Sen. Moore Statement in Response to Suicide of Second Bridgeport Officer Amid Internal Affairs Probe

Posted on March 5, 2019 by Webmaster

Sen. Moore Statement in Response to Suicide of Second Bridgeport Officer Amid Internal Affairs Probe

Bridgeport, CT – Today, Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport) released the following statement in response to local press outlets reporting that a second Bridgeport police officer involved in a 2017 incident where police broke up a party on Colorado Avenue committed suicide and was found dead in his home on Saturday.

“There is no excuse for this. Two officers have committed suicide, Latinos’ civil rights were violated, and the city attorney is sitting on an FOIA request from the CT Post.

“I am calling for the immediate release of the Internal Affairs report related to the incident on Colorado Avenue in October 2017.

“There is no reason for the City to continue to sit on this report. Two Bridgeport police officers have committed suicide, the victims are waiting in limbo, the level of distrust that the public has with the Police Department grow–and yet the city attorney says they are not releasing the report. Why?

“Release the report today. End the secrecy surrounding this incident and let healing process begin.

“Once again, we see the city attorney’s office ignore state law concerning Freedom of Information. The Internal Affairs report is the public’s information not the City Attorney’s private information. Release the report today.”

Statement From Senator Needleman On School Regionalization

Posted on March 5, 2019 by Webmaster

Statement From Senator Needleman On School Regionalization

State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) released the following statement today on school regionalization. On Monday afternoon, Sen. Needleman met with the Lyme Board of Selectmen and had an extended conversation with them about his work so far in the legislature, the policies he will and won’t support this legislative session, and how he can best work with the town.

The discussion featured school regionalization as a lead topic. Sen. Needleman has proposed Senate Bill No. 572, “An Act Encouraging Regional Cooperation Between School Districts,” which would allow multiple boards of education acting in concert to define their own school districts and have that collaboration recognized by the state as a Local Education Agency, or LEA.

“Collaboration on school services can provide schools with increased efficiency and save both the schools and taxpayers money,” said Sen. Needleman, “Unfortunately, current law makes such collaborations complicated and discourages districts from actually engaging with one another.”

Needleman points to his hometown of Essex and its collaboration with Chester and Deep River for grades K-12. The towns are required to operate five boards of education with thirty-three board members in order to share costs and comply with current state statutes.

“There is a good argument to be made that one of the reasons why school districts aren’t doing more together is because of this level of complexity,” Needleman said. “We should be encouraging creative solutions that let our educators to do what they do best. No two school districts are the same; we should allow them to innovate and determine what works best for students.”

Senator Maroney’s Testimony on School Regionalization

Posted on March 5, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Maroney’s Testimony on School Regionalization

Honorable Chairman McCrory ,Chairman Sanchez, Vice Chairs, Ranking Members, and distinguished members of the Education Committee, my name is James Maroney, and I represent the 14th State Senate district and I am submitting testimony regarding Senate Bills 874, 457, and 738 as well as House Bill 7150, all concerning school regionalization.

I offer to the committee to look at the success of the Amity School District in Woodbridge. I ask that we be cognizant of the ramifications that would occur should this district be dismantled. Instead, let us use this District as a model for other districts to use should they combine.

The Amity Regional School District is an example of smart, thoughtful district regionalization. Amity High School consistently ranks near the top of almost every academic ranking for schools in Connecticut. It is regionalization done right.

I hear from my constituents daily of their opposition to these bills should they dismantle this successful school district. It is my hope this honorable committee hear their voices as well. The impact of breaking up this district would be harsh and unnecessary, due to their clear success at regionalizing already.

I would ask that if the committee chooses to move forward with a school regionalization bill, that it exclude Amity and other successful regional districts around the state. I urge the committee to also be mindful of the repercussions that could come with dismantling the already regionalized school districts in our state. We shouldn’t mess with something that so clearly works for young people and their families.

I thank the committee for their attention to this testimony and I look forward to working with you as the conversation continues.

