Month: January 2019

Cohen Named Senate Chair of Environment, Vice-chair of Commerce Committees

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Cohen Named Senate Chair of Environment, Vice-chair of Commerce Committees

New legislators to be sworn in on January 9, 2019

Senator-elect Christine Cohen (D-Guilford) today released the following statement after being named Senate Chair of the General Assembly’s Environment Committee and Vice-chair of the Commerce Committee for the 2019-2020 legislative sessions:

“As leaders in Washington look to shift the national conversation on strategies for a sustainable future, I look forward to being the lead voice on environmental issues here in Connecticut. Our state is rich with environmental assets; we have a duty to protect them. We have a great variety of landscapes, wildlife, plantlife, and aquatic features and as Senate Chair of the Environment Committee I’ll be dedicated to passing legislation to conserve and improve those natural resources.

“I believe my experience as a small business owner will prove valuable to the Commerce Committee as our state looks to attract and grow small businesses. There are great opportunities for Connecticut to help business owners and in turn better our local economies. I look forward to working with both sides of the isle to find common sense solutions.”

The Environment Committee works on issues that relate to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Those areas include conservation, recreation, pollution control, fisheries and game, state parks and forests, water resources and flood and erosion control. In addition the Environment Committee works on all matters relating to the Department of Agriculture, including farming, dairy products and domestic animals.

The Commerce Committee works on issues related to the Department of Economic and Community Development which devises and implements strategies that help businesses grow and succeed, revitalize communities and neighborhoods, and promote tourist attractions, the arts, and historic preservation.

Bergstein Announces New Laws Protecting Women and Healthcare

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Bergstein Announces New Laws Protecting Women & Healthcare

State Senator-elect Alex Bergstein (D-Greenwich) today announced several new laws that took effect in Connecticut on Tuesday, January 1, 2019, including important new initiatives that protect women and healthcare.

“Starting on January 1st, Connecticut residents will benefit from increased healthcare access, stronger protections for victims of domestic violence, and important steps towards pay equity,” said Sen.-elect Bergstein. “These new laws will result in stronger safety, opportunity, and prosperity in our state. I will continue to work on these issues and more as your incoming State Senator to strengthen Connecticut for all generations.”

Some of the new laws for 2019 include:

Protecting Victims of Domestic Violence

Public Act 18-5 requires a police officer, when responding to a family violence complaint, to arrest the person the officer determines to be the ’dominant aggressor’ (defined as the person who poses the most serious, ongoing threat.) This new law will help address a problem in Connecticut where, 20 percent of the time, police arrest both the victim and the abuser in a domestic violence situation—which is three times the national average.

Pay Equity

Public Act 18-8 generally prohibits an employer from asking about a prospective employee’s wage and salary history. Women in America earn 48 cents to 79 cents for every dollar a man earns, and part of this wage disparity is likely due to decades of sexism and unconscious gender bias that depresses women’s starting salaries and, therefore, their salary history as they move from job-to-job. Paying a person what the job is worth, instead of simply a bit more than their previous job, is the goal of this new law.

Writing Obamacare Protections into Connecticut Law

Public Act 18-10 helps keep you healthy by requiring that—even if a judge, the president or Congress repeals the federal Affordable Care Act (also known as ‘Obamacare’)—certain health insurance policies offered for sale to residents of Connecticut must still cover at least 10 essential health benefits, including:

  • Ambulatory patient services
  • Emergency services
  • Hospitalization
  • Maternity and newborn health care
  • Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment
  • Prescription drugs
  • Rehabilitative services and devices
  • Laboratory services
  • Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
  • Pediatric services, including oral and vision care

Coverage of Breast Imaging Services

Public Act 18-159 requires insurance companies in Connecticut to pay for a variety of mammograms, breast ultrasounds and breast imaging MRI’s with no cost share to the patient. Previously, some baseline mammograms were covered by insurance, but if an additional, follow-up procedure was needed, patients could be billed for hundreds of dollars. This new law helps save patients money while providing them with the medical services they need.

