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE. 'AN ACT CONCERNING CERTAIN DAMAGE CLAIM PAYMENTS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES', to require payment of an auto insurance policy claim to a lienholder rather than the claimant if the motor vehicle that is the subject of such claim is financed through a recourse loan.

TRANSPORTATION

H. B. No. 6066 (COMM) TRANSPORTATION. 'AN ACT INCREASING THE FINE FOR USING A MOBILE TELEPHONE WITHOUT A HANDS-FREE DEVICE WHILE OPERATING A MOTOR VEHICLE', to promote public safety by increasing the fine for using a mobile telephone without a hands-free device while operating a motor vehicle.

PUBLIC HEALTH

H. B. No. 6616 (RAISED) PUBLIC HEALTH. 'AN ACT ESTABLISHING WOOD SMOKE TO BE A PUBLIC NUISANCE', to require the Commissioner of Public Health to amend the Public Health Code to declare that certain wood smoke emissions shall constitute a public nuisance.

H. B. No. 6617 (RAISED) PUBLIC HEALTH. 'AN ACT CONCERNING WATER SUPPLY PLANS', to revise the requirements governing the submission of water supply plans by water companies.

TRANSPORTATION

H. B. No. 6618 (RAISED) TRANSPORTATION. 'AN ACT ESTABLISHING AN AUXILIARY POWER UNIT WEIGHT TOLERANCE EXEMPTION', to encourage the use of auxiliary power units to reduce fuel use and improve air quality by providing a "weight tolerance exemption" equal to the weight of an auxiliary power unit, for any diesel-powered commercial motor vehicles that has such a unit.

H. B. No. 6619 (RAISED) TRANSPORTATION. 'AN ACT EXEMPTING DRIVERS IN A "SAFE RIDE" PROGRAM FROM THE PASSENGER RESTRICTIONS APPLICABLE TO SIXTEEN AND SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD DRIVERS', to exempt drivers in a Safe Ride program from the passenger restrictions applicable to sixteen and seventeen-year-old drivers. Drivers in such Safe Ride program are currently exempt from the curfew restrictions, but the successful operation of such program requires that such drivers be exempted from both curfew and passenger restrictions.

H. B. No. 6620 (RAISED) TRANSPORTATION. 'AN ACT CREATING A PROCEDURE FOR SELF-STORAGE FACILITIES TO AUCTION AUTOMOBILES ABANDONED AT SUCH FACILITIES', to create a procedure for self-storage facilities to auction automobiles abandoned at such facilities.

H. B. No. 6621 (RAISED) TRANSPORTATION. 'AN ACT CONCERNING THE FEES CHARGED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION', to review fees charged by the Department of Transportation.

H. B. No. 6622 (RAISED) TRANSPORTATION. 'AN ACT CONCERNING THE FEES CHARGED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES', to review fees charged by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

H. B. No. 6623 (RAISED) TRANSPORTATION. 'AN ACT CONCERNING CONNECTICUT'S RESPONSE TO THE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT OF 2009, P. L. 111-5', to require the submittal of joint reports by the Department of Transportation and the Transportation Strategy Board concerning Connecticut's response to the recently enacted "federal stimulus" law.

INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE

S. B. No. 212 (COMM) INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE. 'AN ACT PROHIBITING CANCELLATION FEES FOR AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE POLICYHOLDERS WHO CANCEL THEIR POLICIES MID-TERM', to prohibit insurers from charging any fee or other charge exceeding twenty-five dollars in the aggregate if an insured cancels an automobile insurance policy prior to its expiration.

TRANSPORTATION

S. B. No. 237 (COMM) TRANSPORTATION. 'AN ACT CONCERNING A FEASIBILITY STUDY OF LIGHT RAIL SERVICE IN CONNECTICUT', to conduct a feasibility study concerning the use of light rail service in certain regions of the state.

INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE

S. B. No. 291 (COMM) INSURANCE AND REAL ESTATE. 'AN ACT CONCERNING HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE POLICIES FOR PEOPLE WHO OWN DOGS THAT HAVE BITTEN A PERSON', to prohibit insurers from cancelling or refusing to issue personal risk insurance policies for homeowners who own a dog that has bitten a person.

TRANSPORTATION

S. B. No. 558 (COMM) TRANSPORTATION. 'AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF HOV LANES BY HYBRID AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES', to encourage the use of hybrid and electric vehicles by permitting such vehicles to use the HOV lanes on state highways, regardless of the number of occupants.

ENVIRONMENT

S. B. No. 1077 (RAISED) ENVIRONMENT. 'AN ACT CONCERNING THE PRESERVATION OF THE CONNECTICUT DAIRY INDUSTRY', to preserve the Connecticut dairy industry.

S. B. No. 1078 (RAISED) ENVIRONMENT. 'AN ACT ESTABLISHING A BI-STATE LONG ISLAND SOUND COMMISSION', to repeal the Bi-State Long Island Sound Marine Resources Committee and to establish a Bi-State Long Island Sound Commission.

PUBLIC HEALTH

S. B. No. 1079 (RAISED) PUBLIC HEALTH. 'AN ACT CONCERNING THE CONNECTICUT HEALTH INFORMATION NETWORK', to allow state agencies participating in the Connecticut Health Information Network to disclose certain personally identifiable information to said network provided such disclosure is in accordance with governing federal law.

S. B. No. 1080 (RAISED) PUBLIC HEALTH. 'AN ACT CONCERNING ACCESS TO HEALTH AND NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION IN RESTAURANTS', to require certain restaurants to disclose on such restaurants' standard printed menus total calorie counts for standard menu items along with information that identifies major food allergens used in the preparation of such standard menu items.

TRANSPORTATION

S. B. No. 1081 (RAISED) TRANSPORTATION. 'AN ACT CONCERNING THE FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES', to review the programs and functions of the Department of Motor Vehicles.

GENERAL LAW

S. J. No. 62 (COMM) GENERAL LAW. 'RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING CONGRESS TO BAN GIFT CARD FEES'

ADJOURNMENT

On motion of Representative McCluskey of the 20th District, the House adjourned at 11: 33 o'clock a. m. , to meet again at the Call of the Chair.

CHANGE OF REFERENCE

HOUSE BILL

The following report on the House Bill, recommending a change of reference was received from the committee indicated, the report of the committee accepted, and the bill referred as recommended:

HIGHER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT ADVANCEMENT. Proposed H. B. No. 5234 AN ACT REQUIRING AN EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM CONCERNING THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING OF CHILDREN.

The bill was then referred to the Committee on Education.