House Sends Paid Family and Medical Leave To Governor

HARTFORD, CT —The House approved a controversial bill Friday that creates a Paid Family and Medical Leave program in Connecticut that Gov. Ned Lamont said he would sign.

The bill passed the House, 79-69. Eight Democrats joined Republicans in voting against the measure.

Lamont had said he would veto the bill the Senate passed last week, but he was able to work out his differences through another piece of legislation. The companion bill, which has yet to pass either chamber, will shrink the governing board of the quasi-public authority overseeing the program from 15 to 13 members and allow the governor to select the chairperson.

The companion bill is also supposed to streamline the contracting process, according to a press release from Lamont’s office. Under the new bill, professional staff at the authority will score and award contracts using criteria agreed upon by a two-thirds vote of the board, without a three- or four-month waiting period.

Read more: https://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/archives/entry/20190531_house_sends_paid_family_and_medical_leave_to_governor/