Month: April 2018
Sen. Bye Welcomes State Aid for ADA Upgrades at University of St. Joseph
Sen. Bye Welcomes State Aid for ADA Upgrades at University of St. Joseph
WEST HARTFORD—Senator Beth Bye (D-West Hartford) announced today that the State Bond Commission is expected to approve a $400,000 state grant to the University of St. Joseph in West Hartford to assist the college in making needed handicapped accessibility improvements on campus.
The State Bond Commission is scheduled to meet at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, April 13, 2018 in the Legislative Office Building in Hartford to vote on this and other state bonding requests.
“The University of St. Joseph is nearly 100 years old, and not only is it used daily by 2,500 students, it’s also home to the Gengras Center School and the School for Young Children, and it is used by hundreds of members of the general public on a regular basis. These upgrades are needed to ensure safe and fair access to St. Joe’s facilities for a wide variety of students and the public,” Sen. Bye said. “I’m glad Connecticut legislature is partnering with this private institution, like it does with so many other private organizations all across the state, to improve the quality of life for our residents.”
On March 20, Sen. Bye wrote Governor Dannel P. Malloy, who is chairman of the State Bond Commission, asking him to consider releasing some state Department of Economic and Community Development Urban Act monies for the project.
Sen. Bye noted that the University commissioned an ADA Compliance and Evaluation Survey in 2008, and since then has completed several new building projects, but that more work needs to be done on campus to address accessibility issues for campus infrastructure that was built place prior to the 1990 passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Sen. Bye said University of St. Joseph projects that have been identified as needing ADA upgrades include:
- A wheelchair ramp and renovated entrance to Mercy Hall, which includes one of the University’s largest conference rooms, a popular location for community activities;
- Accessible exterior and interior doors with automatic openers in multiple buildings;
- Restroom renovations and lowered water fountains in multiple buildings;
- Elevator and kitchen renovations in several residence halls;
- Visual alarms in multiple buildings;
- Directional signage for accessible entrances and facilities in multiple buildings;
- Accessible spectator areas and assisted listening devices at several outdoor sporting areas;
- Tapering of walkways and curb modifications throughout the campus; and
- Designation of parking areas for increased accessible spaces and passenger loading zones.
New Haven Legislators Announce State Funding for Sinking Homes
New Haven Legislators Announce State Funding for Sinking Homes
Bond Commission set to approve funds at its April 13 meeting
New Haven state legislators announced today the imminent approval of funding to provide relief to homeowners with sinking homes in New Haven.
When it meets on Friday, April 13, the State Bond Commission is expected approve $1 million in Department of Economic and Community Development grants-in-aid to homeowners with homes located in the immediate vicinity of the West River in the Westville section of New Haven and Woodbridge for structurally damaged homes due to subsidence, gradual settling or sudden sinking of land. Funding will also be available to homeowners with homes abutting the Yale golf course in Westville for damage to homes from water infiltration or structural damage due to subsidence.
“I’m very excited that we can work together with the administration to help New Haven homeowners,” said Representative Patricia Dillon (D-New Haven).
“This critical funding will help homeowners make urgent repairs to their homes,” said Senate President Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven). “I want to thank the Governor for his support of this important initiative and commend Representative Dillion for her leadership, hard work and dogged determination on behalf of the neighborhood.”
According to a 2013 Office of Legislative Research report on the causes of land subsidence
A number of properties located on Beverly Road in New Haven have experienced structural damage—such as foundation cracks—from the land shifting or sinking. An engineering report prepared for the city explained that the area is over a filled-in “ice pond”. It concluded that the probable cause of settlement is due to the differing densities of the fill materials and the consolidation of the organic matter and peat over time, with groundwater a contributing factor to the biodegradation of the organic material.
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East Hartford Legislators Announce Funding for Mayberry Village YMCA
East Hartford Legislators Announce Funding for Mayberry Village YMCA
Bond Commission set to approve funds at its April 13 meeting
EAST HARFORD—Senator Tim Larson (D-East Hartford) and the East Hartford legislative delegation announced today that the State Bond Commission is expected approve a $1.5 million grant-in-aid to the YMCA of Greater Hartford for renovations and improvements to the Lois Nolan Larson Community Center at Mayberry Village in East Hartford when it meets on Friday, April 13.
