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Senate Leaders Applaud House Passage of Paid Family and Medical Leave

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Webmaster

Senate Leaders Applaud House Passage of Paid Family and Medical Leave

CT will now join 183 other countries, six states, and Washington, D.C.

HARTFORD, CT (May 31, 2019) – Today, leaders in the Connecticut State Senate applauded passage of paid family and medical leave in the House of Representatives. The statewide paid family and medical leave program will provide necessary benefits to Connecticut residents in order to care for a newborn or a sick family member.

“No longer will Connecticut families have to choose between the necessity of going to work due to the inability to live for even a short time without a paycheck and caring for a newborn, a sick family member, or even neglecting their own health,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven). “This long-overdue, strong paid family medical leave program is necessary and beneficial for all Connecticut workers in our modern economy. Thank you Speaker Joe Aresimowicz and Majority Leader Matt Ritter for bringing this measure to a vote in the House. Once again a special thank you to House Chairwoman of the Labor and Public Employees Committee Robyn Porter for her relentless work to make paid family and medical leave a reality.”

“Connecticut will finally catch up with our neighboring states and the rest of the modern world and establish paid family and medical leave,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk). “I want to thank the leadership in the House for getting this critical policy for Connecticut families across the finish line. Paid family and medical leave will keep our state competitive with the region, uphold our commitment to workers, and reaffirm Connecticut as a great place to live and raise a family.”

“A paid family and medical leave program will prove to be one of the greatest successes of our state legislature,” said Senator Julie Kushner (D-Danbury). “Everyone–Democrat, Republican, or unaffiliated voter–has had to take care of a family member with a serious illness or has welcomed a new baby into the world. This program will cover all workers, provide a good wage replacement, and contain an inclusive definition of family. Now, working people will not have to choose between a paycheck and taking care of a family member. Connecticut will be an even better place to live, work, and raise a family.”

State governments across the United States are beginning to enact family and medical leave programs to catch up with other modern countries which have had similar programs on the books for years. According to the United Nations’ International Labor Organization, 183 of the 185 countries and territories surveyed provide some sort of paid maternity leave. Across the 41 countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the European Union, the United States is the only nation that does not provide any paid leave for new parents.

In addition, the program reflects the needs of the changing dynamic of working households in the United States. The percentage of two-parent households in which both parents work full time was 31% in 1970 and increased to 46% in 2015. Similarly, the percentage of two-parent households in which the dad is full time and the mom is not employed has shrunk from 46% in 1970 to 26% in 2015.

The bill would have Connecticut join California, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington, which all have paid family and medical leave programs. The details of the bill include:

Length of Paid Leave

Connecticut employees will be eligible for 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave. If an employee experiences a pregnancy-related serious health condition that results in incapacity then the employee would be eligible for 14 weeks.

Similarly, state programs in Massachusetts and Washington state provide 12 weeks of paid leave. Washington also provides an additional two weeks for serious pregnancy-related health conditions. However, in Massachusetts employees are eligible for 20 weeks of paid leave for their own serious health condition.

Reasons for Paid Leave

Connecticut employees would be able to use paid family and medical leave for five reasons:

1. Care for a new child (birth, adoption, foster)
2. Care for family member with serious health condition
3. Care for own serious health condition
4. Qualifying exigency arising out of family member being on active duty
5. To serve as an organ or bone marrow donor

New York, Washington state, and Massachusetts allow reasons one through four. Connecticut would be the only state in the country to allow for paid leave due to donating bone marrow or an organ.

Definition of Family Member

Connecticut’s definition of a family member would align with that of New Jersey and include:

Child
Parent
Spouse
Domestic partner
Grandparent
Grandchild

Individual related to the employee by blood or affinity whose close association the employee shows to be the equivalent of those family relationships

Benefit Amount

Beginning January 1, 2022, the weekly benefit for Connecticut employees will be 95% of 40 times the minimum wage and 60% on earnings above the minimum wage. The maximum weekly benefit can not exceed 60 times the minimum wage which is the equivalent of $780 on a $13 minimum wage, $840 on a $14 minimum wage, and $900 on a $15 minimum wage.

Connecticut’s benefits align similarly with other states. The maximum weekly benefit in California is $1,252, $1,000 in the District of Columbia, and $850 in Massachusetts.

Employees Covered

In Connecticut paid leave will apply to private sector employers with one or more employees. Self-employed employees and sole-proprietors have the ability to opt-in to the program. In addition, non-union state and local government employees are covered. Unionized workers will have the ability to collectively bargain and become covered.

