Another Use for “Shame Campaigns”

Earlier this month, the OLReporter informed us of a new anti-blight effort in Bridgeport: a “shame campaign” involving the online posting of photos of the city’s worst blighted properties and their owners’ names.

The Illinois Tollway is hoping that a similar public shaming approach will encourage scofflaws to pay overdue tolls and fines. In late August, the Tollway posted a list of tollway users who have accrued over $1,000 in tolls and fines on its website. The list will be updated quarterly.

As reported in the Chicago Tribune, Illinois governor Pat Quinn signed legislation in August allowing the Tollway to publish the violators’ names and the amounts owed. In 2012, the Tollway estimated that violators accrued about $300 million in unpaid tolls and fines since 2001. Unpaid tolls and fines already subject violators to possible drivers’ license or license plate registration suspension, collection agency referral, credit bureau reporting, and litigation.

Other states’ agencies that use this public shaming tactic to elicit payment include the North Texas Tollway Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.  

Hot Report: Weapons in Schools

OLR Report 2013-R-0354 explains whether (1) Connecticut statutes or regulations provide a uniform discipline policy for school weapon incidents and (2) Connecticut or other states have initiatives to deter such incidents in schools.

Connecticut law imposes a uniform discipline policy with respect to students who bring firearms, deadly weapons, dangerous instruments, or martial arts weapons to school or to off-campus school activities. Also, students who carry a firearm or deadly weapon face criminal charges under Connecticut’s penal code.

This uniform expulsion policy does not extend to students who possess other categories of potentially dangerous objects or devices. In these cases, individual school districts determine the appropriate discipline, which may include suspension.

Many school districts and states have taken steps to deter students from bringing weapons and other potentially dangerous devices to school. Initiatives include (1) peer reporting, (2) search and seizure, (3) policing, (4) code of conduct revisions, (5) violence reduction education, and (6) social/emotional intervention. Current initiatives promoted by the Connecticut State Department of Education consist mainly of social/emotional intervention techniques that address a range of behavior problems.

Notably, some initiatives to deter weapons in school have faced constitutional challenges. Federal and state courts have weighed in on whether various weapons deterrent initiatives violate students’ constitutional rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments, as well as under the civil rights acts.

For more information, read the full report.

Recidivism Rates Down in Connecticut

A recent article on ctmirror.org highlights discussions at a recent symposium where experts from places like Connecticut, Chicago, and New York shared how they have managed to reduce recidivism rates.  The article states that Connecticut’s recidivism rate has gone from 47% in 2007 to now 41%.

According to the article, the executive director of the state’s Judicial Branch Court Support Services Division stated at the symposium that the reasons for Connecticut’s success include:

1. increasing the ratio of parole officers from 1 for every 250 ex-offenders to 1 for every 48,
2. training parole officers to better engage with clients and build trust,
3. working collaboratively with other state agencies to help ex-offenders get certain services, and
4. closely tracking results to measure effectiveness and improve accountability.

According to the article, symposium speakers suggested that to reduce recidivism, other issues worth addressing include:

1. the role unemployment plays in the commission of crime,
2. ex-offenders’ anti-social attitudes, and
3. a need to focus on higher-risk individuals.

Two Renewable Energy Projects Chosen

The Malloy administration recently announced the selection of two renewable energy projects in response to a request for proposals, the September 20th edition of The CT Mirror reported. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) received 47 proposals from bidders seeking contracts to provide electricity under the state’s revised Renewable Portfolio Standard. It chose:

• Number Nine Wind Farm, a 250 megawatt wind project to be built in Aroostook County, Maine by EDP Renewables North America LLC and
• Fusion Solar Center, a 20 megawatt solar photovoltaic system to be built by an out-of-state company, HelioSage Energy, in Sprague and Lisbon on 145 acres primarily owned by the Connecticut-based Fusion Paperboard Company.

DEEP used the following three weighted criteria to make its selection: (1) price of the electricity produced by the project (80%), the contribution toward improving power grid reliability (15%) and the proposals’ feasibility (5%).

According to the article, the administration says the projects’ costs, under eight cents per kilowatt hour on average, are (1) close to the cost of power generated from fossil fuel plants and (2) some of the lowest ever obtained for solar and wind power in the region. The average price of all proposals that were submitted and ranked was 12.8 cents per kilowatt hour, with the highest costing over 20 cents per kilowatt hour. According to DEEP commissioner Daniel C. Esty, the price of the winning contracts is locked in for 15 years, which should make the rates even more attractive if natural gas and oil prices rise. The two projects will meet 3.5% of Connecticut’s total energy demand and one-fifth of the state’s renewable energy goals.

Turf Wars

A recent ABA Journal article discusses legal concerns surrounding edible home gardens, which are becoming increasingly popular with homeowners with a front-yard southern exposure.  Brimming with fruits, vegetables, and herbs, these gardens can look messy, attract vermin, and block sight lines.  But they also provide their keepers with a local, economical produce source.

Armed with the authority to protect property values, municipal enforcement officials across the country respond to neighbors’ complaints by enforcing landscaping, blight, and zoning ordinances, forcing gardeners to dig up their plants and dismantle support structures, or face hefty fines or jail time.
 
Much like the backyard chicken debate a few years ago, the front-garden debate is forcing municipalities to revisit their ordinances to better balance homeowner rights, property values, aesthetics, nutrition, and sustainability.  For example, Sacramento’s zoning code was amended to allow properly tended fruit and vegetable front-yard gardens.  Similarly, Orlando is considering ordinances allowing vegetable plants to cover as much as 60% of a front yard, if set back at least three feet from a property line.

Photo from New York Times

 

Suburban Poverty on the Rise Locally and Nationally

According to the Brookings Institution book Confronting Suburban Poverty in America by Elizabeth Kneebone and Alan Berube, the number of suburban poor in the U.S. increased 64% from 2000 to 2011. The book, as discussed in the Washington Post, notes that more poor people currently live in the suburbs than in the inner cities. It offers several explanations for the suburban poverty increase, including:

1. suburban population increased 14% from 2000 to 2010 while urban population increased just 4.5% during the same time frame,
2. the percentage of suburban affordable housing increased slightly from 2000 to 2008 (from 47.3% to 49.4% of total affordable housing), and
3. the unemployed suburban population almost doubled from 2007 to 2010 (from about 3.1 million to 6.2 million).

The book’s website, confrontingsuburbanpoverty.org, provides additional information about suburban poverty in specific metro areas around the country, including Hartford, New Haven and Bridgeport/Stamford. From 2000 to 2011, the number of poor increased in the:

1. Hartford area, by 19.5% in the city and 62.3% in the suburbs;
2. New Haven area, by 32.1% in the city and 52.7% in the suburbs; and
3. Bridgeport/Stamford area, by 46.7% in the city and 39.9% in the suburbs (thus providing an exception to the trend of suburban poverty outpacing urban poverty).

