Former Connecticut governor John Rowland has pleaded not guilty to federal charges. For the second time in a decade Rowland is facing political corruption charges. Just a week ago Rowland resigned from his radio talk show and late yesterday was indicted on seven counts by a federal grand jury in New Haven. He pleaded guilty to political corruption charges in 2004, and became the first Connecticut governor in state history to be sent to federal prison,where he spent ten months.
GOP Gubernatorial Candidates Square Off
Senate Minority Leader John McKinney is defending the gun control bill that was passed following the Newtown school shooting. McKinney and 4 other Republican gubernatorial candidates faced off today in the first debate of this year's election. Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said he would have sent the bill back to the legislature. Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti said the new law "doesn't solve anything."
Bill to Overhaul Response to Campus Assaults
The House of Representatives has unanimously passed a bill that overhauls how college and university officials in Connecticut respond to sexual assault and violence on campus. The legislation requires reporting of sexual violence at higher education institutions and more detail in campus crime reports.
Affordable Housing Projects Announced
Connecticut officials have announced more than $70 million in federal and state funds for 16 affordable housing projects across the state. Governor Dannel Malloy and other officials said today the funding will be used to build and rehabilitate 694 affordable rental apartments. Some of the projects are in Norwalk, Stamford, Bridgeport, Hartford and New Haven.
Access Health CT Says Website Did Well
The CEO of Access Health CT says the exchange signed up more than 198,000 people before the March 31 enrollment deadline. Kevin Counihan says the state did many things correctly including its website, which was relatively stable. Counihan says Access Health CT nearly doubled its enrollment goal of a 100,000. He says the state's two retail storefronts, in New Britain and New Haven performed well, enrolling over 70 percent of their 14,000 visitors.