Similarly all private sector employers are covered in state paid leave programs in California, the District of Columbia, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Washington state.

Program Funding

In Connecticut both personal disability leave and family care leave will be funded by the employee only. The withholding rate is 0.5 (one-half of one) percent on earnings up to the Social Security wage base.

For comparison, other states fund paid leave programs through either the employee only or a combination of the employee and the employer. In California, both personal disability and family care are funded by the employee only at one percent of a worker’s first $118,371 in wages. Additionally in Rhode Island, both personal disability and family care are funded by the employee only at 1.1 percent of a worker’s first $71,000 in wages.

Senator Cohen Supports Legislation Establishing a Fund to Help Municipalities Respond to the Effects of Climate Change

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Cohen Supports Legislation Establishing a Fund to
Help Municipalities Respond to the Effects of Climate Change

HARTFORD, CT — Today, state Senator Christine Cohen (D-Guilford) brought out onto the state Senate floor and led debate on legislation which will establish a fund to address the impact of climate change in Connecticut. The bill passed the state Senate by a bipartisan 35-0 vote and will head to the state House of Representatives for further action.

“This important piece of legislation will enable our state’s shoreline municipalities to put systems in place to deal with the impacts of climate change,” said Sen. Cohen. “I applaud the state Senate’s passage of this legislation and am hopeful it will also pass the state House of Representatives and get signed into law by the Governor. Through this bill, we better position our state to protect the shoreline communities, businesses and environment. The town of Branford has been a leader in establishing a coastal resiliency plan. I commend their early efforts and action to protect their community.”

Senate Bill 1062, “An Act Authorizing Municipal Climate Change And Coastal Resiliency Reserve Funds,” will allow municipalities to establish a fund which may contain the following:

Funds authorized to be transferred from the municipality’s General Fund cash surplus at the end of a fiscal year
Proceeds of bonds, notes, or other obligations issued to fund losses or projects related to the presence of pyrrhotite in the concrete foundations of residential buildings
Amounts raised by an annual tax levied solely for the benefit of the fund. Any such tax must be levied and collected in the same manner and at the same time as the municipality’s regular annual taxes.

This legislation will also allow municipalities to use and appropriate all or part of the reserve fund to pay for municipal property losses, capital projects, and studies on mitigating climate change hazards and vulnerabilities, including land acquisition. Additionally, the bill requires that if the reserve fund is discontinued, any remaining funds must be put toward retiring the municipality’s bonded indebtedness, if any. Any further remaining funds must be transferred to the municipality’s General Fund. If enacted, SB 1062 will go into effect July 1, 2019.

During a hearing of the Environment Committee, the Nature Conservancy provided public testimony stating this fund will enable municipalities to craft plans and strategies to reduce the vulnerabilities the municipality may have due to the effects of climate change. They also called the Climate Change and Coastal Resiliency Reserve Fund “an important tool that municipalities can use to help prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change.” In February, Branford created its own $1 million fund to finance efforts to counter the impact of future sea level rise, making them the first in the state to create a coastal resiliency fund.

This legislation received overwhelming bipartisan support, passing the Environment Committee by a 27-2 vote. If passed by the House, it awaits a signature from Governor Ned Lamont to become law.

Sen. Slap Stands To Support Raising Connecticut’s Smoking Age To 21

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Webmaster

Sen. Slap Stands To Support
Raising Connecticut’s Smoking Age To 21

HARTFORD – Today, State Senator Derek Slap (D-West Hartford) stood to support Senate passage of legislation that raises Connecticut’s smoking age – and the age at which someone can purchase vaping or tobacco products — from 18 to 21.

The legislation is part of a push to counteract the increase of youth smoking, especially youth use of tobacco vaporizers or “vapes” which the U.S. Surgeon General has called an “epidemic.”

“Last winter I hosted an informational forum in teen smoking at Hall High School in West Hartford. It was a bitterly cold evening, but dozens of parents came out to say how scared they are for their children and how concerned they are about creating a new generation of individuals addicted to nicotine,” Sen. Slap told the Senate in support of the bill. “Weeks later I was at Conard High School in West Hartford, and by now parents were demanding that the state take action on what they saw as a public health crisis. The federal government has declared teen vaping an epidemic. What are we supposed to do, stand by and do nothing? This bill represents state government at its best: collaborating, working together, and coming up with a solution that the public has demanded.”

House Bill 7200, also known as “Tobacco 21,” raises the legal age to purchase cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vaping products and other tobacco products in Connecticut from 18 to 21 as of October 1, 2019.

