Following a national trend on the "birther'' movement, a controversial bill has been introduced in Connecticut that would require future candidates for president and vice president to provide an original birth certificate before running for office.
Sen. Michael McLachlan, a Danbury Republican, has offered proposed bill number 291, which is known as "An Act Concerning Qualifications to Appear As A Candidate For President or Vice-President On A Ballot In This State.''
The bill, which is currently one sentence, would require the Secretary of the State to certify "that the certificate holder is a natural-born United States citizen, prior to certifying that the candidate is qualified to appear on the ballot.''
McLachlan, who is serving in his second term after winning the seat once held by Republican David Cappiello, told Capitol Watch that he believes the measure is actually straightforward.
"I don't consider this a birther bill. I believe this is a Presidential qualification bill,'' McLachlan said. "I'm taking it right out of the Constitution. It is very simple.''
He added, "My only point here, clear and simple, so we don't have to listen to this any more is that if you're going to be on the ballot, provide your birth certificate.''
Since the bill covers future cases, it would cover Obama's run for re-election in 2012.
State Sen. Gayle Slossberg, co-chairwoman of the committee where the bill was filed, was immediately cool to the idea.
"It was a real shock that such a divisive type of bill would be proposed,'' said Slossberg, a Milford Democrat. "I don't see it as a priority for the committee. Talk about the fringe. This is an old and disposed-of matter.''
When asked for the chances of the bill being approved by the committee on a scale of 1 to 10, Slossberg said, "I can't imagine that members of the committee are going to want to spend time on this. I don't know if this is one person's opinion or concern or this is the arm of out-there people. ... This is just ridiculous.''
McLachlan, who has been the ranking member of the Government Administration and Elections Committee for more than two years, said he was disappointed to hear Slossberg's comments.
"It's too bad that she and I didn't have a chance to talk about this first,'' McLachlan said Monday night. "She holds the gavel on what makes it to a public hearing.''