2013 Homeless “Point in Time” Count

The Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness recently released its 2013 Homeless Point in Time Report.  The annual “Point in Time Count” (PIT) is a statewide census, conducted on a single winter night, of homeless people staying in emergency shelters or transitional housing programs or living in places unintended for human habitation.  Connecticut’s PIT took place on January 29, 2013.  Across the country, similar counts are conducted annually or biennially.  The report highlights the following statistics from the 2013 count:

• 4,506 individuals were homeless,
• 2,321 single adults slept in shelters and transitional housing,
• 826 single adults slept on the streets,
• 12 unaccompanied children under age 18 slept in emergency shelters,
• 438 families (comprising 508 adults and 746 children) slept in emergency shelters or in transitional housing,
• 37 families (37 adults and 56 children) slept on the streets,
• 39% of youth aged 18 to 24 in shelters or transitional programs were with children of their own,
• 43% of the 863 unsheltered adults are chronically homeless,
• between 2011 and 2013, the unsheltered population increased by one third (and by 82% since 2009),
• half the counted homeless veterans are chronically homeless,
• 18% of counted people experienced domestic violence, and
• nearly 1 in 10 homeless individuals are youths aged 18 to 24.

Arizona Approves Solar Net Metering Charge

According to Azcentral.com, Arizona’s energy regulators recently approved a $0.70 per kilowatt monthly surcharge on new solar rooftop panel users who “net meter.”  Under net metering, an electric company customer who owns a renewable energy system (e.g., a solar rooftop system) receives a credit when the system produces more power than the customer uses in a billing period. In effect, the customer's meter runs backwards when the system generates excess power.

Proponents of a net metering surcharge argue that those who net meter shift certain infrastructure costs to those who do not net meter because even though they all use the same infrastructure, those who net meter are being charged less for it.  Opponents contend that a surcharge could harm a key incentive to increase renewable energy usage and that solar customers actually save an electric company money by deferring the cost of new power plants and other infrastructure.

Coming after months of debate, the new charge represents a compromise between both sides.  For common-size solar rooftop systems, the charge will be about $5 a month and must be used to offset any cost shifting from solar to non-solar customers.  It will only apply to those who install rooftop solar systems after the end of this year.

Family Caregivers Experience Longer Lives

A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology reaches the conclusion that people caring for family members experience longer lives than people who don’t.
The study, which surveyed 3,503 people, found that caregivers were 18% less likely to die over a six-year period than non-caregivers.

An article from National Public Radio (NPR) looks into the reasons why this might be the case and finds what one might expect. Leah Eskinazi, director of operations at the Family Caregiver Alliance, explains that caregivers “feel really good that they can give back to mom, for example, because mom was really there for them when they were growing up.  Maybe they weren't the best kid, but as they've aged they can have a more balanced healthier relationship and heal some of those wounds."

While caring for someone with dementia can be draining, NPR cites studies showing that only 10% of caregivers were taking care of someone with dementia.

Pre-Term Birth Rate Drops in Connecticut

According to the March of Dimes, Connecticut experienced a drop in its pre-term birth rate, defined as births before 37 weeks of gestation, from 10.1% of all births in the state in 2011 to 9.7% in 2012.  The March of Dimes issues a report card for each state as part of its Prematurity Campaign, and gave Connecticut a “B.” The goal of the campaign is to reduce the nation’s pre-term birthrate to 9.6% or lower by 2020. States earn an “A” when they meet this goal.

The country as a whole earned a “C” with a nationwide pre-term birthrate of 11.5%.

Premature birth can lead to a number of negative outcomes including lifetime breathing problems, cerebral palsy, and intellectual disabilities. It is also the leading cause of newborn death. In terms of financial costs, the Institute of Medicine stated in a 2006 report that pre-term births cost the United States $26 billion.

Hot Report: Laws Allowing Records to be Inspected but not Copied

OLR Report 2013-R-0435 gives examples of other states' laws that allow certain records (e.g., crime scene photos) to be inspected but not copied. You also want to know the (1) procedures these states use to prevent unauthorized copying of these records and (2) consequences of unauthorized copying.

OLR Report 2013-R-0364, which addressed state laws governing access to crime scene photos, autopsy records, and 911 tapes and transcripts, identified four states whose laws have provisions for inspecting, but not copying, these records. They are Georgia (crime scene photos or videos), North Carolina (autopsy photos or videos), North Dakota (911 tapes), and Ohio (autopsy photos).

Public agencies in these states use varying procedures to prevent unauthorized copying of the records, such as having a staff member present when a person inspects them. Officials with whom the office spoke said that they did not know of any instances of unauthorized copying of the records when inspected under these laws.

Two states (Georgia and North Carolina) have criminal penalties for unauthorized copying of the records; none of the four states' laws allow for a cause of action for unauthorized copying. A person could file a lawsuit for common law tortious invasion of privacy, but we found a North Carolina case concerning unauthorized copying and distribution of autopsy photos where the court dismissed such a claim.

For more information, read the full report.

Bicycles Leaving Cars in their Dust

This fall, prompted by an earlier news story on bicycles outselling cars in Spain, National Public Radio analyzed data and reported on bicycle and car sales in the European Union’s member states. What it found was that bicycle sales exceeded new car sales in 2012 in all of the analyzed countries except Belgium and Luxembourg. According to NPR’s article, it was the first year since World War II that bicycle sales outpaced car sales in Italy. The countries with the greatest number of bicycle sales were Germany, Britain, France, Italy, and Spain. The greatest difference in sales between bicycles and cars was found in Lithuania, Greece, Romania, Slovenia, and Hungary. For example, in Lithuania 115,000 bicycles were sold in 2012 compared to 12,000 passenger cars sold. According to the article, the sales differences can be attributed to a general decline in car sales across Europe that occurred along with the worldwide recession. Early 2013 marked a 20-year low in car sales on the continent.

Is something similar happening in the United States? Not yet. In fact, in September 2013, car sales reached pre-recession levels. But the article cites a different problem for the U.S. automobile industry: younger drivers are buying fewer cars, while bicycle sales remain consistent. According to a 2012 article by Motortrend, Generation Y has less interest in owning a car than prior generations. This is due, in large part, to the effect of the Great Recession, which suppressed the ability of younger workers to find good paying jobs. And the article states further that these young people will not necessarily purchase a motor vehicle once the economy improves.   

