Is it just me, or are spring Trinity Days always like a beacon of light after a long (not to mention freezing) first half of the semester? It might not be spring break yet, but this weekend is a perfect time to decompress after midterms, escape the Chartwells meal plan, and catch up on some much-deserved sleep. If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably been up on your Twitter game and slacking on your news game for the past few days, if not longer. Not that I blame you; if you haven’t discussed House of Cards, hated on Anne Hathaway, or thanked the heavens for extending Tom Brady’s contract (thx for the eye candy, Pats) in the last 24 hours, we probably can’t be friends. But whether you’re at home (watching Netflix) or staying at school (watching Netflix…) over the long weekend, it would probably be a good idea to find out what is going on around our beloved state of Connecticut. Here are the news updates, straight from yours truly, a lowly intern at the Capitol:
- It’s been 74 days since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, CT, and legislators throughout the state are working diligently to provide the public with viable solutions and defensive strategies to dissolve the concerns of Connecticut citizens and hopefully prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future. There are three major task forces in the General Assembly designed to address these issues: Gun Violence Prevention, School Security, and Mental Health Services. They have held public hearings and are now in the process of reaching a consensus among each group. More to come!
- Last week, Dannel Malloy, the Democratic Governor of Connecticut, gave his budget proposal for the biennium. The highlights consisted of a $1.8 billion spending increase despite the state’s $2 billion deficit, with a large focus on education aid. Needless to say, the state’s economy is in for some big changes over the next two years. Meanwhile, we will all continue to pray for road repair in Hartford…
- The CT legislature is considering an agreement to cast its Electoral College votes based on the national popular vote in an effort to better represent the public’s votes for the presidential candidate. Following the Bush-Cheney vote debacle, the National Popular Vote compact hopes to recruit enough states- 270 electoral votes- for the winner of the popular vote to be ensured the presidency. This concept is proposed almost annually, but this session will be crucial because it follows a national election where Connecticut was virtually ignored by presidential candidates throughout their campaigns. Though the bill may not make it to the floor of the House, this issue is gaining momentum on the national stage, and will be a good thing to keep an eye on in the future.
- With the Sandy Hook shooting acting as a catalyst for the broader gun control movement, Connecticut has been at the epicenter of gun control legislation for the past few months. On January 23, hundreds of people packed themselves into the CT Capitol to offer testimony on both sides of the issue, an event which made the national news. In his State of the Union address, Obama called upon Congress to strengthen the country’s gun laws to prevent such widespread misuse of semiautomatic and assault weapons. Last week, with Vice President Biden by his side, Governor Malloy has proposed a “common sense” reform which bans magazines holding more than 10 rounds, requires more thorough background checks, and strengthens the state’s existing assault weapons ban. All eyes will be on Connecticut in the upcoming months, as this legislation has the potential to set a precedent for the entire country.
Hopefully catching up on Connecticut news will make you feel better about being less than productive this weekend. If you’re feeling inspired and want to keep up with Connecticut news (form an orderly queue, everyone…), CT News Junkie is a great source. Happy Trinity Days!