Bipartisan Call for Unified Effort to Establish Connecticut as a Bioscience Powerhouse

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Webmaster

Bipartisan Call for Unified Effort to Establish Connecticut as a Bioscience Powerhouse

With precision medicine becoming big business in Connecticut, the Commerce Committee has produced bipartisan proposals to coordinate efforts across the state, prepare Connecticut’s workforce and position Connecticut as a national leader in biomedical research.

Members of the committee today stressed the need for cooperative support from government, education and private business in growing Connecticut’s bioscience sector. The legislators highlighted several bills they intend to support, and called for continued cooperation between the University of Connecticut, Yale University, The Jackson Laboratory and other stakeholders.

“The Connecticut Health Data Collaborative has identified precision medicine and personalized health as a sector in Connecticut with tremendous power and potential,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven). “This group has proven to be critical in the advancement of our bioscience sector across the state and we need to continue encouraging that kind of cooperation between stakeholders. The Yale Center for Genomic Analysis, The Jackson Laboratory, Mount Sinai Genetic Testing Laboratory, the University of Connecticut, our hospitals, and insurance companies are pieces of a gathering critical mass of bioscience and precision medicine organizations throughout Connecticut will have strong and positive reverberations across the state. Establishing Connecticut as a hub for bioscience research and development will continue to attract and increase a skilled international and national bioscience workforce.”

“Connecticut is locked in a global competition to create good-paying jobs and support high-growth industries,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk). “Our talented, hardworking, and highly educated work force is second to none. Connecticut possesses all of the ingredients to capitalize on the exponential growth that is set to occur in precision medicine and biomedical research. These bipartisan proposals will help set Connecticut on a course for tremendous growth.”

“I thank the members of the Commerce Committee for working so well together to advance multiple ideas to encourage development in bioscience,” said Senate Republican President Pro Tempore Len Fasano (North Haven). “We have an incredible workforce in our state and Connecticut should always be looking at new ways to support those workers and to grow new job opportunities. Proposals to bring to light more information and oversight are certainly ideas that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle can come together on, show unity and work to further explore ways to support industry growth.”

“Connecticut has the opportunity become a global leader in bioscience and precision medicine, but we need the full cooperation of our government, research universities and private industry to make this happen,” said Senator Joan Hartley (D-Waterbury), Co-Chair of the Commerce Committee. “Bioscience, particularly precision medicine, is expected to grow dramatically in the next one to three years, and Connecticut is well-positioned to be the place where much of that growth happens, creating new jobs and providing the shot in the arm our economy needs. This isn’t about one political party, one university or one business. This is something that will benefit us all, and we all need to work together to make that happen.”

“We already employ tens of thousands in bioscience in Connecticut and these bills will help the industry add more good-paying jobs,” said state Representative Caroline Simmons (D-Stamford), who is House chair of the Commerce Committee. ”I’m proud of the Commerce Committee and Sen. Hartley for such strong bipartisan support of these initiatives.”

A 2015 economic competitiveness survey of Connecticut found that the state has great assets and economic drivers in research and development, bioscience and health data. Connecticut has some of the world’s top research universities, producing students eager to bring their cutting-edge ideas to market. Connecticut also has the benefit of being home to The Jackson Laboratory, as well as numerous other bioscience and precision medicine companies eager to establish the state as a hub for this kind of work, attracting experts from around the world and retaining the current and developing experts the state already has.

Legislators identified three specific bills they intend to support: all three bills received overwhelming, bipartisan support when they came before the Commerce Committee, and now await action on the Senate calendar. These bills aim to better understand Connecticut’s strengths so that they can be built upon, ensuring the state is supporting this growing industry in the most effective and efficient way.

Senate Bill 959 requires that Connecticut evaluate and strengthen the workforce pipeline to better meet the needs of the bioscience and precision medicine sector. This will ensure that Connecticut’s state college and university system is preparing students for jobs needed in these sectors, including: researchers and clinicians, data scientists, health informaticians and genomic counselors. The demand for each of these jobs is growing, and Connecticut residents will be trained to meet that demand.

