June 2009 Issue

Capitol address
Legislative Office Building
Room 2100
Hartford, CT 06106-1595

E-mail
Musto@senatedems.ct.gov

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

Phone
Capitol: 860-240-0558
Toll-free: 1-800-842-1420

While the regular legislative session has ended, the General Assembly’s work is not yet done. We're working hard to reach a budget agreement that reduces spending by billions of dollars but also protects critical services, such as health care for children and job training programs for those who have lost a job.

Of course the budget hasn’t been our only focus. During the last six months, the legislature passed many meaningful pieces of legislation; I’ve highlighted just a few for you in this month’s Capitol News. As our work continues, please e-mail or call me with your thoughts and ideas about those state issues that affect you most.

Growing Green Jobs in Connecticut

Whether it’s in the public or private sector, in manufacturing or energy efficiency, so- called “green jobs” help put our state and our country on the path toward a sustainable, independent future. The federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides funds for investment in green jobs, which is why the legislature voted unanimously on a bill requiring the state Department of Economic and Community Development to create a program that would use stimulus dollars to create these jobs.

The program must target investments in renewable energy research and development, promote green energy use in state buildings and educational institutions — all designed to emphasize Connecticut’s existing green industries and to encourage the growth of new green jobs in our state.

Responsible Fatherhood
and Strong Families

Studies show children with absent fathers are more likely to drop out of school, develop alcohol and substance abuse problems and become involved in violent criminal behavior. During the legislative session, I was pleased to move a bill through the Children’s Committee and through both the House and Senate that aims to address some of the social problems created or aggravated by the absence of fathers from their children’s lives.

This legislation stems from the work of the Task Force on Fatherhood since its creation last year and will require new reporting on child support collection efforts, authorize new educational and job training programs for parents involved in custody cases, and support the positive involvement and interaction of fathers with their children.

Increasing Access to
Child Court Proceedings

Other states have shown how public access to child court hearings increases accountability and allows for greater public understanding of our child welfare system. Under legislation passed this year that came out of the Children’s Committee, the Superior Court will create a pilot program to increase public access to proceedings in child welfare cases — where a child has allegedly been uncared for, neglected or abused — with the judge having the option of closing the proceedings on a case-by-case basis.

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