RELL’S EXECUTIVE ORDER RESTRICT’S CONTRACTS

Governor M. Jodi Rell has announced that she has issued an Executive Order that will sharply curtail the number of retiring state employees who are rehired on temporary, 120-day contracts to smooth the transition after the state Retirement Incentive Program takes effect. The order also formally limits retirees to no more than two 120-day contracts and limits their pay to a maximum of 75 percent of their previous salary.

            In May, Governor Rell negotiated a labor cost-savings agreement with state employee unions that includes a Retirement Incentive Program (RIP) expected to lead to about 3,500 retirements – about 500 more than originally anticipated.

            Under the executive order, any 120-day contracts must be part of an approved transition program developed by the affected state agency that will employ the retired worker. The contracts will require approval on an individual basis from the Commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services, the Governor’s budget office (the Office of Policy and Management) and the Governor’s Office itself.

            “We are achieving all of the savings we wanted from the retirement program and more,” Governor Rell said. “While easing the transition after the RIP is important, I will not allow these hard-won savings to be eaten up by putting retired workers – who are already collecting a pension – back on the state payroll for extended periods of time, at excessively high salaries or merely for the sake of convenience.

            “These 120-day contracts are supposed to be used sparingly and only for unusual circumstances,” the Governor said. “Unfortunately, there have been too many reports of ‘double-dipping’ becoming the standard practice instead of the exception. The controls I am putting in place will ensure that 120-day contracts are only used when really necessary – and only for a limited time – in the months after the RIP takes effect.”

            Executive Order No. 27 states that no more than two 120-day periods may be approved under the program for any individual retiree.

            Under the order, the compensation of any temporary worker who was not covered by a collective bargaining agreement when they retired may not exceed 75 percent of their salary at the time of their retirement.

            For temporary workers who were members of a union at the time they retired, their pay during the 120-day contract may not exceed either 75 percent of the minimum rate for the job classification they held or 75 percent of their salary at the time of retirement, whichever is greater.

ACTION URGED ON DELAURO BILL

As people in Connecticut, Washington, D.C. and other cities gather for the Global Race for the Cure, a number of high-profile organizations reiterated their strong support for Congresswoman Rosa L. DeLauro’s (CT-3) bipartisan Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act (H.R. 1691) and urged its passage. The legislation would allow a woman and her doctor to decide whether she should recuperate from a mastectomy or lumpectomy for at least 48 hours in the hospital or whether she has enough support to get quality care at home.

The Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act, which DeLauro introduced with Congressman Joe Barton (TX-06), enjoys broad support in Congress – 216 cosponsors in the House of Representatives and 14 cosponsors of the Senate companion legislation (S.688) introduced by Senators Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA).

In addition to the support of these organizations, many have championed its cause, including Desperate Housewives star Marcia Cross, who came to Capitol Hill last year to press for its passage. And a petition at myLifetime.com calling for passage of the legislation has been signed 24 million times – with nearly three-quarters of a million signatures signed just last month.

“Over the past 13 years, Lifetime has collected 24 million signatures on mylifetime.com protesting “drive through” mastectomies. It is time for this barbaric practice to end and it is time for women to get the healthcare they deserve.”

—Meredith Wagner, Executive Vice President Lifetime Networks

“Physicians and breast cancer patients must have the ability to freely discuss what treatment options are medically necessary and appropriate, including the length of an adequate hospital stay. These women deal with tremendous medical and emotional challenges to overcome this disease and their best course of care should be determined by their individual needs, not by the business considerations of the hospital.”

—Daniel E. Smith, President American Cancer Society

“ Our 24/7 hotline answers over 40,000 calls each year from those diagnosed and/or touched by breast cancer. We are appalled when calls are received from women who have been told that their insurance will not cover a hospital stay after a mastectomy. … Breast Cancer Network of Strength supports the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act because women should not have to negotiate recovery time in the hospital after a mastectomy. Let’s put the health care decision making in the hands of those who know best – patients and their doctors.”

—Kay Wissmann, Director of Government Relations Breast Cancer Network of Strength (formerly Y-Me National Breast Cancer Organization)

“As oncology nurses, every day we see the pain and suffering caused by cancer, and we know all too well the physical, emotional, and financial challenges that people with cancer face throughout their diagnosis and treatment. Unfortunately, too many times, people with cancer also face the challenge of a health care plan and/or a health care system whose policies and practices can compound and further strain an already difficult situation. Specifically, ONS supports your legislation, because it helps ensure that decisions pertaining to treatment for breast cancer are made by cancer care providers, in consultation with their patients, not by health plans or insurers.”

