2019 State Senate Voting Records
The following table illustrates how members of the Connecticut state Senate voted in 2019 on a series of key bills (see below), either in committee or on the Senate floor.
If a lawmaker sponsored a bill and did not have an opportunity to vote on it, or abstained from a vote or was absent, that is also reflected in these records. Bill sponsorship is weighed the same as a vote in calculating overall percentage scores.
While these bills reflect just a fraction of all legislation addressed during the session, they were chosen as the framework for CBIA’s 2019 legislative voting records because of their potential impact—positive or negative—on Connecticut’s economic competitiveness and business climate.
2019SenateVotingRecords2019 Key Bills
Paid FMLA Mandate (SB 1 and HB 5003): Costly and unsustainable new mandate on private sector employers with one or more employees that disproportionately targets small businesses. SB 1 passed Senate 21-15; House 79-69; signed by governor. CBIA Position: Opposed.
Minimum Wage Hike (SB 2 and HB 5004): Raises the hourly minimum wage by almost 50% over four years—followed by automatic annual hikes—further increasing Connecticut’s high cost of doing business. HB 5004 passed House 85-59; Senate 21-14; signed by governor. CBIA Position: Opposed.
Proprietary Information Transfer (SB 48): Requires prescription drug manufacturers to share product samples with generic drug manufacturers. Passed General Law Committee 11-5; Judiciary Committee 22-16; Appropriations Committee 27-16; no action taken by Senate. CBIA Position: Opposed.
Employer Gag Order (SB 64 and SB 440): So-called captive audience measures let employees leave workplace meetings if they believe “political matters” are being discussed. That includes discussions of business-related legislation and regulations or support for various civic, fraternal, or community organizations. SB 64 passed Labor and Public Employees Committee 9-5; SB 440 passed Judiciary Committee 24-16; no action taken by Senate. CBIA Position: Opposed.
Employer References (SB 761): Makes previous employers liable for the future workplace actions of former employees. Passed Senate 33-2; no action taken by House. CBIA Position: Opposed.
Manufacturing Careers (SB 854): Promotes manufacturing careers to high school students, allowing guidance counselors to share information and materials. Passed Senate 36-0; House 149-0; signed by governor. CBIA Position: Supported.
Transfer Act (SB 1030): Makes meaningful reforms to state’s Transfer Act, helping streamline environmental remediation projects. Passed Senate 34-0; House 149-0; signed by governor. CBIA Position: Supported.
State-Run Healthcare (HB 7267): Original bill expanded state employee healthcare program to private sector, potentially costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars while threatening state’s economic viability. Passed Insurance Committee 11-8; Appropriations Committee 29-19; House 112-28; no action taken by Senate. CBIA Position: Opposed.
Manufacturing Jobs (HB 7081 and HB 7377): Help address state’s critical shortage of skilled manufacturing workers by extending apprenticeship training tax credit to smaller manufacturers. HB 7081 passed Commerce Committee 21-0; HB 7377 passed Finance Committee 50-0; no action taken by House. CBIA Position: Supported.
Budget (HB 7424): While $43.4 billion budget includes several positive items, it relies almost exclusively on over $2 billion in tax and revenue hikes to close a projected two-year deficit while increasing government spending. Also hurts small businesses by cutting tax credit designed to offset 2018 pass-through entity tax. Passed House 86-65; Senate 20-16; signed by governor. CBIA Position: Opposed.
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