Gov. M. Jodi Rell said she will not sign a bill passed by the General Assembly on April 17 that waives license fees for physicians who volunteer at mobile health clinics.
Instead, she will let the bill automatically become law without her signature on May 2.
The governor said that Senate Bill 462, An Act Concerning License Renewal Fees for Physicians, will result in a $71,000 loss of revenue to the state. In the absence of a budget agreement, the governor believes it is irresponsible to approve legislation with fiscal impacts without a mechanism to fund them. The provisions of the bill will take effect on October 1.
“The bill represents a revenue loss in fees that will not be collected,” Rell said in a statement. “Whether a bill includes increased costs or a revenue loss, it should not be approved before we have a budget agreement. This is a troublesome practice that has unfortunately been increasing. In years past, most bills with fiscal implications were held until the budget was in place.”