Senator Anwar to Chair Housing Committee, Receives Additional Assignments

Posted on March 4, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Anwar to Chair Housing Committee, Receives Additional Assignments

State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) has received his initial significant committee assignments and responsibilities after being sworn in to represent the 3rd District Friday.

Sen. Anwar’s term includes several significant leadership positions on committees. He is Chairman of the Housing Committee and vice-chair of the Public Health Committee. In addition to those assignments, he will serve on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the Insurance and Real Estate Committee. These committee assignments involve policy development in areas including health and wellness initiatives, standards for public and private housing, home ownership and purchasing, regulation of insurance and post-military citizens’ interests.

“I’m honored to have the opportunity to serve on committees that work to develop standards and policies that will impact my local communities in terms of constituents’ homes, health and daily lives,” said Sen. Anwar. “I look forward to getting started.”

Sen. Anwar’s assignment on the Housing and Insurance Real Estate Committees gives him a chance to fight for homeowners impacted by crumbling foundations. Many buildings and residents in the 3rd District have been negatively impacted by the faulty home foundations, and Sen. Anwar considers the issue a high priority.

Senator Anwar’s Committee Assignments:

Housing Committee, Chairman: creates policies relating to all housing and housing program matters in the state, with responsibilities including fair housing, state-assisted housing programs, judiciary standards for residences, the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, the Connecticut Advisory Council on Housing Matters and the Department of Housing.

Public Health Committee, Vice Chairman: develops policies relating to and in recognition of all matters relating to health, including emergency medical services, nursing homes, pure food and drugs, controlled substances and substance abuse treatment, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Department of Developmental Services and the Office of Health Care Access.

Veterans’ Affairs Committee: implements policies related to military and veterans’ affairs excepting veterans’ pensions. Responsibilities include care and monitoring of former veterans, veterans’ benefits and care, veteran registries and additional resources.

Insurance and Real Estate Committee: drafts policies relating to insurance and real estate law, with matters including practices and changes in industries and consumer-oriented protections.

Senator Slap Appointed Chair of Children’s Committee, Vice-Chair of Aging Committee

Posted on March 4, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Slap Appointed Chair of Children’s Committee, Vice-Chair of Aging Committee

HARTFORD – State Senator Derek Slap (D-West Hartford) has been appointed Senate Chairman of the Children’s Committee, Senate Vice-Chairman of the Aging Committee, and a Senate member of the Human Services, Commerce, Transportation, and Higher Education & Employment Advancement committees.

Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) confirmed the committee appointments today; Sen. Slap was sworn in to office on Friday, March 1, 2019 after winning a special election on Tuesday, February 26, 2019 to fill the seat vacated by former state Senator Beth Bye, who took a position in the Lamont administration.

“These committee assignments play to my strengths, which are protecting the health and safety of Connecticut’s youngest residents while supporting the needs of those who have spent their lives in this great state,” said Sen. Slap. “Of course I am also thrilled to have a voice and a vote on public policy in four other committees tasked with overseeing Connecticut’s human services, transportation, business and higher education needs. This is going to be a challenging – and I believe an ultimately rewarding – legislative session.”

Sen. Slap lives in West Hartford with his wife, Alex, his young daughters Maggie and Zoe, and his youngest child, Charlie. He is CEO of the Connecticut Technology Council, working to grow and support technology activity across the state.

Last year, as a member of the state House of Representatives, Sen. Slap introduced pay equity legislation, which became effective January 1; this landmark legislation eliminates pay history questions from job applications and helps ensure that women earn equal pay as their male counterparts for the same work.

This year, Sen. Slap is cracking down on the public health crisis of teen vaping by proposing an increase in the smoking age from 18 to 21, and by addressing the sale of flavored vaping liquids, which are especially popular with teens.

Sen. Slap is also committed to fighting age discrimination in the hiring process by seeking to prohibit employers from inquiring about birth or graduation dates on employment applications; the bill has more than two dozen co-sponsors and is supported by the Connecticut AARP.

Anwar Sworn in as State Senator

Posted on March 1, 2019 by Webmaster

Anwar Sworn in as State Senator

HARTFORD, CT – State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) was sworn in today to represent the 3rd District. Anwar won election to the State Senate in a special election held this week.

