AARP Connecticut Response to Opening of 2020 Legislative Session

AARP Connecticut State Director Nora Duncan provided the following statement in regards to Governor Lamont’s State of the State Address and Senate Bill 1:

Governor Lamont’s decision to move the Connecticut Retirement Security Authority (CRSA) inside the Office of the State Comptroller is an encouraging sign of his commitment to a program that provides 600,000 Connecticut workers with a path to a more secure financial future. Comptroller Lembo has always been strong advocate for the CRSA and the need to offer Connecticut residents access to a retirement savings plan through their workplace.

AARP Connecticut is pleased to hear Governor Lamont intends to address the high cost of prescription drugs by pursuing legislation to safely import medications from Canada. In 2018, then-candidate Lamont’s campaign materials noted that, “For far too long, Connecticut residents have gotten a raw deal on drugs,” and he would take action to lower prices for consumers. We will continue to advocate for Canadian drug importation legislation that has bipartisan support and is already law in four states.

We applaud the level of interest and support legislators in both chambers demonstrated for lowering prescription drug prices in the months leading up to the legislative session. In a recent announcement of their 2020 legislative priorities, Senate Democrats stated controlling prescription drug costs as their top priority and identified Senate Bill Number 1 (SB 1) as legislation that would cap insulin costs.

Instead, SB 1 proposes a fee for the manufacture and distribution of insulin. We are underwhelmed by the lack of detail in the proposal. We look forward to seeing additional bill language in the coming weeks that lives up to the public commitments made in January.

We also look towards the Insurance and Real Estate Committee to raise additional legislation to address high prescription drug costs. State governments across the country are moving forward with innovative solutions to lower prices for consumers. AARP Connecticut urges our elected officials to consider ideas such as creating a drug review board, limiting formulary changes, and addressing pharmaceutical industry practices that keep generic drugs out of the hands of consumers.