Cohen Announces New Laws Protecting Women and Healthcare

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Cohen Announces New Laws Protecting Women & Healthcare

 

Senator Christine Cohen (D-Guilford) announced several new laws that took effect in Connecticut on Tuesday, January 1, 2019 including important initiatives protecting women and healthcare.

“These new laws will move Connecticut forward on healthcare and critical issues facing the women of our state,” said Cohen. “From increased insurance coverage to important new protections for victims of domestic violence to another step in achieving pay equity for women—these are real results for our state. I look forward to building upon these laws by listening to and advocating for the people of our towns.”

Below is more information on these new laws taking effect.

Protecting Victims of Domestic Violence

Public Act 18-5 requires a police officer, when responding to a family violence complaint, to arrest the person the officer determines to be the ’dominant aggressor’ (defined as the person who poses the most serious, ongoing threat.) This new law will help address a problem in Connecticut where, 20 percent of the time, police arrest both the victim and the abuser in a domestic violence situation—which is three times the national average.

Pay Equity

Public Act 18-8 generally prohibits an employer from asking about a prospective employee’s wage and salary history. Women in America earn 48 cents to 79 cents for every dollar a man earns, and part of this wage disparity is likely due to decades of sexism and unconscious gender bias that depresses women’s starting salaries and, therefore, their salary history as they move from job-to-job. Paying a person what the job is worth, instead of simply a bit more than their previous job, is the goal of this new law.

Writing Obamacare Protections into Connecticut Law

Public Act 18-10 helps keep you healthy by requiring that—even if a judge, the president or Congress repeals the federal Affordable Care Act (also known as ‘Obamacare’)—certain health insurance policies offered for sale to residents of Connecticut must still cover at least 10 essential health benefits, including:

  • Ambulatory patient services
  • Emergency services
  • Hospitalization
  • Maternity and newborn health care
  • Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment
  • Prescription drugs
  • Rehabilitative services and devices
  • Laboratory services
  • Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
  • Pediatric services, including oral and vision care
 

Coverage of Breast Imaging Services

Public Act 18-159 requires insurance companies in Connecticut to pay for a variety of mammograms, breast ultrasounds and breast imaging MRI’s with no cost share to the patient. Previously, some baseline mammograms were covered by insurance, but if an additional, follow-up procedure was needed, patients could be billed for hundreds of dollars. This new law helps save patients money while providing them with the medical services they need.

Haskell Announces New Laws Protecting Women and Healthcare

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Haskell Announces New Laws Protecting Women & Healthcare

State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport) announced several new laws that took effect in Connecticut on Tuesday, January 1, 2019, including important new initiatives that protect women and healthcare.

“Improving the quality of healthcare coverage and providing pay equity for women are essential to making Connecticut a more attractive place to live, work, and raise a family,” said Sen.-elect Haskell. “As the newly elected State Senator I look forward to building on these important steps and creating a stronger future for all of our state’s residents.”

Some of the new laws for 2019 include:

Protecting Victims of Domestic Violence

Public Act 18-5 requires a police officer, when responding to a family violence complaint, to arrest the person the officer determines to be the ’dominant aggressor’ (defined as the person who poses the most serious, ongoing threat.) This new law will help address a problem in Connecticut where, 20 percent of the time, police arrest both the victim and the abuser in a domestic violence situation—which is three times the national average.

Pay Equity

Public Act 18-8 generally prohibits an employer from asking about a prospective employee’s wage and salary history. Women in America earn 48 cents to 79 cents for every dollar a man earns, and part of this wage disparity is likely due to decades of sexism and unconscious gender bias that depresses women’s starting salaries and, therefore, their salary history as they move from job-to-job. Paying a person what the job is worth, instead of simply a bit more than their previous job, is the goal of this new law.

Writing Obamacare Protections into Connecticut Law

Public Act 18-10 helps keep you healthy by requiring that—even if a judge, the president or Congress repeals the federal Affordable Care Act (also known as ‘Obamacare’)—certain health insurance policies offered for sale to residents of Connecticut must still cover at least 10 essential health benefits, including:

  • Ambulatory patient services
  • Emergency services
  • Hospitalization
  • Maternity and newborn health care
  • Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment
  • Prescription drugs
  • Rehabilitative services and devices
  • Laboratory services
  • Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
  • Pediatric services, including oral and vision care

Coverage of Breast Imaging Services

Public Act 18-159 requires insurance companies in Connecticut to pay for a variety of mammograms, breast ultrasounds and breast imaging MRI’s with no cost share to the patient. Previously, some baseline mammograms were covered by insurance, but if an additional, follow-up procedure was needed, patients could be billed for hundreds of dollars. This new law helps save patients money while providing them with the medical services they need.