Hot Report: Crime Victims

OLR Report 2013-R-0360 summarizes how Connecticut law defines the term “crime victim.”

Crime victims are provided certain rights under Connecticut law. In criminal proceedings, the state constitution grants a crime victim a number of rights including notifications, attendance at court proceedings, restitution, and access to certain information. The term “crime victim” is, however, not defined under the state constitution but is left instead to be defined by the legislature.

The statutes contain at least seven different definitions of the term “crime victim.” But these definitions can be grouped into two categories based on their similarities. Definitions in the first category are based on the general definition of a “crime victim” that is used throughout the statutes unless another definition applies. Two other statutory definitions expand upon this definition in different ways to allow additional people to receive certain notices and provide certain testimony. Definitions in the second category are based on the definition of “victim” for purposes of services provided by the Judicial Branch’s Office of Victim Services (OVS). Three other statutory definitions expand upon this definition in different ways to make additional people eligible to receive certain notices, compensation, and restitution services.

For more information, read the full report.

Connecticut Prepares for 1,000 Keno Locations

According to HartfordBusiness.com, Connecticut plans to have 1,000 keno vendors starting in January 2014. The plan is to add keno to 400 existing convenience stores and other lottery vendors and bring in 600 new businesses for keno, mostly bars and restaurants.

Keno is a game of chance (similar to bingo) where players select numbers (typically 10 to 15) and try to match them with numbers (typically 20) randomly generated from a field of one through 80.

The state budget has keno adding $3.8 million in revenue this fiscal year and $27 million in FY 15. 

New Rules for Reverse Mortgages

On August 25, 2013, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has been given the authority to make changes to the rules governing reverse mortgages, with some changes anticipated as early as October 1, 2013.  A reverse mortgage allows certain homeowners to convert some of the equity they have built up in their homes into cash. The mortgage is repaid, with interest, when the house is sold or the homeowner either moves or dies.

According to the article, the upcoming changes could result in fewer borrowers qualifying for these types of loans and a decline in the maximum loan amounts.  The anticipated changes include:

1. merging the two types of reverse mortgages available today,
2. setting new limits on the amounts borrowers are allowed to take relative to the appraised value of their homes,
3. increasing mortgage fees, and
4. requiring lenders to assess a borrower’s ability to pay property taxes and homeowners insurance premiums.

FHA expects these changes to reduce the number of defaults on reverse mortgages, which, according to the article, have risen to as high as 10%.

Is A Federal College Rating System On The Horizon?

In a recent speech at the University of Buffalo, President Obama announced a plan to make higher education more affordable.  A cornerstone of this initiative is a new ratings system for colleges and universities that is tied to federal student aid.  The administration will need Congressional approval to make the plan a reality, along with state cooperation to maximize its impact.

The administration hopes to publish the new rating system before the 2015-16 school year. The system, which will be created by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), will compare institutions with similar missions, help students compare the institutions’ “value,” and encourage institutions to improve.

The ratings will be based on measures that include access (e.g., percentage of students receiving Pell grants), affordability (e.g., average tuition, scholarships, and loan debt), and outcomes (e.g., graduation and transfer rates, graduate earnings, and advanced degrees of graduates).  The ratings will be published in the DOE’s College Scorecard, part of the department’s online College Affordability and Transparency Center.

The department plans to take about four years to refine the rating system.  Then, the administration will seek legislation that uses the system to transform the way federal aid is awarded to colleges by 2018.  Students may still attend the institution of their choice, but “taxpayer dollars will be steered toward high-performing colleges [and universities] that provide the best value.”  Students attending institutions with high ratings could receive larger Pell grants and more affordable student loans.  Additionally, the White House will challenge state governments to fund public colleges based on performance as well.

Cloning Silicon Valley

If biologists can clone sheep, then policy makers should be able to clone Silicon Valley, right? Well, it might be easier to copy an organism’s DNA than to replicate a region’s culture, including one like Silicon Valley’s, the region south of San Francisco. After all, culture boils down to the beliefs and values people share and reveal in their words and actions.  

Deborah Perry Piscione focused on Silicon Valley’s culture in her new book, The Secrets of Silicon Valley: What Everyone Else Can Learn From the Innovation Capital of the World. “There is a shared set of attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes Silicon Valley that is different from any place in which I have lived or spent considerable time, including Miami, London, Washington, or New York,” Piscione observed.

She went on to describe the culture—the ecosystem—that emerged over time that set Silicon Valley apart from those other places. “The secret to this type of economy is the right mix of people, those who are risk tolerant, constantly adapting, and don’t enjoy being sedentary. A collaborative culture where people trust one another to cross pollinate and strengthen an idea’s commercial viability is crucial.  And most importantly, an acceptance of failure must be in place.” 

She also described the ingredients nurturing the culture, including:

• Stanford University and its long-standing relationships with business and government leaders and focus on research with real world applications;
• immigrants and other newcomers who “didn’t bother wasting energy trying to ingratiate themselves within established organizations, instead starting their own social networks, investment clubs, and alliances with strategy partners”;
• entrepreneurs who weren’t afraid of failure or looking at things in unusual ways; and
• farsighted venture capitalists who want to coach budding entrepreneurs, not milk them for a quick return on investment.

The other things that mark Silicon Valley’s culture include intangible factors like restaurants and coffeehouses where innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors can strategize in a relaxed, casual atmosphere; a quality of life that balances work and family and promotes healthy lifestyles; and family lifestyles and schools that teach children to think and act like entrepreneurs.

 

Can you replicate Silicon Valley? No, but, as Piscione wrote, you can learn from its commitment to “continuous innovation and a culture of creativity.” After all, “there is nothing inherently special about the people in Silicon Valley—it’s the way they interact and collaborate that makes the magic.”

 

Click here for more from Deborah Piscione about Silicon Valley’s secrets.

Click here for the recent PBS special on Silicon Valley.

Hot Report: States' Laws on Disclosing Crime Scene Photographs, Autopsy Reports, and 911 Tapes and Transcripts

OLR Report 2013-R-0364 describes states' laws that directly address the disclosure of crime scene photographs, autopsy reports, and 911 tapes and transcripts.

We conducted a 50-state survey and found (1) nine states that have laws directly addressing the disclosure of crime scene photos, (2) 26 states with laws directly addressing the disclosure of autopsy reports, and (3) 16 states with laws directly addressing the disclosure of 911 tapes, seven of which directly address the disclosure of 911 transcripts. Generally, the laws restrict the disclosure of the above records to certain entities (e.g., next of kin), but in some cases, particularly for autopsy reports and 911 transcripts, they specify that the records, or certain information in the records, are available to the public. Additionally, some laws give an agency discretion to release the record to entities other than those specified in the statute.