Enrollment in Connecticut’s Health Care Exchange

The CT Mirror reported the most recent data on enrollment in Connecticut’s health exchange. According to the article, early enrollment trends have continued. These include an older customer base for private insurance plans; a higher-than-anticipated proportion of enrollees picking the most costly and comprehensive type of coverage; and nearly two-thirds of private insurance customers picking plans offered by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, the state's largest insurer.
Here are some numbers the article reports:

• 12,648 people signing up via Access Health from October 1 through November 14
• Approximately 59% are going with private insurers
• Approximately 41% are going with Medicaid
• Approximately 61% of those signing up are between 45 and 64
• Only 19% were between 18 and 34.

Are Students Tech-Savvy Enough For The New Standardized Tests?

Today’s older generations are often in awe of how young people master new technology.  It is fairly common to see a child navigating a computer tablet or a teenager texting on a smartphone with impressive quickness.  However, the new computer-based standardized tests that will be administered in the 2014-15 school year require students to display a basic tech skill that many students lack: typing.

The Washington Post reports that the new tests assume that students will be able to use a mouse; click, drag, and type answers on a keyboard; and write online, beginning in third grade.  Third graders will be asked to type three short pieces: one in the form of a story about a real or imaginary experience, and two in response to nonfiction and literary passages.  These tests will be used to assess students’ grasp of, and teachers’ effectiveness at teaching, the new Common Core State Standards.

Teachers and administrators are nervous about how the nation’s students, especially the youngest, will fare on tests that assume keyboarding “fluency.”  One public school administrator explains that students must learn to type text without looking at the keys in order to focus on the content of their writing.  For this reason, schools that have typically reserved keyboarding classes for the middle school years are now making it part of the elementary curriculum.

Since third grade is the first year in which students will encounter digital testing, some schools are contemplating keyboard instruction in second grade.  Whether these early classes are developmentally appropriate for such a young age group has already generated much debate.

Hot Report: Comparison of Municipal Blight Ordinances

OLR Report 2013-R-0422 analyzes municipal blight ordinances and compares how they define blight.

Municipalities derive their power to adopt blight ordinances from the municipal powers statutes. These statutes give municipalities the broad authority to protect, preserve, and promote public health, safety, and welfare. They also specifically authorize municipalities to make and enforce regulations for the prevention and remediation of housing blight (CGS § 7-148). Many municipalities have exercised this authority by passing blight ordinances.

The report reviewed over 30 such blight ordinances from a cross section of Connecticut municipalities and found that most have the same core provisions defining blight and establishing procedures for citing properties and appealing citations. Specifically, they contain provisions concerning:

1. purpose,

2. scope,

3. definitions,

4. property owner duties,

5. complaints and enforcement,

6. administrative procedures, and

7. remediation measures.

In addition, some ordinances, though not a majority, have provisions concerning (1) remediation incentives, (2) special assessments, or (3) hardship waivers.

Ordinances generally define the term “blighted premises,” not “blight,” and list conditions that constitute such a premises (e.g., broken windows or interference with neighbors' use of their property). Most ordinances define the term broadly and specify that the presence of just one of the many listed conditions constitutes a blighted premises.

For more information, read the full report.

Buyer Tips for Heating Oil and Propane

As it gets colder, many people are buying heating oil or propane to heat their homes.  The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) has provided some tips to help save money on heating this winter.  DCP suggests, among other things, to:

1. do an energy audit to identify where your home can become more energy efficient;
2. consider replacing older heating units (e.g., 20 years or more);
3. first check online for wholesale and retail oil prices and make sure the dealer is registered with DCP;
4. be careful with pre-buy contracts because prices fluctuate, and if you are going to get a pre-buy contract, use a credit card with purchase protection and buy from a dealer you have dealt with before;
5. make sure contracts meet all the requirements set under Connecticut law (e.g., not longer than 18 months, etc.); and
6. ask for a signed, dated copy of any contract you sign, and hold on to all receipts for a year.

Military Sexual Trauma Prevalent Among Female Veterans

An article recently posted on the Kaiser Health News website discusses the prevalence of military sexual trauma (MST) among young female veterans. The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) defines MST as psychological trauma that occurred while the veteran was serving on active duty or active duty for training, which, according to a VA mental health professional, resulted from:

1. physical assault of a sexual nature,
2. battery of a sexual nature, or
3. sexual harassment.

According to the article, the VA records show that at least one in five female Iraq and Afghanistan veterans has experienced MST.  In 2012, however, the Department of Defense estimated that only about 13% of MST cases were reported. The underreporting of military-related sexual assaults may be attributed to the:

1. fear of allegations being met with skepticism and possible retaliation,
2. difficulty of proving sexual assault, and
3. claims being complicated and time-consuming.

Some lawmakers have started to address this issue.  In the 2013 legislative session, Maine passed a law, S.P. 562 – L.D. 1504, requiring an assessment to determine if state law allows for the adequate prosecution of sexual assault and proper treatment of military sexual assault victims.

Health issues associated with MST include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, eating disorders, hypervigilance, and insomnia.  Per the article, in 2010 the VA spent $872 million on sexual assault related health care.  However, some MST victims find the treatment inadequate and seek their own.

Report: How to Improve Veterans’ Higher Education Benefits

The National Center for Policy Analysis, a non-partisan, non-profit research organization, recently issued a report on veterans’ higher education benefits. The report found that problems in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Education Call Center lead to additional problems for veterans.

VA call center performance was found to be lacking: in 2012, one-quarter of callers seeking information about higher education benefits received no assistance. This often led veterans to use for-profit websites to get information. These websites would then sell the vets’ names and contact information to for-profit colleges and universities.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, for-profit schools graduate far fewer students than private non-profits and public colleges. For example, as of 2011, the six-year graduation rate was less than one-third of for-profit school students versus two-thirds of all students at non-profit private and public schools. For those that do obtain a degree from a for-profit school, they often find it is worth much less since those schools are seldom accredited.

The report also found that changing when housing benefits start would aid degree-seeking veterans. According to the report, starting the benefit two months before school starts would allow a vet to secure housing by the time classes begin without falling behind in rent payments for an off-campus apartment or room and board costs for on-campus housing.

Clothing Makers Reaping What They Have Sown

According to a recent New York Times article, clothing manufacturers who sent jobs overseas in recent decades are having a hard time finding enough workers stateside to meet increased demand for products made in the USA.

In the past two decades, the Times reported, more than three-quarters of American textile workers lost their jobs to overseas workers earning less money. Now, with more demand for higher quality, American-made products, the industry has more openings than qualified applicants.

Wages for “cut-and-sew jobs,” the article said, rose 13.2% (adjusted for inflation) between 2007 and 2012. During that time, wages for the private sector as a whole increased by just 1.4%.

“Companies in Minnesota are so hungry for workers that they posted five job openings for every student in a new training program in industrial sewing, a full month before the training was completed,” the article said.

