Rep. Hovey Hosts Forum on Connecticut’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management

Representative DebraLee Hovey (R-112) will be hosting Commissioner Peter Boynton of the Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security to discuss Connecticut’s current state of readiness. 

He will be discussing awareness and preparation of individuals and communities in the event of a terror threat.  In addition, the predictions for the current hurricane season are serious and potentially catastrophic.  The Commissioner will be addressing storm response and preparation at length. 

The event will be held on Monday, June 28, at 7 PM in the Monroe Town Hall.

“Residents who want to know about Connecticut’s preparation for a disaster or how they can better prepare themselves and their family will not want to miss this,” said Representative Hovey.

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Rep. Hovey: Dems Fail to Give Unfunded Mandate Relief on In-School Suspensions

During last night’s session of the House of Representatives, Representative DebraLee Hovey (R-112) and House Republicans offered an amendment to municipal unfunded mandate relief legislation. The measure would have given significant relief to local school districts which are currently struggling to balance the needs of educating children and harsh budget realities.

Under current law, the state is requiring suspended students to serve their suspensions in school instead of off premises effective July of 2010. The amendment offered by Rep. Hovey and Republicans would postpone that requirement from taking effect until 2012.

Rep. Hovey: House Passes Bill to Protect Vulnerable Users of Public Way

Representative DebraLee Hovey (R-112) worked successfully this week to obtain passage of a measure in the State House that would create a crime of second-degree misconduct with a motor vehicle for those whose negligence causes serious injury to “vulnerable users” of a public way.

The measure defines a vulnerable user as a pedestrian, a highway worker on duty, a person driving or riding an animal, a bicyclist, skateboarder, individual in a wheelchair or an operator of agricultural tractor or farm equipment among other things.

“I think it is sometimes easy for people to forget that the highways and roads of the state are legal routes for transportation modes other that motor vehicles,” said Rep. Hovey. “Bikers, horse riders, and others have a right to the safe use of these public ways and this measure creates stiff penalties for those whose negligence causes injury to them.”

Hovey Proposes Job Creation Legislation

Rep. DebraLee Hovey today co-sponsored legislation that would immediately stimulate Connecticut’s long-suffering job market by repealing the state’s Business Entity Tax and offering tax credits to companies that create full-time positions.

The proposal would also require that a Jobs Impact Statements accompany bills and amendments—a move addressing the business community’s complaint that the legislature habitually passes bills without considering how they affect employers.

Some Democrats spoke in favor of the proposal offered by Rep. Hovey and her Republican colleagues or praised its content, yet the majority ultimately voted against it.

“It’s pretty interesting to me that when there’s a chance to pass legislation that hurts the business community’s ability to create jobs the legislature acts quickly,” said Rep. Hovey. “Yet, when we look to pass legislation to help create jobs in a state with 9% unemployment, the majority feels we need to study it for a year and a half. The time to act is now. We have one week left of this session and time is running out.”

Rep. Hovey Votes on Expanded Recycling Bill

Representative DebraLee Hovey cast her vote today in favor of a unanimously-approved bill in the House of Representatives which expands municipal reports concerning recycling, and expands the list of designated recyclable items.

It also prohibits zoning laws that prevent the use of recycling receptacles, expands curbside recycling, requires recycling at certain gathering venues and requires solid waste collection contracts to provide for recycling.

“I feel that it is particularly fitting that on Earth Day this year we have passed a significant measure which will improve the process of recycling across the state,” said Rep. Hovey. “In our region which has terrific open space and riverside land a clean environment is especially essential for our quality of life. This bill will go a long way toward that goal.”