Month: March 2017

Preparing for Winter Storms

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Preparing for Winter Storms

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Northern Connecticut from 5:00 a.m. Tuesday until 2:00 a.m. Wednesday. In Western and Central Connecticut, heavy snows accumulating between 18 and 24 inches along with strong winds gusting to 60 MPH are expected. The snow will quickly become heavy with 3 to 4 inch per hour snowfall rates possible at times into Tuesday afternoon. There will be dangerous travel conditions due to near whiteout conditions at times and snow-covered roads, especially Tuesday morning through early Tuesday afternoon. Strong winds may result in isolated power outages.

Remember, a Winter Storm Warning means significant amounts of snow are expected. A crippling impact on all travel is expected.

Keeping Safe During Winter Storms

  • Stay off the roads if possible.
  • Remove vehicles from the street.
  • Clear snow and ice from sidewalks and footpaths that adjoin your property and clear fire hydrants as soon as possible.
  • Drivers must make sure their vision is not impaired by ice or snow, and snow must be removed from roofs, etc. so it does not slide off and impact or impair other operators.
  • DO NOT shovel or plow snow into the street.
  • If you have a medical emergency, contact 911 for assistance, otherwise refrain from calling police, fire or public works to find out when your street will be plowed. Calls detract from the work at hand.
  • In some communities, snow cleanup usually takes between 16 and 24 hours from the end of a snowstorm. Cooperation in these activities will allow for quicker and more effective clearance of all streets. For questions or for more information, including winter safety tips, visit your town’s website, Facebook or Twitter pages.
  • In the event emergency travel is necessary, fill up your car with gas, check oil and windshield fluid levels.
  • Sign up for emergency alerts at www.ctalert.gov.
  • Find a local warming station or shelter in your area by calling Infoline at 211.

For additional info on winter weather preparedness go to www.ct.gov/demhs.

Reporting Power Outages to Eversource

Reporting Power Outages to UI

If you lose power, call UI at 1-800-7-CALL-UI (1-800-722-5584) to report an outage or to speak with a customer service representative.

Customers are reminded to stay away from downed power lines and call 911 to report them.

Prepare a Storm Kit

Items to be included in the kit:

  • One gallon of bottled water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
  • At least a three-day supply of non-perishable food for you and your pet
  • A three-day supply of prescription medication
  • Battery-powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
  • Flashlight and extra batteries
  • First aid kit
  • A whistle to signal for help
  • Moist towelettes
  • Plastic trash bags and ties for personal sanitation
  • Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
  • Manual can opener
  • Local maps
  • Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charger
  • Extra fuel (stored in a safe container) for the power generator

Safety Tips for Winter Emergencies

  • If you use a generator, follow all safety precautions provided by the manufacturer.
  • If you use a cell phone, save your power or have a plan to be able to charge the phone.
  • Gather all necessary medications and make sure you have an adequate supply.
  • If you rely on oxygen please be sure you have an ample supply on hand.
  • If you, a friend or family member relies on electricity for life support devices, well water or refrigeration for medications, please make preparations now to switch to a backup source or move to an alternate location. It’s also a good idea to have a battery back-up for medical equipment.
  • For information on emergency disaster services including shelters, please contact the Connecticut American Red Cross by dialing 877-287-3327.
  • For non-emergency services, please contact Infoline by dialing 211 or online at www.211ct.org.

Senate President Pro Tempore Looney: Republicans Should Get on the Same Page When it Comes to State Budget

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Senate President Pro Tempore Looney: Republicans Should Get on the Same Page When it Comes to State Budget

Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) today criticized Republican leaders’ efforts to set an artificial budget deadline. Senator Looney pointed out that State Rep. Chris Davis (R-Ellington), the ranking Republican on the General Assembly’s Appropriations Committee, has taken the opposite position and warned a panel organized by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA) about rushing to pass a budget built on savings from state employee concessions before a labor concessions deal is in place.

Rep. Davis told CBIA’s Taxation and Finance Committee on February 24th in Hartford, “In 2011, we passed a budget that had labor concessions that never materialized. If we continue down that path, we’ll never get out of this hole, because that will be a continuous process where we’ll have to catch up all the time.”

Last week, Senate Republicans filed an amendment requiring the General Assembly to adopt a budget on or before May 5th.

“Rep. Davis and his Republican leaders should get on the same page. Either we need to rush to pass a budget built on assumptions of state employee concessions, or we should respect the process,” said Senator Looney. “For Republican leadership to stand in opposition for opposition’s sake on every budget-related issue is bad for Connecticut. Setting an arbitrary deadline without having an actual plan does not demonstrate the wisdom required to govern. We can work together, however both parties need to come to the table committed to a consistent process and willing to do the hard work.”

