By John Voket

Newtown State Representative Mitch Bolinsky has issued a reminder of new Connecticut Laws taking effect October 1, while a global health organization is praising one of those initiatives.

“As we transition out of summer and into autumn, we prepare for a number of new laws, as well as new and revised taxes and fee increases to take effect starting on October 1,” Rep Bolinsky said in a notification e-mail issued to The Newtown Bee on September 30. “These new laws and taxes may have an impact on you, your business, and our community.”

Rep Bolinsky highlighted a number of the more noteworthy tax increases and new laws going into effect October 1 below.

Tax And Fee Increases

*Digital Goods: The current tax on digital goods of one percent will increase to 6.35 percent. This increase applies to a wide range of online services, including, but not limited to, TV streaming services (eg, Netflix, Hulu, etc), online music (Spotify, Apple Music, etc), eBooks, and in-app purchases made on smartphones.

*Prepared Foods: Consumers will see a 7.35 percent levy on certain prepared foods.

Rep Bolinsky said “after my Republican colleagues and I revealed that the Department of Revenue Services (DRS) was intent on applying this meals tax to thousands of previously untaxed grocery items, a massive public outcry took place. The result: Governor Lamont and DRS released a revised bulletin backing off their initial interpretation of what items were to be affected by this tax increase.

"Still, many food items we buy from grocery stores are at risk of becoming taxable, even basic necessities," Mr Bolinsky added. "The only way to protect consumers from being impacted by this regressive tax is to call a special session and remove the part of the law that taxes groceries. My colleagues and I have petitioned and are awaiting a response from the Speaker of the House.”

*Motor Vehicle Trade-In Fee: The current motor vehicle trade-in fee of $35 will increase to $100.

"Instead of being rewarded for trading in their older vehicles for new, more efficient ones, car buyers will now be double-dipped by a sales tax at purchase and a trade-in tax at sale or trade," the state rep said.

*Alcohol: The excise tax on all alcohol sales, except beer, will increase by ten percent.

New Laws Effective October 1

Mr Bolinsky noted that he and his colleagues "differed in our opposition or support of the following Public Acts. I have indicated my vote following each summary."

*An Act Expanding Eligibility for Tax Relief for Certain Elderly Homeowners (Public Act No. 19-66):

Summary — Expands the state’s “Circuit Breaker Program” (Elderly and Disabled Homeowners’ Tax Relief Program), which entitles older adults and individuals with a permanent and total disability to a property tax reduction, to now include owners of real property that is held in trust for the owner.

"Prior law was silent regarding such trusts. I voted Yea for this as SB-140," Mr Bolinsky noted.

*An Act Increasing the Penalties for the Sale of Fentanyl (Public Act No. 19-38):

Summary — Expressly codifies the classification of fentanyl (a synthetic opioid analgesic) as a narcotic substance. By law, the penalties for certain illegal actions involving narcotics are higher than those for certain other non-narcotic controlled substances.

Rep Bolinsky said he voted Yea for this as HB-5524.

*An Act Addressing Opioid Use (Public Act No. 19-191):

Summary — Requires pharmacists to offer consultations to all patients when dispensing a prescription. Also requires prescribing practitioners who prescribe an opioid drug with more than a 12-week supply to establish a treatment agreement with the patient or discuss a care plan for chronic opioid drug use, among other changes.

Rep Bolinsky said he voted for and was a co-sponsor of this bill.

*An Act Concerning School Security (Public Act No. 19-52):

Summary — Requires the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) to develop criteria to identify qualified school security consultants operating in the state and limit its existing school security consultant’s registry to include only these qualified individuals. By law, DESPP must update this registry annually, make it available to the public upon request, and publish it on the department’s website.

Rep Bolinsky said he voted for this bill and was a co-sponsor.

Tobacco, Vaping Age Change

The American Lung Association is praising another law taking effect October 1 that Rep Bolinsky supported early on and voted for this session.

That new law, Public Act No. 19-13, Prohibiting The Sale of Cigarettes, Tobacco Products, Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems and Vapor Products To Persons Under Age 21, raises the age of sale of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, from 18 to 21.

The American Lung Association is applauding state lawmakers for passing the law, known as Tobacco 21, which will prevent and reduce tobacco use, address the youth vaping epidemic, and save lives.

Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the American Lung Association, noted that "momentum around the Tobacco 21 effort continues to grow nationwide, and we are proud to see more and more states follow Connecticut’s example and adopt legislation to protect children and teenagers from a lifetime of tobacco-related death and disease.

“With youth vaping at epidemic levels, laws that limit youth access and exposure to e-cigarettes and all tobacco products are vital in empowering our children to live long, healthy, tobacco-free lives. The American Lung Association will continue the fight for Tobacco 21 laws across the country as well as those that encourage future generations to be tobacco-free,” Mr Wimmer added. “Congratulations to Connecticut on this public health milestone.”

Every day, close to 2,500 youth under 18 try their first cigarette and more than 400 kids become regular daily smokers. Two-thirds of high school sophomores and nearly half of eighth grade students say it is easy to get cigarettes.

According to a National Academy of Medicine report, younger kids often rely on older friends, classmates, and peers to buy their tobacco products. Because students typically do not reach 21 years old while still in high school, Connecticut’s new law is expected to greatly reduce the number of high school students who have easy access to tobacco products.

Connecticut’s Tobacco 21 law received bipartisan support, following a December 2018 announcement by the US Surgeon General alerting the public that youth e-cigarette use had reached epidemic levels. According to the announcement, e-cigarette use increased by a staggering 78 percent among high school students from 2017 to 2018.

In new preliminary data from the National Tobacco Youth Survey, e-cigarette use soared by another 32 percent among high school students from 2018-19, showing that 27.5 percent of high school users have used e-cigarettes in the last month. Tobacco 21 is a policy being rolled out in states across the country in order to prevent another generation of Americans from becoming addicted to tobacco products and suffering from tobacco-related death and disease.

The Connecticut legislature passed the legislation in May, and it was signed by Governor Lamont on June 18. To date, 18 states (including Connecticut) have taken the important step to protect their kids against this threat by raising the minimum age of sale for all tobacco products to 21.

Ruth Canovi, director of advocacy for the American Lung Association in Connecticut, said, “With nearly 18 percent of Connecticut’s high school students reporting use of tobacco products, there is no doubt that Tobacco 21 will make a difference for Connecticut’s younger generations. The grassroots movement that made this happen in Connecticut also helped raise valuable awareness about the health impact of tobacco products on our young people and families.”

For a complete list of new laws going into effect on October 1 — which cover regional animal control centers, storage of certain firearms in motor vehicles, upskirting, sexual assault and sexual harassment, gay and transgender panic defense, dual landings of fish in state, a green economy and environmental protection, fire sprinkler systems in rental units, and funeral service contracts and cemeteries, amond the dozens of newly enacted acts — visit cga.ct.gov/asp/aearchives/20191001actseffective.asp.

Anyone with legislative questions is invited to contact Rep Bolinsky at 800-842-1423 or mitch.bolinsky@housegop.ct.gov.