The bill also increases penalties for tobacco sales for individuals under the age of 21, and it bans smoking and e-cigarette use on school and child care center grounds. Businesses found to sell tobacco products to underage patrons will see fines increased from $200 to $300 for first offenses, from $350 to $750 for second offenses, and from $500 to $1,000 for further offenses.

This bill comes as data shows an increase in youth and underage tobacco use, specifically of vaping products.

In 2018, more than 3.6 million youth across the United States – including 20 percent of high school students and 5 percent of middle school students – reported using e-cigarettes, according to the Surgeon General. Vaping products also have led to concerns about public health, as they utilize chemicals that are seen as unsafe. They are also often sold with “sweet” flavors, and the chemicals used in those flavors pose additional health risks. The Centers for Disease Control said in 2016 that vaping flavors can facilitate nicotine addiction and simulated smoking behavior.

The bill also closes a significant loophole that will prevent youth access to tobacco products, as it requires online e-cigarette sellers to obtain the signature of someone 21 or older when delivering a package. This prevents underage shoppers from obtaining vapes or other smoking products without having to show identification or prove they’re of age.

The House of Representatives had already approved HB 7200 by a bipartisan 124-22 vote. If signed into law by Governor Lamont, Connecticut would become the 12th state in America to raise the smoking age to 21.

Senate Leaders Applaud House Passage of Paid Family and Medical Leave

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Webmaster

Senate Leaders Applaud House Passage of Paid Family and Medical Leave

CT will now join 183 other countries, six states, and Washington, D.C.

Length of Paid Leave

Reasons for Paid Leave

Connecticut employees would be able to use paid family and medical leave for five reasons:

1. Care for a new child (birth, adoption, foster)
2. Care for family member with serious health condition
3. Care for own serious health condition
4. Qualifying exigency arising out of family member being on active duty
5. To serve as an organ or bone marrow donor

New York, Washington state, and Massachusetts allow reasons one through four. Connecticut would be the only state in the country to allow for paid leave due to donating bone marrow or an organ.

Definition of Family Member

Connecticut’s definition of a family member would align with that of New Jersey and include:

Child
Parent
Spouse
Domestic partner
Grandparent
Grandchild

Individual related to the employee by blood or affinity whose close association the employee shows to be the equivalent of those family relationships

Benefit Amount

Connecticut’s benefits align similarly with other states. The maximum weekly benefit in California is $1,252, $1,000 in the District of Columbia, and $850 in Massachusetts.

Employees Covered

Similarly all private sector employers are covered in state paid leave programs in California, the District of Columbia, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Washington state.

Program Funding

Senators Abrams And Flexer Lead Senate Vote To Raise Smoking Age To 21

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Webmaster

Senators Abrams And Flexer Lead Senate Vote To Raise Smoking Age To 21

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senators Mary Daugherty Abrams (D- Meriden, Middlefield, Rockfall, Middletown, Cheshire) and Mae Flexer (D-Windham) led the Senate’s passing of legislation raising the age of purchase for tobacco products from 18 to 21. This legislation is part of a push to counteract the increase in smoking among our youth, especially the use of tobacco vaporizers or “vapes,” which the Surgeon General called an “epidemic” in December 2018. Sen. Abrams introduced the bill, then ceded the floor to Sen. Flexer, who has championed the cause and developed the legislation for years.

“After so many years, I’m thrilled that the Senate finally passed this important legislation with bipartisan involvement and support,” said Senator Flexer. “This is a critical public health crisis dramatically affecting youth in our state. Ninety-five percent of people who begin a nicotine addiction do so before the age of 21. Ten years ago, because of our strong anti-tobacco laws, we were on track to have our first tobacco-free generation. But the sky-rocketing use of electronic cigarettes has changed that. Students in our middle schools and high schools are leaving their classes to go use these products in the bathroom. Vaping among our youth has more than doubled in the last two years. This smart policy will keep these products out of the hands of kids and ensure that in the future, fewer and fewer people become addicted to tobacco products. It will put us back on track towards a tobacco-free generation.”

“As the Senate Chair of the Public Health Committee, I am heartened that Connecticut is taking steps to protect our youth,” said Sen. Abrams. “We know that 95 percent of addicted smokers start before they turn 21, and young smokers frequently access tobacco products through their 18-to-21-year-old peers. By raising the smoking age, we cut off that access point. Smoking leads to life-long health effects, some of them life-ending, others directly linked to cancers and heart diseases. If we can stop youth from accessing tobacco early, we can save lives and improve public health.”

