Sen. Fazio and Rep. Pallotta oppose governor-backed health bill as committee moves it to the floor

The Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee considered substitute House Bill 5041, described by the chair as the governor's health-care bill with multiple provisions, and the committee called a roll-call vote to move the bill to the floor.

Senator Fazio said he would vote no and pressed for alternatives. "I will be voting no on this bill today," he said, adding that the state should pursue other cost-reduction options such as association health plans and CLN reform and questioning "why would you want to have the state peer for health care or the DMV for health care in Connecticut?" Representative Pallotta said she also would vote no, citing the state's insurance industry and concern about potential harm: "I think, the insurance, what we are known as the insurance capital of the world and with all of our great industry in Hartford, I would just be concerned if, for instance, there was, anything to breach them. So I will be a no today."

The chair noted the bill remains a complex work in progress and that committee leadership in human services had informed her the measure was still under continuing negotiations. The committee administrator then conducted a roll-call vote on the motion to JF (to refer to the floor) for H.B. 5041; members cast individual yes and no votes and the chair announced votes would be held open until the call of the House at noon.

The meeting record shows repeated remote confirmations of members' votes after the roll call began. The committee recessed with votes still open and no final floor referral outcome recorded at the close of the session.