Keeping Our Families Safe From Dangerous Products
Those who violate product safety laws will face stiff fines and penalties, and hazardous products will be removed from store shelves more quickly, under a landmark law we supported in 2008.

Curbing Big Money In Politics
In 2006, ConnPIRG worked with Gov. Jodi Rell to implement strong campaign finance reform laws in Connecticut. The new laws make it harder for corporations to contribute large sums of money to political campaigns.

Paving The Way For 21st Century Transportation
Passenger rail travel will improve, and America will begin investing in a new generation of high-speed rail thanks to a ConnPIRG-backed law that authorizes $13 billion in spending over the next five years, a small step in a shift toward public transit and away from wasteful new highway projects.

Holding Drugmakers Accountable For Safety
In 2007, the president signed a ConnPIRG-backed law to rein in the makers of drugs like Vioxx, Paxil and Avandia, all of which had dangerous and deadly side effects. The law reforms the Food and Drug Administration’s drug safety review process and holds drugmakers more accountable for safety.

Promoting Young Voter Participation
In the 2008 presidential election, 3.4 million more 18- to 29-year-olds voted than in 2004, resulting in the largest number of young voters on record. The Student PIRGs’ New Voters Project did its part by deploying 80 organizers to help voters register on more than 100 college campuses in 22 states.

Locking Out Identity Thieves
In the wake of failures in data security on the part of data dealers and credit card companies, the Legislature passed a ConnPIRG-backed bill to protect Connecticut citizens from identity thieves by allowing citizens to freeze access to their credit reports. Companies must also notify individuals if the security of their personal information has been compromised.

Passing The First New Car Lemon Law
Since 1982, auto dealers have been held to stronger business practice standards because ConnPIRG worked with a coalition of other consumer groups to win the nation’s first new car Lemon Law. Connecticut’s Lemon Law served as a model for other states across the country.

Alerting Parents To Dangerous Toys
In November 2008, ConnPIRG released our 23rd annual toy safety report. Over the years, the report has resulted in more than 100 recalls and other enforcement actions and alerted parents and regulators to dangerous toys.