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Planning and Development: consent calendar, placeholder bills and committee actions at a glance
Summary
The committee moved a large consent calendar and approved several placeholder ("dummy") bills for later drafting; multiple members criticized the use of empty-vessel bills during debate.
The Planning and Development Committee handled a large consent calendar and a set of placeholder bills during its March 7 meeting. Most items on the consent calendar were moved to the floor; several placeholder bills were also advanced despite objections from some members.
Consent calendar - The committee moved a consent calendar that included (titles as read in committee): Senate Bill 1315; Senate Bill 1316; Senate Bill 1317 (liens for housing-code violations/public place ordinances); House Bill 6958 (electronic book and digital audiobook license terms); House Bill 6960 (public infrastructure grant program); House Bill 6995 (charter of the Metropolitan District of Hartford County); House Bill 7000 (implementing recommendations of Office of Policy and Management concerning the State Plan of Conservation and Development and priority funding areas); House Bill 7002 (solar installations in common interest communities); Senate Bill 1343 (intergovernmental policy and planning recommendations); Senate Bills 1183, 1185, 1186, 1188 (various municipal and tax-related items). The chair confirmed several LCO numbers for items on consent. The motion to move the consent calendar carried on a roll-call vote.
Placeholder/dummy bills - Several bills described in the hearing as "dummy bills," "empty vessel" or "placeholder" bills were advanced to drafting/floor: Senate Bill 1341 (act concerning local government), Senate Bill 1342 (act concerning municipal agencies), House Bill 7003 (act concerning planning and development), House Bill 7004 (act concerning municipal issues). Representative Dubitsky and others criticized the use of empty-vessel bills as a way to bypass public scrutiny; Dubitsky said the practice circumvents the public hearing process by inserting substantive language after the hearing is closed.
Other final actions - Committee held final-actions consideration for several numbered items and recorded roll-call votes; the committee chair noted votes would remain open until 3 p.m.
What members said - Representative Dubitsky repeatedly opposed placeholder bills, calling them a circumvention of the public hearing process. "...these dummy bills are used by both sides of the aisle to essentially circumvent the public hearing process," he said. - Several members praised bipartisan cooperation that produced a large consent calendar; Representative Zullo said the calendar reflects willingness to compromise.
Action summary (selected) - Consent calendar: motion carried; items referred as noted in committee minutes. - Senate Bill 1341: motion to j/f carried on roll call; some members voted no. - Senate Bill 1342: motion to j/f carried on roll call; some members voted no. - House Bill 7003: motion to j/f carried on roll call; multiple members recorded "no" votes on certain placeholder bills. - House Bill 7004: motion to j/f carried on roll call.
Next steps - Bills moved from consent and placeholder measures proceed to the next legislative stage; committee staff will circulate final LCO numbers and bill texts as they are finalized.