Senate Bill 962 will establish clear metrics to measure the effectiveness of state dollars being used to support the bioscience and precision medicine sector. As this industry grows, it is critical that the state know how to best target its financial support in order to ensure maximum job growth and economic impact. Once implemented, Senate Bill 962 will give the state a more accurate picture of industry trends, allowing the Department of Economic and Community Development and its other partners to better target state resources.

Senate Bill 968 provides for the continued work of the successful Connecticut Health Data Collaborative, a network of public and private partners with diverse and complementary backgrounds. This collaborative has brought together leaders from Connecticut’s most prestigious research institutions, led by the Yale Center for Genomic Analysis, The Jackson Laboratory, Mount Sinai Genetic Testing Laboratory, and the University of Connecticut as well as hospital representatives, leaders from some of the largest insurance companies in the country situated here in Connecticut, and representatives from our state’s technology advancement sector. Together, they have envisioned a bold plan for our state and we look to them to forge a path forward that will establish Connecticut as a national leader in bioscience and precision medicine.

Bipartisan Call for Unified Effort to Establish Connecticut as a Bioscience Powerhouse

Posted on March 28, 2017 by Webmaster

Bipartisan Call for Unified Effort to Establish Connecticut as a Bioscience Powerhouse

Osten Testifies in Support of Crackdown on Human Trafficking

Posted on March 27, 2017 by Webmaster

Osten Testifies in Support of Crackdown on Human Trafficking

State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) today gave her support to a proposed human trafficking bill that would prohibit motels from renting rooms by the hour and would require patrons to show positive identification when renting rooms, among other provisions.

House Bill 7309, “An Act Concerning Human Trafficking,” received its public hearing today before the legislature’s Judiciary Committee. The bill contains provisions that are similar to legislation put forth earlier this year by Sen. Osten in other proposed legislation.

“By barring motel or hotel operators from offering hourly rates, we can prevent instances of human trafficking in Connecticut that can occur at these places,” Sen. Osten told legislators. “In addition, hotel operators need to establish the identity of their patrons by asking to see a driver’s license, a passport, or some other form of ID with a photo. These two changes in tandem would have a huge impact on curbing the problem of human trafficking in Connecticut.”

Sen. Osten said the idea for banning hourly rates at motels came from the state Trafficking Persons Council, which has been meeting for years and making public policy recommendations to Connecticut legislators.

In Connecticut, a person is guilty of “trafficking in persons” when they compel another person to engage in sexual contact or to provide labor by means of force, threats, fraud or coercion. For many people, sex and labor trafficking bring visions of foreign places and people, but in reality, sex and labor trafficking are happening in Connecticut to Connecticut residents

In 2015, the state Department of Children and Families (DCF) received 133 referrals of youth who were at risk or confirmed victims of human trafficking; that number increased to 151 referrals in just the first nine months of 2016.

The Judiciary Committee has until April 7 to act on the proposed bill.

Senator Flexer in the News: Planned Parenthood cuts would hurt Windham County

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Webmaster

Planned Parenthood cuts would hurt Windham County

Norwich Bulletin: State Sen. Mae Flexer, D-Killingly, agrees and is trying to pass a bill in the General Assembly that would maintain mandatory maternity coverage and access to birth control if future changes to Obamacare eliminate those options.

“I think it’s an outrage that the Republicans in Washington are targeting Planned Parenthood and women’s healthcare. Planned Parenthood meets a critical need throughout the country. If it ceases to exist there are thousands of women in Connecticut and millions across the country who would not receive the preventive health care that they need,” Flexer said.

Read the full article at the Norwich Bulletin.

Winfield and Colleagues Oppose Attack on Nurses, Teachers, and Firefighters

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Webmaster

Winfield and Colleagues Oppose Attack on Nurses, Teachers, and Firefighters

State Senator Gary Winfield (D-New Haven) joined his colleagues at the Capitol today to discuss 96 bills being heard before the Appropriations Committee, all of which concern state employee pay and benefits.