Sports Betting in Connecticut: Senator Osten and Southeastern Delegation File Bill

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Sports Betting in Connecticut: Senator Osten & Southeastern Delegation File Bill

State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) and members of the Southeastern Connecticut legislative delegation have submitted a bipartisan bill for the 2019 legislative session that would amend Connecticut’s existing state laws to allow for online and in-person sports betting at Connecticut casinos.

The proposed law would include age and location verification requirements designed to block online access to persons under the age of 21 from betting on sports.

Since last May, when the United States Supreme Court struck down a 1992 federal law banning sports wagering, eight states now offer legalized sports betting, including nearby Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. New York has passed enabling legislation but has not yet instituted sports betting, and several other U.S. states—including Connecticut—are now considering it.

Rhode Island—which just launched sports betting in November—estimates it will collect $11.5 million in new state revenue in its first seven months of operation.

“Connecticut needs to play catch-up with surrounding states if we’re serious about modernizing our existing gaming industry. Fortunately, we can do that with a relatively simple regulatory fix,” said Sen. Osten, who represents Ledyard and a portion of Montville, home to Connecticut’s two Native American tribes that already operate gaming casinos. “The U.S. Supreme Court decision last year paved the way for the expansion of private-sector sports betting, and I think Connecticut is in a good position to take advantage of that. We have the infrastructure with the tribal casinos, we can use the new revenue, and we’ve got bipartisan support. This should be an early session success story.”

“Neighboring states are already ahead of Connecticut on sports betting, but I think it’s an issue we can quickly catch up on that will have positive employment, economic and revenue impacts on Connecticut, “ said Sen.-elect Norm Needleman (D-Essex). “Two of Connecticut’s top-10 largest employers will benefit from this bill. The U.S. Supreme Court has already cleared the way legally, so I believe it’s incumbent on us as state policymakers to do what’s necessary to remain relevant and profitable in a rapidly expanding new national industry.”

The bill, with the current working number of LCO 578, is co-sponsored by Sens. Osten, Steve Cassano, Paul Formica, Heather Somers, and Sen.-elect Needleman, and by state Reps. Ryan, Christine Conley, Emmett Riley, Joe de la Cruz, Susan Johnson, Doug Dubitsky, Mike France and Holly Cheeseman.

Senator Cohen Announces Series of Upcoming Community Conversations

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Senator Cohen Announces Series of Upcoming Community Conversations

Events to be held from January 3 to January 18

Senator Christine Cohen (D-Guilford) announced that she will hold a series of open office hours for all residents of the 12th Senate District in Madison, Branford, Guilford, Durham, North Branford, and Killingworth.

“The 2019 legislative session begins January 9 and it’s important that I hear from all citizens of the 12th Senate District so that I can best represent them during my time in the legislature,” Senator Cohen said. “I look forward to holding productive conversations with my constituents and hearing their suggestions for legislation. Together we can make our region of the state an even better place to live.”

Senator Cohen’s office hours schedule is as follows:


Madison
January 3 at 6:00 p.m.
Room B, Madison Town Hall
8 Campus Dr., Madison

Branford
January 4 at 8:00 a.m.
Willoughby’s Coffee and Tea
550 East Main St., Branford

Guilford
January 7 at 8:00 a.m.
The Marketplace | Guilford Food Center
77 Whitfield St., Guilford

Durham
January 10 at 6:00 p.m.
Durham Public Library | Upper Level Activity Room
7 Maple Ave., Durham

North Branford
January 14 at 6:00 p.m.
Town Hall | Town Council Chambers
909 Foxon Rd., North Branford

Killingworth
January 18 at 8:00 a.m.
Dunkin’ Donuts
177 Clinton Rd., Killingworth