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Current Week  

     June 3, 2005


House of Representatives gives final action on Gift Card Bill
Pay or Play Health Care Bill still very much alive
CRMA Golf Tournament update


• By now you should have received our special Friday Facts that was sent yesterday informing you of the passage of SB 123, “An Act Concerning the Escheating of Gift Cards”.

• This is a major victory for all retailers and represents exactly why retailers should join CRMA and maintain there membership.

• When this bill is signed into law by Governor Rell, it will mean that all retailers, large and small, will no longer have to escheat any moneys relating to gift cards or gift certificates to the State Treasurer.

• In return retailers will have to always honor those gift certificates.

• CRMA was the leading trade organization fighting for this bill.

• Legislators on both sides of the aisle looked to us for answers to questions they had on the bill and because of our leadership and professionalism the bill passed with no opposition.

• To those members who are asked why they belong to CRMA, or who question how CRMA is different from any other trade association in the state, you need to look no further than this bill to find out why CRMA is the only association for retailers in CT.

• Please help spread the word to a friend or colleague in the industry about CRMA.

• Also, thank you, to our loyal members for helping us in this fight. Your calls and emails to legislators made a huge difference.

• Again, it is a great example of how CRMA works for retailers and demonstrates why CRMA is different that any other trade association. We care about retailers and retailers only!

Pay or play health care update:

• Despite how happy we are with our victory for retailers with SB 123, a major issue that impacts retailers remains on the General Assembly’s radar screen.

• SB 1147, (An Act Concerning Employee Health Security), a CT version of a Pay or Play Health Care Bill is on the Senate calendar and ready for action.

• We keep hearing that the sponsors of this bill are going to make one more major play to get this bill or something close to it passed before the session adjourns on midnight June 8th.

• Therefore, we need to ask you again to call or email your State Senator today and tell them to vote no on any version of a pay or play health care bill.

• Below is a link to both the Sen. Democrats and the Sen. Republicans web sites:
Senate Democrats website - http://dems.info
Senate Republicans website - http://www.ctgop.org/home.shtml

• If you do not know who your State Senator is call our office today and we will help you. Our office number is 860 – 527 – 1044.

CMRA Golf Classic:

• If you have not sent in your registration form for CRMA’s 4th Annual Golf Outing it is not too late.

• Please visit our website for registration information or call our office at 860-527-1044 and speak to Cathy, she can take your registration information over the phone.

• This is one of CRMA’s most successful fundraisers of the year. This event helps CRMA to continue to make positive change for retailers.

• We hope that you will join us on Tuesday June 14, 2005 at Blackledge Country Club for a great day of Golf!