Senator Haskell Releases Statement On Westport’s Single-Use Plastic Ban

Posted on May 8, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Haskell Releases Statement On Westport’s Single-Use Plastic Ban

WESTPORT, CT – Today, State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport) released the following statement after the Westport Representative Town Meeting, or RTM, unanimously approved an ordinance prohibiting the use of single-use plastic items, including cups, straws and Styrofoam, Tuesday night.

“I am incredibly proud to represent a town that’s considering this vital initiative,” said Sen. Haskell. “Having grown up in Westport, I know the important role that the Long Island Sound plays in our daily lives. Given the dire need for bold environmental protections, Westport is speaking with moral clarity and once again setting an example for the rest of the state. As we work to bring the plastic bag ban to the state level, I’m certain that we’ll one day have yet another conversation about following Westport’s example by banning single-use plastics.”

Sen. Haskell Joins Senate Passage Of Early Voting Amendment, Expresses Disappointment In Broad Republican Opposition

Posted on May 8, 2019 by Webmaster

Sen. Haskell Joins Senate Passage Of Early Voting Amendment, Expresses Disappointment In Broad Republican Opposition

HARTFORD – After a bipartisan vote in the house last week, State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport) today joined Democrats in the state Senate in supporting a resolution that could ultimately allow for early voting in Connecticut.

House Joint Resolution 161, “Resolution Proposing an Amendment to the State Constitution to Allow for Early Voting,” passed the Senate on a largely partisan 23-13 vote. With so many Republicans opposing this legislation, the margin now means that, if approved by voters at statewide referendum, the issue of early voting would have to be voted on again by the next legislature to be elected in November 2020, and if approved, would not take effect until the 2023 election – more than four years from now.

“This was a really disappointing day in the Senate. Perhaps I’m just new to this, but I’m shocked to see a lack of Republican support for giving citizens increased freedom to vote on their own terms,” said Sen. Haskell. “Tonight, my Republican colleagues in the Senate decided that partisanship comes before the democratic process. This legislation received broad support in the House, where Republicans recognized that the right to vote is rendered meaningless without the ability to vote. I remain hopeful that Connecticut will one day become the 41st state to offer early voting access, thereby reducing long lines on Election Day and allowing parents, workers, students and seniors to cast their ballots how they choose.”

The House joint resolution seeks to amend sections of the state constitution to allow for early voting; that is, voting outside the normal 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. time period on Election Day.

Democrats are aiming to allow Connecticut to join the other 40 U.S. states and the District of Columbia in offering some form of early voting to its busy state residents.

Bradley Speaks to Parent Leadership Training Group

Posted on May 8, 2019 by Webmaster

Bradley Speaks to Parent Leadership Training Group

BRIDGEPORT, CT – State Senator Dennis Bradley (D-Bridgeport) helped to lead a parent leadership training session held by the Parent Leadership Training Institute (PLTI) on how government works and how parents can let their voices be heard in government. Sen. Bradley thanked the PLTI and said it is important parents understand local and state government, as it will enable them to advocate for their children and families.

“A strong Bridgeport is a knowledgeable Bridgeport,” said Sen. Bradley. “When parents understand how government works and what legislators are doing in Hartford, they are better positioned to advocate for their children and communities. I am grateful to the Parent Leadership Training Institute for inviting me to speak to such an inquisitive, motivated, inspirational group of parents.”

The nonpartisan Connecticut Commission on Women, Children and Seniors (CWCS) created the PLTIs. The goals of PLTI is to help parents become better leaders for their children and families, expand the capacity of parents as change agents for children and families, develop communities of parents within regions of the state that support one another in skills development and successful parent action for children and to increase parent-child interactions and improve child outcomes through parent involvement.

The program lasts 20 weeks and culminates with graduation and a presentation of final projects at the capitol. There are PLTI’s across the state, Bridgeport’s PLTI was the state’s first. Sen. Bradley said this program is essential for communities like Bridgeport.

“I support the work the PLTI is doing in our state,” said Sen. Bradley. “An informed community is one that cannot be taken advantage of, used or exploited. The more we lift up programs like PLTI, and empower our parents, the stronger our state will be.”
Sen. Bradley talked to parents about how he broke into politics, what he does as a state Senator and different ways parents can stay involved with local and state government. He later took questions from the roomful of parents about how bills become laws and why it is important for them to stay informed with what is transpiring in Hartford.

