On April 14, the Connecticut Joint Committee on Government Administration & Elections passed SB 1156. This is the bill requested by the Independent Party to ease some of the paperwork for getting party nominees on the ballot. For a party that polled at least 1% for a statewide office in the last election, but which does not have qualified status for a particular U.S. House or legislative district, petitioning can commence without the need for a cumbersome declaration that the party has a committee in that district that has approved the party label.