The vast majority of these bills, proposed primarily by Republican legislators, attack rights for teachers, firefighters and other public sector employees.

“I think we come to this building to make people’s lives better. The 96 bills we see on the agenda of the appropriations committee this morning, I don’t believe do that. We’ve rhetorically turned our state workers into the enemy. We have decided that this is a conversation about takers versus makers, that this is a conversation about the union versus the tax payers, that this is a conversation about us versus them,” Senator Gary Winfield (D-New Haven) said. “The reality is, that them is us, that them, they pay taxes. They do all of the things that anybody else in this state that makes up the rest of the tax-base do. What we are standing here saying is that we came to this building for a reason; it’s to make people’s lives better. And if we believe that state workers have something that other people don’t have, then the solution to that is not taking it away from state workers, but it’s to figure out how we give those things to other people.”

Senator Winfield was joined by Representative Robyn Porter (D-94), who organized the press conference, Senator Ed Gomes (D-Bridgeport), Representatives Edwin Vargas (D-6), James Albis (D-99) and Matthew Lesser (D-100).

“These bills are an attack on the working men and women in our state and hurting them will only make our economy more ineffective,” Rep. Porter (Hamden, New Haven), Co-Chair of the Labor and Public Employees Committee said. “We have a responsibility to protect our nurses—who care for us, our teachers—-who educate us, and our firefighters—-who keep us safe. I stand strong with my colleagues in opposing these bills and will continue to fight for the rights of workers and the middle class.”

“This is an attack on workers. Is anybody allowed to make a living? These people have given so much back, it is unbelievable,” Senator Ed Gomes (D-Bridgeport) said. “Let’s talk about Bridgeport, we live in the richest county in the whole country. We have 17 billionaires in this state and thousands of millionaires, who is attacking them? All we see is an attack on workers, somebody who comes to work every day, does their job. I just don’t understand it.”

“We have doubled up on our fight to protect our communities and the very core base of the people we serve,” said Rep. Edwin Vargas (D-Hartford). “While I understand the fiscal challenges we face, I am against balancing the budget on the backs of the hard working people of Connecticut. Let’s find new revenue sources that will benefit the entire state, instead of considering proposals that hurt our working class and our most vulnerable constituencies.”

“These bills are a race to the bottom for worker rights, wage and benefit precedent setting across Connecticut,” Rep. James Albis (D-East Haven) said. “How the state values these indispensable workers will be reflected on how the private sector, which mainly seeks to maximize profits, values them. We must ensure that livable wages and retirement plans are the rule and not just a rare exception.”

“Connecticut is not Wisconsin and I am stunned by the sheer number of attacks on workers’ rights this year,” Rep. Matthew Lesser (D-Middletown) said. “I am proud to stand with my colleagues and fight for Connecticut’s firefighters, nurses, teachers and everybody who works for a living.”

Flexer Praises Brave Committee Passage of National Popular Vote Legislation

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Webmaster

Flexer Praises Brave Committee Passage of National Popular Vote Legislation

State Senator Mae Flexer (D-Killingly) today lauded the Democratic members of her Government Administration and Elections Committee for—over the strenuous objections of their Republican counterparts—passing a bill that could result in electing America’s president by the national popular vote, instead of the electoral college.

House Bill 5434, “An Act Adopting the Interstate Compact to Elect the President of the United States by National Popular Vote,” barely passed out of the GAE Committee today on a partisan 8-7 vote, with Sen. Flexer herself—who is Senate Co-Chair of the Committee—voting in the affirmative.

The bill now heads to the floor of the House of Representatives for consideration.

“I’m very proud of the Democratic members of the GAE Committee for sticking together and doing the right thing for America by voting for this National Popular Vote bill, even after Republicans killed the Senate version of this bill” Sen. Flexer said today. “To have this vote come today, on the same day that a horrid Republican replacement health care bill was imploding in Washington D.C., is so fitting. It’s a stark reminder that elections can have dire consequences for the physical and psychic health of a nation, and that the person who wins the electoral college is not necessarily the best choice for president nor the person who has the support of a majority of American citizens. Hopefully this NPV bill will successfully make its way through the House and Senate and other states will join us in the compact.”