Maroney Bill to Create Apprenticeship Pathways to a College Degree Approved by State Senate

Posted on May 8, 2019 by Webmaster

Maroney Bill to Create Apprenticeship Pathways
to a College Degree Approved by State Senate

HARTFORD, CT – Today legislation state Senator James Maroney (D-Milford) introduced which will create apprenticeship pathways to a Bachelor’s Degree passed the state Senate by a bipartisan, unanimous vote. Sen. Maroney said a college degree is increasingly becoming a necessity for individuals looking for work. He said this legislation will broaden the field of individuals who have access to a Bachelor’s and employment.

“By 2025, over 70 percent of the jobs in Connecticut will require a post-secondary credential, it is imperative that we ensure all of our young people have an equal opportunity to earn a Bachelor’s Degree,” said Sen. Maroney. “This legislation will provide those who learn best outside the classroom with the opportunity to earn important college credits while also sharpening their skills in the workforce.”

Senate Bill 607, “An Act Concerning Apprenticeships Pathways to Earning a Bachelor’s Degree,” will give the authority to the Labor Department and the Board of Regents for Higher Education to establish a plan for nontraditional pathways to earning a Bachelor’s at all state colleges and Charter Oak State College. Students will earn college credits for apprenticeship work. If enacted, The Labor Department and the Board of Regents for Higher Education will begin work on the plan on July 1, 2019 and have until the end of the year to finalize an apprenticeship pathways plan.

The plan will include, but not be limited to, the following:

The subject areas students can earn a Bachelor’s Degree in through apprenticeships
The form and manner in which apprenticeships are registered
Student requirements for apprenticeship plan
How students can apply for apprenticeship plan
The number of credits students for apprenticeships
The requirements for successful completion of an apprenticeship pathway

According to the Office of Fiscal Analysis, the legislation will have no fiscal note. Sen. Maroney, who runs a small business which helps prepare young people for college, said this legislation will not cost Connecticut taxpayers anything and will benefit our economy.

“This legislation will aide individuals in our state’s job market, positioning them for work in Connecticut,” said Sen. Maroney. “This will enable them to contribute to our state’s economy.”

Prior to passing the state Senate, SB 607 was approved by the Higher Education and Employee Advancement Committee by a bipartisan, unanimous vote. SB 607 now awaits a vote by the state House of Representatives and a signature from Governor Ned Lamont.

Senator Anwar Shows Need For Significant Infrastructure Investment At Deficient, 112-Year-Old South Windsor Bridge

Posted on May 7, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Anwar Shows Need For Significant Infrastructure Investment At Deficient, 112-Year-Old South Windsor Bridge

South Windsor Mayor Andrew Paterna and State Senator Saud Anwar stand on Bridge No. 04174as they advocate for a way forward on toll funding. This bridge, which carries South Windsor’s Main Street over the Podunk River, is 112 years old and was last rehabilitated in 1981. It requires nearly $1.3 million in repairs.

SOUTH WINDSOR, CT – Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) joined South Windsor Mayor Andrew Paterna at South Windsor’s oldest bridge to emphasize the need to repair Connecticut’s degrading infrastructure. The 112-year-old Main Street bridge, slated to be repaired in 2020 for a cost of $1.28 million, is one of more than 300 bridges across Connecticut currently considered to be in deficient quality, underscoring the need for new strategies supporting significant investment in state infrastructure.

“This bridge is one of six in my district, and one of hundreds statewide, that requires immediate attention so it does not fall into further disrepair,” said Sen. Anwar. “This bridge is more than 110 years old. It has not been worked on in nearly 40 years. A weak section of its surface is sectioned off by barriers. The Department of Transportation said this bridge alone will cost nearly $1.3 million to repair – and there are 331 more just like it. We need solutions to fix this growing problem in our state. It won’t go away on its own.”

“The Town of South Windsor is extremely concerned about repairing our infrastructure, and this bridge is more than 100 years old, but we can’t do it on our own,” said Mayor Paterna. “We need the partnership with the state to help us invest. If we took this on solely on our own, it would be a major deficit to our budget.”

Sen. Anwar and Mayor Paterna spoke Tuesday at Bridge No. 04174, which carries South Windsor’s Main Street over the Podunk River. Built in 1907 and last rehabilitated in 1981, this bridge currently has a substandard superstructure and is expected to be repaired in 2020 with a project cost of approximately $1.28 million, according to the Department of Transportation. Sen. Anwar noted that one side of the bridge has concrete barriers sectioning off a portion that has deteriorated.

Bridge No. 04174 is rated as “deficient,” which means at least one section of its structure has advanced deterioration. The average age of a deficient bridge in Connecticut is 69 years old.

