Attorney General George Jepsen and Connecticut Light & Power have reached a $2.5 million settlement over claims that the power company "impaired and impeded" regulators during an investigation into its response to a major snowstorm in 2011 .The utility has agreed to donate the funds to Operation Fuel—which is a Connecticut energy assistance nonprofit group.
Governor Dannel Malloy met with shoreline home and business owners today to discuss a new fund to help those vulnerable to damage from flooding and storms. The $25 million Shoreline Resiliency Fund would allow people to get low-interest loans to flood-proof and elevate homes and also to protect businesses.
Mayors Request Increased State Aid
The state's mayors and first selectmen asked the Appropriations Committee this week for more state aid, including an increased for education funding---after increases in local property taxes. Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch, this year's president of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, said big and small communities need to avoid mandates from state government that hike local taxes.
Municipalities' Failure to Follow FOI Law
Five municipal police departments in Connecticut and one state police troop failed to follow Freedom of Information law by refusing to release basic information upon request. The Register Citizen reported that police departments across the state vary widely in the information they release to the public---- according to a compliance check completed by staff at The New Haven Register, The Middletown Press, and The Register Citizen.
Amendment to Increase Medical Records Access
Legislation to increase access to historical medical records was weakened on Wednesday by an amendment to redact patient names from the records. The Government Administration and Election Committee passed legislation to modify a bill to redact names, addresses, and Social Security numbers from the historical medical records which the underlying legislation will permit to be released.