The paid sick leave bill passed its first hurdle of the year with a 6 to 5 vote Thursday in the labor committee.
The measure is so close that some believe it could be an 18 to 18 tie in the state Senate, which would be broken by Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman.
The bill has moved back and forth in recent years, passing either the House of Representatives one year or the Senate. But the highly controversial bill has never been passed in both chambers in the same year.
With Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy in support this year, the supporters believe this year will be different.