The Connecticut Joint Government Administration & Elections Committee will hear two bills on February 22 that change the rules for public funding of candidates. HB 5021, sponsored by Governor Jodi Rell, repeals the parts of the public funding law that discriminate against independent candidates. HB 5022, sponsored by the Committee, leaves the discriminatory aspects in place, but lowers the number of signatures that independent candidates must submit in order to obtain public funding. HB 5022 says it only goes into effect if the 2nd circuit strikes down the existing law. Thanks to Mike De Rosa for this news.