Tel.: (860) 354-3590	P.O. Box 704, Southbury, CT 06488
Cell: (203) 206-4282	Email: info@nheld.com
Fax: (860) 354-9360	Web: www.nheld.com

Attorney Deborah G. Stevenson, Executive Director

UPDATE ON SB 162 – APRIL 8, 2008

Spearheaded by Liz DePalma, Sue Cox, and Jenny Mosher, a group of about a dozen constituents of Senator Thomas Gaffey, Co-Chairman of the Education Committee, met with the Senator today to discuss why he changed the language in Senate Bill 162 and asking him to change it back to the original language proposed by Rep. O’Neill. While Attorney Deborah Stevenson, Executive Director of NHELD, and Judy Aron, Research Director of NHELD, went with those constituents to attend the meeting, Senator Gaffey refused to allow attorney Stevenson or Judy Aron into the meeting, although Senator Gaffey had his aide, and three attorneys from the Education Committee, the Office of Legislative Research, and the Legislative Commissioner’s Office in attendance at that meeting. Because NHELD was refused access to the meeting, we have asked those who were in attendance to write letters describing what occurred in the meeting, which we will publish as soon as they are available. Senator Gaffey also refused to allow his constituents to tape record the meeting when they asked to do so in order to provide an accurate account of what occurred at the meeting.

Attorney Stevenson and Judy Aron did wait outside the door of the meeting and spoke with his constituents after the meeting. From what we could overhear, and from what we were told by them, suffice it to say that Senator Gaffey heard an earful. His constituents were firm in their commitment, raised questions, offered opinion and suggestions, and generally stood up to Senator Gaffey and told them that SB 162, as it was changed by Gaffey and approved by the Education Committee, needed to be amended to revert back to the original language as proposed by Rep. O’Neill and approved by the Select Committee on Children, or it must die. From what we understand, Senator Gaffey tried to offer several different explanations of why he changed the language, and had the lawyers chime in with their opinion as well. While his constituents tried to get him to change the language back to the original Rep. O’Neill version, it would appear that Senator Gaffey gave no firm commitment that he would do so. In the end, he merely indicated that he would “take a look at it”.

Meanwhile, the bill, in its current Gaffey form, appeared on the Senate calendar for the first time today. According to the rules of the legislature, a bill must remain on the calendar for three days before a vote may be taken on it. Once it appears on the calendar for three days, a vote may be taken immediately, or it may be passed and voted on at some other time, or perhaps never. There really is no way to tell when it will come up for a vote. The fact remains, it could be voted on as early as this week. It is extremely important, therefore, for parents to continue to write and call their Senators, particularly the Senate leadership, such as Senate President Donald Williams, to tell them SB162 must be stricken in its current form, amended to revert back to the language as it originally was proposed by Rep. O’Neill and approved by the Select Committee on Children, or it must be killed in its entirety.

NHELD thanks all of those who attended the meeting with Senator Gaffey today. They did a tremendous job of standing up, standing firm, and standing united. Connecticut parents truly owe them a debt of gratitude.

It remains to be seen what Senator Gaffey will do, but if he continues to push for his version of the bill, he will have a very big fight on his hands, and the legislators need to understand this simple fact.