—Brenda Nevidjon, RN, MSN, FAAN, President —Paula Rieger, RN, MS, AOCN, Chief Executive Officer Oncology Nursing Society

“H.R. 1691 takes an important step forward by restoring healthcare decision-making to breast cancer patients and their physicians. … By guaranteeing a minimum hospital stay of 48 hours for a woman having a mastectomy or lumpectomy and 24 hours for a lymph node removal, this legislation allows patients to properly recover from their procedure. ACOG applauds your recognition that a woman should never have to jeopardize her health in favor of a coverage decision, especially after a physically and emotionally draining procedure.”

—Douglas H. Kirkpatrick, MD, President The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

“[The legislation] will help ease the burden for those struggling with breast cancer. One of the challenges of the private market is that insurance benefits vary by state, and research shows that treatment for breast cancer differs according to type of insurance coverage and state of residence. The last thing women who are facing a life threatening disease should have to worry about is whether the insurance company in their state will provide them with the same level of coverage as neighboring states or whether they will hit their lifetime cap as a result of expensive cancer treatments.”

—Ronald F. Pollack, Executive Director Families USA

“Too many women in this country have had to face breast cancer surgery. It is not easy, physically or emotionally. But all too often women find themselves forced by their insurance companies to leave the hospital before they are ready – sometimes just hours after surgery. Anybody who has watched a loved one fight this illness understands that the last thing any woman should be doing at that time is fighting with her insurance company. … This legislation presents an opportunity to restore patient and consumer rights to breast cancer patients and their families—an opportunity that should not be missed.”

—Judy Waxman, Vice President of Health and Reproductive Rights The National Women’s Law Center

“The need for a mastectomy can cause an over whelming stress factor in [a women's] life. Then to be faced with the fact that you must go home after surgery in pain, with a surgical dressing, tubes and have to watch for signs for an infection, just adds to her stress level. The 48 hour stay gives her a chance to cope with the diagnosis, assault to her body and the possible need for chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. This time also allows her to get the necessary resources needed to get on with the life.”

—Sandra Fisher, Deputy Director The Witness Project of Connecticut

“The Society for Women’s Health Research strongly supports this legislation and commends those members championing its passage. This bill will help so many women who are struggling with breast cancer and the concomitant stress that accompanies it. Decisions regarding health care needs should be made by the doctor and the patient, with the patient’s best interest in mind.”

—Phyllis Greenberger, President & Chief Executive Officer Society for Women’s Health Research

“From 1986 through 1995, the proportion of mastectomies performed on an outpatient basis increased from virtually 0% to 10.8%. By 2001 it was reported as high as 20%. One study found that outpatient mastectomies are more likely to be performed on older women. Also, women undergoing outpatient mastectomy had substantially higher rates of rehospitalization within 30 days than women with even a 1-day stay in the hospital.

CO CHAIR OF MAJOR COMMITTEE ADMITS SHORT FALL

Co-Chairman of the legislatures Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, State Representative Cameron Staples D-96, was peppered with questions by the committees ranking member Senator Andrew Roraback R-30 on whether or not the states revenues were sufficient to cover its expenditures in the new budget.  Asked point blank by State Senator Roraback “have you done an analysis of whether our revenue estimates will be sufficient to cover our expenses if we were to use that current base data” Staples replied that “whatever estimates we adopt, they are not likely to be the final revenue numbers that the budget actually experiences over the course of the next two years”. The Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee is one of the joint committees of the Connecticut General Assembly. It is comprised of 56 members; 12 Senate and 44 House. The Finance Committee has jurisdiction over all matters relating to finance, revenue, capital bonding, fees and taxation. The committee also has cognizance over employer contributions for unemployment compensation and all matters relating to the Department of Revenue Services and the revenue aspects of the Division of Special Revenue. Representative Staples stated that the projections by the Office of Fiscal Analysis showed revenues short  $200 million a year leaving a potential budget short fall of $400 million by 2011. The Office of Fiscal Analysis is a nonpartisan professional office of the Connecticut General Assembly. Its primary function is to provide technical support to the Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding, as well as the other committees and members of the legislature. Senator Roraback also complained that Republicans on the Committee had only had an hour to review the document before the hearing. In the end the committee voted to adopt the revenue estimates even with the use of the data that clearly showed a multi-million dollar short fall by a mostly party line vote of 27 to 9. A total of 20 other members were absent and not voting.