“I appreciate the support of Governor Malloy to get these items on the Bond Commission’s agenda. For many years, the YMCA has been a mainstay in our town for support and education of our youth. I’m very excited to see this property renovated in order to incorporate the many special programs and activities that the ‘Y’ provides for our community,” Sen. Larson said. “I also want to thank the other members of the East Hartford delegation for their support on this very important initiative.”
“The YMCA’s focus is youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. We are thankful to Governor Malloy for recognizing our mission and for placing this bond request on the Commission’s agenda,” YMCA President & CEO Harold Sparrow said in a thank-you letter to Sen. Larson (attached). “With the bond, we will live our cause of helping to strengthen the foundation of the Mayberry Village community through programs at the YMCA Larson Center of Excellence.”
“This investment in the Larson Center and the wonderful partnership with the YMCA of Greater Hartford will enhance the quality of life and programming for the families and visitors to Mayberry Village,” said Representative Jason Rojas (D-East Hartford), co-chairman of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee. “The Larson Center is in the heart of the neighborhood and the investment by Governor Malloy and the state will ensure that the center will continue to be a resource to our community for years to come.”
“I commend the YMCA for taking the necessary steps to acquire an old building in need of repair from the Housing Authority in an economically depressed area of East Hartford in order expand services,” Representative Henry Genga (D-East Hartford) said. “If they did not, this area would not have any of these services or expansion to kids’ programs. This project will open up many additional programs that are indispensable for a healthy and thriving community. I look forward to the continued transformation of this parcel and thank Governor Malloy for including this item in the latest round of funding.”
“The East Hartford ‘Y’ has been a staple within our community for many years,” said Representative Jeff Currey (D-East Hartford, Manchester, South Windsor). “These funds will be used for necessary renovations and improvements, allowing the YMCA to offer even more programs, services and worthwhile activities to the residents of East Hartford and beyond. Thank you to the governor and his fellow Bond Commission members for continuing to support worthy organizations working towards to the betterment of our town.”
Senator Osten’s Bill on Submarine Infrastructure, Workforce Passes Finance Committee
Senator Osten’s Bill on Submarine Infrastructure, Workforce Passes Finance Committee
HARTFORD — By an overwhelming and bipartisan margin, the Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee today voted 44-7 to approve State Senator Cathy Osten’s (D-Sprague) bill to expand workforce pipeline programs in Connecticut and to provide up to $100 million in state bonding for capital improvements at Electric Boat in Groton as the company prepares to hire thousands of state workers while it ramps-up submarine production.
The Finance Committee approved Senate Bill 535, “AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE APPRENTICESHIP CONNECTICUT INITIATIVE,” a bill Sen. Osten said in January that she would introduce after touring Electric Boat with EB President Jeffrey Geiger and learning of the company’s looming workforce and infrastructure needs.
The bill establishes the Apprenticeship Connecticut initiative to develop workforce pipeline programs and provide state bonding for those programs, and it seeks $100 million in state economic development and manufacturing bonds for capital improvements to Electric Boat for the acquisition of land, buildings, machinery, and equipment; for site and infrastructure improvements; and for planning costs.
“I firmly believe that we need to grow our way out of the economic and employment challenges facing Connecticut. This bill does that,” Sen. Osten said today. “There are 30,000 jobs across Connecticut waiting to be filled in our major defense industries and their subcontractors. There are another several thousand jobs in other manufacturing sectors. They all need trained workers. This bill today and other legislation passed this session are going to provide the living wages that families need to stay and thrive here in Connecticut.”
SB 535 now heads to the floor of the Senate for consideration.
Sen. McCrory Hears from Kids and Experts in His Quest to Address Marginalized Youth
Sen. McCrory Hears from Kids and Experts in His Quest to Address Marginalized Youth
State Senator Doug McCrory (D-Hartford) spent nearly four hours today listening to a variety of experts and first-hand testimony on the issue of marginalized youth, and he came away with a revelation: keep it simple.
“I’m reminded of the old African proverb that says the child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down in order to feel its warmth,” Sen. McCrory said. “So I think it’s important for us in government to listen to those who are close to the problem, to the parents and to the kids themselves, and to listen to those who have come through the juvenile justice system themselves to hear what they have to say about what they need to succeed.
