By SUSAN HAIGH
Associated Press Writer

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) _ A state senator who helped write a bill that would revoke the pensions of corrupt officials said Friday she wants lawmakers to reconsider the ethics legislation during a planned special session.

The original bill died Wednesday, the last day of the regular legislative session, when lawmakers could not agree on whether to treat elected officials and government employees differently when determining whether to revoke or reduce their pensions.

Sen. Gayle Slossberg, co-chairman of the legislature's Government Administration and Elections Committee said she believes a compromise can be reached that can pass both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

``It's time to put the blame game to rest, and stop the Monday morning quarterbacking about what should have been because we still need to pass an ethics bill that includes pension revocation for all corrupt officials and employees,'' said Slossberg, D-Milford.

Slossberg did not mention her counterpart in the House, Rep. Chris Caruso, who she had blamed for the bill's demise Wednesday night.

Caruso, a Bridgeport Democrat, has insisted the bill include an amendment that sets a different standard for government employees than elected officials convicted of corruption. He maintains the pensions of unionized employees can only be reduced, not revoked, because of collective bargaining agreements. The amendment he supports would reduce a pension by the amount of any fines, restitution or incarceration costs.

But Caruso has said he also believes the matter can be taken up special session and that a compromise can be reached.

The legislation is one of the last pieces of reform in the wake of the 2004 resignation of former Gov. John G. Rowland, who left office amid a corruption scandal.

There have been debates about whether the legislation should be retroactive to affect Rowland's pension, but Slossberg said she doesn't believe that idea has enough support in the General Assembly.

A spokesman for Senate President Donald E. Williams, D-Brooklyn, said the Senate Democrats are committed to passing the bill and that Williams is open to including ethics reform in a special session if an agreement is worked out beforehand.

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal also wants lawmakers to revisit ethics, as well as several other bills that died on Wednesday. He also has urged them to take up legislation that increases state oversight of nursing homes and mandates higher minimum staffing levels.

Blumenthal also wants lawmakers to take up the False Claims Act, which would allow the state to recover damages from people who defraud the state; and another bill that strengthens protections for whistleblowers.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)