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July
12, 2005 This past legislative session has been marked by significant changes, both in leadership and in style. Governor M. Jodi Rell has settled in at the Executive Branch, Lieutenant Governor Kevin Sullivan has made a seamless transition to his new position, Speaker of the House Jim Amann has skillfully led the House of Representatives, and Senate President Don Williams has ably managed the upper Chamber. All four are in new roles, but their collective experience and hard work has resonated throughout Connecticut and has allowed them to meet the challenges facing our State. These changes have brought a breath of fresh air to the process and have provided opportunities for legislative members to present new ideas and revisit old ones. For me, it has meant a chance to express my views to a greater degree and implement many of them after having been named Chairman of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee. It is an honor and a privilege to serve in this capacity and I look forward to continuing the responsibilities of Chairman next session. I continue to be excited about the prospect of making a difference, particularly in health insurance. One of our major initiatives was providing affordable and accessible health care. Businesses and their employees are finding it more and more difficult to purchase health insurance and our goal as a committee was to give them the tools to do so. Building upon the Municipal Employee Health Insurance Program (MEHIP), we allowed association group plans, which consist primarily of small businesses and non-profits, to act as a large group when purchasing health insurance. This will give small groups the necessary buying power when negotiating with HMO's and an expected savings in their premiums. Another aspect of this bill allows HMO's to tailor variable design plans to businesses. This flexibility offers employers the opportunity to provide health plans that work for them and their employees. With these measures as our foundation, the Insurance and Real Estate Committee will continue to explore ways to make health care more affordable for the citizens of Connecticut. Other areas where the State made great progress were in stem cell research, open space, and an increase in municipal aid. Our financial commitment to stem cell research will give our biotech companies and universities the boost they need to be world leaders and competitors in the global marketplace. As the face of manufacturing changes, we need to be proactive in fostering an economy that will sustain us for generations to come. Besides a strong economy, the people of Connecticut have come to expect a higher quality of life, especially those residing in the towns comprised in the 35 th District. We have done our best to maintain this standard of living by allocating more dollars to the preservation of open space and increasing municipal aid. In addition, the legislature is embarking on a tax incidence study that will give us a better understanding of our tax structure and how it is impacting the people of Connecticut and its economy. In tandem with a greater emphasis on performance-based budgeting, we will be able to achieve an efficient and effective State government. We have accomplished much this session, but there is still much to do. With a new leadership team in place, greater cooperation between Governor Rell and the legislature and the strength and wisdom of the people, the future of Connecticut is bright. Together we can attain our hopes and dreams and I look forward to working with all of you in realizing them. ( Brian J. O'Connor is the State Representative for the 35 th District. For more about the Killingworth Democratic Town Committee visit our website at www.kilingworth.dems.info) |
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