Democrat “Hen Hotels” Bill Lays One on CT Economy

While the national economy has caused unemployment in Connecticut to spike, and with the state of Connecticut facing a budget deficit of $1.3 billion this fiscal year, one need only look to legislation introduced by House Democrats this session to understand how out of touch they may be to the crisis facing people in the real world who are losing jobs, missing mortgage payments, and having trouble making ends meet.

House Bill 5811, An Act Concerning Battery Cages and Egg-Laying Hens is an excellent example, introduced by Representatives Diana Urban (D-North Stonington), Steve Fontana (D-North Haven) and Maryanne Hornish (D-Barkhamsted).  This bill requires that all egg-laying hens in Connecticut have battery cages that are large enough to allow them to stretch their wings.  Sounds nice, right?

Well, the largest producer of eggs in New England, Kofkoff Farms is in Bozrah, Franklin Lebanon and Colchester.  This business contributes over $500,000 in local taxes to the local economies of those towns.  The cost to convert the 4 million laying hens from cages that are scientifically supported  to the large cages is estimated at more than $100 million.  That’s $30 per bird.

In speaking before the legislature’s Commerce Committee earlier this week, Representative Larry Miller (R-Stratford) spoke about the proposal. “If this legislation becomes law, the total statewide impact of the loss of this industry would amount to $186.7 million per year,” said Miller.  “Do we really want to kill 300 Connecticut jobs and devastate Bozrah’s economy? Is this the kind of message we want to send to potential employers who might be considering a move to our state? I don’t think so.”

Kofkoff Farms have already said that increased cost would understandably require them to leave Connecticut.

Right now one of the priorities of the legislature should be to find ways to support businesses in this climate, not kill them, burden them, or force them to leave.  A proposal like this shows Democrats still don’t get it when it comes to this fiscal crisis.