While this report identifies statutes that directly address these particular records, their disclosure may also be limited by provisions in state law that apply to general categories of records. For example, most states exempt from disclosure law enforcement investigatory records, and some have statutes prohibiting disclosure of a record when disclosure would invade a person's privacy. Whether a particular document can be withheld under these exemptions in a particular state will depend on the circumstances. Similarly, the disclosure of these records in other states may also be governed by case law, which we do not address in this report.

The report covers only statutes that directly address access to crime scene photographs, autopsy reports, and 911 tapes and transcripts. In some cases, these statutes specifically address access by law enforcement, prosecutors, and emergency responders. But even if these entities do not derive authority to access these records under the statutes this report covers, they presumably derive it under other statutes when necessary to perform their duties.

For more information, read the full report.

A Muppet to Help Children of Incarcerated Parents

As reported on The Crime Report, Sesame Workshop has created a new blue-haired Muppet, Alex, whose father is in jail.  Alex does not appear on televised Sesame Street episodes, but is featured in a tool kit for children with incarcerated parents.
  
Sesame Workshop began distributing the tool kit in June 2013. The tool kit, aimed at children ages 3 to 8, is called “Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration.” It includes a DVD, parents’ and caregivers’ guide, and children’s storybook.
 
The program is being piloted in 10 states, including New York, Florida, and Texas. The tool kit materials are being distributed to correctional facilities and community organizations.  The materials are also available on the Sesame Workshop’s website.

The tool kit provides parents and caregivers with information on how to talk with a young child about issues surrounding a parent in jail or prison.  Among other things, it addresses (1) techniques to help the child feel more secure, (2) advice for how to approach a child who is acting out, and (3) what happens when the parent returns.

The program is funded by private and public partnerships.
 
Citing data from a 2010 Pew Center study, The Crime Report article notes that more than 2.7 million children have an incarcerated parent.

Recycling Bin Loan Program

By law, everyone in Connecticut must recycle certain designated items. Venue operators of special events, concerts, fairs, and festivals must make provisions for recycling. To help municipalities and civic groups improve recycling collection at special events, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has established a recycling bin loan program.

 

DEEP acquired, through a “Lend-a-Bin” grant from the nonprofit Keep America Beautiful and the Anheuser-Busch Foundation, 200 ClearStream recycling bins to collect beverage containers at these events (see image at left).

The bins are available for municipalities and civic groups to borrow from six locations throughout the state. The bins must be used at events in Connecticut and borrowers must schedule a pick-up and drop-off with the program contact for the borrowing location. Borrowers must also complete a recycling survey after each event.

Report Shows One Rhode Island Company Receiving 87% of the State’s Tax Breaks

As WPRI.com recently reported, Rhode Island’s most recent tax credit disclosure report shows that the Rhode Island-based CVS Corporation received $15.6 million, or 87%, of the $17.9 million awarded through the state’s six major tax incentive programs.  CVS’s largest tax break was a $14.5 million tax credit under the state’s Jobs Development Act, which reduces a company’s income tax bill if it increases employment.

Rhode Island’s Division of Taxation released the report under a 2008 law that requires it to annually report the names and addresses of those who received six state tax credits in the preceding year.  Taxpayers that receive any of the six credits must also report any bonds, grants, loans, loan guarantees, matching funds, or tax credits they received from a state governmental entity or state or public agency during the preceding fiscal year.

Rhode Island is among 33 states that disclose information about recipients of at least one of their state business tax credits, exemptions, and other tax expenditures, according to a 2012 OLR report.  But the format and online accessibility of the information varies widely.
 
This past session, the Connecticut legislature considered a bill that would have required the Department of Economic and Community Development to create online electronic databases allowing people to search, retrieve, and download data for the state’s economic assistance and tax credit programs (HB 6566).  The bill passed the House, but died on the Senate Calendar at the end of the session.

Veterans Retraining Assistance Program

The Veterans Retraining Assistance Program, offered by the federal Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA), is aimed at helping veterans who:

• are between 35 and 59;
• are unemployed when they apply;
• received a discharge other than dishonorable;
• are not eligible for any other VA education benefit program (e.g., the Post-9/11 GI Bill, Montgomery GI Bill, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Assistance);
• are not receiving any VA compensation due to being unemployable; and
• are not currently enrolled in a federal or state job training program.

Veterans will receive 12 months of training assistance through a VA-approved educational program designed to train the veteran for a high demand-occupation. Eligible veterans can attend the educational program at a community college or technical school and, upon completion, receive an associate degree, non-college degree, or a certificate.

Applications must be submitted by October 1, 2013.

Hot Report: Civil Emergency Preparedness

OLR Report 2013-R-0340 answers several questions about civil emergency preparedness, such as "When can the governor proclaim a state of emergency and what is the procedure for doing so?" and "What laws are suspended during a state of emergency?"

For answers to these questions and more, read the full report.

The Affordable Care Act and Insurance Brokers – Threat or Opportunity?

The September 2, 2013 edition of HartfordBusiness.com discusses the relationship between the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA, sometimes called “Obamacare”) and insurance brokers. It notes that many independent brokers have joined larger firms because of concerns about the future and lack of necessary resources for the ACA overhaul. According to the article, “a recent nationwide survey by Aflac found that 45% of brokers were considering exiting the health insurance business altogether.”

On the other hand, some brokers view serving the new customer base as an opportunity.  Edward Rapacky, president of Benefits Resource Group in Plantsville, said he increased his staff by 33% in order to stay on top of the new ACA regulations. Rapacky now spends twice as much time with each of his clients (an increase from 40 hours to 80 hours annually).  He believes that employers will need help sorting through the new rules and regulations, some of which will require them to overhaul their benefits packages.

Brokers also raised concerns initially about the state's new health insurance exchange, Access Health CT, through which individuals and small businesses will be able to shop for competing insurance plans. Brokers worried that the exchange would threaten their business by eliminating the middleman between the customer and insurer. According to the article, "those fears have retreated because insurance agents will be able to collect commissions for bringing customers to the exchange."

Commissions will be paid by insurance carriers, not Access Health CT, but insurers haven't shared their rate schedules with brokers.

Click here to read the full article.

Would You Move for a Job?

We all know that unemployment has been relatively high for several years now, but how much better would it be if more people would consider moving to places with lower unemployment rates?

According a recent article on Slate.com, in 1985 over 20% of the population moved but that number fell steadily to 11.6% in 2011 and 12% in 2012.  Moves from New York to Florida (presumably led by retirees) were the most common state-to-state moves, but none of the 10 lowest unemployment rate states were top 10 destinations and none of the five worst unemployment rate states were top 10 departure points. 

