Latest news from Senate President Pro Tempore Donald E. Williams, Jr. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/Williams.php http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Thu, 23 May 2013 22:07:21 -0400 Thu, 23 May 2013 22:07:12 -0400 FeedForAll Mac v2.1 (2.1.0.1); http://www.FeedForAll.com/ Beginning in 2014 thousands of minimum wage workers will receive a raise, thanks to an effort led by Senate President Donald E. Williams (D-Brooklyn). The Senate voted 21-15 raises the minimum wage $0.45 on January 1, 2014 to $8.70 and by another $0.30 on January 1, 2015 to $9.00. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130523.php 6A3A0931-700A-40C9-9D15-C78B89C6DD7A-23708-00002C03C1BDB9DB-FFA Thu, 23 May 2013 22:07:17 -0400 On Tuesday morning, a bipartisan group of legislative leaders joined a rally at the Connecticut State Capitol to announce new legislation which would require all food containing genetically modified ingredients to be appropriately labeled. The State Senate intended to take up the bill that same day. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130521.php 85B88ECB-786A-4CD2-8BD2-FA587BF3CA0A-927-00000F678B1E761D-FFA Tue, 21 May 2013 13:14:01 -0400 Senate President Donald E. Williams(D-Brooklyn) and Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) hailed today’s senate passage of of Senate Bill 872, which bans the use of tanning booths by people under the age of seventeen. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130516a.php FDF294D3-8017-43FF-8F4E-2AC7752AAE0D-53436-00006F07B45D937D-FFA Thu, 16 May 2013 18:40:55 -0400 In remarks today to the Connecticut Council of Small Towns, Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr., (D-Brooklyn) issued a strong pledge to work to protect state aid to towns. Senator Williams is currently negotiating Connecticut’s biennial budget. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130516.php 480D9F52-DF45-4F9D-8F82-3CEEE297C5B4-1252-00001BB35D1D68AD-FFA Thu, 16 May 2013 17:01:19 -0400 Calling it an important tool that can help aid in the capture of dangerous suspects and potentially save lives, Senate President Donald E. Williams hailed the Senate’s passage of a bill creating a Blue Alert System. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130514.php A6396F60-AE23-4D27-A303-339CBCFCBC4E-585-00000481CEF2A9C5-FFA Tue, 14 May 2013 10:08:46 -0400 “It is deeply disappointing that the Republican leaders are choosing to play politics rather than offer a constructive budget proposal,” said Williams. “In order to address tough problems we need real solutions from Republicans and Democrats. Unfortunately, the Republicans have opted out of being part of the solution. The Republicans are ducking their responsibilities—they want to criticize but refuse to offer an alternative.” http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/leaders-130509b.php A02ED2AB-37A0-4C82-88E4-7B28B97C25C6-280-000000789D8D7F41-FFA Thu, 09 May 2013 11:00:02 -0400 Last night, Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) led passage in the State Senate of legislation that would guarantee job security to members of the state armed forces who are employed elsewhere, but then called to duty. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130509.php B2E55749-B74C-4769-B616-DBB450850FEE-7817-00000E73B2722A48-FFA Thu, 09 May 2013 16:04:12 -0400 State Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) led passage of a historic joint resolution calling for an amendment to the state Constitution that would remove restrictions on absentee ballot and early voting. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/leaders-130508b.php 99AEC544-8F2E-4EEA-9899-5EC231CC4936-317-0000012E33E2906B-FFA Wed, 08 May 2013 09:17:49 -0400 Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) today led passage of legislation that will combat price gouging for services in Connecticut in the aftermath of extreme weather events. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130508.php 276F071F-ACF9-4919-8A79-B4C65F71A80A-885-000001FC57E98E8D-FFA Wed, 08 May 2013 20:37:57 -0400 Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) today welcomed Ms. Jennifer Vowles’ North Windham School 5th grade class to the State Capitol to celebrate their selection as the winners of the 2013 Kiddnation.com Classroom Musical contest. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130501.php 471E0F52-7877-408F-83A2-E79E476DC674-321-0000045E2A7BB9CE-FFA Wed, 01 May 2013 09:56:34 -0400 Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) and Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced the release of state funding to purchase instrumentation, advanced manufacturing systems, and high performance computing infrastructure for the new UConn Technology Park in Storrs. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130426.php 86070CDD-A0D1-417C-85E5-A9488CE464D6-11327-0000179E36844D07-FFA Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:50:18 -0400 Citing their success in closing the achievement gap and empowering parents and other community stakeholders, the State Senate voted today (26-8) to add the Community School Model to the list of options school districts may utilize to turnaround low-performing schools. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130424a.php E8D0A50D-FA97-4C15-A29E-3B715D3C4FB7-1406-0000037BC8858D48-FFA Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:33:35 -0400 On Monday Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr., (D-Brooklyn) welcomed STRIDE Program participants and staff of the to the State Capitol building. