Search


Recent Comments

Lothar wrote:
Local Leaders Express Concern About Lack of Budget: “Richard that's not the issue n…”
Martha H. wrote:
Dodd Unveils Public Option, Says It Lowers Price Tag: “Jennifer Just, Thanks - It's…”
Jim wrote:
Gov. Rell Vetoes Seven Bills: “It is amazing how this woman w…”
iBlogWestHartford wrote:
Gov. Rell Vetoes Seven Bills: “>>"Remember that woman who was…”

RSS Feed

Subscribe to this blog's feed
[What is this?]

Categories

  • CT Elections 2006
    • Closure on 2006 Democratic Primary
    • Daily Kos Poll Finds Many in CT Would Change Vote
    • Edited: Waxing Nostalgic
  • Cartoons
    • Rell Kills Bill
    • Treading Water Is Getting Tougher In Connecticut
    • Looks Like It's Been Off For A While. . .
  • Congress
    • Dodd Praised For Tobacco Legislation
    • Dodd Unveils Public Option, Says It Lowers Price Tag
    • Joe: No Go On 'Public Option'
  • Corporate Watch
    • Banks Committee Begins With Little Fanfare
      AIG Executive Answers Few Questions
    • AIG Executive To Testify Thursday
    • Lawmakers Frustrated By AIG 'Compliance'
  • Courts
    • Senor Pancho's Owner Pleads Guilty
    • 'If You Work Hard You Can Succeed In America'
    • Supreme Court Overturns City on Ricci
  • Education
    • Programs Scaled Back Without Budget In Place
    • A Year Later, Still Waiting For Education Ruling
    • Students Lobby For Opportunity To Sit On School Board
  • Election 2008
    • With Obama, De'Vonna Solemnly Swears
    • Hairdresser Scores Ticket To History
    • Connecticut Dems Vent Against Lieberman
  • Election 2010
    • Scully's Departure From Amann Campaign
      Leaves More Questions Than Answers
    • State Elections Watchdog To Retire
    • Q-Poll: Dodd Shows Gains, Simmons Still Strong
  • Environment
    • Developer Aims High As He Waits For
      Rell To Sign Green Tax Credit Bill
    • Dairy Farmers Celebrate Legislative Victory
    • Bill Would Ban Lions, Bears, and Chimps
  • General News
    • Foiled Again! Polka Bill Dies During Legislative Session
    • Next for news?
      Introducing the Valley Independent Sentinel
    • State Won't Charge Cromwell Lawmaker
  • Health Care
    • Dodd Praised For Tobacco Legislation
    • Dodd Unveils Public Option, Says It Lowers Price Tag
    • HIV/AIDS Funding At Risk?
  • Iraq at Home
    • West Hartford Movie Night
    • Five Years of War
    • Hartford Passes Anti-War Resolution...5 Years Too Late?
  • Labor
    • Paid Sick Days Bill Passes House
    • Nursing Home Strike Canceled
    • Senate Gives Final Passage To Union Deal
  • Legal
    • Blumenthal Sides With Catholic Church
    • Governor Signs 'Madoff' Bill
    • Bill Seeks To Protect Consumers From Scams
  • Local Politics
    • A Garden Grows. Do The Children?
    • Municipal Leaders Request Meeting
      With State Budget Negotiators
    • Marshal Forced To Lower Fees In New Haven
  • Media Matters
    • JRC Boss Hangs Up Hatchet
    • A Sentinel Remembered--& Welcomed
    • Next for news?
      Introducing the Valley Independent Sentinel
  • News Links
    • State Government Home Page
  • Opinion
    • OP-ED: SustiNet Awaits Action In The Senate
    • Op-Ed: Smoking Ban Would Cost State
    • OP-ED: Time to Get Tough On Credit Card Companies
  • State Capitol
    • Taking A Break From The Budget
    • Gov. Rell Vetoes Seven Bills
    • HIV/AIDS Funding At Risk?
  • Transportation
    • New Rail Cars Fail First Test, Officials Not Worried
    • 40 Percent Bus 'Tax' Blasted
    • Debate On Open Containers Stalls In House

Heating Assistance Bill Passes in Special Session

by Christine Stuart | August 22, 2008 9:42 PM
Posted to State Capitol

(Updated 11:12 p.m.) “We’ve been here all day waiting for this bill, but it’s a good bill,” Sen. Edith Prague said Friday, shortly before the Senate passed one of the home heating assistance bill’s 33-0 at 9:25 p.m. The House began debating that bill soon after it passed the Senate. And after a few hours of debate the House passed the bill 127-0.

All day the General Assembly has been behind closed doors deciding how to give residents back part of the $75 million budget surplus in home heating assistance.

Late Friday afternoon the bill was split into two.

Sen. Majority Leader Martin Looney, D-New Haven, said the first bill deals “explicitly” with Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s call to the special session and the second “is more implicit.” Majority Leader Chris Donovan, D-Meriden, said he would like to see both bills passed, but if only one bill passes then the session will have been a success.

Translation: Senate Democrats wanted something in the bill that didn’t match the call of the special session and House Democrats knew Minority Leader Lawrence Cafero, R-Norwalk, would be upset since his party isn’t being allowed to offer amendments, such as the gas tax cap. So House Democrats asked the Senate Democrats to carve out the portion it felt would be problematic and cause a debate over parliamentary procedure with the Republicans.

Cafero marched up to the press room around 5 p.m. with a hand-drawn map of how an estimated $49 million would work its way through the state’s bureaucracy. He said based on what he was handed “it’s possible somebody might get help in late March.”

The Senate began debating the second bill which will offer rebates for furnace and boiler replacement and upgrades around 9:30 p.m. The debate was still going around 11:10 p.m. and looked like it would continue into Saturday morning.

The second bill includes, $2 million for furnace and boiler upgrades and $3 million for furnace and boiler replacement. That money is in addition to the $5 million in bonding the state Bond Commission approved earlier this month.

Homeowners seeking to find out if they qualify for this assistance should call 211 for more information.

|