Connecticut House Bill HB06097

Connecticut 2011 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/25/11
• Refer: 1/25/11

Caption

An Act Allowing Advisory Questions To Be Placed On The Ballot.

Impact

The implementation of HB 06097 is expected to impact state laws related to elections and the involvement of local governments in the decision-making process. By allowing advisory questions, towns may gain insights into the preferences and opinions of their constituents, thereby fostering a closer relationship between government officials and the residents they serve. This could prompt local authorities to consider public sentiment in their policymaking, potentially leading to legislation that is more aligned with the views of the community.

Summary

House Bill 06097, introduced by Representative Scribner during the January Session of 2011, seeks to amend section 7-344 of the general statutes to allow towns in the state to place advisory questions on the ballot for elections. This initiative is aimed at enhancing civic engagement by providing communities with a mechanism to gauge public opinion on various issues that may not be suitable for binding legislative action but are nonetheless important to local governance. By enabling advisory questions, the bill encourages direct participation by residents in the democratic process.

Contention

While the bill promotes increased public engagement, there may be concerns regarding the potential misuse of advisory questions. Critics might argue that these non-binding measures could lead to confusion or disillusionment among voters if they perceive that their opinions do not translate into actionable policy changes. Furthermore, there may be debate over which issues should be addressed through advisory questions and the administrative resources required to effectively implement this measure within local election cycles.