12 Hartford Business Journal • March 23, 2020 • www.HartfordBusiness.com
By Sean Teehan
steehan@hartfordbusiness.com
B
efore state lawmakers shut down the legis-
lature earlier this month over coronavirus
fears, one industry in particular seemed to
be making inroads on significant pro-growth
policy: manufacturing.
During the first few months of the
2020 legislative session, lawmakers
on both sides of the aisle had been
pushing bills to strengthen one of
Connecticut's key sectors, which
employs nearly 162,000 people. One
proposal — to extend the manu-
facturing apprenticeship tax credit
to pass-through entities — was
already approved by the Commerce
Committee before the General As-
sembly went on recess.
Another bill provides tax credits
to manufacturers that make em-
ployees available to teach training
programs.
There are also efforts to protect
programs currently funded by the
state's now dried-up Manufacturing
Innovation Fund (MIF).
"The things we're interested in
them looking at they're certainly
focused on," said Eric Brown, vice
president of manufacturing policy
for the Connecticut Business &
Industry Association.
That momentum, however, was
halted by the suspension of the leg-
islative session due to concerns over
the COVID-19 pandemic.
Legislators have closed the state
Capitol until at least March 29, and
it's not clear what their priorities
will be when and if they come back,
Brown said. The session is sched-
uled to end May 6.
"Nobody can further predict what,
if anything, is going to get through,"
Brown said. "But in terms of support
and collaboration on these issues,
we're very encouraged about discus-
sions so far."
FOCUS: MANUFACTURING
Despite hiatus and coronavirus threat, lawmakers
say pro-manufacturing bills still a priority
State Rep. Caroline Simmons (D-Stamford),
a member of the legislature's Manufacturing
Caucus, testifies at a hearing. She supports bills
that would prop up the manufacturing industry.
PHOTO
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