Apparel manufacturers throughout the country, the Times reported, “are wrestling with how to attract a new generation of factory workers while also protecting their bottom lines.”

Federal Labor Department Expands Minimum Wage and Overtime Protections to More Domestic Care Workers

The federal Department of Labor (DOL) recently announced revisions to the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) regulations that will extend the act’s minimum wage and overtime requirements to about two million more direct care workers such as home health and personal care aides and certified nursing assistants.  Among other things, the new regulations cover all direct care workers employed by home care agencies or other third parties.  They also further define the “companionship services” that are exempt from the requirements.  Individual workers remain exempt if they are (1) employed directly by the person receiving services or that person’s family or household and (2) engaged primarily in fellowship, protection, and care incidental to those activities.  The new regulations take effect on January 1, 2015.  Additional information can be found on DOL's website.

Overdosing on Acetaminophen

The public radio show, This American Life, recently devoted an hour to the over-the-counter painkiller acetaminophen and how easy it is to overdose on it. The story examined the long history of labeling issues Tylenol, a brand-name medication using acetaminophen manufactured by McNeill Consumer Healthcare (a division of Johnson and Johnson), has had with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

A large portion of the story is devoted to labeling confusion regarding proper dosages for Infants’ Tylenol and Childrens’ Tylenol for children under two year old. This issue first came to light in 1995 and continued to be a problem that went unaddressed by the FDA.

The story points out how easy it is to overdose on acetaminophen, especially when considering how many over-the-counter medications use the drug.

Click here and here for related ProPublica articles on acetaminophen overdose risk.

Feds Create Toolkit for Opioid Overdose Prevention

The Office of National Drug Control Policy recently announced the release of an Opioid Overdose Prevention Toolkit.   The toolkit provides information on opioid overdose prevention, treatment, and recovery.  It consists of five documents, with information for different groups:  patients, prescribers, first responders, overdose survivors and family members, and community members.
For example, the document for first responders recommends the following five steps to reduce death from opioid overdoses:

1. Call for help (dial 911) to get someone with medical expertise there as soon as possible;
2. Check for signs of overdose, such as vomiting, gurgling noises, or slow or stopped breathing or heartbeat;
3. Support the person’s breathing by ventilating the person with pure oxygen or administering rescue breathing;
4. Administer Naloxone (Narcan), which can reverse certain potentially fatal effects of opioid overdose; and
5. Monitor the person’s response for at least four hours from the last administration of Narcan.

The toolkit was developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), within the Department of Health and Human Services.  The toolkit is available on SAMHSA’s website.

State Credit Ratings – How Does Connecticut Compare?

The Tax Foundation recently released this map illustrating Standard & Poor’s current credit ratings for each state. 

As the map shows, Connecticut is among the 16 states with a AA rating.  The AA group includes four of the six New England states (Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island).  Twenty-eight states have higher credit ratings than Connecticut, including Massachusetts and Vermont (13 are ranked AAA and 15 are ranked AA+).  By comparison, S&P ranks only 6 states lower than a AA.  Illinois’ A- rating is the lowest among the states.

Hot Report: Status of Mental Health Care Blueprint Recommendations

OLR Report 2013-R-0427 summarizes the status of recommendations from the 2010 mental health care blueprint for Connecticut's children, a report by the joint child mental health task force.

In 2010, the Joint Task Force of the Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Connecticut Chapter of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry issued a mental health care “blueprint” for Connecticut's children.

This proposal, developed at the state child advocate's request, makes recommendations to improve mental health access and control mental health care costs for children while maintaining health care quality. These recommendations included:

1. creating a regionalized, integrated system of care that includes outpatient mental health and primary care providers, child guidance centers, school- and home-based programs, mobile crisis teams, and partial and inpatient hospitalization programs;
2. increasing resource allocation to pediatric, day care, and school settings for mental health prevention and early detection initiatives;
3. improving timely access to high quality, appropriate intervention; and
4. preserving a centralized, high quality, long term, inpatient treatment center for the entire state at Riverview State Hospital (now the Albert J. Solnit Children's Center South Campus).

In addition, the proposal called for implementing a model similar to the Connecticut Behavioral Health Partnership (BHP), the state's public mental health system, for privately insured children. The BHP contracts with a national managed behavioral health care company, to serve as its administrative services organization. The contractor's payment is tied to performance benchmarks. To fund the change, the proposal recommended establishing a fund using money paid by the state's health insurers. It would replace the money insurers currently pay for mental health care, similar to the insurance assessment levied on certain health insurers to pay for the state's childhood immunization program.

Most of the blueprint's recommendations have not been implemented. Some of those that have been implemented or otherwise addressed by legislation include (1) creating a regional behavioral health consultation and care coordination program for primary care providers, (2) expanding school-based health centers, and (3) maintaining long-term beds at facilities capable of delivering a high level of care, such as therapeutic group homes.

The report describes legislative action that fully or partially implements recommendations in the report. It lists those recommendations (1) that appear not to have been implemented and (2) whose implementation status we are unable to determine.

For more information, read the full report.

Nationwide Police Stop Statistics

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), in 2011, black drivers were more likely to be pulled over than white and Hispanic drivers.  They were also less likely to believe the police behaved properly during the stop. The statistics from the Police-Public Contact survey, which is a nationwide survey of the public regarding their contact with the police in the prior 12 months.

The BJS reports that about 13% of black drivers reported being pulled over, compared to 10% for white and Hispanic drivers.  80% of all drivers believe they are pulled over for legitimate reasons, compared to 67% of black drivers.

Additionally, the report found that when stopped for a traffic violation, men were more likely to be ticketed and blacks more so than whites.

Foreclosure Activity Rises in Connecticut

A recent Hartford Courant article, which cites a RealtyTrac report, indicates that foreclosure activity in Connecticut is among the highest in the country.  According to the article, September 2013 was the 8th month in a row that Connecticut foreclosure activity increased over the prior year. On the contrary, foreclosure activity has been trending downward nationally on a year-over-year basis. 

Per the article, Connecticut’s foreclosure filing rate ranks 6th highest among states; however, only a year ago Connecticut ranked 19th highest.  The article attributes this increase to the fact that (1) major lenders tightened up procedures in verifying information on foreclosure documents and (2) Connecticut has a judicial foreclosure process, meaning a foreclosure must move through the court system and a judgment must be issued for it to take effect.  Resulted delays caused an artificial slowdown in foreclosure activity and, per the article, those initially delayed are now accounting for the recent increase.  In September 2013 alone, there were 1,514 first-time foreclosure notices in the state.