The article also discusses college graduates, who think in terms of a “career” that is pursued by actively seeking opportunity, instead of just looking for a local job, and are several times more responsive to geographical changes in labor demand.  It argues that such geographical flexibility may help partially explain why the unemployment rate for college graduates is about half the rate of those with only a high school degree or less.  

Child Maltreatment – Google As Evidence That Things May Not Be So Rosy

In a recent thought-provoking New York Times op-ed piece, an economist posits that the web search engine Google may provide a better gauge of child abuse incidence than reliance only on reports made to state and local child protection agencies.

The author first became skeptical about the statistics when he looked at child fatality incidence rates in states hardest hit by the Great Recession. While the national statistics showed a drop of reported cases from 2006 to 2009, the hardest hit states, including Nevada, reported the highest drops.
Yet, these figures did not jibe with child fatality (due to abuse or neglect) rates, which, during this period, rose 50% in Nevada.

This apparently prompted him to look at anonymous Google searches that alluded directly or indirectly to child abuse or neglect, including “Why does my father beat me?”

Interestingly, he found that after a long period of decline, these victim searches rose as soon as the recession began. On weeks that unemployment rose, the searches also rose. He asserted that Google may also have been used more by people suspecting abuse and neglect, with a 3% increase in searches of the terms “child abuse” and “child neglect” by such people associated with each 1% point increase in unemployment.  

In trying to account for the discrepancy between reporting and his own research, he suggests that the downturn itself could account for lower reporting of cases. Similarly, he points to agency budget cuts and a shortage of caseworkers, making reporting more challenging for those suspecting abuse.

Massachusetts Bucks Trend of Declining U.S. Math and Science Scores

As everyone who follows education knows, American students are falling farther and farther behind their peers in other developed countries in math and science. Except, of course, when they are not.

A recent National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) study that looked at students in 63 countries found that Massachusetts eighth graders’ 2011 science scores were second only to Singapore and considerably above the U.S. national average to boot. (They were on par with Chinese Taipei, Korea, and Japan.)

A recent New York Times article attributed the success to 20 years of a sustained effort to provide additional funds for poorer school districts, create and maintain high standards, and require all students to master certain subjects before they can graduate from high school.

 According to the NCES study, Connecticut eighth graders’ 2011 science scores were behind Massachusetts and the Asian countries mentioned above, as well as Finland and Slovenia. They were on par with the overall U.S. as well as Russia, England, and Hungary.

Hot Report: Suspected Child Sexual Abuse Reporting By the State's Colleges and Universities

OLR Report 2013-R-0283 summarizes the policies the state's higher education institutions have adopted on the reporting of suspected child sexual abuse that occurs on their campuses.

There is considerable variation in how the state's public and private colleges and universities respond to reports of suspected child abuse, including child sexual abuse, that occurs on their campuses or at school-sponsored events. While most schools have a policy on how to deal with such abuse, some do not. The more comprehensive policies, such as UConn's, include a clear direction to report the abuse and expressly reference the state's mandated reporter law. Some of the policies explicitly reference the term child sexual abuse, while others use the more generic child abuse term, which, by law, includes sexual abuse. Most of the policies were adopted within the last year.

For more information, read the full report.

Feds Looking at Next-Day Effects of Sleep Aids on Driving

Concerned that the effects of sleep aids, such as Ambien, may cause drowsy driving well into the next morning, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will ask drug manufacturers to conduct more extensive driving tests of all new anti-insomnia drugs, the New York Times has reported.

“The FDA is taking heightened interest in the issue, as new evidence suggests what many people have long suspected: the effects of common prescription sleep aids like Ambien can persist well into the next day,” the article states. “Of particular concern,” it said, is “whether people who take the drugs before bed can drive safely the next morning.”

The article notes that consumer advocates have long warned of a possible connection between sleeping pills and car accidents.

According to the Times, physicians wrote nearly 60 million prescriptions for sleep aids in 2012, and a 2007 federal survey found that nearly 5% of daytime drivers have tested positive for prescription or over-the-counter medication.

The Times reports that Dr. Ronald Farkas, the clinical team leader for the FDA’s division of neurology products, told a recent industry conference that it’s good advice “that if you feel impaired, don’t drive.” But, he cautioned, you might still be impaired even if you feel fine.

Veterans and the Affordable Care Act

The federal Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) wants vets to be clear about something regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA): “The health care law does not change VA health benefits or veterans’ out-of-pocket costs.”

The VA has a page on its site dedicated to explaining to vets what they should know about their health care options. The VA emphasizes three points:

1. It wants all veterans to receive health care that improves their health and well-being.
2. Veterans enrolled in VA health care do not need to take additional steps to meet the health care law coverage standards.
3. Veterans not enrolled in VA health care can apply at any time.

The VA also explains how family members not enrolled in VA health care can obtain health care coverage through what is known as the Marketplace or exchange, which will become operational in October 2013.

Everyone — with a few exceptions — must either have health insurance that meets a minimum standard or pay a fee starting in January 2014. The fee is the higher of:

• $95 or 1% of taxable income in 2014,
• $325 or 2% of taxable income in 2015, and
• $695 or 2.5% of taxable income in 2016.

If You’re a Scientist or Engineer, You’re Probably Working in 1 of 9 States

The National Science Foundation recently released a study about the dispersal of scientists and engineers employed in the United States in 2011, the most recent data available. The authors found that California, Texas, and New York account for the location of about a quarter of employed scientists and engineers. Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Ohio collectively accounted for about another quarter.

In Connecticut, there were 79,910 people employed in science and  engineering occupations, about 1.4% of the national total, placing it 24th nationally. Connecticut out-paced the national average when it came to percentage of workers employed in science and engineering (and placed 12th among all states and the District of Columbia). About 4.6% of Connecticut’s workforce is comprised of scientists and engineers while the national average is 4.1%.

Hot Report: Deadline for Processing Gun Permit Applications

OLR Report 2013-R-0349 explains how long it takes to get a gun permit or license in Connecticut and other states.

The processing times for a gun permit (or license) application range from a low of three days in Nebraska to a high of six months in New York. All but six states specify the deadlines in law.

Connecticut has an eight-week deadline, which may be extended if the permit-issuing official does not get the results of the mandatory national criminal history record check on the permit applicant within the deadline. By law, the official cannot issue the permit before getting the check results (CGS § 29-29).

At least 19 states and the District of Columbia have a longer deadline than Connecticut for processing a gun permit application including Kentucky, Montana, and New Jersey (60 days); Arizona (75 days); California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, and Kansas (90 days); Arkansas and Nevada (120 days); and New York (six months).

For more information, read the full report.

