State legislators review the 2023 session

LAKEVILLE — State Sen. Stephen Harding (R-30) and State Rep.Maria Horn (D-64) were both pleased with the results of the Connecticut General Assembly session that ended two weeks ago.

Both legislators described the state budget as “responsible” and were happy about some $100 million in tax cuts.

Both Horn and Harding were also relieved that a last-minute effort to reinstate fees for municipalities that are shipping their municipal solid waste to out of state landfills failed.

“It’s not as if the towns have a choice,” Horn said, referring to towns that used to send their waste to the now-closed trash-to-energy plant in Hartford.

“I’m very happy it was not approved,” Harding said.

Both legislators said the budget process was smooth.

“It was the most bipartisan budget anyone can remember,” Horn said.

Harding said with a $4 billion surplus, the usual late session drama did not materialize.

“That’s usually what keeps us in.”

Horn was positive about gun-control measures, especially a ban on almost all open carry (there is a private property exception), and banning “ghost guns” made from kits sold online and thus completely unregistered.

Harding did not vote for the gun bill. He said he thought it was too focused on “law-abiding gun owners and doesn’t do anything about illegal weapons.”

He also objected to the rules regarding private storage, saying that a “single woman with a gun in the nightstand” could have her weapon stolen, even by someone she had invited into her home, and she could face criminal liability if the gun was used in a crime later.

“I could not get past that.”

Harding was in favor of a limited bear hunt in Litchfield County, a provision that did not make it into the final bill.

“It’s still a good bill.”

Horn said the bear bill was “pretty meek compared to what was proposed initially.”

She was happy about provisions giving farmers more leeway in using lethal force on bears to protect livestock and banning intentional feeding of bears.

Harding was enthused that there will now be local representation on the Connecticut Siting Council, which oversees things like placement of cellphone towers.

“For far too long local concerns were ignored,” he said.

Each town will have a representative appointed by the Board of Selectmen or equivalent.

Horn was disappointed that an “Aid in Dying” bill did not emerge from the Assembly.

“The votes just weren’t there,” she said.

Horn said the aid in dying issue comes up often in conversations with constituents.

She said the discussions on the issue were productive, however.

“It was a better process. People felt heard.”