“There was one young man today who testified that he needed just four things to succeed after exiting our juvenile justice system: a cell phone, some new clothes, shelter, and love,” Sen. McCrory added. “Those are the kinds of simple things we legislators need to be thinking more about when we’re writing legislation to help needy kids.”
Sen. McCrory’s “Informational Forum on Marginalized Youth” was convened in the Legislative Office Building in Hartford to determine what programs are currently available for children who are marginalized and who have been determined to be “at-risk,” how effective those programs are, and what else can be done to improve access to mental health programs for youth.
In addition to the more than two dozen people in the audience, the panel included a rare combination of professionals with different areas of expertise: the Honorable Bernadette Conway, Chief Administrative Judge for Juvenile Matters; Francis Carino, Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney; Christine Rapillo, Chief Public Defender; Commissioner Scott Semple of the Department of Correction; Dr. Wizdom Powell, Clinical Psychologist and Director of the Health Disparities Institute at UConn Health; Leon Smith, Director of the Racial Justice Project at the Center for Children’s Advocacy; Andrew Clark, Director of the Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy at Central Connecticut State University; Erica Bromley, Juvenile Justice Liaison for Connecticut Youth Services Association and KADE Consulting; and Julio Flores, Secretary of the Hartford Board of Education.
Legislative Leaders Announce Bipartisan State Budget Negotiations Will Continue Beyond Appropriations Deadline
Legislative Leaders Announce Bipartisan State Budget Negotiations Will Continue Beyond Appropriations Deadline
Legislative leaders today announced that lawmakers have agreed to continue bipartisan budget negotiations beyond this week to allow more time for a vote on a complete fiscal year 2019 budget bill.
Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, Senate Republican President Pro Tempore Len Fasano, Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz, and House Republican Leader Themis Klarides released the following statement:
“Last year, Democrats and Republicans worked together to adopt a truly bipartisan budget. As the leaders of our respective caucuses, we are committed to continuing that bipartisan approach. All four caucuses have agreed to continue bipartisan work on the state budget beyond the scheduled JF Appropriations Committee deadline. We recognize that multiple weather related closings caused a backup of committee meetings and interfered with the continuity of budget negotiations. All four caucuses have been continuously working on budget proposals and we are all in agreement to continue our efforts to work toward a bipartisan solution. Therefore, for procedural reasons, each caucus has agreed to support placeholder budget bills which will be voted out of the Finance Committee tomorrow. These bills, Senate Bill 533 and House Bill 5588, will then be referred out of the Senate and House to the Appropriations Committee by April 20, 2018 for a budget vote. This will give the Appropriations Committee needed time to hold a vote on a complete fiscal year 2019 budget.”
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Senator Winfield Rallies for Stronger Sexual Assault Laws
Senator Winfield Rallies for Stronger Sexual Assault Laws
Senator Gary Winfield (D-New Haven) today joined the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence during a Solidarity for Survivors Rally at Legislative Office Building to say “We Believe You” to victims of sexual violence and advocate for legislation combatting sexual assault and sexual harassment in Connecticut.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Here are some facts and figures regarding sexual assault in Connecticut:
- Nearly one in five Connecticut residents (19 percent) has experienced a sexual assault in their lifetime.
- One in four (26 percent) Connecticut women are sexual assault survivors.
- One in eleven women in Connecticut reported being a rape survivor.
- 14 percent of Connecticut residents experienced childhood sexual assault. Nearly one in five girls (18 percent) and one in fourteen boys (7 percent) had been victims of child sexual abuse.
- Only 16 percent of survey respondents who were victims of forcible penetration reported their rape to police.
- 60 percent of victims have told a friend or neighbor about their rape. 32 percent of victims have never told anyone about being raped.
- 10 percent of Connecticut men are sexual assault survivors.
- Of the victims who never told anyone about being raped, 24 percent remained silent because they felt ashamed.
- 37 percent of Connecticut residents who do not consider themselves victims of sexual assault said they know someone who is.
- 69 percent of Connecticut residents consider sexual violence to be a problem in their community.
- 70 percent of Connecticut residents report that their parents never discussed sexual assault with them while growing up.
- 67 percent of Connecticut residents had heard or seen information about sexual assault. The most common sources were television, newspapers, and magazines.
For more information visit http://endsexualviolencect.org/.