House Bill No. 7200, commonly referred to as “Tobacco 21,” raises the legal purchase age of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vaping products and other tobacco products from 18 to 21, effective on October 1. In addition to raising the age of access, the bill increases penalties for tobacco sales to individuals under the age of 21 and bans smoking and e-cigarette use on school and child care center grounds, among other changes to current laws.

Businesses found to sell tobacco products to underage patrons will see fines increased from $200 to $300 for first offenses, from $350 to $750 for second offenses, and from $500 to $1,000 for further offenses. They also face a possible revocation of their license to sell tobacco products.

This bill comes as data shows an increase in youth and underage tobacco use, specifically of vaping products. In 2018, more than 3.6 million youth across the United States – including 20 percent of high school students and 5 percent of middle school students – reported using e-cigarettes, according to the Surgeon General. Vaping products also have led to concerns about public health, as they utilize chemicals that are seen as unsafe. They are also often sold with “sweet” flavors, and the chemicals used in those flavors pose additional health risks. The Centers for Disease Control said in 2016 that vaping flavors can facilitate nicotine addiction and simulated smoking behavior.

Before the bill reached the Senate, the House approved it by a bipartisan 124-22 vote, and 53 Senators and Representatives co-sponsored the legislation. Its approval would make Connecticut the 12th state, in addition to the District of Columbia, to raise the age of access to 21.

Senator Cohen Celebrates As Senate Raises Smoking Age To 21

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Cohen Celebrates As
Senate Raises Smoking Age To 21

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Christine Cohen (D-Guilford) celebrated the Senate’s passage of legislation raising the smoking age, or age where someone can purchase tobacco products, from 18 to 21. This legislation passed by a bipartisan 33-3 vote and is part of a push to counteract the increase of youth smoking, especially youth use of tobacco vaporizers or “vapes,” which the Surgeon General called an “epidemic” in December 2018.

“With all we know about the health risks associated with smoking and vaping, inaction would be irresponsible,” said Sen. Cohen. “I am proud to see this piece of legislation pass by a bipartisan vote, as it illustrates the General Assembly’s commitment to the health of our state’s youth and to closing the chapter on the teen smoking and vaping epidemic. It will aid in keeping addictive tobacco products out of the hands of our children and ultimately will save lives”

House Bill 7200, commonly referred to as “Tobacco 21,” raises the legal purchase age of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, vaping products and other tobacco products from 18 to 21, additionally strengthening other laws. In addition to raising the age of access, the bill increases penalties for tobacco sales for individuals under the age of 21 and bans smoking and e-cigarette use on school and child care center grounds, among other changes to current laws.

This bill comes as data shows an increase in youth and underage tobacco use, specifically of vaping products. In 2018, more than 3.6 million youth across the United States – including 20 percent of high school students and five percent of middle school students – reported using e-cigarettes, according to the Surgeon General. Vaping products also have led to concerns about public health, as they utilize chemicals that are seen as unsafe. They are also often sold with “sweet” flavors, and the chemicals used in those flavors pose additional health risks. The Centers for Disease Control said in 2016 that vaping flavors can facilitate nicotine addiction and simulated smoking behavior.

Senator Anwar Supports Senate Vote To Raise Smoking Age To 21

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Anwar Supports Senate Vote To Raise Smoking Age To 21

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) joined the Senate’s passing of legislation raising the smoking age, or age where someone can purchase tobacco products, from 18 to 21. This legislation is part of a push to counteract the increase of youth smoking, especially their use of tobacco vaporizers or “vapes,” which the Surgeon General called an “epidemic” in December 2018.

“In my work as a physician, I have seen first-hand the effects of smoking, and the health problems it brings,” said Sen. Anwar. “Smoking can lead to cancers, heart disease and lung disease, to name just a few. When the vast majority of smokers first use tobacco products in their youth, we owe it to them to increase the age of access. This will vastly reduce the number of high school students who will be able to get these products from their friends and classmates. It’s an important step that will prevent many would-be smokers from becoming addicted before they know the consequences. I thank Senators Mae Flexer and Mary Abrams, Representative Jonathan Steinberg and everyone else who worked hard to protect the future generations of Connecticut. Smoking is not healthy at any age.”

House Bill No. 7200, commonly referred to as “Tobacco 21,” raises the legal purchase age of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vaping products and other tobacco products from 18 to 21, effective on October 1. In addition to increasing the age of access, the bill increases penalties for tobacco sales for individuals under the age of 21 and bans smoking and e-cigarette use on school and child care center grounds, among other changes to current laws.

