Capitol Alert

IMPORTANT MESSAGE REGARDING ADOPTION OF STATE BUDGET AND ASSOCIATED FEE INCREASES

On August 31, 2009, the State Legislature passed HB-6802, “AN ACT CONCERNING EXPENDITURES AND REVENUE FOR THE BIENNIUM ENDING JUNE 30, 2011.” The bill became law on September 8, 2009 without the Governor’s signature of approval. With that, the State of Connecticut has a new 2-year budget in place. Contained within this budget are mandatory increases in the fees many individuals and businesses customarily pay to obtain and renew licenses with state agencies such as the Department of Consumer Protection. The effective date for all these fee increases as determined by the State Legislature is October 1, 2009.

The actual amount of fee increase is determined by a formula contained in the bill. Specifically, “fees that are currently    (a) $1,000.00 or more shall be increased by $250.00,     (b) $150 or more but less than $1000.00 shall be increased by 25% and rounded up to the next whole five dollar increment, and     (c) less than $150.00 shall be doubled. Also no fee shall be less than $15.00”

To read the budget bill (702 pages), please click on this link:      http://www.cga.ct.gov/2009/TOB/h/pdf/2009HB-06802-R00-HB.pdf

For a summary of the bill, including fees collected by the Department of Consumer Protection, please clink on this link:            http://www.cga.ct.gov/2009/BA/2009HB-06802-R01SS1-BA.htm

New State of CT Law sHB 5034:

This bill requires all state or municipal contracts of $ 100,000 or more for constructing or repairing a public building receiving any state financing to require that the contractor prove that all its employees performing manual labor or telecommunications work have completed safety training. Manual laborers must complete a 10-hour construction safety course conducted in accordance with federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Training Institute standards. Telecommunications workers must complete 10 hours in federal OSHA telecommunications safety training. Proof of course or training completion must be submitted to the labor commissioner within 30 days after the contract is awarded.