State lawmakers worked feverishly over the weekend to pass a flurry of bills that will impact businesses in Connecticut as the legislative session wraps up at midnight on Wednesday.
Among the proposals that got a blessing from lawmakers was the controversial paid sick leave bill.
The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives early Saturday morning approved legislation that requires businesses in the service industry with 50 or more employees to allow their workers to accrue one hour of sick time for every 40 hours worked. The bill passed on a 76-65 vote following more than 11 hours of debate that began Friday afternoon, The Associated Press reports.
The bill, which had already cleared the Senate, moves to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s desk. The new Democratic governor, who campaigned on the issue during last year’s election, said he’ll sign it into law.
Senate lawmakers approved a bill that calls for the creation of a new quasi-public Connecticut Airport Authority to run Bradley International Airport and the state’s general aviation airports.
Under the bill, which unanimously passed the Senate on Saturday, the management and operation of Bradley and the five other regional airports will be transferred from the Department of Transportation to the new authority, The Associated Press reports.
Malloy has said an independent authority is needed to reduce bureaucratic red tape and respond more quickly to market changes in the aviation industry.
Besides the DOT, other agencies and various boards currently oversee the airports.
The Senate also approved Malloy’s hallmark economic development initiative know as the “First Five” plan.
First Five is a new program that will provide incentives to the first five businesses that each bring a minimum of 200 new full-time jobs to the state within the next 2 years or invest at least $25 million and create at least 200 jobs within five years.
In addition, businesses would continue to receive credits for each net new job created above 200, increasing the potential for thousands of jobs in the state.
Meanwhile, The House of Representatives passed legislation to establish the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange, a quasi-public agency that’s required under the federal health reform legislation.
A 14-member board would manage the exchange, including an online marketplace where individuals and employers with up to 50 workers can compare and purchase health insurance plans, starting in 2014.
The state exchange would also certify, recertify and decertify health benefit plans.