“I’m thankful to the citizens of East Hartford, South Windsor, Ellington and East Windsor for showing confidence in my abilities to address their challenges,” said Sen. Anwar. “I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and working to serve all of the community, including Democrats, Republicans and Independents.”

Before his election to the State Senate on February 26, Sen. Anwar has served as the mayor of South Windsor for two terms, and served on South Windsor’s town council since 2011. He is a medical doctor with specializations in treating lung diseases and critical care medicine, occupational and environmental medicine. He was trained in pulmonary and critical care medicine at, and holds a Master’s Degree in public health from, Yale University. He currently serves as Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at Manchester Memorial and Rockville General Hospitals.

Sen. Anwar also works with humanitarian and peace initiatives on a local, national and global scale, having organized medical missions for disaster relief and received citations from former Governor Jodi Rell, United States Senator Richard Blumenthal and Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz.

Sen. Anwar’s local accomplishments include being a founding member of the South Windsor Hunger Action Team, Zero Waste South Windsor and the South Windsor Alliance for Progress. He is also the founder of South Windsor Haiti School Inc., a board member of the South Windsor Community Foundation and is a former chair of the South Windsor Human Relations Commission.

On a statewide basis, Sen. Anwar is the former commissioner of Asian Pacific American Affairs and served on the Health Equity Leadership Council of Connecticut, CT Health Foundation, and State Emergency Response Commission.

Nationally, Sen. Anwar has testified to the 109th Congress’s Committee on Homeland Security, coordinated volunteer response to September 11, served as a consultant to the FBI’s Multi-Cultural Advisory Committee and spoke at conferences for the Department of Homeland Security and the office of former Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano. Internationally, he’s additionally served on peace missions to Israel and the Middle East, and medical missions to Haiti and Pakistan after natural disasters in those countries. He has spoken at conferences for Friends of Europe – Brussels and the United States Mission to the European Union, served as a consultant for the British Department of Communities and Local Government, and was Chief Coordinator for the Conference on Understanding Radicalization and De-Radicalization Strategies, which was broadcast live throughout the world.

Sen. Anwar has been recognized by the American Red Cross for his response to September 11 and received the FBI Director Robert Mueller Award for Community Leadership and Alliance Building, the Anti-Defamation League’s Torch of Liberty Award, the National Council of Community and Justice’s Human Relations Award, the Manchester Community College Leadership Award, the Department of Justice Attorney’s Office Community Service Award, the South Asian Bar Association of Connecticut’s Trailblazer Award, the Eastern Connecticut Health Network member physicians’ Community Service Recognition Award and the Connecticut Bar Association’s Citizen for the Law Award.

Sen. Anwar and his family, including wife Dr. Yusra Anis-Anwar, sons Taha and Taseen and his mother Zia Anwar, all live in South Windsor.

Lesser Reads to Students at Rocky Hill Elementary Schools for Read Across America Week

Posted on March 1, 2019 by Webmaster

Lesser Reads to Students at Rocky Hill Elementary Schools for Read Across America Week

ROCKY HILL, CT – Today, State Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown) read to students at West Hill Elementary School and Myrtle H. Stevens Elementary School as part of Read Across America Week. According to the National Education Association, Read Across America Week is an annual reading motivation and awareness program which calls for children to celebrate reading. The week ends with the birthday of Dr. Seuss on March 2.

Sen. Lesser read to West Hill Elementary students about arctic animals and then made the drive up the road to Myrtle H. Stevens Elementary to read to Sandra Amoroso’s class. He read to them about extreme weather patterns as the students looked on and later asked questions.

This was also part of each schools’ “One Book, One Community” project. In previous years, they have highlighted authors. This is the sixth year of the project, and the book they highlighted was “The Magic School Bus.” Students and teachers, some dressed as Mrs. Frizzle from the popular book and television show, paraded through the halls of Myrtle H. Stevens Elementary and stopped to take a picture with Sen. Lesser.

