Bills Progress through the Legislature with the Support of Rep. Harding

HARTFORD – Amid several public hearings where State Rep. Stephen Harding (R-107) has, as a committee member, heard testimony and considered bills, he has also submitted written testimony and testified in person on bills that are important to him personally as well as to his constituents district-wide.

One bill, H.B. 5355, An Act Eliminating Certain Driver’s License Fees for Veterans, seeks to waive the thirty-dollar fee for any individual who wishes to indicate his or her status as a veteran on a reissued motor vehicle operator’s license or identity card prior to the expiration date of a previously issued license or identity card.

“The current fee is unnecessary and insensitive to men and women who have risked their lives to defend our country,” Rep. Harding wrote to the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “Many of these veterans return to us with physical and mental injuries as a result of their service, and the State should not be burdening them further by forcing them to pay a fee in order to display their status. Our State simply has to find other areas to earn revenue, other than off the backs of the men and women who have bravely served us.”

After hosting a press conference in Brookfield to encourage residents to testify on H.B. 5363, Rep. Harding also gave testimony in person during a Housing Committee public hearing asking for the bill to be expanded. The legislation, An Act Concerning the Affordable Housing Land Use and Appeals Procedure, will reduce the instances in which an affordable housing developer can appeal a municipality’s rejection of an affordable housing project and to expand the types of housing that allow a municipality to qualify for an affordable housing moratorium.

“While I support the bill and the concept of reforming 8-30g, I respectfully request this committee to take into consideration the proposals I have made regarding this law as I feel it does not go nearly far enough to restrict the exceeding overreach which 8-30g allows developers,” said Rep. Harding. “My district is currently one of many throughout the State to have been relegated to the negative side effects of our current law. We all understand and appreciate the value of affordable housing, but we equally appreciate the autonomy of our fellow residents on our land use and zoning boards to have the authority to uphold and protect our town’s regulations, which has taken decades of effort to develop.”

Both bills were passed out of committee as joint favorable and referred to the Offices of Legislative Research and Fiscal Analysis. They now await consideration by the House and Senate.

Another bill that received testimony from Rep. Harding was S.B. 353, An Act Concerning Opioid Abuse. The bill will add members to the Connecticut Alcohol and Drug Policy Council and specify requirements for the council’s state-wide plan; allow for the provision of auricular acupuncture services outside of private, freestanding facilities; and allow primary care providers and licensed alcohol and drug counselors to provide certain services relating to patients’ substance abuse.

“This bill is of personal significance to me and those throughout my district,” said Rep. Harding. “Over the past few years, I have lost some of my lifelong friends to opioid addiction. I believe this is a good first step in addressing the crisis, but I ask the Public Health Committee to also consider addressing regulations surrounding discharge from Detox Facilities and post-discharge care in the bill.”

The bill was yesterday referred as joint favorable and today filed with Legislative Commissioners’ Office. It now awaits consideration on the House Floor.