“After the November election my office received scores of emails from people in support of instituting a national popular vote,” Sen. Flexer added. ‘I agree. We have to move beyond what is truly an antiquated electoral college system and trust our citizens to directly elect their president. Every vote should have equal weight.”

Under the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, once it goes into effect, the states therein choose to allocate their electoral votes to the candidate who garners the most popular votes in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The compact takes effect only when enough states sign on to guarantee that the national popular vote winner wins the presidency. This means that states with a combined total of 270 electoral votes—a majority of the electoral college—must join the compact for it to take effect.

To date, 11 American states possessing 165 electoral votes have approved the interstate compact, which represent 61 percent of the 270 electoral votes necessary to activate it. Connecticut’s neighboring states—New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island—have passed this bill.

The state-by-state, winner-take-all method of awarding electoral votes is not set out in the United States Constitution. It was not debated at the Constitutional Convention, nor was it discussed in the Federalist Papers. The Founding Fathers did not design the system of allocating electoral votes currently used in most states. Rather, the Founding Fathers established the electoral college without any instructions on how states should use it. The winner-take-all rule was used by only three states in the nation’s first presidential election in 1789 (all of which abandoned it by 1800).

Osten Welcomes Committee Passage of Latest Dyslexia Bill

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Webmaster

Osten Welcomes Committee Passage of Latest Dyslexia Bill

State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) praised the Education Committee’s unanimous and bipartisan passage today of House Bill 7254, which would require teachers applying for certain certifications to study the detection of dyslexia in students.

The bill, which is based on language introduced earlier this session by Sen. Osten, is the last in a series of four dyslexia-related bills that Sen. Osten has helped write and pass into law in Connecticut over the past few years. It still must be approved by the House and Senate and signed into law by the governor.

“This bill today is the last piece of a four-year effort to bring children with dyslexia to the attention of educators in Connecticut,” Sen. Osten said. “The first bill was to create public awareness. The second bill provided structured, professional development, and the third bill built on that. Today’s bill ensures that teachers, before they even become teachers, can detect and address dyslexia in students and that they have some options for addressing it.”

HB 7254 requires teachers who are applying for any professional certification that has a comprehensive special education or integrated early childhood and special education endorsement to complete a program of study in the diagnosis and remediation of reading and language arts. That program has to include supervised practicum hours and instruction in the detection and recognition of—and evidence-based structured literacy interventions for—students with dyslexia.

The previous dyslexia legislation championed by Sen. Osten includes:

PUBLIC ACT 14-39, which added dyslexia as a ‘primary disability’ on state education forms for an Individualized Education Program (IEP).
PUBLIC ACT 15-97, which added dyslexia to in-service teacher professional development, and required the state Education Department to develop a reading assessment for use by local school boards to help identify students at risk for dyslexia.
PUBLIC ACT 16-92, which required anyone after July 1, 2017 who is applying for a remedial reading, remedial language arts or reading consultant endorsement on their teaching certificate to complete a program of study focusing on literacy interventions for students with dyslexia.

Bye Welcomes Committee Passage of Bill Requiring Independent Consumer Advocate For MDC

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Webmaster

Bye Welcomes Committee Passage of Bill Requiring Independent Consumer Advocate For MDC

Consumers served by the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) are one step closer to having an independent advocate who will increase transparency and accountability.

Today, the General Assembly’s Planning & Development Committee passed unanimously, and with bipartisan support, House Bill 6008, “An Act Establishing an Independent Consumer Advocate for Metropolitan District of Hartford County Consumers,” which was introduced by Senator Beth Bye (D-West Hartford) and Representatives David Baram (D-Bloomfield) and Derek Slap (D-West Hartford).

