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2015 LEGISLATIVE REPORTWilms

Fred Y O U R S T A T E R E P R E S E N T A T I V E

Norwalk &New Canaan

142ND DISTRICTCapitol Updates by EmailDon’t want to miss an important legislative hearing, or curious about state budget decisions that impact your checkbook? Visit my web site to sign up for occasional updates on these subjects and more: repwilms.com

Perfect Voting Record for 2015 SessionThis year I earned a one hundred percent voting record for all roll call votes taken on the floor of the House of Representatives. The House Clerk’s Office released the data on members’ votes in August.

It was crucial to me to be there for every vote to represent you.

Less than one third of House legislators achieved perfect attendance. Missed votes can be the result of anything from personal illness to the attendance of a funeral, and a perfect voting record is indicative of deliberate dedication and commitment.

The next regular session of the legislature will convene in February of 2015.

Presenting testimony for my ECS reform bill (HB 5670)

Delivering a Legislative Update with the Norwalk Delegation

Meeting with financial analysts at the Capitol

Meeting with constituents at the Norwalk Inn

Notable legislationEducation Cost Sharing (HB 5670)This session I proposed a bill to change the Education Cost Sharing (ECS) Formula, which shortchanges Norwalk’s public schools. The proposed bill, titled “An Act Concerning Revisions to the Definition of Equalized Grand List for Purposes of the Calculation of the Education Cost-Sharing Grant,” would have addressed the formula and future ECS grant funding.

Uber (PA 15-5)I cosponsored a bill that allows the ride sharing company, Uber, to operate successfully in Connecticut. Many Norwalk and New Canaan residents not only use Uber for rides, but earn extra money as drivers. I believe our laws need to keep up with new technologies and business models.

Helping Those With Dyslexia (PA 15-97)For the first time, this law implements specific programmatic requirements for teacher preparation courses relating to dyslexia and includes dyslexia instruction as part of the in-service training for educators.

Improving Our Mental Health Network (PA 13-178)Under this legislation the Commissioner of Children and Families, with input from advocacy agencies, must develop a comprehensive plan for meeting the mental, emotional and behavioral health needs of children.

Human Trafficking (PA 15-195)I cosponsored a bill that will improve Connecticut’s lagging human trafficking laws and make necessary changes to the criminal justice system by expanding the terms of human trafficking when the crime is committed with a minor. The bill also requires the state Department of Public Health (DPH) to provide human trafficking victims the same services provided to certain sexual assault victims.

With a stagnant economy, slow job creation, and an unfriendly business environment, Connecticut is on an unsustainable fiscal path. In fact, GE is threatening to leave Connecticut.

As your Representative, I promised to bring a fresh perspective to Hartford based on my strong financial background. To enable this, I secured a position on the Appropriations (budget spending) committee. There I worked with my colleagues in favor of fiscal responsibility to produce a State Budget that we could be proud of.

Entitled the “Blueprint to Prosperity” our proposed budget:

• Was balanced • Did not create new taxes • Eliminated accounting gimmicks • Stayed under the spending cap • Funded services that the voters expect from government, such as mental health, social services, libraries, public safety and health care • Provided for long term transportation projects

To pay for this, we proposed realigning the state employee union contracts closer to that of the private sector. By converting state employee pensions from defined benefit to defined contribution (401k’s), switching health care to high deductible HSA’s and converting post retirement health care to a stipend, significant savings can be produced. We also proposed rolling back huge 9% wage increases for select administration appointees and dealing with excessive overtime.

Sadly the Governor and the Majority Party ignored our proposal. Instead they rammed through a budget that hit the taxpayers and left sacrosanct the employee union contracts. Additionally, that budget lacked financial integrity: tax increases were inserted at the last minute, with no public hearings and no open discussions. The Spending Cap was ignored and accounting gimmicks were employed to make the budget appear balanced.

Based on many of our efforts, while the Majority Party controls the House 87 - 64, their controversial budget passed only by the slim margin of 73-70.

I will continue to work for fiscal reform with my colleagues in Hartford, and speak up throughout Norwalk and New Canaan. If you wish to hear more, please contact me at 800-842-1423.

Restoring Connecticut’s Fiscal Future...