The AI legislation was one of several bills proposed during the short three-month legislative session that attempted to address major, weighty issues — from climate change to the codification of abortion rights in the state’s constitution. All failed after the Democratic-controlled General Assembly met its midnight adjournment deadline.

Lawmakers had some success stories this session, however.

Legislation cleared the General Assembly that makes numerous nursing home reforms, including prohibiting facilities from placing new residents in rooms with more than two beds.

Additionally, the Senate gave final legislative approval Wednesday night to a bill that attempts to address the proliferation of THC-infused beverages being sold in convenience stores and elsewhere. The legislation prohibits sales to anyone under 21 and allows the drinks to be sold only at packages stores or cannabis dispensaries, including those that sell both recreational and medical marijuana. Senators also voted to prohibit synthetic cannabinoids in cannabis and forbid the state’s licensed cannabis establishments from selling them.

Also late Wednesday, the Senate rushed to passed legislation that tightens absentee voting laws after people were captured on video last year stuffing reams of ballots into collection boxes in Bridgeport. The bill requires mandatory surveillance cameras at drop boxes and improved tracking of ballots, as well as new protections for poll workers.

“I don’t believe that it goes far enough,” Republican Sen. Rob Sampson said of the bill, calling what happened in Bridgeport a “fiasco” that warranted stronger action. He attempted to amend the bill with measures including a requirement that voters show an ID at the polls, but all four failed.

Lawmakers this session also passed a Democratic bill that updates Connecticut’s first-in-the-nation paid sick leave law from 2011 and requires all employers, down to those with a single worker, to provide their employees with time off by 2027. It awaits Lamont’s signature.

House Speaker Matt Ritter, a Democrat, noted how the sick leave bill came “close to the finish line” last year and benefited from lawmakers knowing what could pass this year. Other major bills didn’t have that advantage.

“There are just some bills you can’t do because of time,” he said.

Other high-profile proposals also failed Wednesday, including bills to curb the cost of e-books for libraries, expand protections for certain tenants, prohibit the sale of energy drinks to children, bar legacy admissions at public and private colleges, and provide Connecticut residents who telecommute for New York companies with a financial incentive to challenge their income tax bills from that state.

One reason why some concepts faltered this year, including a push to extend the state’s HUSKY health insurance program for immigrants over the age of 15, may be the Democrats’ unusual decision not to reopen the second year of the two-year budget passed last year.

Traditionally the short legislative session is dedicated primarily to adjustments to the second year of the budget.

Instead, late Tuesday, the Senate gave final legislative approval to a plan to spend at least $360 million in remaining federal COVID-19 pandemic funds on key areas, including higher education, not-for-profit social service agencies, municipal aid and children’s mental health. The same bill also granted Lamont expanded authority to move money between state accounts.

“When we agreed not to open the budget and did not do a budget, that really limited your options,” Ritter said.

Republican lawmakers strongly criticized the decision to not reopen the budget. Some predicted Connecticut will now face future deficits by using one-time COVID relief funds for operating expenses.

“The Democrats didn’t do their job on the budget and they’ve left the hard decisions up to the governor,” House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora said. Democrats dismissed the criticism.

In the final minutes of the session, Republicans in the Senate sharply criticized their Democratic colleagues for calling up a vague bill that creates a $3 million fund for low-wage workers, calling it a slush fund. While Democrats didn’t explain the intention of the bill, which passed with only Democratic votes, a coalition of unions later praised the legislation as a step toward creating an assistance fund for striking workers.

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of Connecticut.

The warning is for Windham County, Northern Tolland County, Northern Hartford County, parts of Massachusetts and part of Rhode Island.

The service reported that at 4:21 p.m. Wednesday severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Leicester to Stafford, moving southeast at 20 mph. The potential hazard includes 60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail, the service saId.

The service also reported that radar indicated at 4:15 p.m. that hail up to quarter size was reported in Springfield.

As of 4:20 p.m. the warning was through 5:15 p.m.

Hail damage to vehicles is expected and possible wind damage to to roofs, siding, and trees could occur, the service reported.

Locations impacted include: Worcester, Enfield, Woonsocket, Franklin, Mansfield, Windham, Grafton, Killingly, Webster, Southbridge, Bellingham, Auburn, Burrillville, Longmeadow, East Longmeadow, Northbridge, Ellington,
Tolland, Wilbraham, and Oxford.

Precautionary actions could include:

• For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building.
• Large hail and damaging winds and continuous cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms. Move indoors immediately.
• Lightning is one of nature’s leading killers. Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning.
• Torrential rainfall is occurring with these storms, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

Information from Westport Public Schools:

WESTPORT, CT — Students from Staples High School and Bedford and Coleytown Middle Schools won awards for a total of nine projects at the 2024 Connecticut History Day (CHD) held on May 4 at Central Connecticut State University. Competing for the opportunity to advance to the national competition, dozens of Westport students submitted entries that focused on this year’s theme, Turning Points in History.

A program of the Connecticut Democracy Center, CHD is part of National History Day which is an ongoing program that engages thousands of middle- and high-school students in historical research, interpretation and creative expression through project-based learning. It seeks to bring students, teachers, museums, and scholars together to support young people as they engage in history.

Students whose projects placed first or second in their category at CHD move on to the National History Day competition to be held at the University of Maryland, College Park, on June 9-13. Westport students who placed at CHD include:

Uma Choudhury, Zara Saliba, and Caroline Banks (Staples High School) who won first place for their submission to the senior group exhibit category, “A Turning Point in Culture: The Immoral Origin and Immortal Legacy of HeLa Cells.”

Julien McMahon (Staples High School) who won first place in the senior individual website category with the entry, “The Shot that Echoed Across the World: The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.”

Chloe Jordan and Sienna Wearsch (Staples High School) who took second place in the category, senior group performance, with “Beyond the Boundaries of the Human and Feminist World.”

Zayd Hemdan, Lev Piterbarg, and Oliver Sunderji (Bedford Middle School) took first place in the
junior group documentary with their submission, “Harlem’s Golden Age: Revolution and Rebirth.”

Third place in the same category went to Alina Knapp, Quinn Danbeck and Julia Riley (Bedford Middle School) with their submission, “The Impact of Barbie.”

Liam Harrison (Bedford Middle School) won second place for, “The Wonders and Woes of a Turning Point: The Basilic Cannon’s Blast into Multiculturalism”, in the Junior Individual Performance category.

Alex Sheefel (Coleytown Middle School) placed second in the junior individual exhibit for “Nunca Mas, Grandmothers of Change.”

Ethan Maxwell Valencia (Coleytown Middle School) won third place in the junior individual website category for, “The Transistor: One Discovery Changed the World Forever.”

The special recognition of Outstanding Entry in World History – Senior Division was bestowed on Kevin Cano and Will Enquist (Staples High School) for their project, “The Yalta Conference: How a Secret Meeting Changed the Fate of the Post-War World.”

The students who have advanced to the national competition were mentored by teachers Nell-Ayn Lynch, Staples High School; Caroline Davis and Gabrielle Tomas, Bedford Middle School; and Steve Cerny, Coleytown Middle School.

“We are so proud of students across Staples, Bedford and Coleytown who engaged in historical research and inquiry through this program,” said Dr. Lauren Francese, Social Studies Coordinator, Westport Public Schools. “Their participation and shared success are a testament to their curiosity and the skills they’ve developed in social studies classrooms to think critically about historical topics and enduring themes.”