Sen. Anwar Joins Unanimous Senate Passage Of Black & Puerto Rican Studies Bill

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Webmaster

Sen. Anwar Joins Unanimous Senate Passage Of Black & Puerto Rican Studies Bill

HARTFORD – State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) joined in a unanimous and bipartisan vote this week to re-make Connecticut’s school curriculum to specifically include the history and accomplishments of African-American, Puerto Rican and Latino studies.

“We make the best decisions in our lives based on the knowledge that we have, and at times, nowadays, when I see the decisions people make, I feel those decisions are not fair or right because their education has been incomplete,” said Sen. Anwar. “How do you equalize that? It requires providing them with knowledge and understanding of experience. We must invest in sharing the history of our country. With it, we will be in a better place. I thank Senator Doug McCrory for his hard work on this important legislation.”

House Bill 7082, “AN ACT CONCERNING THE INCLUSION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CURRICULUM SUMMARY,” adds African-American and black and Puerto Rican and Latino studies to the required programs of study for Connecticut public schools, and it requires all local and regional boards of education to include these topics in their curriculum beginning with the 2021-22 school year.

At the March 6, 2019 public hearing on the bill, nearly 250 people appeared to testify in support of the bill, including a student who testified “I do not believe that the racial inequities currently displayed in society can be changed, unless they are explicitly addressed in schools.”

Senator Doug McCrory, an educator for 27 years and Senate Chair of the legislature’s Education Committee, said all successful school curriculums have the “three R’s” in common: they are rigorous, relevant, and create a relationship with the students.

For far too long, Sen. McCrory said, black and Hispanic students have not had a personal relationship with school curriculums when it comes to history and social studies.

The bill, which passed the House of Representatives last week on a bipartisan 122-24 vote, now heads to Governor Lamont for his signature.

Senator Anwar Joins Senate In Approving New Funds To Mitigate Climate Change

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Anwar Joins Senate In Approving New Funds To Mitigate Climate Change

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) joined the Senate in approving legislation that prepares Connecticut for the future of climate change. It would create a fund that municipalities can use to study and mitigate the future impacts of rising sea levels and other climate change hazards.

“We must take action now to prepare for the changes already becoming visible in our climate,” said Sen. Anwar. “With this legislation, towns and cities will be able to prepare, using reserves to pay for potential damage to their communities and study how they can best protect themselves. It’s an unfortunate but necessary step for us to take.”

Senate Bill 1062, “An Act Authorizing Municipal Climate Change And Coastal Resiliency Reserve Funds,” will allow municipalities to establish a fund which may contain the following:

Funds authorized to be transferred from the municipality’s General Fund cash surplus at the end of a fiscal year
Proceeds of bonds, notes, or other obligations issued to fund losses or projects related to the presence of pyrrhotite in the concrete foundations of residential buildings
Amounts raised by an annual tax levied solely for the benefit of the fund. Any such tax must be levied and collected in the same manner and at the same time as the municipality’s regular annual taxes.

While this legislation was in the Environment Committee, the Nature Conservancy provided public testimony stating this fund will enable municipalities to craft plans and strategies to reduce the vulnerabilities the municipality may have due to the effects of climate change. They also called the Climate Change and Coastal Resiliency Reserve Fund “an important tool that municipalities can use to help prepare for and respond to the impacts of climate change.”

This legislation received overwhelming bipartisan support, passing the Environment Committee by a 27-2 vote. If passed by the House, it awaits a signature from Governor Ned Lamont to become law.

Senator Needleman Supports Senate Vote To Raise Smoking Age To 21

Posted on May 31, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Needleman Supports Senate Vote To Raise Smoking Age To 21

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) joined the Senate’s passing of legislation raising the smoking age, or age where someone can purchase tobacco products, from 18 to 21. This legislation is part of a push to counteract the increase of youth smoking, especially their use of tobacco vaporizers or “vapes,” which the Surgeon General called an “epidemic” in December 2018.

“I am proud that we are taking action to protect our young people,” said Sen. Needleman. “Statistics show that the vast majority of smokers started before they turned 21 – and they access tobacco products through their friends, classmates and colleagues at school. By increasing the age of access for tobacco products, we cut off their ability to use tobacco products and stop them from becoming addicted to them at a young age. I applaud Senator Mae Flexer, Senator Mary Abrams, Representative Jonathan Steinberg and everyone else who had a hand in crafting this legislation.”

House Bill No. 7200, commonly referred to as “Tobacco 21,” raises the legal purchase age of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vaping products and other tobacco products from 18 to 21, effective on October 1. In addition to increasing the age of access, the bill increases penalties for tobacco sales for individuals under the age of 21 and bans smoking and e-cigarette use on school and child care center grounds, among other changes to current laws.