V.A. to Provide Spousal Benefits to Gay Men and Lesbians

In a letter to Congressional leaders dated September 4, 2013, Attorney General Eric Holder said that President Obama had directed the Executive Branch to stop enforcing a federal law that limits spousal benefits to gay men and lesbians.  Mr. Holder wrote that “decisions by the Executive not to enforce federal laws are appropriately rare. . . [b]ut continued enforcement would likely have a tangible adverse effect on the families of veterans and, in some circumstances, active-duty service members and reservists, with respect to survival, health care, home loan and other benefits.” He wrote that the unique circumstances the issue presented warranted non-enforcement in light of several developments, including a Supreme Court ruling that struck down a similar law, a part of the Defense of Marriage Act, on constitutional grounds.

U.S. Prison Population Declines for Third Straight Year

According to a recent Department of Justice (DOJ) report, the U.S. prison population in 2012 declined for the third consecutive year.  The estimated 2012 total (1,571,013) was 1.7% lower than 2011.  The federal prison population increased by 0.7%, while the state prison population decreased by 2.1%.

The report, by the DOJ’s Bureau of Justice Statistics, estimates the year-end prison population in both state and federal prisons. Data for Connecticut include both jail and prison populations, because the state has an integrated system of prisons and jails.

 Among other findings:

• The 2012 national imprisonment rate (number of prisoners sentenced to more than one year, per 100,000 people) was 910 for males and 63 for females.
• The Connecticut year-end 2012 total (17,530) was down 4.3% from 2011.
• California accounted for 51% of the decrease in the state prison population from 2011 to 2012.

SNAP Benefits to Drop in November

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan think tank, has issued a report that explains why and shows the impact on each state of the upcoming reduction in federal SNAP (formerly Food Stamp) benefits, and the impact on families. For example, a family of three will see a $29 benefit cut each month.

The federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the “economic stimulus” legislation) provided a temporary 13.6% increase in SNAP benefits in response to the economic downturn. The impending reduction in November is based on a complicated formula that was part of the original stimulus legislation, as well as subsequent federal laws that accelerated the sunset date for the increase.
 
According to the report, which looks at federal agency data, Connecticut recipients, in the aggregate, will lose $44 million in benefits November 2013 through September 2014. This is based on 424,000 state residents receiving benefits (the most recent DSS enrollment data put the figure at 401,000 residents). For the entire country the reduction is expected to be about $5 billion in FFY 14.

UConn is Cool and Green

Sierra magazine, the official publication of the Sierra Club, recently announced the top “cool schools” in the United States.  The rankings are based on the school’s efforts at solving environmental issues and operating sustainably.

UConn was named the number-one cool school for offering more than 600 sustainability-related classes; reducing its water use by 15% since 2005; and, over the past two years, retrofitting 13 buildings to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Also, more than a quarter of the food served in UConn’s dining halls is processed within 100 miles, with many ingredients harvested right on campus.

Sierra magazine’s top 10 cool schools of 2013 are:

 

1. University of Connecticut (UConn) (Storrs, CT)
2. Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA)
3. University of California, Irvine (Irvine, CA)
4. University of California, Davis (Davis, CA)
5. Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)
6. Green Mountain College (Poultney, VT)
7. Stanford University (Palo Alto, CA)
8. Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA)
9. American University (Washington, D.C.)
10. University of California, Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara, CA)

The Hartford Business Journal also reported that three other Connecticut schools made the list: Wesleyan University (No. 83), Eastern Connecticut State University (No. 136), and Connecticut College (No. 142).

Hot Report: Standards of Care for Dog and Cat Breeders

OLR Report 2013-R-0309 summarizes federal and state laws and regulations that establish standards for the care of animals by dog and cat breeders. It also explains the positions large animal advocacy organizations hold on this issue. The American Kennel Club, American Cat Fanciers Association, and Humane Society of the United States were contacted for their positions. The American Kennel Club and the Humane Society provided responses for this report.

Federal laws and regulations establish minimum standards of care for the treatment of cats and dogs by commercial breeders. These standards apply to certain midsized and large breeders and exempt small and so-called hobby breeders. They set requirements for humane handling, shelter, space requirements, feeding, watering, sanitation, ventilation, veterinary care, and transport.

At least 19 states have laws and regulations establishing standards of care for commercial breeders to follow. These standards typically cover kennel size, limitations on cage stacking, access to water and food, sanitation, flooring material, temperature and ventilation, lighting, exercise, socialization, and veterinary care.

The American Kennel Club maintains a care and conditions policy for dog owners and breeders to follow and it conducts investigations and inspections to ensure compliance. Their policy is included in the report.

According to The Humane Society of the United States, federal laws and regulations applicable to dog and cat breeders are “extremely limited in scope, exclude a large percentage of breeders and other pet dealers, and provide very minimal standards of care.” As a result, “many states have enacted statutes to provide some degree of protection for dogs living in breeding facilities that are not subject to federal regulation and create more stringent standards than those set forth under [federal law].”

For more information, read the full report.

Should Law School Be Only Two Years?

An old saying about law school is that it scares students to death in the first year, works them to death in the second, and bores them to death in the third. Perhaps with that phrase in mind, President Obama recently suggested that law school programs be shortened from three years to two. He argued that legal education required only two years of classroom instruction, and that having students obtain practical experience instead of spending a third year as a law student would both benefit the students’ professional development and reduce their costs.

According to an article in Inside Higher Ed, many law schools focus the third year on clinics and externships, but students must pay tuition for these experiences while also taking elective courses. On the other hand, the article notes that, with law schools facing criticism for not providing students with adequate practical preparation, eliminating the third year could exacerbate that issue. As the article states, the question is whether students would obtain equivalent practical experience without the structure and support provided by a school.

Innovative Cities: Better, Faster, Cheaper

An interesting article by Stephen Goldsmith in Governing discusses how certain urban leaders are using innovation to make their cities run better, faster, and cheaper. Goldsmith—a professor of government at Harvard’s Kennedy School and former Indianapolis mayor—identifies two principles that guide these cities.  First, leaders employ strategies that span the entire community, from businesses to activists and philanthropic foundations.  Second, leaders invest in systems that provide the foundation for innovation and expect innovation in return. 

Goldsmith also references a series of papers that researchers at Kennedy School are writing on how local governments can improve the “innovation landscape.”  First, focus on improving collaboration among existing agencies and sectors.  Next, use data to improve decision-making and design solutions. Finally, create a permanent innovation framework in government, including a chief executive who “rewards and protects smart risk-taking and recruits risk-takers, including people from nontraditional backgrounds.”

For more information on how cities across the country are investing in innovation, see Goldsmith’s article and the Kennedy School paper series.

