02/27/2026
This week both State Representative Melissa Osborne and State Senator Paul Honig voted for sweeping legislation under the pretext of an “emergency”. This limits debate and oversight of legislation as well as eliminates public input on the proposals. The impacts of this legislation will be felt by Simsbury residents who will be footing the bill for the unfunded mandates and new policy that will drive property taxes higher. Simsbury deserves better representation than this. Thank you State Representative Mark Anderson for raising awareness to what the Democratic supermajority, including our representatives are up to: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Df9i85sx8/?mibextid=wwXIfr
The Speaker’s decision to call us into session this week was indefensible. Action was taken on legislation that bypassed our standard legislative process, using the pretext of an “emergency” to fast-track bills directly to the floor. As a result, no formal public hearings were held on the measures we debated, eliminating any meaningful opportunity for public input before the legislature acted.
We are elected to debate and carefully consider new ideas as we shape public policy. When proposals are cherry-picked and rushed straight to a vote, the integrity of the process suffers—and so does your voice. There was no opportunity for constructive feedback on these bills, and when common-sense amendments were offered to improve them, they were dismissed without genuine consideration.
There is still much to accomplish in the remaining weeks of this legislative session. I remain hopeful that our work moving forward will be conducted transparently and in the open—not drafted behind closed doors.