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130423.php 0710ADBF-6ECC-4754-80FD-AA91B1F35752-8788-0000105104E5BC8F-FFA Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:39:41 -0400 University of Connecticut coaches Kevin Ollie, Geno Auriemma, Paul Pasqualoni and their respective teams received an enormous bipartisan welcome to the State Capitol on Wednesday as part of the General Assembly’s annual Husky Day. http://www.senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130424.php B14EF3A1-000D-4634-9C32-4DE05A497955-1406-0000037572D17435-FFA Wed, 24 Apr 2013 09:33:10 -0400 Killingly senior citizens will have additional affordable housing options, Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) reported today on the eve of the State Bond Commissions vote to help fund the construction 6 new units of congregate elderly housing in Killingly. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130418a.php 9D177D50-51A6-41F9-9A60-7F521D3235E1-1130-00001A92C543952E-FFA Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:48:22 -0400 Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr., (D-Brooklyn) today hailed the Senate’s unanimous confirmation vote (36-0) of Edith Prague as the new Commissioner of the Department on Aging. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130418.php 29E90A32-7A3E-4D5B-A399-EA83D232D549-1130-00001A92B8D95B73-FFA Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:48:53 -0400 Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) joined Governor Dannel P. Malloy, and Department of Agriculture Commissioner Steven K. Reviczky, today to announce competitive, matching grants to expand Connecticut’s $3.5 billion agricultural industry. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130417.php AB39B0CE-2F54-481E-AB54-B912D970F41A-11955-00001790237D3547-FFA Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:06:15 -0400 Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) today welcomed 100 k-8th grade student inventors from across Connecticut for the 6th annual Connecticut Invention Convention Day at the Capitol. Set in the State Capitol Building’s Hall of Flags, students were able to showcase and demonstrate their inventions for legislators. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130411.php F7873DAE-5CB6-4EF8-B317-C6AC55F3A7E6-17295-00001A0FA9A98DAA-FFA Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:40:36 -0400 As national violence prevention experts hail Connecticut’s landmark bipartisan Gun Violence Prevention and Children’s Safety bill, Senate President Donald E. Williams (D-Brooklyn) and Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) joined with Governor Dannel P. Malloy, Sandy Hook families, and first responders for the bill’s signing. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130404.php BCEBE651-C83F-41B9-9A1B-9D38C1D60096-15305-00001A1A113CCBA3-FFA Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:42:20 -0400 Calling it ‘model’ for the 49 other states and Congress to follow, Senate President Donald E. Williams (D-Brooklyn) today helped lead senate passage (26-10) of a comprehensive bipartisan Gun Violence Prevention and Children’s Safety bill designed to increase public safety in the wake of the tragic Newtown shootings. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130403.php 3F682C8E-2D70-4E6C-A882-AEBD38572F1B-9915-000025F29BCF3C6D-FFA Wed, 03 Apr 2013 20:16:37 -0400 Calling her the “perfect choice” to lead the Department of Aging, Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr., hailed Governor Dannel P. Malloy’s nomination of Edith Prague to lead the department. Malloy announced the appointment of Prague, today, at an afternoon news conference. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130328.php 52BEDFA7-C285-4100-A8DD-A09C4322F415-82328-0000A07D786378DF-FFA Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:48:54 -0400 Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr., (D-Brooklyn) spoke with Peter Orr of Fort Hill Farms in Thompson, Connecticut about efforts to market the state’s dairy products. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130320.php 34987748-0504-4D29-A6D5-F1C16C88DA1B-5128-00001288E55130FA-FFA Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:31:35 -0400 State Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr., today joined with Governor Dannel P. Malloy, Newtown First Selectman Pat Llodra, Newtown Police Captain Joe Rios and a bipartisan group of legislative lawmakers for a bill signing ceremony at the State Capitol on Tuesday to commemorate the passage of legislation that creates a special fund to assist individuals who suffered psychological trauma as a result of their work related to the Sandy Hook tragedy. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130312.php F9F72EA0-1377-479C-BCD7-6BC1A394ABA4-18703-000016937B45052A-FFA Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:41:33 -0400 On Wednesday, March 6th in his State Capitol office, Senate President Pro Tempore Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) met with members of the Killingly Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools Kevin Farr to discuss his work on education reform and the current state of our schools. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130307.php 145DCF4E-9D3D-4E3C-9B87-A485EF57186D-12618-000012507A552D73-FFA Thu, 07 Mar 2013 14:20:58 -0500 Citing its success in helping small businesses retain and grow jobs, Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) helped lead the passage of an extension of Connecticut’s Small Business Express (EXP) Program. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130306a.php 523CAD86-203B-41FF-8301-65FA5ECBAE6D-431-000003CD83F05C8A-FFA Wed, 06 Mar 2013 09:54:58 -0500 Legislative leaders announced Wednesday that the General Assembly plans to vote today to create a special fund to assist individuals who suffered psychological trauma as a result of their work related to the Sandy Hook tragedy. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130306.php AD34D7AF-6AF0-4345-BA98-CB8808C88918-5934-00000B86A853DB5C-FFA Wed, 06 Mar 2013 12:11:40 -0500 Senate President Donald E Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) today joined with University of Connecticut students, faculty and elected officials at the State Legislative Office Building in support of “Next Generation Connecticut”—the proposal to enhance UConn’s Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) programs and position the university as a leading research institution. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130304.php C31ADE3A-7D5B-4B5A-AB7D-E0E17E08FE1C-924-0000015C66927136-FFA Mon, 04 Mar 2013 09:09:43 -0500 Citing their success at closing the achievement gap and empowering parents and other community stakeholders, Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. (D-Brooklyn) today testified before the General Assembly’s Education Committee in sport of adding the Community School Model to the list of options school districts may utilize to turnaround low-performing schools. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130304a.php 869CC607-845B-4E84-B8B1-949A21D31000-924-0000015A293CFE43-FFA Mon, 04 Mar 2013 09:10:21 -0500 Declaring it “the responsibility of every parent, adult and policymaker to help guide” children’s dietary choices, Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. addressed “Nourishing Connecticut’s Children Together,” a gathering at the State Capitol on Connecticut Child Nutrition Legislative Day. The event was sponsored by End Hunger Connecticut!, the Connecticut Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the School Nutrition Association of Connecticut (SNACT). http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/Williams-130226.php 1FACEFEB-3A34-4784-8F28-5398A7276331-2152-000011E190EA9A49-FFA Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:04:42 -0500 “I am pleased that the governor put forth what I consider to be the basics of any common sense gun safety proposal,” said Senator Williams. “The ideas are not new—our bipartisan task force heard these and other good suggestions from police chiefs and mayors at our public hearings.” http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130222.php 87BC4D31-2983-443A-BD80-8EB7773932D0-519-000006069D928A3B-FFA Fri, 22 Feb 2013 10:31:56 -0500 Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr., joined with Governor Dannel P. Malloy today to announce that over the next two years, Amazon will invest $50 million in Connecticut and create hundreds of new full-time jobs. Additionally, the Governor announced an agreement under which Amazon will begin collecting sales tax revenue in the state. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130204.php 121C72AF-43D3-452A-9110-DC0F3A70849E-1848-00001D0DACACB873-FFA Mon, 04 Feb 2013 17:27:31 -0500 The Bipartisan Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention and Children’s Safety will hold an informational public hearing at Newtown High School from 6:00 p.m. - midnight on Wednesday, January 30. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/leaders-130130.php 3CBBC340-6DF7-4ED5-8021-52A8FEBDB9AD-1198-0000024063F34C6B-FFA Wed, 30 Jan 2013 09:29:29 -0500 A special bipartisan task force recently announced by legislative leaders and charged with developing recommendations designed to reduce gun violence, enhance school safety and increase access to mental health care has a new website: www.cga.ct.gov/asaferconnecticut. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/leaders-130122.php 73D69CDE-83FC-4EDB-B0C4-B06EA9C82D7E-4401-000019B34CD8811F-FFA Tue, 22 Jan 2013 16:34:15 -0500 A special bipartisan task force recently announced by legislative leaders and charged with developing recommendations designed to reduce gun violence, enhance school safety and increase access to mental health care has scheduled a series of public hearings. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130118.php 790473A2-2ECC-4453-81D5-A75F726988AB-12640-0000190EE162F336-FFA Fri, 18 Jan 2013 16:21:12 -0500 State Senate President Donald E. Williams, Jr. and Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) today issued the following statements in reaction to President Obama and Vice President Biden proposals on gun violence prevention following the Newtown tragedy. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130116.php BEDF9DB5-E6B9-4467-B889-8CA0A7C1F463-4553-0000140C3A4EE72C-FFA Wed, 16 Jan 2013 14:54:59 -0500 State Senate President Donald E Williams, Jr., and Senate Majority Leader Martin M. Looney announced today their appointments to the three working groups that are part of the Special Bipartisan Task Force on Gun Violence Prevention and Children’s Safety: http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130115a.php D90D981D-1C5A-4F6E-9571-97DC3507AA66-15755-00001DA10BBF876F-FFA Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:48:26 -0500 Democratic and Republican legislative leaders joined today to announce the creation of a special bipartisan task force on gun violence prevention and children‘s safety. http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/williams-130115.php A6FE2D2E-0A7E-4BB2-B72A-FB725464E494-907-00000B8D936BEC7E-FFA Tue, 15 Jan 2013 12:11:17 -0500