Town-by-Town Election Turnout

Connecticut held municipal elections on November 5, and 31.43% of the state’s registered voters turned out to vote, according to the Office of the Secretary of the State. Turnout exceeded 50% in seven municipalities, led by Bridgewater at 77.39%. Conversely, 13 municipalities had turnouts of less than 20%, with Hartford’s 5.21% being the lowest. A press release from the Secretary of the State has complete town-by-town breakdown.

For comparison purposes, in the 2012 presidential election, statewide turnout was 73.77%, and every municipality had a turnout of at least 50%. In the 2010 gubernatorial election, statewide turnout was 57.45%.

Medicaid Enrollment Spike in October

The Washington Post recently reported on somewhat unexpected results of the first month of insurance enrollments through the new state and federal health care exchanges: “a crush of people applying for an expansion of Medicaid and a trickle of sign-ups for private insurance.”

According to the article, in some places as many as nine out of 10 new enrollees enrolled in Medicaid. In response, supporters of the new health insurance law (the Affordable Care Act) have blamed the disproportionate Medicaid enrollment on the website glitches that have plagued the federal and state exchanges since they came online October 1st, and predict that the enrollment disparity will diminish over time. Experts, however, warn that continued low private insurance enrollments could ultimately increase premiums if not enough healthy individuals enroll to offset the number of enrollees with serious health issues.

In Connecticut, the new enrollment numbers in October were more evenly split. According to the Connecticut Mirror, last month, 7,615 people enrolled for coverage through Access Health CT, Connecticut’s new health insurance exchange. Of those enrollees, 3,550 (47%) qualified for Medicaid and 4,065 (53%) selected private health insurance plans.

Hot Report: Criminal Discovery Rules

OLR Report 2013-R-0433 summarizes the discovery rules governing the sharing of information between prosecutors and defendants in state criminal proceedings.

Discovery is the process by which opposing parties in a lawsuit obtain documents, information, and other evidence from each other prior to trial. In criminal cases, the opposing parties are prosecutors and defense attorneys (or the defendants themselves if they are not represented by counsel). Court rules generally govern the discovery process. A few statutes also apply, such as those governing privileged communications between certain people (for example, communications between attorneys and their clients and psychiatrists and their patients). Constitutional rights may also affect the disclosure of information during discovery. This report focuses on disclosures in criminal cases required during discovery under court rules. References to the “defendant” include defense counsel.

Under court rules, if the defendant requests it, the prosecutor must disclose to the defendant the existence of a number of items, provide copies of them, or allow the defendant to inspect and copy them. This includes (1) exculpatory (favorable to the defendant) information and certain reports and statements; (2) names and addresses of witness for trial; and (3) law enforcement reports, affidavits, and statements. Certain information is not subject to disclosure, such as internal prosecutorial or law enforcement documents, legal research, and records identifying the prosecutor's opinions or theories.

If the prosecutor requests it, the rules require the defendant to disclose to the prosecutor the existence of certain items in writing and make them available for examination and copying. This includes (1) items the defendant intends to offer as evidence and (2) expert reports or statements that will be used as evidence or are related to a witness' testimony. On request, defendants must also disclose whether they will raise certain defenses or alibis and provide witness' names, addresses, and statements.

On a motion by the prosecutor, the court can order a defendant to undergo a psychiatric examination or provide nontestimonial evidence. Nontestimonial evidence includes asking the defendant to move or speak in a lineup or submit to fingerprinting. The prosecutor or defendant can also seek a court subpoena to depose certain witnesses.

The rules require the prosecutor and defendant to make good faith efforts to secure documents or objects that are the subject of discovery orders (Conn. Practice Book (CPB) §§ 40-2 and -5). They must notify the other party and the court if additional material that must be disclosed is discovered (CPB § 40-3). But a prosecutor or defendant can object to, and a court can deny, disclosure of an item. The court can also grant a protective order to deny or restrict disclosure.
For more information, read the full report.

Bankruptcy Filings in Federal Courts Decline in Connecticut and Nationally

According to new data from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, federal bankruptcy filings nationwide declined 12% in fiscal year (FY) 2013 compared to the prior fiscal year.  Overall, businesses and individuals filed 1,107,699 bankruptcy cases in the federal courts in FY 13 (the 12-month period ending on September 30, 2013).

For Connecticut, the number of bankruptcy filings declined by 14.3%, from 8,546 in FY 12 to 7,321 in FY 13.

Does Daylight Saving Time Save Energy as Well?

The October 30 edition of the Christian Science Monitor tackles this question and comes up with a mixed answer. Benjamin Franklin first proposed daylight saving time in 1784, but it did not go into effect in this country until 1918.  In 2007, the length of the daylight saving time season was extended. In 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy reported that that total electricity savings from the extended period equaled 1.3 terawatt-hours, or 0.03% of electricity consumption over the year.  While this is a small number, it is the equivalent of $130 million in savings each year. On the other hand, a 2010 study by researchers from Yale and the University of California Santa Barbara found that the energy saved from reduced lighting in the summer months was offset by an increase in the use of heating and air conditioning.

On a different note, U.S. Department of Transportation studies have shown that daylight saving time also reduces accidents and saves about 25 lives a year.

Possible Unintended Consequences of Student Aid Applications

Most college students and their parents are familiar with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Students who need help paying for college must submit the FAFSA annually, including would-be students who are choosing among several institutions for their freshman year.  According to a recent report by Inside Higher Ed, prospective college students may have cause for alarm about how their FAFSA information is perceived by institutions.  Some believe that institutions are using the FAFSA to unfairly deny admission and reduce financial aid.

The section of the FAFSA at issue asks prospective college students to list the institutions they are thinking about attending (the online form contains enough space to list 10).  The U.S. Department of Education then shares this information with all of the institutions on the list and with the state agencies that award financial aid.  Policy researchers at the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) allege that admissions offices, private enrollment management consultants, and financial aid offices use this list to gauge student interest in their institutions.

NACAC suspects that admissions offices believe that students unwittingly list institutions in the order of their preference.  NACAC reasons that institutions likely will deny a student an admission offer if they are low on the student’s list.  This helps institutions to improve their “yield” (i.e., the percentage of admitted student applicants who decide to attend).

Additionally, institutions have been accused of offering smaller financial aid packages to students who list their school high on the FAFSA.  This accusation is based on the idea that students are more likely to pay whatever it takes to attend the college of their choice.

The U.S. Department of Education has pledged to review the practice of sharing FAFSA positions with every institution that a student lists.

Driving Video Game Reverses Age-Related Mental Declining

The results of a recently published study in Nature, an international weekly journal of science, indicate that adults aged 60 to 85 who played a customized driving video game called “NeuroRacer” not only got better at the game with sustained practice, but also improved on other mental tasks tapping memory and attention that generally decline with age.

