HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – The legislature’s budget-writing committee has suddenly halted plans to vote on an alternative to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s budget proposal. Democratic leaders of the Appropriations Committee made a surprise announcement Tuesday that they were adjourning without taking the scheduled vote, expressing disappointment there wasn’t bipartisan support for the two-year, $40.3 billion proposal. It’s unclear whether a spending bill can be passed before the committee’s Thursday deadline, or whether a separate tax bill will be voted on as well. Democrats say they didn’t know until recently that Republicans weren’t supporting the spending bill and instead planned to release their own budget. But the GOP leaders say they’ve been upfront for weeks about their budget proposal, expressing concerns with proposed Democratic tax increases. Democrats hold a slim majority on the committee.
HIGH COURT SAYS TRIBE MAY NOT BE IMMUNE
WASHINGTON (AP) – A unanimous Supreme Court says that Indian tribes’ immunity from lawsuits does not always extend to their employees in incidents that occur far from Indian reservations. The justices ruled Tuesday in a case that involved a Mohegan Sun limo driver from Norwich who rear-ended a car on Interstate 95 in Norwalk in 2011. The court revived a state court civil lawsuit filed by the injured occupants of the car. The case had been dismissed because the limo driver works for an Indian tribe with a casino in the state. Indian tribes are like foreign governments in that they generally can’t be sued in American courts. But Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote for the court that in cases like the one from Connecticut, “the tribe’s sovereign immunity is not implicated.” New Justice Neil Gorsuch did not take part.
WATER FOR SPRAGUE
Officials in both Norwich and Sprague are looking to have an emergency water main installed between the two towns, to ensure Sprague has a reliable backup system. Norwich’s Board of Public Utilities Commissioners Tuesday night agree to have NPU General Manager John Bilda submit a letter of intent to the State Department of Public Health, with the hopes that state bonding funds for the project could be approved by next month. NPU assistant General Manager Chris LaRose says an existing water main near Harry’s Market in Occum would be extended 10-thousand feet along Route 97 to Baltic. LaRose says the project is eligible for state grants to cover half the cost, and 30-percent of the cost of improvements to the city’s water system. Low-interest state loans would cover the remaining expenditures. He says NPU can easily handle the increased water demand, even if the pipeline is eventually used on a more frequent basis. Construction could begin by next April.
MONTVILLE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO SELLING HEROIN
A Montville man admits to distributing tainted heroin that led to a fatal overdose. Connecticut’s U-S Attorney’s office says 24-year old James Butler pleaded guilty Tuesday in New Haven Federal Court to one count of giving heroin laced with fentanyl to a 34-year old woman who died in a Route 32 apartment in Montville in May of last year. Butler has been detained since his arrest on January 31st. He faces up to 20 years in prison when he’s sentenced July 12th.
BEAR CUB PUT DOWN
MERIDEN, Conn. (AP) – The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says it put down a black bear cub after it was hit by a car In Meriden. The Meriden Record-Journal reports the cub was struck Friday near Chamberlain Highway. Agency spokeswoman Cyndy Chanaca says the cub was put down by environmental conservation police due to its injuries. While it is unusual for bears to get hit by cars, Chanaca says this time of the year is when mother bears come out with their cubs. She warns drivers to be on the lookout for animals crossing the road. About 6,700 bear sightings were reported in the state last year. State DEEP Deputy Commissioner Susan Whalen says bears spend more time in neighborhoods after being attracted to homes with easy food sources.
