Inside Investigator

Connecticut Inside Investigator (CII) is a nonprofit news organization dedicated to keeping the people of Connecticut informed through in-depth investigative reporting. Our goal is to shed light on important issues and engage the public with compelling stories. We strive for a Connecticut free from corruption and filled with transparency. Thank you for visiting us.

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FOIA exemption for police complaints passes Senate

1 week ago | insideinvestigator.org | Katherine Revello

A bill that would prevent complaints against police officers from being disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) before they have been investigated and adjudicated passed the Senate unanimously on May 7. The FOIA exemption in SB 1436 is part of a broader bill responding to findings that Connecticut State Police officers were writing false tickets to obscure disproportionately high rates of traffic stops targeting people of color.
Healthcare reps rally against out-of-network caps

1 week ago | insideinvestigator.org | Katherine Revello

Healthcare professionals from 20 different organizations spoke against SB 6871, a provision originally brought forward by Gov. Ned Lamont that would place caps on out-of-network insurance costs, during a May 7 press conference. Speakers emphasized that workers from across healthcare were united in opposition to the bill, which they said would lead to the closure of medical practices, increase wait times, and limit patient access to care if passed.
New police contract has $8.2 million price tag

1 week ago | insideinvestigator.org | Katherine Revello

A recently negotiated one-year wage reopener agreement for state police recently given initial approval by the legislature’s Appropriations Committee is anticipated to cost roughly $8.2 million over the next two years. The majority of the cost comes from a 2.5 percent general wage increase in 2026. A $70 million state police contract approved in January 2023 also increased wages for state troopers by 2.5 percent over three years and included a $3,500 bonus.
East Haven gets $5K FOIC fine

2 weeks ago | insideinvestigator.org | Katherine Revello

East Haven’s attorney Michael Luzzi must pay $5,000 for the town’s handling of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request that saw them wait over 250 days before searching for responsive records and defy the orders of the hearing officer who handled the complaint multiple times. The $5,000 fine is the maximum penalty the Freedom of Information Commission (FOIC) can assess, and is double what was proposed by a hearing officer. It is the largest fine the commission has ever assessed.
Legislators move to add new tax on car-sharing services

2 weeks ago | insideinvestigator.org | Katherine Revello

Consumers who use peer-to-peer car sharing services like Turo or Zipcar could soon see the service become more expensive as the Connecticut Transportation Committee has advanced a bill that would subject those services to a sales and use tax. The bill would also repeal a ban on the state studying metrics that have previously been used to assess tolls.
Transparency Update: Oversight in doubt as session nears end

2 weeks ago | insideinvestigator.org | Katherine Revello

We’re nearing the end of another legislative session, and, once again, whether a number of recurring pending bills will pass (or not) is an open question. Chief among these is SB 1226, which would effectively cut the University of Connecticut (UConn) and the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU) system off from public scrutiny. It’s the third consecutive year a version of the bill, which creates a near blanket exemption for records at public universities, has appeared in some form.
FOIC moots Tire Pond FOIA decision

2 weeks ago | insideinvestigator.org | Katherine Revello

A decision made by the Freedom of Information Commission (FOIC) finding that the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) could not deny a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request because of an injunction against the filer’s husband has been dismissed. The move is part of an agreement Jean Farricielli made with DEEP as part of ongoing litigation. The FOIC recently dismissed a complaint filed by Farricielli, a Hamden resident who owns property near the Tire Pond remediation site.
Fonfara's energy bill advances

3 weeks ago | insideinvestigator.org | Katherine Revello

A late session bill that legislators will reduce energy costs by 40 percent over two years is headed to the Energy and Technology (ENT) Committee for further action. The Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee voted to approve the bill, which would create an independent, quasi-public agency to regulate electricity, to the Senate floor. It is expected to be referred to the ENT committee, which is the committee of cognizance, for further action. SB 1560, a committee bill worked on by Sen.
Whistleblower quoted $40K for release of FOIA'd records

3 weeks ago | insideinvestigator.org | Katherine Revello

Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) officials quoted Adam Orson over $40,000 for records responsive to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. That amount is based on a fee of up to 25 cents for copying over 16,000 pages of records. But that fee does not apply to electronic records. FOIA in Connecticut allows state agencies to charge a maximum of 25 cents per page fee for copying records.
"Public benefit" fee to fund firefighter cancer relief advances

3 weeks ago | insideinvestigator.org | Katherine Revello

The legislature’s Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee voted to advance a bill that would replenish a firefighters’ cancer relief fund by assessing a monthly five-cent fee on phone lines. Several Republicans likened the fee to a public benefits charge for telecommunications bills. The fee would cost five cents per month and apply to each line provided by local telephone service, commercial mobile radio service, and voice over Internet protocol services.