Hot Report: State and Federal School Security Grants

OLR Report 2013-R-0411 summarizes (1) the state school security grant program, including how the grants are determined and whether small towns are eligible, and (2) any comparable federal program open to small towns.

Connecticut towns, regardless of size, are eligible for grants from the state school security program and at least two federal programs. As for the state grant program, so far $5 million has been awarded to 36 school districts to reimburse them for a portion of the costs associated with security improvements proposed since the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. Under the program, all towns and their school districts can apply for grants, which are administered by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP). Grant amounts are based on town wealth with poorer towns receiving a larger percentage reimbursement, up to 80%, of the project costs than wealthier towns, which can be as low as 20% of the costs.

Federal grants come primarily from the U.S. Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The COPS program provides funding for police officers to work as school resource officers (i.e., officers specifically assigned to work at schools) and is available to all towns to apply. Periodically, DHS provides security grants to states, towns, and other entities that can be used for a broad range of security purposes, including school security. Towns and school districts cannot apply directly for DHS grants, the local application must become part of the larger state application. In Connecticut that is through DESPP.

For more information, read the full report.

Suggestions for an Eco-Friendly Thanksgiving

It’s a day for celebrating all the things for which we are thankful. It’s a day of family togetherness, football, and taking part in the Manchester Road Race. And, according to a 2007 National Public Radio story, it’s also day that includes practices that are not friendly to the environment. NPR’s story provides nine tips to make the Thanksgiving holiday more eco-friendly.

 

Among them, the story suggests:

1. buying locally grown produce to support community farmers and reduce emissions and gas use by large transport trucks;
2. choosing a native protein for the meal instead of one that is transported from elsewhere;
3. avoiding disposable paper plates and opting for dishwasher-friendly alternatives;
4. cutting back on prewashing items before loading the dishwasher;
5. inflating tires before traveling to maximize mileage; and
6. purchasing a non-stop flight because take-offs and landings use more fuel than flying at cruising altitude.

Repurposing Distressed Malls

What can one do with a struggling shopping center before it becomes an abandoned eyesore?  If you’re looking for ideas, you might find some in a recent Urban Land article describing 10 retail center transformation projects.

One of these projects involved the country’s oldest indoor mall, the Arcade Providence in Rhode Island, which was built in 1828 and closed in 2008 after years of decline.  But in 2013, it reopened.  The repurposed space includes nearly 50 microloft apartments on the mall’s hard-to-lease second and third floors and redeveloped retail and restaurant space on the first floor.

One Hundred Oaks Mall
Source: Healthcare Design magazine

Another project, in Nashville, turned the struggling late-60s One Hundred Oaks mall into a multi-purpose facility.  Retailers occupy the first floor, but the second and third floors are now home to Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s clinics (including offices, a pharmacy, and labs). One perk of the setup: clinics provide patients with pagers so that they can visit the mall’s food court and shops while waiting for appointments.

Technology’s Role in Teen Bullying and Dating Violence

A recent Urban Institute study explored how technology affects teen dating violence and abuse and teen bullying.  The study found that social media, texting, and other technologies have created new opportunities for such abusive behaviors, and that online abuse or bullying is often accompanied by such behaviors in person.

The researchers surveyed over 5,000 teens in 10 middle and high schools in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.  Among the results regarding dating violence and abuse:

1. 26% of survey participants in a dating relationship, and 18% of all participants, reported being victims of cyber dating abuse in the past year (such as threats, harassing contacts, or a dating partner using the other partner’s social networking account without permission).
2. 12% of participants in a relationship, and 8% of all participants, reported having perpetrated cyber dating abuse in the past year.
3. Female participants reported higher victimization rates for cyber dating abuse, psychological dating abuse, and sexual coercion, but males reported higher victimization rates for physical dating violence.

Among the results regarding bullying:

1. 17% of participants (11% of males and almost 23% of females) reported being victims of cyber bullying within the past year.
2. Female participants (9%) were more likely than males (6%) to report perpetrating cyber bullying within the past year.

Parking Garage Chic

Planning a wedding?  Perhaps you should consider holding it in a parking garage.

According to Planning, a publication of the American Planning Association, “architecture has rediscovered the parking garage.”  “From Miami Beach to Oklahoma City, and from…Columbus, Indiana to…Santa Monica, well-known architects have been designing garages with sculpture-like skins, cascades of colored lights, [and] walls of green plants…A few exotic garages have become community icons, attracting sightseers, photographers, even event planners.”

The article states that a dozen critically acclaimed garages have been built in the past five years, about half by private developers and half by city governments.

Those built recently in Miami Beach include a steel-mesh structure illuminated by multicolored LED lights; a white concrete structure perforated with holes in “Braille-looking patterns;” and one with triangular vertical columns, horizontal slabs ranging from eight to 34 feet, and glass walled boutiques, that rents out its seventh floor parking level as an “event space.”

The glitzy garages aren’t cheap to build.  “Some of the dazzling and imaginative facilities in recent years have cost more than $30,000 per space” the article states. By comparison, in 2010, the median construction cost per parking space was $16,000.

Hot Report: Notification to School Districts When a Teacher is Arrested

OLR Report 2013-R-0409  gives examples from other states of laws that require a school district to be notified when a teacher from that district is arrested. It also summarizes Connecticut's law requiring police to notify a school district upon the arrest of a student from the district.

While almost all states require criminal background checks for prospective teachers, many do not have a formal means of informing districts when a current teacher has been arrested. The report identifies 11 states that require some form of teacher arrest notification. Within the realm of teacher arrest notification laws, various states place the burden of notifying the school district or state education agency on different parties. In some cases the requirement only applies to arrests for certain offenses (e.g., felonies, sexual offenses, or child abuse).

The report found:

1. four states that place the notification requirement on the arrested teacher,
2. two require the police who make the arrest to notify,
3. two require the courts or the prosecutor to notify, and
4. four use statewide search mechanisms to identify arrests and make notification.

(California uses two of the methods mentioned above, which is why the list totals 12 for 11 states.)

States included responded to a query through the National Conference of State Legislatures education staff network. Several states responded that they do not have such notification laws and are not included. Some states require notification upon a conviction. The report includes some information on these states to provide fuller context of the issue.

Connecticut law does not require notification of teacher or school employee arrest.

Connecticut law requires police to notify a student's school superintendent of the student's arrest for a class A misdemeanor, felony, or the sale, carrying, or brandishing of any imitation or facsimile firearm.

For more information, read the full report.

Study Links Outdoor Activities to Improved Mental Health for Veterans

A recent study from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment shows that veterans who engage in outdoor activities may improve their mental health.