Senator Duff E-News: Banning Conversion Therapy

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Lawmakers Announce Committee Passage of Bill to Protect Access to Health Care for Women

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Lawmakers Annouce Committee Passage of Bill to Protect Access to Health Care for Women

Photo of Senator Flexer at press conference.

State Senator Mae Flexer (D-Danielson) was joined by a bipartisan coalition of female lawmakers, activists and other supporters at a press conference today to highlight a bill aimed at protecting health benefits for women, children and adolescents.

The bill comes at a time when national legislators have moved to slash healthcare coverage for millions of Americans, including 109,000 Connecticut residents enrolled under the ACA.

Senate Bill 586, “An Act Expanding Mandated Health Benefits for Women, Children and Adolescents,” was passed today by the Insurance and Real Estate Committee and will next be debated on the floor of the Senate.

“This legislation will ensure that regardless of what happens in Washington, women’s healthcare will continue to be protected in our state,” said Sen. Flexer. “This has been an important conversation, and I am so pleased that this bill had strong, bipartisan support.”

Sen. Flexer thanked the leadership of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee, which reported the bill out of committee on a Joint Favorable report.

“Thanks to this legislation, Connecticut women can rest assured that regardless of what President Trump and the Republicans in Congress do when it comes to repealing the Affordable Care Act, state law will from here on out protect the access to basic women’s health care services like contraception and breast pumps afforded to them at no cost under the Affordable Care Act,” said State Representative Sean Scanlon, a Democrat who represents Branford and Guilford and serves as House chairman of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee.

“Connecticut is a leader in promoting reproductive rights and women’s health care, and this legislation continues that tradition,” Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey (D-Fairfield) said. “Access to preventive services saves lives—it’s critical that women continue to receive the medical care they need.”

“These bills are vital in supporting women, children and families in Connecticut. Women’s access to affordable healthcare is a human right and should not be based on economic ability,” Rep. Robyn Porter (D-New Haven) said. “Regardless of what happens at the federal level, these bills will preserve women’s access to affordable healthcare and allow them to live a healthy lifestyle.”

“We have a moral obligation to provide all women and children access to affordable healthcare,” Rep. Christine Conley (D- Groton) said. “I am extremely pleased to co-sponsor these bills and will continue to push for the protection of women’s healthcare rights.”

“Women’s health is a bipartisan issue that impacts not only women, but also families in Connecticut,” said Rep. Noreen Kokoruda (R-Madison). “We all need to work together to address this important issue.”

Senate Bill 586 seeks to ensure that women will be protected under any circumstances with or without protections from the federal government. The bill expands mandated health benefits for women, children and adolescents; expands mandated contraception benefits; and requires the Commissioner of Social Services to amend the Medicaid state plan to provide expanded contraception benefits.

Thanks to President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, nearly 800,000 Connecticut women have not been charged a copay or deductible for contraceptive coverage resulting in an average yearly savings of hundreds of dollars. SB 586 will ensure that regardless of what happens now to the Affordable Care Act in Washington, the protections essential health benefits it affords to all women will remain law in Connecticut.

This bill makes sure that health insurance coverage plans cover 21essential benefits that women need in order to receive comprehensive healthcare in our state, including:

  • Well-woman visits for any woman who is younger than 65 years old;
  • Breast cancer screenings
  • Screenings for sexually transmitted diseases
  • Breastfeeding support and counseling for any pregnant or breastfeeding woman;
  • Breastfeeding supplies, including a breast pump;
  • Gestational diabetes screening for any woman who is 24 to 28 weeks pregnant, and any woman who is at increased risk for gestational diabetes; and
  • Osteoporosis screening for any woman who is 60 old or older.

Senator Winfield E-News: Consumer Protection Week

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Sen. Moore E-news: Consumer Protection Week

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Sen. Moore: Together We Can Make a State Budget That is Better for Our Community

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Sen. Moore: Together We Can Make a State Budget That is Better for Our Community

On February 8, Governor Malloy unveiled his $40 billion, two-year proposed state budget.

As you may know, due to declining revenue collections and increased pension payments, Connecticut is facing a $1.4 billion budget deficit next year. To address this projected shortfall, Gov. Malloy’s proposed budget includes many cuts to programs that are vital to our communities. For example, funding for education has been formulated differently from the past, and several communities would see reduced funding in 2018 and 2019 under the governor’s proposal. There are also reductions to human services programs and childcare subsidies, both of which important to my constituents.