Sen. Anwar emphasized the need for Connecticut to find the best path forward for funding tolls. A proposed plan to implement tolls on four state highways would raise hundreds of millions of dollars annually, and Sen. Anwar noted that plan would receive up to 40 percent of those funds from out-of-state drivers who currently use Connecticut roads. A second proposed plan by Republican lawmakers, which is estimated to cost roughly three times as much as a plan utilizing tolls, would charge 100 percent of its costs to Connecticut taxpayers and add $35 billion to the state’s debt service over a 20-year period. That debt would not be paid off until 2071.

For more information about broken bridges in Connecticut, please visit https://www.senatedems.ct.gov/brokenbridges.

To watch a Facebook Live video featuring Sen. Anwar and Mayor Paterna recorded Tuesday morning on the bridge, please visit https://www.facebook.com/SenatorSaudAnwar/videos/2643157792365319/.

Duff and Norwalk State Reps Highlight Education Funding for Norwalk in Democratic State Budget

Posted on May 3, 2019 by Webmaster

Duff and Norwalk State Reps Highlight Education Funding for Norwalk in Democratic State Budget

Democrats Increase Norwalk Education Funding by $1.5 Million as Republican Budget Provides $0 in Education Funding for Norwalk

Norwalk, CT (May 6, 2019) – Today, on the steps of Norwalk City Hall, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk), State Representative Lucy Dathan (D-Norwalk), State Representative Chris Perone (D-Norwalk), State Representative Travis Simms (D-Norwalk), and Norwalk Federation of Teachers President Mary Yordon highlighted the full state funding for local Norwalk education in the Democratic state budget passed last week in the Appropriations Committee.

In the 2017 bipartisan state budget a new, 10-year education funding formula for towns was enacted. Spearheaded by Senator Duff, the formula changed to provide more state education dollars to municipalities like Norwalk. Over the next two years Norwalk will receive an additional $1.5 million in state education funding.

In Fiscal Year 2019, Norwalk received $11,439,365 in state education funding. The Democratic state budget passed by Appropriations Committee will increase Norwalk’s state education funding by over $500,000 to $11,982,530 for Fiscal Year 2020. In Fiscal Year 2021, Norwalk will receive over $1 million more than Fiscal Year 2019 for a total of $12,525,694.

“The Democratic state budget is an honest line-by-line budget that will increase local education funding for Norwalk,” said Senator Duff. “By continuing the education promises we made the last two years in our bipartisan budget, we are providing our towns and boards of education the stability and funding they deserve. The $1.5 million increase in state education dollars for Norwalk means more teachers, stronger education programming, and a brighter future for our children. Thousands of people choose to raise their families in Norwalk because of our excellent education system. Today we repay that faith with a stronger investment in education.”

“I am delighted that under our Appropriations Committee budget we just passed, Norwalk is projected to get a fair share of our much needed education funding,” Rep. Dathan said. “It is encouraging to see everyone on the table prioritizing education funding as we should. Providing the necessary funds to our local schools is paramount if we expect our students to succeed.”

“If we want to jumpstart our economy we must invest in the workforce pipeline – connecting skilled jobseekers with employers,” said Rep. Chris Perone (D-Norwalk). “Our budget proposal seeks to train students for the jobs that employers are desperately seeking to fill.”

“Making sure we get our fair share of Education Cost Sharing funds is one of my top priorities and a major component of State aid for our cities,” Rep. Simms said. “I will continue the fight in the coming weeks as we work on the state budget in Hartford to ensure Norwalk has the education dollars it needs for our students.”

While the Democratic budget passed the Appropriations Committee and Finance Committee by last week’s mandated committee deadline, state Republicans failed to propose, submit, or vote on a state budget. With no budget, state Republicans have proposed $0 for state education funding for Norwalk.

“State Republicans have proposed $0 in state funding for Norwalk schools,” said Senator Duff. “Connecticut’s economic success requires a strong education system and Republicans have not given our children and teachers a single penny.”

The Democratic budget now awaits a vote by the full State Senate and full House of Representatives.