The study, sponsored by the Sierra Club, surveyed 98 veterans before leaving for multi-day backpacking or canoeing trips and then surveyed them a week and a month after returning.  According to the study, the vets showed “improvements in psychological well-being, social functioning, and life outlook.”

The study’s authors theorize that “engaging in activities outdoors that involve physical challenge, camaraderie, and achievement of an objective may resonate with types of experiences that make military service highly meaningful and rewarding.”

Sustainable Manufacturing Initiatives

Several federal agencies are interested in the potential of sustainable manufacturing processes – methods to manufacture products while minimizing harm to the environment and conserving energy and natural resources.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), part of the U.S. Commerce Department, has opened a “Sustainability Standards Portal” where people can learn about the latest attempts to measure the economic, social, and environmental impacts of products throughout their life cycle.

“Full life cycle analysis or assessment of products requires new methods to analyze, integrate, and aggregate information” states one NIST report.  Among the challenges facing manufacturers: a lack of data “traceable to a neutral organization” and a myriad of metrics, which need to be consolidated and harmonized.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also is looking into sustainable manufacturing. The EPA’s Sustainable Manufacturing web page includes a sustainable manufacturing clearinghouse.

Insurance Department Releases Consumer Toolkit for Behavioral Health Care

Last month, the Connecticut Insurance Department released a consumer toolkit that it hopes will make it easier for Connecticut residents to get insurance coverage for behavioral health care services (e.g., mental health and substance abuse treatment).  The department created the toolkit in consultation with the UConn Health Center and insurers.

The CT Mirror reports that the toolkit, a nine-page document, provides suggestions on what questions residents should ask healthcare providers and insurers to ensure they receive the most coverage possible for the services received.  The toolkit walks a resident through five steps to choosing the right care: (1) making informed decisions, (2) conducting research, (3) knowing your insurance plan, (4) seeking “medically necessary” approval, and (5) determining any out-of-network expenses.  It also includes a checklist of information needed for those who want to appeal denied claims.

Connecticut Ranked Highly in International Test of Math and Science

In 2011, Connecticut 8th graders took tests in math and science as part of the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study.  A total of 55 U.S. states, Canadian provinces, and countries participated.  In both tests, Connecticut compared well to the other participants.

• In math, Connecticut students’ average score was 518, above the international average of 500 and the U.S. average of 508.
• In science, Connecticut students’ average score was 532, above the international average of 500 and the U.S. average of 525.

Participants scoring above Connecticut in both tests include the countries of Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan and the states of Massachusetts, Minnesota, and North Carolina.

Cheshire’s Veterans’ Day Celebration Taking New Direction

Cheshire students no longer have a day off from school on Veterans’ Day.  As a result, Cheshire veterans are moving the town’s Veterans’ Day celebration to Cheshire High School.

An 11 am ceremony on the school’s football field will feature music, speeches, and a chance for students to talk with veterans directly.

Local VFW Post 10052 Commander John White told the Cheshire Patch that vets were happy to meet students in schools since they would not be able to attend the traditional celebration on the town green.  He stated that the Board of Education wants students to interact with veterans as “a living-history educational experience” and the Cheshire Veterans Council agreed.

Elementary and middle school students will celebrate in grade-appropriate ways, according to the Board of Education.

Will Correctional Education Improve Inmates’ Outcomes After Release?

Yes, according to a recent study by the Rand Corporation, a nonprofit policy research institution. The key findings of the study are:

1. Correctional education increases inmates’ chances of staying out of prison after being released.
2. The odds of recidivism for inmates who participated in correctional education programs were 43% lower than for those who do not.
3. Correctional education may improve the employment chances of inmates after release.
4. Providing correctional education can be cost-effective when it comes to reducing recidivism.
5. Using computer-assisted instructional methods benefitted prisoners slightly in reading and significantly in math.

 The authors recommend further study, including partnering researchers with correctional educators.

Hot Report: OLR Backgrounder: Getting up to Speed on Medicaid and Husky B

OLR Report 2013-R-0375 answers a number of frequently asked questions about Connecticut's Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance (SCHIP or HUSKY B) programs.

The questions include:

1. Who is eligible for Medicaid?
2. What is HUSKY B and who is eligible?
3. What services are covered by Medicaid and HUSKY B?
4. How will Connecticut Medicaid eligibility and coverage change in January 2014 under the federal ACA?
5. What is the role of the administrative service organization (ASO) in the HUSKY program?
6. How many Connecticut medical providers participate in Medicaid?
7. What are medical homes?

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

Properties Protected From Debt Collection

The Atlantic Cities recently published an article that depicted how various state “exemption laws” protect certain properties from debt collection. The article included in its focus laws that protect family cars, homes, and household goods.

Exemption laws vary from state to state and the extent to which certain items are protected from debt collection depends on where a person lives.  According to the article, some states provide some protection from debt collection for the assets listed above, while other states provide little or no protection at all.

Under Connecticut law, a car valued at up to $3,500 is considered exempt property and is therefore not subject to any form of process or court order for debt collection purposes (CGS § 52-352b(j)). A home worth up to $75,000 is protected from collection in Connecticut (CGS § 52-352b(t)).  Connecticut law also protects all of a debtor’s necessary household goods, such as necessary apparel, bedding, foodstuffs, household furniture, and appliances (CGS § 52-352b(a)).

Connecticut moved up in the State Business Tax Climate Standings (but not by much)

Tax Foundation’s Top 10 States: 1. Wyoming 2. South Dakota 3. Nevada 4. Alaska 5. Florida 6. Washington 7. Montana 8. New Hampshire 9. Utah 10. Indiana

The Tax Foundation’s 2014 picks for the states with the 10 best tax systems are in and Connecticut didn’t make the cut. It moved up from 43 to 42, behind Maryland, but ahead of North Carolina (44), Vermont (45), Rhode Island (46), New Jersey (49), and New York (50). (New Hampshire finished 9th; Massachusetts, 25th; and Maine, 29th).

What does it take to make the top-ten? According to the Foundation, “The absence of a major tax is a dominant factor in vaulting many of these ten states to the top rankings.” States with “complex, non-neutral taxes with comparatively high rates” are more likely to fall in the rankings.

Do taxes matter that much? The Foundation recognizes that “taxes are but one factor in business decision-making.” The quality of roads and bridges and access to highly skilled workers also matter, but “a simple, sensible tax system can positively impact business operations with regard to these very resources.”

Tax	Weight (%)	CT Rank
Individual Income Tax	32.4	33
Sales Tax	21.5	32
Corporate Tax	20.2	35
Property Tax	14.4	49
Unemployment Insurance Tax	11.5	23

Are some taxes more burdensome than others? Yes, according to the Foundation, and that’s why it weighs the taxes differently. It also compares the states on each tax and ranks them accordingly (see sidebar). (A recent OLR Report examining 13 state ranking studies, including the Foundation’s 2013 business climate index, found similar differences between overall and sub-rankings.)

