HARTFORD, Conn. — (AP) - The co-chairman of the General Assembly's Public Health Committee is throwing his support behind a proposed tax on sugary drinks.
Democratic Rep. Jonathan Steinberg of Westport says he's working to persuade his fellow Connecticut lawmakers to support the tax in order to reduce consumption and improve public health.
Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont included a 1.5-cent-per-ounce tax on sugar-sweetened drinks in his budget proposal, which still awaits legislative action.
Steinberg appeared Tuesday with representatives of the American Heart Association and American Academy of Pediatrics to draw attention to the proposal. But it remains unclear if the tax will ultimately pass.
It's opposed by the beverage industry and many Republicans.
Senate Republican Leader Len Fasano claims Democrats are hypocrites for wanting to reduce people's sugar consumption while wanting to legalize recreational marijuana.