Like you, I am concerned about the impact that the governor’s proposed budget could have on Monroe, Trumbull and Bridgeport. I cannot emphasize enough that the governor’s proposed budget is just that—a proposal —and that the legislature (which is a separate branch of government with its own duties and powers) has just begun its own budget-making process. There is still months of work to do and public voices to be heard.

Every budget idea goes through a rigorous process and is reviewed by several different legislative committees before going to a final vote. Prior to that, there are public hearings on all parts of the budget.

I encourage anyone who is able to please attend a public hearing or submit written testimony (which you can do electronically) to have your voice heard. Legislators like me look at written testimony, and it often helps us decide on a particular issue. For example, last week, I sat through an Education Committee public hearing for 11 hours, where I was enlightened by testimony from Yale Law School students and the executive director of Connecticut Education Association about the impact that the governor’s budget proposal could have on local education funding.

It’s important that I hear citizens’ thoughts on state revenues and spending so I can best formulate a final state budget plan that is equitable and fair for our children and our working-class families. To that end, I’m inviting my constituents in Monroe, Trumbull and Bridgeport to attend one or more of my upcoming budget listening tours: Thursday, March 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Burroughs Community Center, 2470 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport; Tuesday, March 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Trumbull Town Hall, 5866 Main Street in Trumbull; or Tuesday, March 28, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Monroe Town Hall, 7 Fan Hill Road in Monroe.

Together we can make a state budget that is better than what the governor has proposed.

Sincerely,

State Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport)

Sen. Gerratana E-news: Consumer Protection Week

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Senator Osten E-News: Eliminating Taxes on Social Security; National Popular Vote; Powering Up with Solar

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Bye Votes to Reappoint Supreme Court Justice Palmer

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Bye Votes to Reappoint Supreme Court Justice Palmer

WEST HARTFORD—State Senator Beth Bye (D-West Hartford) today cast an important vote to re-appoint State Supreme Court Justice Richard N. Palmer to another eight-year term on Connecticut’s highest court following a close and mostly party-line 19-16 vote in the state Senate.

Sen. Bye argued on the floor of the Senate that Justice Palmer had used solid constitutional and judicial precedent in arriving at his decisions, and was not engaged in ‘judicial advocacy’ as some of the more conservative Republican members of the state Senate had argued.

“Justice Palmer confirmed my Constitutional right to marry the person that I love back in October 2008, when he wrote the majority opinion in ‘Kerrigan vs. Commissioner of Public Health.’ Tracey and I were the first same-sex couple legally married in Connecticut,” Sen. Bye told her colleagues. “The Kerrigan decision was a 4-3 decision. Some people blame Justice Palmer—since he wrote the majority opinion—for forcing his personal views on the State of Connecticut and allowing for marriage equality in Connecticut. But he and the Court made their decision based on solid Constitutional and Judicial precedent—not on personal opinion, not on prejudice.”

Sen. Bye read from Justice Palmer’s 2008 Kerrigan decision, which cited (among other sources) the U.S. Supreme Court cases of ‘Loving v. Virginia’ and ‘Brown v. Board of Education.’

Sen. Bye also cited a recent editorial in The Connecticut Law Tribune in support of Justice Palmer’s re-confirmation, noting their argument that “the criticism and questioning of Justice Palmer’s qualifications to be a jurist based on his honest, good-faith rulings, on a matter of Constitutional interpretation, should be shocking and abhorrent to all lawyers.”

“I am not a lawyer,” Sen. Bye concluded. “I am just an average citizen looking for discretion, consideration, intelligence and good judgement—based on the sound application of law—from my state Supreme Court Justices. Justice Richard Palmer has that in spades.”

Justice Palmer was born in Hartford, graduated from Wethersfield High School and received his Bachelor of Arts degree, Phi Beta Kappa, from Trinity College in Hartford in 1972, where he captained the tennis and squash teams and was named a first-team All-American in squash. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Connecticut School of Law, with high honors, in 1977, and was a member of the Connecticut Law Review.

Justice Palmer was an associate with the Hartford law firm of Shipman & Goodwin from 1978 to 1980. He served as an Assistant United States Attorney for Connecticut from 1980 to 1982 and again from 1987 to 1990. Justice Palmer served as United States’ Attorney for Connecticut from 1991 to 1993, and was appointed Chief State’s Attorney for Connecticut in 1991. He was sworn in as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1993.