Empirical studies measuring and weighing tax or business climates are open to relentless peer review, and the Tax Foundation’s is no exemption. Governing Magazine’s Mike Maciag compared the Foundation’s 2014 rankings to other empirical studies measuring state economic performance and found “no correlation between states rated higher and those with better employment indicators. In fact, some of the lowest-ranked states weathered the recession quite well.”

Hot Report: Programs Promoting Safe Travel to School

OLR Report 2013-R-0396 provides examples of programs that offer students safe routes to and from public schools in high-crime neighborhoods.

Two program models that assist students with safe travel to and from school are monitored routes and escorted caravans. Monitored routes, commonly known as “safe passage” or “safe corridor” programs, rely on police and community volunteers to protect students with their presence on designated travel routes. Escorted caravans, commonly known as “walking school buses,” use adult volunteers to escort students in a group to and from school. Connecticut school districts and other districts across the country have used variations of these models.

Also, the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program provides resources and links to federally funded programs through the U.S. Department of Transportation. SRTS primarily focuses on removing traffic and infrastructure impediments to student walkers and bicyclers; however, it also provides tips on overcoming neighborhood crime and violence as an obstacle to student travel. The Connecticut Department of Transportation has administered the STRS program at the state level since 2006, awarding over $8 million for 20 construction projects that serve 29 schools in 16 communities around the state.

For more information, read the full report.

Payment Processing an Issue for Student Loan Borrowers

Student loan borrowers are encouraged to make payments in excess of the amount due when possible, thereby reducing interest costs and paying off the loan sooner. But according to a recent report by the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), some borrowers attempting to follow this advice have had their intentions thwarted by loan servicers.

For example, if a borrower has multiple loans with a single servicer, it is best to apply the excess payment to the loan with the highest interest rate. However, servicers generally apply the excess payments either evenly across the loans or in pro-rated amounts based on each loan’s monthly amount due. Borrowers have complained to the bureau that servicers do this even when the excess payment is accompanied by specific allocation instructions. The report states that this practice may deny a borrower hundreds of dollars in savings over the life of the loan.

The report also notes problems with the opposite scenario, when a borrower makes an underpayment in a given month. When this happens, the servicer may either apply the payment evenly across the loans, potentially leaving all of them underpaid (and thus leaving the borrower with a higher number of delinquent loans), or apply it to one loan at a time, attempting to fully meet as many of the loans as possible.

Fixing a Broken State Pension Plan: Don’t Make More Promises You Can’t Keep, and Put Away More Money to Cover the Ones You Did Make

There is much debate about how to fix various state pensions systems. But some aspects of the debate are as simple as addition and subtraction.

Kentucky’s state pensions plan (made up of eight smaller state and local government plans) only has about half the money needed to cover its liabilities. That’s a problem. But this year, the Kentucky legislature passed bipartisan legislation that, among other things, requires no new benefit increases, unless funding to cover the new cost already exists, and raises significant additional funds every year to help pay down the unfunded liability. The legislation also creates a new retirement tier for those hired after January 1, 2014.

House and Senate members from both parties staffed a task force starting in June 2012. The task force heard public testimony from public employees, taxpayers, business groups, and local governments. The task force received support from the Pew Charitable Trusts and the Laura and John Arnold foundation in the form of unpaid advisers and independent ananlysis and actuarial support.

The Pew Trusts are so pleased with the results they have issued a brief hailing Kentucky as an example of how a state can successfully get its pension system under control.

Fast Food Workers, More Than Any Others, Rely Heavily on Public Assistance to Get By

So conclude researchers from the University of Illinois and the University of California at Berkeley Labor Center in a new study. Using publicly available datasets such as the American Community Survey, and state public assistance enrollment data, including Food Stamps, Medicaid, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), TANF, and the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, for a four-year period (2007-2011), the study authors were able to determine that, for families of front-line fast food workers earning $8.69 per hour (median):

1. more than one-half were enrolled in one or more of the public programs compared to 25% of the workforce as a whole;
2. the cost of such assistance is almost $7 billion per year, with spending on Medicaid and SCHIP accounting for more than half of this figure;
3. one in five had income below the federal poverty level and 43% had income of two times the federal poverty level or less (the current poverty level for a family of three is $19,530 yearly); and
4. more than half of the full-time workers’ families were enrolled in public assistance programs.

The report also looked at how restaurant workers compared to workers in other industries in their receipt of public assistance. While families in which a member was working in the fast food industry had the highest enrollments of any industry (44%), those in which a member worked in a public administration job had the lowest need for assistance (15%), with the enrollment in all job sectors at 25%.

The authors point to their findings as support for raising the federal minimum wage, which would both help improve living standards as well as reduce expenditures on assistance programs.

But How Many Does it Take to Buy a Light Bulb?

If the ease of changing a light bulb once spawned a generation of punch lines, recent regulatory changes and technological developments have made it increasingly complicated to know which new light bulb to use.  Cnet.com’s “Light Bulb Buying Guide” helps explain all of the different options and variables consumers face as they replace their obsolete incandescent bulbs (which will include 40-watt and 60-watt bulbs starting in 2014).

The guide explains the differences between LED (light emitting diode), CFL (compact fluorescent light), and halogen light bulbs and how they compare to the traditional incandescent bulbs.  It explains how to convert watts to lumens so that a consumer can replace a 60 watt incandescent bulb with a 12 watt LED bulb that’s just as bright.  It also discusses color temperature, the color rendering index, and “smart” lighting options for automated lighting control.

Summary of 2013 Public Acts

The Office of Legislative Research's Summary of 2013 Public Acts is now complete and available for download. (The link will open a .pdf file.)

This publication, Summary of 2013 Public Acts, summarizes all public acts passed during the 2013 Regular Session and the December 2012 Special Session of the Connecticut General Assembly. Special acts are not summarized.

Crystal Ball? Predicting Policy Outcomes

According to a recent GOVERNING.com article, in January 2014, Massachusetts will become the first state in the country to launch an online public policy simulator called Outline.com.  The application, still in its final development stages, “uses millions of tax and Census records and state-of-the-art economic methodology to calculate public policy scenarios down to single-family units,” according to the Outline.com website.  The application will be available to state officials and members of the public alike.  Users will be able to manipulate different factors such as local or state tax rates or healthcare or education spending, and see how each change affects the community. Hypothetical policy proposals will be public and users will have the ability to “endorse” those that they like.  Ideally, the simulator will encourage civic engagement and help officials shape policy according to public interest.

