Norwich’s Board of Public Utilities Commissioners has postponed for at least one month, discussion on the ethics commission-recommended sanctions against city public utilities officials. The five-member board is currently down to three members, due to the resignations earlier this month of the chairman and vice-chairman due to the Derbygate scandal. The remaining members said Tuesday night it would be wise to wait until the panel was back at full strength, before taking up the ethics issues. The City Council may be appointing two new members at its June 5th meeting.
EARLY VOTING SEEMS LIKELY
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – State lawmakers are moving closer toward changing Connecticut’s constitution to allow people to cast their ballots before Election Day.
The House of Representatives on Tuesday voted 78-70 in favor of the proposed constitutional amendment. It now awaits action in the Senate. Voters will be asked in 2020 to approve such a change if both chambers pass the bill again next year by a simple majority. The bill needed 114 votes Tuesday for the question to automatically appear on the 2019 ballot. While the bill allows the General Assembly to determine the details of early voting, it provides an overall framework, such as limits on when the voting can occur.
Secretary of the State Denise Merrill says Connecticut will join the majority of other states if it ultimately allows early voting.
SPEEDBOWL OPENING “PREMATURE”
Auto racing this year at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl may not be as likely as it appeared just a couple of days ago. A spokesman for Speedbowl owner Bruce Bemer says an anonymous post Sunday on the track’s website that said there’s a working agreement for the facility to be leased for this season was-quote-premature. The Sunday post has been taken down. Spokesman Chuck Coursey says-quote-management is working to preserve the upcoming season and jobs at the Speedbowl. The season has been in doubt since track owner Bemer was arrested in March on charges of participating in a prostitution ring involving mentally-challenged young males.
PREGNANCY PROTECTIONS
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Legislation that advocates say will strengthen workplace protections for pregnant women in Connecticut has cleared the House of Representatives.
House members approved the bill Tuesday on a bipartisan 120-30 vote. It now moves to the Senate for further action. Under the bill, employers would be required to make reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers, such as allowing them to sit while working or take more frequent breaks. The bill also prohibits employers from limiting or segregating a pregnant employee in a way that would deny her employment opportunities. Democratic Rep. Liz Linehan of Cheshire says pregnancy “continues to be a barrier to women’s advancement,” including lost wages and missed job opportunities. Republican Rep. Tom O’Dea, of New Canaan, says the bill’s intent is laudable, but predicted it will lead to lawsuits.
BOOKKEEPER TRIAL POSSIBLE
It appears a second trial will happen in the case of a former bookkeeper. Lauri Villa’s first trial on a charge of embezzlement from her former employer ended in a mistrial last March as jurors couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict. Villa is accused of stealing as much as 200-thousand dollars from Lebanon farmer and trucking company owner James Grover when she worked for him. She quit the job in December 2012, and was arrested in November, 2014. A June 26th meeting is scheduled between the attorneys in the case, and Judge Arthur Hadden to see if a settlement can be reached. If not, a new trial is likely.
JUDGE RULES WESTERLY COMPANY WAS WRONG
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) – A judge has ruled against a Westerly textile company accused of discriminating against a woman when she was denied an internship because she uses medical marijuana to treat migraine headaches. The Superior Court judge’s decision released Tuesday found that Darlington Fabrics Corp. had violated Rhode Island’s Hawkins-Slater Medical Marijuana Act, which prevents discrimination against card-carrying medical marijuana users. The complaint said Christine Callaghan, who was a graduate student at the University of Rhode Island, negotiated a paid internship with Darlington Fabrics in 2014 but lost it after disclosing she held a medical marijuana card.
The case was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island.
RI HAIR-BRAIDING
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) – The Rhode Island House of Representatives has passed legislation that would deregulate the business of African-style hair braiding, which practitioners say is a cultural tradition and art form that shouldn’t be subject to cosmetology rules. The House unanimously passed the bill Tuesday. It now moves to the Senate. It would exempt natural hair braiders from the costly licensing requirements for hairdressers and barbers. Braiders say training and chemical safety rules for cosmetologists aren’t relevant to what they do. They’re backed by a bipartisan group that included the bill’s sponsor, Democratic state Rep. Anastasia Williams and conservative and libertarian organizations seeking to cut business regulations. The national law group Institute for Justice has been fighting for years to deregulate braiding around the country. Beauty schools have opposed the efforts nationally.