“It was an honor to read to such intelligent, inquisitive groups of young people,” said Sen. Lesser. “Reading is not only educational, but also therapeutic. The Rocky Hill School District is doing an excellent job establishing a love of literature for the town’s youth.”

Sen. Lesser received a copy of “The Magic School Bus,” signed by the students he read to at West Hill Elementary School.

State Senator Derek Slap Sworn in to Office

Posted on March 1, 2019 by Webmaster

State Senator Derek Slap Sworn in to Office

Derek Slap, who rose through the ranks of local and state government from New Haven to the State Capitol to Chief of Staff for the Senate Democrats Office to the state House of Representatives, was sworn in to office today as the Democratic state senator representing nearly 98,000 people in the 5th State Senate District Towns of West Hartford, Farmington, Burlington and a portion of Bloomfield.

Sen. Slap was elected in a special election on Tuesday, February 26, 2019 to replace former Democratic state Senator Beth Bye; he won 63% of the 9,584 total votes cast in the four-way race, including 72% of the votes cast in his hometown of West Hartford.

“For two decades I’ve had an interest in public policy and in making life better for people whose concerns might otherwise be overlooked. Today I’ve taken another huge step in that journey,” Sen. Slap said. “I want to thank the residents of 5th District who put their trust in me, and I want to let them know that I’ll be working every day with their best interests at heart. I also want to thank my wife and my family for their steadfast support, which makes my legislative work possible.”

Sen. Slap lives in West Hartford with his wife, Alex, daughters Maggie and Zoe, and son, Charlie. He is CEO of the Connecticut Technology Council, working to grow and support technology activity across the state.

So far this year, Sen. Slap has focused his legislative energy on addressing the public health crisis of teen vaping by proposing an increase in the smoking age from 18 to 21 and prohibiting the sale of flavored vaping liquids (which are especially popular with teens).

Sen. Slap also passed a bill last year establishing the first-ever independent Metropolitan District Commission consumer advocate, and he was named an environmental champion by the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters (CTLCV).

Sen. Slap previously served one term as state representative for the 16th House District, representing residents in West Hartford, Avon and Bloomfield. He earned his MBA from the UConn School of Business and earned bachelors’ degrees in Broadcast Journalism and International Relations from Syracuse University, where he graduated Magna cum Laude.

Senator Haskell Testifies Against Forced Regionalization

Posted on March 1, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Haskell Testifies Against Forced Regionalization

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport) testified to the Education Committee in public hearing, speaking out against testimony that would force school districts to regionalize. On Friday, the Education Committee heard testimony from dozens of Haskell’s constituents who shared their concerns about the pending legislation.

Sen. Haskell testified with Dr. Christine Carver, superintendent of Bethel Public Schools, and ceded his speaking time to her. Dr. Carver spoke on behalf of Bethel’s community, saying that schools in western Connecticut are already working together to combine services, such as regionalizing federal grants, to benefit the community at large. “I would like to emphasize that please, whatever we do, we need to remember what’s best for children,” said Dr. Carver.

“I stand in opposition to Senate Bill No. 738, which would force many municipalities to regionalize with neighboring districts,” Sen. Haskell wrote in submitted testimony. “There is certainly inefficiency and inequality in our system of public education. However, I do not believe that this is the correct path forward to address those problems. This last month, I’ve heard from thousands of constituents who are concerned about school regionalization. That’s because I have the honor of representing some of the best school districts in the state. Let’s bring every district up to that level rather than creating larger bureaucracies.”

“Taxpayers in the 26th District cannot afford to subsidize towns that operate efficiently and spend on back-office administration,” Sen. Haskell said in submitted testimony. “If small districts want to maintain local autonomy, I support their freedom to do so. Connecticut taxpayers shouldn’t subsidize them.”

Caption: State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport) and Dr. Christine Carver, superintendent of Bethel Public Schools, testify Friday in front of the Education Committee against forced school regionalization legislation.

Sen. Needleman Enews: Legislation I’m working On

Posted on March 1, 2019 by Webmaster