Worcester’s Revitalization Efforts Stall

Worcester, Massachusetts, like Hartford, Bridgeport, and other New England cities, is a former industrial center trying to spur an economic revival.  Facing shrinking tax bases, low-performing schools, and property tax rates that exceed those of surrounding communities, these cities have turned to big development projects to draw people downtown and stimulate a vibrant city center.

Part of Worcester’s revitalization effort is the CitySquare project, a large-scale development intended to turn 21-acres of blight into more than 2.2 million square feet of commercial, medical, retail, entertainment, and residential space.  While the project has made some progress over the past decade, a recent Boston Globe report highlights the difficulties the city has faced in fulfilling its “vision of pedestrian-friendly streetscapes and a vibrant commercial sector.”  The project landed two major anchor tenants earlier this year, but the additions have not brought street-level businesses or generated additional tax revenue for the city. 

Mark Tigan, a community development and planning professor at Clark University, suggests that the city could take a different approach to shape development in CitySquare.  Tigan proposes requiring developers to set aside pedestrian-level spaces with moderate rents for non-chain stores and restaurants.  He also suggests offering low-interest loans, loan guarantees, or working capital assistance to certain small businesses. 

Moose Population in Decline

The New York Times reports that across North America, moose populations are in decline and scientists are unsure why. But most hypothesize that climate change is part of the reason. Winters have grown shorter across the moose’s range, causing parasites to attack.  For example, in New Hampshire, a longer autumn and less snow has increased the number of winter ticks, which are devastating to moose.  Another theory is that the decline is due to heat stress as moose, which are made for cold weather, strive to stay cool among warmer winter temperatures. The decline in moose has more than just environmental impacts.  Moose contribute to the economy, too. In New Hampshire, moose-watching tourism is a $115 million-a-year business.

Maybe Parents Really Are Harder on First-Borns

In a recent paper “Strategic Parenting, Birth Order, and School Performance,” economists Joseph Hotz and Juan Patano cite longitudinal survey data to support the hypotheses that (1) parents are generally stricter with their first-born children than they are with younger siblings and (2) first-born children generally perform better in school than their younger siblings, phenomena, the economists contend, are related.

Earlier born siblings (1) are more likely to be subject to TV watching rules and (2) face more intense parental homework monitoring, Hotz and Patano contend. Additionally, “mothers are more likely to report that they would increase the supervision of one of their children in the event that child brought home a worse than expected report card when the child in question was one of her earlier-born children.” The economists conclude that these factors, at least in part, contribute to the phenomenon of first-born’s superior school performance.

Slate reporter Matthew Yglesias has a further discussion of the study.

Hot Report: The Prevailing Wage

OLR Report 2013-R-0393 summarizes (1) the prevailing wage thresholds in other states, (2) how prevailing wage rates are determined, (3) prevailing wage rates in Connecticut and neighboring states, and (4) enforcement of Connecticut's prevailing wage law. It also summarizes any new prevailing wage laws Connecticut enacted in the past several years.

Prevailing wage laws generally require workers on public works construction projects to receive the same wage that is customarily paid for the same work in the project's town. Thus, if an electrician on a private-sector job in a particular town customarily receives $50 an hour in wages and benefits, a prevailing wage law would require an electrician on a public works construction project in the same town to be paid the same rate. By establishing a standardized pay rate for these workers, the laws aim to keep government's use of low bid contracting from significantly reducing the market price of labor.
Prevailing wage laws operate at the federal level, through the Davis-Bacon Act, and the state level, through an individual state's laws. The federal prevailing wage law applies to federally funded or assisted contracts over $2,000 for the construction, alteration, or repair of public buildings or public works. Thirty-two states, including Connecticut, have prevailing wage laws.

Generally, these laws only apply when a public works project's contract value meets or exceeds a pre-determined threshold amount. Connecticut's threshold has been $400,000 for new construction and $100,000 for remodeling projects since 1991. Its new construction threshold is the second highest in the nation, behind only Maryland's $500,000 threshold for all types of public works projects. Connecticut's remodeling threshold is the third highest in the nation, behind Indiana's ($350,000) and Kentucky's ($250,000), both of which apply to all types of public works projects. Since 2010, four states have increased their thresholds and one, Vermont, has lowered its threshold.

In Connecticut, prevailing wage rates are determined by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL). USDOL determines the rates by surveying contractors, contractors' associations, labor organizations, public officials, and other interested parties about the wages and benefits paid on completed construction projects in a particular geographical area. If it finds that the majority of workers in a particular occupation earn the same wage, that wage becomes the occupation's prevailing wage for that area.

A comparison of prevailing wage rates for six common occupations in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and nearby areas of Massachusetts and New York indicates that Connecticut's rates are generally in the middle and lower half of the rates paid in the six areas surveyed. In general, Connecticut's rates are $12.64 to $18.01 per hour lower than the highest rates paid to a particular occupation (usually in New York's bordering counties).

Connecticut law subjects contractors and subcontractors to both civil and criminal penalties for failing to meet the state's prevailing wage requirements. The law is generally enforced by the state Department of Labor (CTDOL), however the state's attorney's office can become involved in criminal prosecutions and the attorney general's office can become involved in civil suits to recover unpaid wages. Those who knowingly and willfully violate the law must pay fines between $2,500 and $5,000 and cannot bid on other prevailing wage projects for a certain period. They may also face criminal charges for a first degree false statement (a class D felony) and larceny.

The Connecticut General Assembly has not made any major changes to the prevailing wage law over the past five years. The three related laws that were enacted (1) specify how contractors must submit their certified payroll records; (2) allow contractors to sue subcontractors who failed to pay their workers prevailing wages, under certain circumstances; and (3) change the safety training requirements for certain workers on prevailing wage projects.

For more information, read the full report.

Does Your Commute Make You Politically Apathetic?

2013 election day is fast approaching. But do people care? A new study highlighted in a Washington Times article suggests that political apathy and a lack of civic engagement could be due to people’s commutes. The study, conducted by three political scientists from the University of Connecticut and Stony Brook University, maintains that the “depletion of psychological resources” from traveling to and from work is directly related to a political participation. Specifically, the “cognitive exertion” needed to engage in politics can be depleted during long commutes. The time spent at work, however, does not have the same negative impact. According to the study, this is because time in the workplace is associated with financial reward and is not as “ego-depleting” as waiting in traffic.

The study also discusses how socioeconomics impacts the relationship between commuting and political interest. For lower income Americans, a longer commute results in a loss in political interest, and thus a decrease in participation. But the reverse is true for higher-income Americans, who may use commuting to their advantage or associate commuting problems with higher pay.