LITCHFIELD SELECTMEN BACK JUDGE

Even though the Connecticut Probate system is sea of patronage and cronyism, much like the old Sheriffs  system and current State Marshal system, change is being resisted by politicians. Litchfield Probate District Judge Diane Blick has convinced the Litchfield Board of Selectmen to back her efforts in saving the current district that she is in charge of. The State is currently seeking to reorganize the 117 probate courts into not 44 or 50, with each court required to serve a population of 40,000. The reforms also would require that Probate Judges be Attorneys. The current system allows for any person to run and be elected as a probate judge. Compared to the limitations on even licensed Attorneys who cannot run and serve as Attorney General unless they have 10 years of practice experience. Probate courts handle Estate issues as well as name changes and guardian cases. The proposed changes would result in an elimination of political jobs saving tax payers $250,000 in salaries alone. The support of the Litchfield Board of Selectmen seems to be political and out of step with even the Legislatures intent to reform and clean up the system.

CONCERN OVER PROPOSED CLOSURE OF RIVERVIEW HOSPITAL

Representative Matt Lesser D-100 accompanied by Speaker of the House Chris Donavan, met with opponents of Governor Rell’s proposal to close Riverview Hospital in Middletown. Speaker Donavan stated that “this facility also provides important training”. Sandy Caronari the president-elect of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics stated that closing Riverview “was not a viable option for the state of Connecticut”. Dr. Pieter Van Wattum of the Ct Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry made the argument that early intervention into mental health issues is critical and stating that if this was not done then “inevitably many will fill our prisons and hospitals adults”.  Speaker Donavan made the point that “this facility brings in federal dollars, we could lose those federal dollars by closing this” Riverview Hospital is a 88 bed hospital treating children ages 5 -18 years. The patients receive treatment for depression, bipolar and other mental health issues. Speaker Donavan has stated that he will convey his opposition to the proposed closure to Governor Rell and he went on to say that  “certainly this facility is important and it is important that it remains in our budget”.

$15.4 MILLION FOR GREEN COLLAR JOBS

            Governor M. Jodi Rell has announced that the state is receiving $15.4 million in federal stimulus funds for its broad-based State Energy Plan designed to expand fuel cell initiatives, help homeowners and businesses reduce energy costs with alternative technologies, improve the efficiency of state-owned buildings and create green collar jobs to meet the needs of the emerging technologies.

            Governor Rell said the state was notified today (June 24) from the U.S. Department of Energy that it was one of just 10 states to receive the stimulus energy funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). The $15.4 million is part of the $38 million in stimulus funds Connecticut is expected to receive overall to support its State Energy Plan, submitted to the federal government last month.

            “I am tremendously pleased that federal energy officials have endorsed our energy goals. To develop the economy of the future we must have strong foundation that includes renewable and alternative energy sources and clean technology and a highly skilled workforce that will complement it all,” Governor Rell said. “Fortunately, Connecticut has been ahead of the national curve on so many of those fronts. These funds will help us continue that momentum.”

The State Energy Plan is expected to deliver energy savings of 10 million BTU for every $1,000 spent.

The State Energy Plan outlines a number of efficiency projects and conservation programs, including one that provides inexpensive in-home energy audits designed to lower utility bills and encourage energy efficiency, while creating jobs for specially trained workers to conduct the audits. The Governor said the funding also will be used to support four Clean Cities coalitions – Greater New Haven, Clean Cities of Southwestern Connecticut, Norwich Clean Cities and Capital Clean Cities.

The Governor said $19 million of the $38 million will be dedicated to fuel cell incentives and geothermal, solar and thermal and solar photovoltaic systems through the Clean Energy Fund.

            The following is the funding breakdown for the total $38 million stimulus award:

• $8 million will be dedicated to expanding current fuel cell initiatives with a goal of completing 14 more projects

• $5 million for a new program that will offer rebates for residential and commercial geothermal systems with a goal of 600 installations

• $4 million for rebates for residential and commercial solar thermal systems with a goal of 1,000 installations

• $3 million to expand the Clean Energy Fund’s solar photovoltaic programs for homes and businesses with a goal of 300 more projects

• $6.25 million for private and municipal utilities (Connecticut Light & Power, United Illuminating and Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative) to expend programs that provide ratepayers with energy audits and low cost efficiency technologies

• $2.86 million to CL&P and UI to expand conservation and efficiency programs for small businesses

• $3.35 million to CL&P, UI and CMEEC to expand conservation and efficiency programs for large commercial customers

• $5 million for energy efficiency improvements in state buildings

• $550,000 for training and certification of building operators and inspectors to comply with new building code energy components

• $200,000 for administrative support to four Connecticut Clean Cities coalition (Greater New Haven, Southwestern Connecticut, Norwich and Capitol Clean Cities Coalition)

• $292,000 for administrative support for the Office of Policy and Management to administer the state energy plan and energy block grants to municipalities 

“Our State Energy Plan will ensure that Connecticut remains well-positioned for economic recovery and sustained prosperity with the next generation of green jobs and green technology,” Governor Rell said.

