Thursday, July 12, 2012

City's Legislative Delegation Receives Mixed Ratings On Environmental Votes

The bipartisan Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV) released its annual scorecard of legislative votes on Monday. Two of our State Representatives, Democrats Gail Hamm and Matt Lesser, and one of our State Senators, Republican Len Suzio, received a perfect score from the environment watchdog. Lesser has received a perfect rating each of the 4 years he has served in Hartford.

The CTLCV scored legislators' votes on 21 bills in the 2011 session. Some of these votes were in committees, so not all legislators voted on all of those bills. The full report of the CTLCV is available HERE.

Paul Doyle (D, Senate 9th) 82%

Doyle took what the CTLCV considers the pro-environment position on each of the 8 bills that reached the Senate floor. However, in the Judiciary Committee, he voted in favor of the Environmental Protection Act Rollback (SB343), which would have made it much more difficult for the public to oppose development applications (the bill passed the Judiciary Committee but died on the Senate calendar). He also voted in the General Law Committee against the Safe Pharmaceutical Disposal Act (SB92), which would have required state and local police to maintain lockboxes for anonymous disposal of unused and expired pharmaceutical drugs (The bill died in the General Law Committee).

Len Suzio (R, Senate 13th) 100%
Suzio took what the CTLCV considers the pro-environment position on each of the 8 bills that reached the Senate floor. He did not serve on any of the committees that considered other bills.

Joe Serra (D, House 33rd) 88%
Serra took what the CTLCV considers the pro-environment position on each of the 5 bills that reached the House floor. However, in the House Judiciary Committee, he voted in favor of the Environmental Protection Act Rollback (SB343), which would have made it much more difficult for the public to oppose development applications (the bill passed the Judiciary Committee but died on the Senate calendar).

Matt Lesser (D, House 100th) 100%
Lesser took what the CTLCV considers the pro-environment position on each of the 5 bills that reached the House floor. He also took pro-environment positions on two bills that he voted on in committee, the Water Conservation Bill (SB415) in the Energy and Technology Committee (this bill passed the House but failed in the Senate), and the Chemicals of High Concern for Children Bill (SB274) in the Public Health Committee (this bill died on the Senate calendar).

Gail Hamm (D, House 34th) 100%
Hamm took what the CTLCV considers the pro-environment position on each of the 5 bills that reached the House floor. She did not serve on any of the committees that considered other bills.

Christie Carpino (R, House 32nd) 88%
Carpino took what the CTLCV considers the pro-environment position on each of the 5 bills that reached the House floor. However, in the House Judiciary Committee, she voted in favor of the Environmental Protection Act Rollback (SB343), which would have made it much more difficult for the public to oppose development applications (the bill passed the Judiciary Committee but died on the Senate calendar).

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