Northern Pass Proposes Job Creation Fund in NH

According to an article in the New Hampshire Union Leader, the Northern Pass project recently proposed a $7.5 million job creation fund for Coos County in northeastern New Hampshire.  The project is a proposed transmission line to carry electricity from Canadian hydropower facilities through New Hampshire into New England. 

Northern Pass will provide $200,000 in seed money to start the new jobs fund, but any future funding depends on the project’s subsequent approval.  The fund will receive $1 million from Northern Pass once federal and state permits are approved and construction starts, followed by $500,000 a year until total contributions reach $7.5 million.  An advisory group comprised of business leaders and elected officials will administer the fund’s uses.

A Northern Pass spokesman compares the proposal to any other business’ contribution to charity or community developments, only after first generating revenues.   However, opponents of the Northern Pass project say that making charity money conditional on approval of a permit “boggles our minds.”

24 Connecticut Hospitals Face Medicare Penalties for High Readmissions

According to a recent Connecticut Health Investigative Team article, 24 of Connecticut’s 31 acute care hospitals will face Medicare penalties in federal fiscal year (FFY) 2014, in response to the program’s attempt to reduce the number of patients readmitted within one month of discharge.

None of the 24 hospitals will face the highest penalty allowed under federal law, 2% of their base Medicare reimbursements. However, three hospitals will lose more than 1%: (1) Hospital of St. Raphael in New Haven (now merged with Yale-New Haven Hospital) will lose 1.77%, (2) Masonic Home and Hospital in Wallingford will lose 1.14%, and (3) St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport will lose 1.06%.

The federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act allows the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to withhold part of a hospital’s Medicare payments if they have high 30-day readmission rates for patients hospitalized for pneumonia, heart attacks, and heart failure. Penalties are based on patient readmission data through June 2012. CMS will increase the maximum penalty from 2% to 3% in FFY 15.

The seven hospitals not facing any penalties include: (1) Day Kimball Hospital, (2) Hebrew Home and Hospital, (3) Manchester Memorial Hospital, (4) Middlesex Hospital, (5) New Milford Hospital, (6) Rockville General Hospital, and (7) Stamford Hospital.

Fourteen hospitals will face lower penalties than they did in FFY 13, including: (1) Yale-New Haven Hospital, (2) John Dempsey Hospital, (3) Saint Mary’s Hospital, (4) Johnson Memorial Hospital, (5) MidState Hospital, and (6) Danbury Hospital.

Hot Report: Gas Taxes and Road and Bridge Conditions in Connecticut and Massachusetts

OLR Report 2013-R-0306 explains the role Connecticut's and Massachusetts' gas taxes play in funding highway and bridge repair and the condition of highways and bridges in those states.

Connecticut's gas tax is composed of two separate taxes, a 25-cent per gallon excise tax and a “gross receipts tax” (now 26.4 cents per gallon), for a total of 51.4 cents per gallon. Massachusetts' gas tax, which had been fixed at 21 cents per gallon for more than 20 years, increased to 24 cents per gallon on July 31, 2013. (The Massachusetts tax also includes an additional 2-cent fee that is used only to clean up underground fuel storage tanks.)

Gas tax revenue in each state is deposited into a fund dedicated primarily to paying debt service on bonds issued to fund transportation projects. In Connecticut, this is the Special Transportation Fund (STF); in Massachusetts, the Commonwealth Transportation Fund (CTF). Money from other sources is also deposited into these funds. In Connecticut, these sources include certain motor vehicle license and permit fees, receipts, and other revenue. In Massachusetts, these include a portion of the state sales tax and motor vehicle fees. (Massachusetts also collects tolls on some of its roads, most notably the Massachusetts Turnpike. Massachusetts can use this revenue to operate and maintain only the tolled roads.)

The amount of revenue the gas tax in each state generates is one of several factors that determine the states' ability to pay for highway and bridge repair and maintenance. Other factors include the amount and cost of work that needs to be done, the number of vehicles paying the gas tax, and the amount of money available from other state or federal sources.

Even though Massachusetts' gas tax is lower than Connecticut's, it generated $662 million in 2011, about one-third more than the $493 million Connecticut's tax generated in 2012. One reason for this may be that Massachusetts has twice as many registered motor vehicles as Connecticut. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), there were about 5.63 million vehicles (private and commercial cars, buses, trucks, and motorcycles) registered in Massachusetts in 2011, compared to about 2.79 million in Connecticut.

The states differ in other ways with regard to funding transportation repair and maintenance. Connecticut, unlike Massachusetts, uses some of its STF revenue for Department of Transportation (DOT) operating costs, including the “Pay As You Go” program, which helps maintain highways and bridges. According to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) budget director, Massachusetts does not use its CTF money for road repair or maintenance.

Despite the differences in their gas taxes, neither Connecticut nor Massachusetts has been able to generate enough revenue to keep pace with necessary road and bridge repair. Recent studies in each state compared the amount of money needed to keep roads and bridges in “a state of good repair” with the amount of money available to achieve this. According to FHWA, a state of good repair means that roads and bridges, individually and collectively, are functioning as designed and regularly maintained and replaced.

In January, 2011, the Connecticut Transportation Strategy Board (TSB) reported a “state of good repair gap” of about $2 billion in Connecticut. It estimated that the gap would increase to more than $4.5 billion in 2017. In 2007, the Massachusetts Transportation Finance Commission found a $9 billion gap between the amount of money needed to bring highway infrastructure in that state into a state of good repair and the amount of state and federal funding expected for that purpose.

Several groups, including transportation advocates, a newspaper, and an engineering organization, have compared road and bridge conditions in the 50 states. These studies have generally found that Massachusetts roads appeared to be in better shape than those in Connecticut, while the opposite seems to be true with respect to bridges. However, the studies do not all agree. For example, a 2013 report, based on 2011 statistics, found Connecticut had a slightly higher percentage of roads in good condition, and a 2013 study found that the number of structurally deficient bridges had increased in Connecticut and decreased in Massachusetts in the previous two years. We provide links to these reports below.

For more information, read the full report.

Expanded Loan Protections for Military Members?

The federal Department of Defense (DOD) is considering whether to expand loan protections available to members of the military.  Recent legislation requires DOD to review its regulations implementing the Military Lending Act of 2006.  In implementing that law, DOD set rules for payday loans, vehicle title loans, and tax refund anticipation loans, including limiting interest rates to no more than 36%.

Comments from consumer advocates in response to DOD’s request for input on the existing rules call for protections covering a broader range of payday loans, overdraft checking, installment loans, and rent-to-own contracts. 

This comment period recently ended and DOD officials stated they intend to develop a proposed rule by the end of the year.

For more information, see an article in the Marine Times.

