‘Brown Bill’ likely to get hearing at capitol

By MIKE CHAIKEN
EDITIONS EDITOR
A bill inspired by the recent events surrounding Councilor Calvin Brown’s move from one district to another after he was elected is likely to receive a hearing this General Assembly session, reported the bill’s chief author.
State Rep. Whit Betts said last Friday that it appears the General Assembly’s Government Administration and Elections Committee is likely to schedule the bill for a hearing. When that hearing will be scheduled, Betts said has yet to be determined.
Betts submitted a bill to the GAEC that states, “This legislation shall amend Connecticut General Statute Section 9-186 so that any municipal officer who is elected from a district must remain a resident of the district for the entire term of office, and that should a municipal officer move out of district, the position shall be deemed vacant.”
Republicans state Rep. Cara Pavalock and state Senator Henri Martin, and Democrat state Rep. Frank Nicastro also signed onto the bill.
The four state legislators all said the proposal, which was requested by city of Bristol officials, was in response to the situation surrounding Brown’s residency. Brown had bought a house in October in the Second District. But at the time, he was running for the November elections for the First District, where he still resided when he was nominated. Brown eventually won the First District, receiving the most number of votes by any council candidate in any district.
Research by corporate counsel found that Brown only had to live in the district he was being nominated for. If he was elected and moved to another district within the city after ward, there was no language in the city charter or the state statutes that said he had to resign his post.
The bill proposed by Betts won’t impact Brown, who is keeping his position on the council. However, state legislators said it would clarify the situation if it should come up again in Bristol or other communities.
Some have argued that the legislation infringes on home rule and would be better served by charter revision. But Betts pointed out the state already has some say in the governance of local issues such as planning and zoning and education.
Betts said if the statutes are silent on the issue, it’s at least worth investigating whether some clarification can be made to avoid future problems.