It’s that time of year in Connecticut’s short legislative season when legislative proposals come fast and furious but only a few will make the cut. One of the mechanisms used to separate out the contenders from the pretenders is the committee hearing process. It is a process that allows proponents and opponents to have their say.
At a hearing at the legislature today, the Labor & Public Employees Committee is scheduled to take up several bills. They are:
- S.B. No. 169 — AN ACT REQUIRING EMPLOYERS TO CITE A REASON FOR TERMINATION OF THEIR EMPLOYEES.
- S.B. No. 239 AN ACT CONCERNING THE CONTINUATION OF DAY CARE SUBSIDIES TO UNEMPLOYED WORKERS.
- S.B. No. 240 AN ACT CONCERNING THE E-VERIFY PROGRAM.
- S.B. No. 241 AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND PREQUALIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF CONTRACTORS.
- S.B. No. 242 AN ACT CONCERNING THE RETENTION OF JOBS IN CONNECTICUT
- S.B. No. 243 AN ACT CONCERNING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR THOSE PERSONS WHO BECOME DISABLED WHILE UNEMPLOYED.
- S.B. No. 261 AN ACT CONCERNING THE CONNECTICUT JOB CORPS TASK FORCE.
- H.B. No. 5058 AN ACT CONCERNING THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE FOR CERTAIN STATE EMPLOYEES.
- H.B. No. 5195 AN ACT CONCERNING TH
E REHIRING OF RETIRED STATE EMPLOYEES - H.B. No. 5203 AN ACT CONCERNING STATE SERVICE RETIREMENT CREDIT AND TEACHERS’ RETIREMENT CREDIT
- H.B. No. 5206 AN ACT PROVIDING AN INDIVIDUAL THE RIGHT TO BRING A DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE ACTION IN SUPERIOR COURT RATHER THAN THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES.
- H.B. No. 5284 AN ACT CONCERNING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS AND DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES.
- H.B. No. 5285 AN ACT CONCERNING STATE EMPLOYEES AND VIOLENCE AND BULLYING IN THE WORKPLACE.
- H.B. No. 5299 AN ACT CONCERNING THE STREAMLINING OF THE UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION APPEALS PROCESS.
Several, such as the bullying in the workplace proposal have been brought up before but with little enthusiasm.
As discussed last month, however, the proposal to circumvent the CHRO process merits the closest look because it would radically change the way discrimination cases are handled. Employers in particular need to keep close tabs on this because it would change the statute of limitations on such claims to a much broader standard. The CHRO has indicated that it opposes the measure as it is drafted.
The hearing is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. at the Legislative Office Building, Room 1E. The hearings are open to the public and amazingly enough, if you’d like to speak on any proposal, you can simply sign your name up on a list there.
Another hearing is scheduled for this Thursday. You can view the agenda here.