Access Health CT Call Center Opens

Access Health CT, the state’s new insurance marketplace, has opened a call center to answer questions about health care coverage under the federal Affordable Care Act (often referred to as Obamacare), the Connecticut Mirror reports.  The toll-free call center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  It can be reached at 1-855-805-4325.

Beginning October 1, 2013, people will be able to enroll in health plans through Access Health CT.  The plans take effect on January 1, 2014.

The call center is operated by Maximus, a Virginia company, and staffed by representatives in Hartford and New York City.  The representatives have had training on the available health plans and the federal tax subsidies available to many to help lower the premium costs.

Shaming Property Owners Into Action

Bridgeport has added a new tool to its anti-blight efforts: a “shame campaign.”  As ctlatinonews.com reported, the city recently started a website that posts photos of the city’s worst blighted properties and their owners’ names.  The city has been running similar ads in the Connecticut Post.

Source: www.helpfightblight.com

Other cities across the county have tried similar approaches to put pressure on negligent property owners to clean up their properties: 

• Reading, Pennsylvania has an online “Wall of Shame” that features blighted properties and their owners.
• Columbus, Ohio published a list of over 100 blighted property in the Columbus Dispatch.
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Webster, Massachusetts are among a growing number of towns that post large signs on blighted buildings, in public view, with the owner’s contact information.
• Baltimore’s blight website, Baltimore Slumlord Watch, was started by a resident who grew tired of the blighted conditions in her neighborhood.

Adjusting to Changes in Mortgage Guarantees: “Pushing Ice Cream Out of the Wrong End of an Ice Cream Cone”

Most people who want to buy a home don’t have the cash on hand to buy one. So, they borrow money from a bank and pay it back with interest, usually over 30 years. But to borrow money, one must make enough money to repay the mortgage and meet other living expenses. If he or she doesn’t make enough to cover the mortgage payments and daily expenses, he or she risks defaulting on the mortgage payments, something that costs banks money. Consequently, banks apply standards to determine if borrowers have the financial wherewithal to repay the mortgage. Obviously, not everyone does. 

But the story doesn’t end there. Government tries to help those who can’t meet the banks’ standards, at least indirectly, by sharing, and consequently minimizing, the risk banks incur when lending money to people who don’t otherwise qualify for a mortgage. “The federal government guaranteed about 87% of new mortgage loans last year through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac [the popular names of two government-chartered corporations] and the Federal Housing Administration, effectively setting the terms and providing the money for nine out of 10 home purchases and refinanced loans,” the August 6, 2013, New York Times reported.

The good news is that the guarantees are “holding down interest rates, helping the housing market and the broader economy to recover,” according to the Times.  Concerns arise, however, from the government’s attempts to avoid another housing crisis by tightening its criteria for guaranteeing mortgages. After all, the government’s on the hook for a guaranteed mortgage that goes belly-up.

But every action has a reaction, and the banks have been rejecting more loan applications. “Every few days somebody comes in who in my mind should be able to get a mortgage loan, and I have to turn them away. It’s like trying to push ice cream out of the wrong end of the ice cream cone,” according to a Boulder, Colorado mortgage broker quoted in the Times article.

As the Times sees it, this outcome puts the government between a rock and a hard place: “making the cost of the [housing finance] system an explicit government obligation, or making it harder for Americans to buy homes.”

Some policy analysts believe government shouldn’t have to make this choice. According to them, government-backed mortgages distort the economy and subsidize homeownership, “with much of the benefit flowing to affluent Americans at the expense of biomedical research or bridge repair.”

Hot Report: Health Freedom

OLR Report 2013-R-0337 provides information about the “health freedom” movement including the policies the movement promotes and states that have adopted similar policies in statute.

The “health freedom” movement generally advocates for patients' increased access to non-traditional health care treatments. Among other things, supporters of “health freedom” criticize government restrictions on the practice of complementary and alternative medicine by unlicensed practitioners. According to the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, “complementary medicine” generally refers to using a non-mainstream approach together with conventional (Western) medicine, while “alternative medicine” refers to using a non-mainstream approach in place of conventional medicine. Examples of complementary or alternative treatments include homeopathy, naturopathy, acupuncture, and massage therapy.

“Health freedom” advocates also generally support increased access to nutritional supplements and natural foods. Some supporters also criticize government-mandated vaccinations and water fluoridation.

A small number of states have enacted legislation implementing “health freedom” policies. At least seven states allow practitioners of complementary and alternative medicine to practice without a license. While the specific requirements vary, these laws generally (1) set certain parameters and conditions for such unlicensed practice and (2) require such practitioners to make certain disclosures to their patients.

There are also “health freedom” organizations and state laws that oppose the federal Affordable Care Act's individual insurance coverage mandate. The report does not discuss this aspect of “health freedom” advocacy.

For more information, read the full report.

Stimulant-Related Emergency Room Visits Increasing Among Young Adults

The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently reported a sharp increase in emergency department visits by adults aged 18 to 34 for nonmedical use of legal stimulants.  The report shows more than a 300% increase from 2005 (5,605 visits) to 2011 (22,949 visits). About 30% of the visits also involved alcohol (stimulants can increase the risk of alcohol poisoning).

Legal stimulants include both prescription drugs (e.g., medications for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and over-the-counter products (e.g., caffeine pills or caffeinated energy drinks). The report did not consider methamphetamine or other illegal stimulants.

The nonmedical use of prescription stimulants can lead to heart and blood vessel problems as well as abuse or dependence.

Is it Worth Moving to Take a Job?

A recent study contradicts the common wisdom that many homeowners are unlikely to pick up and move to new jobs if they are likely to lose money when selling their homes.  “The equity in a home is not a crucial part of most unemployed people’s decisions to relocate for a job,” according to a Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland study. “If a job is available, the economic benefit of accepting it outweighs the potential costs of disposing of the home.”

The researchers found these results even when the homeowners had subprime or similar mortgages.  “We conclude that negative equity does not limit job-related mobility and, hence, is not a major reason for elevated aggregate unemployment in the United States,” the researchers wrote.

Supreme Court Upholds Firing Sexual Harasser

According to Daniel Schwartz’s Connecticut Employment Blog, a new decision by the Connecticut Supreme Court suggests that employers have the right to fire sexual harassers in the workplace. But does it also mean that any action short of termination is not enough?

The case involved a fired state employee and the Supreme Court upheld his termination, in part noting that the state has well established laws and public policies against sexual harassment in the workplace. The court deemed this case particularly egregious and therefore meriting termination.
But Schwartz raises the question of how an employer can determine which cases require termination and which do not.  And could an employer be exposed to liability if a known harasser is not fired?

Read Schwartz’s blog, which includes a link to the court’s decision.

Student Test Accommodations: A Work In Progress

The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) continues to work on a plan to accommodate students with disabilities and English language learners (ELLs) in student standardized testing.  Connecticut, as a member of this consortium along with 24 other states and the Virgin Islands, expects to administer tests using SBAC’s accommodation plan beginning in the 2014-15 school year.

