State Rep. Melissa Ziobron, R-East Haddam, has submitted or is co-sponsoring 20 pieces of legislation for the 2013 regular session of the Connecticut General Assembly.
Ziobron, who is in her first term as a state legislator representing the 34th District, has filed bills to recognize the Airline Trail in East Hampton and a measure that seeks to force the state to do something about the run-down conditions of Sunrise State Park in East Haddam.
The 2013 session started several weeks ago and runs through May.
Other initiatives Ziobron has introduced or is backing include:
HB 5200 An act that would allow hunting on Sundays on public lands.
HB 5529 This bill would require two-thirds vote of the House for any new municipal mandates.
HB 5530 This measure would allow towns to publish their legal notices on local websites, as opposed to newspapers.
HB 5975 This bill would allow towns to adopt bans on dangerous dogs without focusing on specific breeds.
HB 5378 This bill calls for the creation of a civilian medal honor for acts of bravery or heroism by citizens.
What is the blanket definition of "Dangerous"? ..."without focusing on specific breeds."...Does this address individual 'problem' dogs? Who is setting the parameters and standards? Is this proposed legislation based on legislation that is in force in other states or municipalities? Who is responsible for determination and enforcement? Animal Control or the Police Department? On whom does the Burden of Proof fall? If an unfriendly neighbor has an axe to grind or is bothered by a dog's barking, can that individual make a spurious claim that a dog is dangerous and then is it up to the owner to prove otherwise? If an unsupervised child approaches a strange dog and surprises it by pulling on its ears resulting in a reflexive snap, does that dog automatically earn the title of dangerous? Will cases be adjudicated civilly or in criminal court? I'm sorry, there is too much grey area here and to my mind it is another, albeit small, example of government expansion into personal liberty and a self serving attempt on the part of elected windmill tilters to legislate every little social malaise out of existence. With all due respect Ms. Ziobron; given the times in which we live and the real pressing issues facing our towns, I don't think you'd have to look very far to find , 'meaner dogs to muzzle', more appropriate uses for your service in Hartford on behalf of the citizens of your district.
― Thomas Jefferson
"If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law." -Winston Churchill