Latest news from State Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/Looney.php http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Fri, 11 May 2012 14:54:39 -0400 Fri, 11 May 2012 14:54:29 -0400 FeedForAll Mac v2.1 (2.1.0.1); http://www.FeedForAll.com/ Senate Democratic leaders today praised the state Senate for its approval of a variety of issues aimed at improving the lives of Connecticut residents and announced their plans to pass creation legislation later this spring. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120510.php F87693F3-F335-4C36-A894-F12F9C35194F-3291-000006C3002934E0-FFA Thu, 10 May 2012 14:54:30 -0400 State Senate President Donald E. Williams (D-Brooklyn) and Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) praised the Senate’s passage of a bold bill that responds to the Citizens United Case by strengthening Connecticut’s campaign finance law by expanding donor disclosure requirements. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120508.php 4C2C4034-E25B-4E73-B6CE-E28E6234AD94-1021-000001CD99356E47-FFA Tue, 08 May 2012 09:53:05 -0400 In response to two powerful storms that struck Connecticut last year, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without electricity and telecommunications service, the state Senate passed sweeping reforms today to better prepare the state for future severe weather events and to minimize the resulting utility service outages. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120505.php 3914CACA-309C-4B91-8191-18E58D4D41B8-3137-000006664458FFAB-FFA Sat, 05 May 2012 10:37:34 -0400 State Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D—New Haven) today hailed the Senate’s approval of legislation to allowing personal care attendants, who provide for people with physical, developmental, or age-related disabilities, the opportunity and the option to organize to bargain collectively with regard to compensation and other working conditions. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120503.php AABD4814-E7F4-45C2-96BA-1A7960E4A117-1043-000001A0B6E20517-FFA Thu, 03 May 2012 09:22:15 -0400 Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D—New Haven/Hamden) today reported that the Senate is poised to approve a bill that raises fines and stiffens penalties for drivers that seriously injure or kill “vulnerable users” such as pedestrians, cyclists, and highway workers. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120502.php A99D4F9C-894F-407F-9EE0-8E06FAC2941B-5830-00001C5E519F9BD0-FFA Wed, 02 May 2012 17:21:05 -0400 Senate President Donald E. Williams Jr.(D—Brooklyn) and Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D—New Haven) announced passage in the Senate today of a bill that would prohibit businesses from saying “the unemployed need not apply” in help-wanted ads. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120501.php F73D584D-7567-4008-ABCA-840E67250774-1106-000002231233EC70-FFA Tue, 01 May 2012 09:22:04 -0400 Senate President Donald E Williams, Jr.(D-Brooklyn) and Senator Majority Leaders Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) hailed the senate’s overwhelming bi-partisan approval (32-2) of Senate Bill 1, the Senate Democrats’ plan to build on and expand the job-creating momentum of October’s landmark Jobs Bill. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120427b.php 4B0B1CCB-2A4B-44B0-AA2A-201E0CE2ADEC-9441-0000245E42828C4F-FFA Fri, 27 Apr 2012 20:09:41 -0400 plan to build on and expand the job-creating momentum of October’s landmark Jobs Bill will be debated and passed in the state Senate today. Senate Bill 1, An Act Concerning Jobs and the Economy, expands state workforce and small business development programs, provide incentives to hire post-9/11 combat veterans, promotes Connecticut’s economic and cultural assets, and seeks to reward businesses that are willing to relocate jobs from overseas back to Connecticut. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120427.php D5245ADA-5B57-4937-852E-E705AB9DF339-2385-00000F6F3F9AEEB1-FFA Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:46:29 -0400 In a move that will better protect consumers the next time Mother Nature strikes, Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and State Sen. Paul Doyle (D-Wethersfield) led passage today in the Senate of an important bill that will combat weather-related price gouging in the case of extreme storms. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120425.php E92B07BC-120B-403F-A8D0-E1C9C353CB7C-5330-000008D699F9DF20-FFA Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:32:18 -0400 Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D—New Haven) hailed today’s passage of Senate Bill 245, An Act Concerning The Recording of Police Activity by the Public. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120419a.php 3F8CC43E-9DE5-43F8-BEE9-AE2C215421A0-1401-000003BCCB1DF64C-FFA Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:45:19 -0400 Legislative leaders joined with Father James Manship, Pastor of Saint Rose de Lima Church of New Haven to announce that the state Senate will vote on two bills today—one aimed at protecting a citizen’s right to record police officers—the other, strengthening Connecticut’s racial profiling law. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120419.php 9A78A036-5A34-4F71-8688-41AD1A47516D-10523-000014DA4FAD5B5E-FFA Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:59:31 -0400 In a move that will protect the health and safety of residents across Connecticut, Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D—New Haven, Hamden) and State Sen. Ed Meyer (D-Guilford) led passage Wednesday in the Senate of a bill that requires online notification of sewage spills that contaminate rivers and other bodies of water, including the Long Island Sound. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120412.php 3D8DA009-FDD6-4EAB-9514-13256B1CDEEC-3596-000006B8BFE22242-FFA Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:08:27 -0400 State Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney joined with the Anti-Defamation League and Barbara Cadranel to announce proposed legislation aimed at protecting the rights of Connecticut residents to hang mezuzahs on the door frames of their condominiums. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120410.php F3FFCF72-40F7-420B-AF54-F8A132AC0D8F-8717-0000104B501A8F32-FFA Tue, 10 Apr 2012 13:50:02 -0400 In an historic vote following many hours of debate, the State Senate voted 20-16 early this morning to cease condemning prisoners to death in the State of Connecticut. Senate Democratic leaders said the vote constitutes an enormous step forward in promoting fairness and decency in the criminal justice system. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120405.php 9D98138F-07EA-4FEB-85C6-F45FE101A6BA-1754-00000381E8361800-FFA Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:51:52 -0400 Senate leaders announced today their intention to call an amendment, as part of a vote to repeal capital punishment in Connecticut, that will establish tough new conditions for individuals convicted of Murder with Special Circumstances. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120404.php 393FEB0D-CFC1-4956-ADDA-974570841157-7474-000017FD993ED105-FFA Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:10:37 -0400 We are beginning to see encouraging signs of an improving Connecticut economy. A new report from the state Labor Department shows that unemployment here has dropped to a three-year low, and that 7,100 new jobs were added in January alone. While this is welcome news, much more work remains. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120326.php EF154824-4D60-4256-9BB1-AF8A1B207811-1423-000008F4E43E3543-FFA Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:28:33 -0400 The Democratic Leaders of the General Assembly announced today their plans to take swift action to help provide relief at the pump and protect consumers from profiteering and price gouging by big oil wholesalers. Legislative Leaders will give the proposal an emergency certification designation. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120321.php 221615E5-51A5-4B10-BCA3-0AA5F14B42A7-741-000002B969138E10-FFA Wed, 21 Mar 2012 09:25:54 -0400 With the price of gasoline climbing (up 15 percent since January 1, 2012) and the summer driving season around the corner, the Democratic Leaders of the General Assembly announced their plans to help provide relief at the pump and protect consumers from profiteering and price gouging by big oil wholesalers. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120319.php E0DB78DA-F4CD-44FF-A102-EF7A8227DF1D-8160-000017D4A4850712-FFA Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:49:12 -0400 The Senate Democrats’ Jobs Bill won the approval today of the General Assembly’s Commerce Committee. The 5-point plan, SB 1 An Act Concerning Connecticut Jobs and the Economy, aims to help small businesses protect and grow jobs and boost Connecticut’s economy. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120315.php 0BA522CF-1F36-45EC-B474-2CF89D76E9CD-7233-00001BC6FD3F6A18-FFA Thu, 15 Mar 2012 17:31:02 -0400 Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) testified today before the General Assembly’s Transportation Committee in favor of legislation that would allow cities and towns the option of installing red light traffic enforcement cameras. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120312a.php C5C4151D-9EB1-4146-9C95-C279A833E951-567-00000246A43A2C8D-FFA Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:30:29 -0400 Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) testified today before the General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee in favor of legislation that would allow a person to bring a cause of action against a law enforcement officer who interferes with the person taking a photographic or digital still or video image an officer in the performance of his or her duties provided that the individual was not otherwise interfering with the officer. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120312b.php 70EF0197-185C-40E6-8C5E-6BC6B4542400-567-0000023EBC7295AA-FFA Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:29:04 -0400 Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D—Brooklyn) and Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D—New Haven) today welcomed the state Department of Labor’s latest report detailing Connecticut’s labor situation as an encouraging sign post of the road to recovery and vowed to keep job creation as the Senate Democrats’ top priority. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120312.php 23586482-0E32-48FC-946D-B71E8DE5691D-7591-0000165E60BE80F8-FFA Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:28:11 -0400 Earlier this week, Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) testified before the General Assembly’s Education Committee in favor of legislation that would include the history of the labor movement in public school curriculums. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120309.php 49A461C2-8AB4-4147-9EB8-BA390957D26D-12025-0000186A11B134D1-FFA Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:47:05 -0500 Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) and Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) issued the following joint statement today in observance of ‘Connecticut Business Day 2012,’ which is sponsored by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association and the Connecticut Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120229.php 6B3CF0EC-A581-4A39-AF4A-69A331550D2C-3501-00000F2B6CCE2028-FFA Wed, 29 Feb 2012 12:57:47 -0500 For veterans who risked their lives on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, State Senate Democrats want to welcome these brave soldiers back to Connecticut with the prospect of a job. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120223.php 57608E4A-FF0C-4051-B6B7-37645B5C65E8-3411-00000CFA6AB4BF05-FFA Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:47:29 -0500 Steeled in their resolve to protect consumers from price gouging after last year’s series of extreme storms, Senate Democratic leaders today submitted testimony in support of new legislation that will protect consumers when Mother Nature strikes. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120221.php C916872E-02CF-4FBD-AC96-8F6E2391E36E-5550-0000158E4D4357B2-FFA Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:54:39 -0500 Senate Democratic leaders today announced their plans as part of their 2012 energy agenda to invest in critical infrastructure and hold utility companies accountable for their performance during emergencies, storms and natural disasters. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120215.php B8FA4F2F-E4FB-44B3-93C4-7BBC3A96D9CA-12712-00001670CA8C0099-FFA Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:32:56 -0500 Standing inside Goody’s Hardware & Paint, a fourth generation family owned and operated business, Senate Democratic leaders unveiled their plans to fight price gouging after severe storms and protect consumers’ privacy. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120201.php 725C7F28-4DE8-4EBE-8E75-C69F96E696CB-15619-000019B74DA604FF-FFA Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:49:30 -0500 Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) today hailed the State Bond Commission’s approval of targeted grants and incentives to help small businesses and manufacturers hire more Connecticut residents. The funding, part of the STEP-Up (Subsidized Training and Employment Program), was a major piece of last October’s jobs bill. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120130.php 57D439C5-3D78-4EE3-B436-F9AE14B0861C-12190-000017304474CF6C-FFA Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:10:53 -0500 Senate Democrats held a news conference today on the shop floor of AdChem Manufacturing Technologies in Manchester—just two weeks before the start of the 2012 legislative session—to announce their new, 5-point jobs plan that will help local, small businesses protect and grow jobs and boost Connecticut’s economy. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-120124.php CB86597E-B943-4F46-8D83-42E0646E6D84-5247-00001A71386B7478-FFA Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:52:30 -0500