            To view the entire State Energy Plan and for more information on the ARRA in Connecticut, visit the state’s stimulus Web site at www.ct.gov and click on the CT Recovery link.

Prague Earns Final Action on Bill to Upgrade Compensation for Custodians

State Senator Edith G. Prague (D-Columbia), Senate Chair of the legislature’s Labor and Public Employees Committee, today won Senate approval — and final legislative action — on a bill that strikes a compromise to provide maintenance workers in the Hartford area with continuing healthcare in exchange for wage concessions.

The bill preserves healthcare benefits for those who clean state buildings and grounds, including the state Capitol and Legislative Office Building. It calls for wage concessions of $1.84 per hour to underwrite those benefits, and keeps dependents of those workers from the state’s HUSKY healthcare rolls, limiting the state’s cost in that regard. The bill brings the total compensation for these workers in line with those doing comparable jobs in the private sector in Hartford County.

“I’m pleased my Senate colleagues agreed with me and voted to upgrade the state’s standard wage law to provide healthcare to these workers and their families,” Senator Prague said. “These workers complete essential, if not glamorous tasks in and around our state office buildings and work for modest wages; that they are willing to work for less to preserve healthcare coverage speaks to the importance of that issue.”

The bill, co-sponsored by more than 30 legislators, had previously been approved by two separate legislative committees and the House of Representatives. It now advances to the governor’s desk for her consideration.

“The new wage and benefits package applies to workers hired after July first, so it doesn’t penalize current workers, even as they gain the same healthcare benefits provided to Hartford County workers doing comparable work,” Senator Prague said. “I urge Governor Rell to sign this bill and make it law because it speaks to simple fairness among workers doing comparable work for comparable compensation.”

Senator Prague is serving her eighth term in the state Senate; she previously served four terms in the House of Representatives.

UNION CONCESSIONS TO CLOSE DMV

All Department of Motor Vehicles offices will close to the public on Thursday, July 2, at 3 p.m. and will not reopen until Tuesday, July 7, at 8 a.m.  The closing combines both the holiday observance of July 4th, the unpaid furlough time required of all state employees and regular weekend shutdown of DMV offices. DMV is advising customers early so that they can plan any necessary visits around this closing time. With DMV having staggered operating times, these holiday closings and state-required unpaid furlough create a string of consecutive days that the agency does not operate. While the offices will not be open for transactions, the web site and automated phone system will be available to obtain information. The furlough has been imposed as part of the state employee union concessions to address the current state budget deficit. The unions that represent 50,000 state workers announced in May that they agreed to a deal that will save $700 million over the next two years. The 13 unions that represent state workers met Friday and approved a package of concessions that they say will save the state $700 million. The agreement came after two weeks of negotiations as the state works to close a budget gap of $8.7 billion.

DILLON HAILS PASSAGE OF “MADOFF” BILL

Representative Pat Dillon (D-New Haven) hailed Senate passage of legislation she authored to target fraudulent money managers like Bernard Madoff, the New York money manager who confessed to running a $50 billion Ponzi scheme.

The bill would allow the state to seize the assets of anyone arrested for securities fraud using the state’s organized crime statutes. The bill (HB 6339) was unanimously approved Tuesday night by the State Senate.

“White collar criminals leave victims in their wake just like violent criminals,” Rep. Dillon said. “We must do our best to protect their victims.”

In the Madoff case, the federal government seized assets, but Rep. Dillon noted the state has a role to play in future cases of fraud by financial advisors and money managers.

The legislation expands the state’s organized crime statute, Corrupt Organizations and Racketeering Act (CORA), to target fraudulent activity by money managers. CORA provides for the imposition of stiffer criminal penalties for white-collar criminals, including lengthier prison sentences and fines of up to $25,000, as well as the forfeiture to the state of money or property obtained by criminal means.

The bill, previously approved by the House, now goes to the governor for consideration.

BILL SEEKS TO REDUCE BLIGHT

Legislation aimed at reducing neighborhood blight caused by the growing number of property foreclosures was approved by the House of Representatives. The bill authorizes cities and towns to utilize state law and local ordinances regarding maintenance of uninhabited properties following the issuance of proper notice to owners of foreclosed real estate. The legislation also would establish a tracking and registration system of owners of properties obtained through foreclosure or foreclosure sale, including the name of the entity responsible for maintenance of the property. Neighborhood blight compounds problems caused by foreclosures by lowering surrounding property values and inviting vandalism and other crime.