The bill requires the MDC to pay for an independent consumer advocate who will be appointed by—and report to—Connecticut’s Consumer Counsel.

“There are other MDC reforms that we need, but this bill is an important step,” Sen. Bye said. “This bill creates the position of independent consumer advocate on the MDC board, someone with public utility law and policy expertise whose sole responsibility is to the consumer. Until now, that is something that has been lacking on the MDC, and now we’ll have somebody.”

Rep. Baram hailed the bill as a way to create transparency and to provide timely information.

“Too often MDC policies are decided without advance notice or public participation,” he said. “Many MDC board members are appointed by the legislature and governor without direct accountability to member towns. An independent consumer advocate cures that deficiency by being accountable to and serving as the ‘eyes and ears’ of the public only. This is a milestone accomplishment that gives a strong voice to the MDC district towns.”

“There’s no dispute that transparency and accountability must be improved at the MDC,” said Rep. Slap. “This independent consumer advocate will help ensure the public has a voice and that is essential for monitoring rates and safeguarding our water.”

Sen. Bye and Rep. Slap, who both serve on the P&D Committee, voted today to move the bill out of committee; Rep. Baram helped negotiate the proposed legislation. The bill was referred to the Planning and Development Committee for consideration.

The bill calls for an independent consumer advocate to provide the public information in a timely manner about policies, ordinances, agenda, motions and votes, hearings, and other substantive information dealing with water and sewer management and operations of the Metropolitan District Commission so that the public and municipal officials are aware of matters impacting their towns and fellow residents.

HB 6008 has the support of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters. Its Executive Director, Lori Brown, testified that, “Until now, MDC’s member towns have been inadequately informed and consulted on MDC matters that concern them. Major decisions affecting our state’s water resources controlled by MDC must include public involvement. Water planning and decisions about how it is used, sold, protected, and managed must be inclusive. MDC’s failings in the past to work with citizens about these decisions can be partly addressed by having a dedicated, independent consumer advocate in place to ensure accurate and responsive two-way communication between the MDC and the public it is mandated to serve. Passage of HB 6008 is an essential first step.”

Patricia OConnor, a member of Save Our Water and a West Hartford resident, was one of several citizen advocates who testified in favor of the bill, “An objective consumer advocate to keep member residents informed could go a long way toward restoring greater transparency and bridging the chasm of broken trust between the member towns and the MDC,” she said.

Senator Duff E-News: Combating Hate Crimes; Rowayton Office Hours and More

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Webmaster

Hartley Welcomes Rejection of South End Dump Proposal

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Webmaster

Hartley Welcomes Rejection of South End Dump Proposal

Rejection of city transfer station plan paves the way for growth in Waterbury’s South End

Senator Joan Hartley (D-Waterbury) applauded the decision of Waterbury’s Zoning Commission to reject a transfer station proposal that she and others have fought for several weeks. The proposal was to site a 700 ton transfer station in Waterbury’s South End, which Hartley argued would stunt the growth of this struggling neighborhood.

“The South End has experienced a remarkable resurgence in recent years, with new businesses opening and families moving in. This proposal would likely have stopped or even rejected that growth, and I am glad the Zoning Commission voted it down,” said Senator Hartley. “There are great things happening in the South End. A major housing complex recently opened, construction of the Waterbury Greenway is coming to a conclusion and approval was recently announced for an Urban Food Hub that will be one-of-a-kind in our entire region. The proposed transfer station could have stood in the way of this progress, and I am glad we will not have to worry about it any longer.”

F&G LLC proposed to construct a new transfer station in Waterbury’s South End which would receive 700 towns of solid waste each day. This waste would be carried 18-wheeler trash haulers, which were expected to make 90 trips per day through the densely populated neighborhood.

Hartley submitted testimony for the public hearing on this proposal, which was held in February. In that testimony, she pointed out the damage that a foul-smelling transfer station could do to the quality of life and economy in Waterbury’s South End, counteracting the benefit of substantial investments she and others secured for the neighborhood in recent years.