 

SBAC’s plan would include student accommodations in the design of the tests, which will be given online.  The tests will be “designed for all students” with built-in “accessibility tools and accommodations,” which include:

1. foreground and background colors,
2. tactile presentation of content (e.g., Braille), and
3. translated content in signed form and select languages.

The consortium pledges to work with experts to design and test the assessment system for students with special needs.  For information on SBAC’s advisory panels (e.g., English Language Learners Advisory Committee; Students with Disabilities Advisory Committee), see:  http://www.smarterbalanced.org/work-groups/.  A state-led Accessibility and Accommodations Work Group is also informing the design and testing of SBAC’s system. 

Additionally, SBAC has posted detailed reports from experts that summarize research on accommodations for ELLs and students with disabilities.  It appears that SBAC aims to use this research to inform its design of a detailed accommodation plan.

Education Week reports that the other multistate assessment consortium, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC), issued a comprehensive policy document addressing test accommodations. The first edition of the PARCC Accessibility Features and Accommodations Manual advises districts to allow students to use:

1. read-aloud accommodations and American Sign Language interpretation on the language arts test,
2. a dictated (rather than written) response format, and
3. calculators on portions of the math test.

On June 26, 2013, the PARCC Governing Board approved the manual, which will be revised through spring 2014 after field testing.

Hot Report: Recycling Container Requirements in Public Places

OLR Report 2013-R-0325 explains the state's requirements for providing recycling collection containers in public places.

Connecticut law requires everyone, including residents, state agencies and institutions, schools, municipalities, and businesses, to recycle certain items (i.e., designated recyclables). The law's recycling requirements include providing collection containers for recyclables generated in certain common gathering areas or venues, such as arenas, bus terminals, and shopping centers. Supplying containers in these areas is generally the responsibility of the property or venue owner or operator (e.g., the business or municipality).

The law sets conditions under which the owner or operator must provide containers for collecting designated recyclables. Generally, they must provide containers if (1) the public generates the recyclables at the location and (2) they provide for solid waste collection. Because the recyclables must be separated from other solid waste, the owner or operator must provide separate containers for recyclables and other solid waste.

Besides providing containers for recyclables in certain common gathering areas or venues, municipalities, through their zoning powers, can regulate recycling containers but the law limits their ability to do so. They can require screens or buffers around the containers for aesthetic reasons. But the law generally prohibits them from (1) banning the use of containers to store designated recyclables, (2) requiring that containers comply with bulk or lot area requirements, and (3) unreasonably restricting access to or the size of the containers for businesses.
For more information, read the full report.

Child Care Costs More Than State University Tuition?

According to a recent Connecticut Post article, the annual cost for sending an infant in Connecticut to day care at a child care center was $12,844 in 2011, almost 40% more than the 2013-14 in-state tuition at the University of Connecticut ($9,256).

Connecticut ranked as the 23rd most expensive state for child care according to a Child Care Aware of America study cited in the article. Massachusetts was most expensive at $14,980 per year and Mississippi was least expensive at $4,591 per year. However, the rates throughout the Connecticut vary significantly, from $11,816 per year in Bridgeport to $18,727 per year in Stamford.

A 2012 Child Care Aware of America study, cited by the Post, compares child care rates throughout the country.

An infographic by the U.S. Census Bureau depicts trends in child care costs from 1985-2011.

Maryland to Consider Bill Banning Discriminatory E-Book Sales to Libraries

According to a recent Governing article, a Maryland legislator plans to introduce a bill next year banning discriminatory sales practices by publishers when they sell e-books to public libraries. 
Delegate Luedtke, the bill’s prospective sponsor, hopes to ban what he sees as exorbitant prices that publishers charge libraries for e-books and the onerous conditions placed on those purchases.

The prospective Maryland bill is similar to a version of a 2013 Connecticut bill (HB 5614), before it was scaled back and passed as a study.

For more information on E-books, see OLR Report 2013-R-0153.

Judicial Branch Email Alerts in Civil and Family Cases

The Connecticut Judicial Branch recently announced that its website now allows users to sign up for automatic email updates for civil and family cases that have public information available on the website.  Activities that will be included in the email updates include document filings, the entry of an order, the scheduling of a case on the short calendar, or the scheduling of a case event (such as a hearing).

The Judicial Branch website has more information on the program, including instructions for how to sign up and answers to frequently asked questions (including the types of cases that are excluded from the program).

Are Flying Bicycles in our Near Future?

 

Image Source: CNN website, http://www.cnn.com
/2013/06/20/tech/innovation/worlds-first-flying-
bicycle, last visited August 14, 2013.

As reported in a CNN article from earlier this summer, two British inventors have developed a bicycle that can be turned into an aircraft. They call it the XploreAir Paravelo. According to the article, the machine can travel at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour in the air and reach heights of up to 4,000 feet. The machine is not available to the public yet – the inventors are finalizing the design.

The bike is similar to a traditional bike but is connected to a lightweight trailer that consists of a (1) giant fan, (2) biofuel 249cc motor, and (3) fold-away wing.

For city use, the bike can be disconnected from the trailer. To fly, the (1) bike hitches to the trailer, (2) wing is unfolded, and (3) the electric motor runs the fan. It needs open ground for takeoff and can stay airborne for up to three hours. The inventors say the machine controls like a fan-powered paraglider and could be used for such things as air scouting for forest rangers and border patrols. The fan can also detach from its casing and strap on a person’s back. According to the article, in many countries no license is needed to fly the machine in this manner, but the U.S. Powered Paragliding Association stresses proper training.

Do Housing Vouchers Bring Crime and Disorder to Neighborhoods?

By the mid-1990s, massive public housing projects had fallen out of the federal government’s favor. Decrepit housing projects were demolished and former tenants were given housing vouchers, which allowed them to rent private units. Voucher holders dispersed from poor inner-city projects to working and middle class suburban neighborhoods. Voucher program advocates argued that by de-concentrating poverty, associated social problems, like crime, would decline.  But, controversy soon arose (as reported in a 2008 article in The Atlantic). Citing research by criminologists and social scientists, suburbanites contended that crime in their neighborhoods increased as former project tenants moved into their neighborhoods. 

A recent Urban Studies article argues that blaming housing voucher households was misguided. The study of housing and crime data revealed no relationship between suburban housing voucher households and crime. While crime rates may be higher in communities where housing vouchers are more frequently used, the data suggest that increased crime is not being committed by voucher households. This is consistent with a recent Furman Center policy brief describing research that shows voucher households tend to move to higher crime neighborhoods, thus explaining the perceived correlation between voucher households and crime.