Capitol News from State Senator Bob Duff

June 2009 Issue

Capitol address
Legislative Office Building
Room 2400
Hartford, CT 06106-1595

On the Web
www.SenatorDuff.cga.ct.gov

Phone
Capitol: 860-240-0414
Toll-free: 1-800-842-1420
Home: 203-840-1333

While the 2009 regular session is over, the General Assembly is working hard to craft a budget that not only balances our deficit but also protects our working families, preserves jobs and puts Connecticut on the right track for future growth.

In this Capitol update, you’ll learn about some of the important bills that the General Assembly approved this year that protect Connecticut’s children, seniors and homeowners.

Mandatory Foreclosure Mediation

photo of Senator Duff speaking on foreclosure mediation bill Last year, Connecticut created a voluntary foreclosure mediation program through the state Judicial Branch to help stem the tide of home foreclosures in our state. Since its establishment, the program has helped keep more than 600 people in their homes through loan modification and other agreements forged with their mortgage holders. The program has been so successful that it’s become a model for the rest of the country.

Only about 30 percent of those eligible for the mediation program, however, have actually taken advantage of it. This year, in partnership with the governor, I moved legislation that will make this noteworthy program mandatory for any homeowner facing foreclosure in our state. The month of March set a new record — 5.3 percent of all home loans — for foreclosures in Connecticut. It’s my hope that mandatory mediation will help reduce these numbers.

A Ban on BPA

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a compound used in plastics as a hardener. However, studies have linked BPA exposure to several human health problems, including obesity, diabetes, thyroid disease, breast and prostate cancer and a host of other illnesses. Children are especially susceptible to the potentially harmful effects of BPA.

For the last few years, I have advocated for a statewide ban on the sale of products containing BPA. I voted in favor of a bill this year — that the governor has since signed into law — that bans infant formula and baby food containers made with BPA. The law also bans reusable food and beverage containers — including baby bottles, sippy cups, sports bottles and thermoses — that contain BPA. While this isn’t an outright ban, it’s a positive first step that will help protect our most vulnerable.

Silver Alerts for Senior Safety

photo of senior couple The national AMBER Alert partnership is a proven way to help mobilize communities to assist in the safe recovery of missing children. This year, the legislature created a new law to join the Silver Alert system, a national effort modeled after the AMBER Alert to help find senior citizens and mentally impaired adults who go missing.

Our new Silver Alert system will be developed through the state Department of Public Safety and, like AMBER Alerts, will utilize radio, television and electronic highway billboards to help locate missing seniors, minimize risk to them and help spare their loved ones the prolonged anguish of a missing family member.

A Child Champion

Late last month, I had the honor of being named a 2009 Child Champion by the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance, a group of approximately 50 state organizations and thousands of individuals committed to improving developmental outcomes in the areas of learning, health, safety and economic security for children ages birth to eight.