Other Highlights of the Democratic State Budget

Investing in Workforce Development

Provides greater funding than the Governor proposed for several workforce development programs including:
Jobs Funnel Programs ($632K each year)
Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative ($1.1 M each year)
Healthcare Apprenticeship Initiative ($500K each year)
Connecticut’s Youth Employment Program ($1 M each year)
Cradle to Career ($100K each year)
Pilot Re-Entry Program ($800K each year)
Veteran Machinists Training ($250K each year)

Advancing Education

Increases funding for K-12 education by tens of millions of dollars from FY 19 ($42 million in FY 20 & $80 million in FY 21)
Fully funds the ECS formula as required under the ten year phase-in adopted by the bipartisan budget in 2017.
Increases funding for community colleges from FY 19 ($8 million in FY 20 & $10 million in FY 21)

Supporting Connecticut Families

Includes funding to support the implementation of an increase in the minimum wage
Funds the creation of a Paid Family Medical Leave program
Funds a public health care insurance option for families and small businesses
Safeguarding Seniors
Provides funding for the Center for Medicare Advocacy ($300K in each year)
Increases funding for Meals on Wheels ($475K in each year)

Other Investments

Includes funding for Juvenile Justice Outreach ($11.7 M in FY 20 and $10.2 M in FY 21)
Funds services for individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities including employment and day services for new high school graduates ($6.3 M in FY 20 and $14.6 M in FY 21) as well as individuals aging out of the Department of Children and Families and residential schools ($3 M in FY 20 and $5.7 M in FY 21)
Preserves funding for mental health and substance abuse grants ($1.6 M in each year)
Provides funding for caseload growth in the Birth to Three program ($1.4 M in FY 20 and $2 M in FY 21)
Includes funding for a new State Trooper Class in FY 20
Provides funding to staff Welcome Centers and restore the hours of operation at the Rest Areas on our highways

Maroney, Rose Hold Question and Answer Session with Seniors at Milford Senior Center

Posted on May 3, 2019 by Webmaster

Maroney, Rose Hold Question and Answer
Session with Seniors at Milford Senior Center

State Senator James Maroney (D-Milford) and State Representative Kim Rose (D-Milford) met with seniors at the Milford Senior Center to discuss housing for seniors, combating the opioid crisis and the legalization of recreational marijuana on Friday, May 3 2019.

Senator Anwar Releases Statement in Response to Senator Blumenthal’s Call to Increase Funding for Religious Security

Posted on May 3, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Anwar Releases Statement in Response to Senator Blumenthal’s Call to Increase Funding for Religious Security

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) released the following statement in response to a press conference held this morning by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. Sen. Blumenthal and assembled religious leaders advocated for an increase in federal funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which funds enhanced physical security for places of worship and faith-based community centers. Sen. Blumenthal and others cited recent increases in acts of physical violence against places of worship, including a shooting at a synagogue in San Diego on April 28 that left one dead and four wounded. Additionally, in late March, a Hartford mosque received a phone call threatening the lives of worshippers.

“I applaud Sen. Blumenthal’s call for increased funding for security at places of worship and faith,” said Sen. Anwar. “No one should feel unsafe or threatened in their church, synagogue, mosque or temple. Unfortunately, that is not the reality we live in. Sen. Blumenthal’s request to more than double security funding for places of worship is a valuable step toward ensuring the protection of worshippers of all faiths, and it is necessary in light of a federal budget proposal that suggests no funding for that cause. These additional resources will help us protect our faith communities across Connecticut and across our country. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us.”

Legislative Leaders React to DPH School Immunization Report Low vaccine rates at more than 100 schools

Posted on May 3, 2019 by Webmaster

Legislative Leaders React to DPH School Immunization Report
Low vaccine rates at more than 100 schools

House and Senate leadership reacted today to the Department of Public Health’s (DPH) release of data on the immunization rates for the state’s public and private schools. DPH data shows that 108 Connecticut schools fall under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommended 95 percent immunization rate for MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccines in kindergartners.

“Today’s data from the state Department of Public Health bears out what many of us feared,” said Senate President Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven). “The immunization level is dangerously low in a significant number of schools and communities putting the public’s health at risk. This is a matter of grave public health concern.”

“Ensuring that our schools are safe, healthy learning environments for our children is an ongoing responsibility,” said Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz (D-Berlin/Southington). “Public health is always top priority, and when there are signs it is being compromised, it can’t be ignored.”

“We have seen public health crises across the country due to a lack of vaccinations,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk). “The newly released immunization data demonstrates that parts of our state are possibly at risk of an outbreak of certain communicable diseases. We owe it to our children to consider any and all possible solutions to this potential crisis.”

“These numbers are shocking,” said House Majority Leader Matt Ritter (D-Hartford). “The more students who are vaccinated, the safer a school is from an outbreak of measles or other vaccine-preventable disease.”

Outbreaks are less likely to occur at schools where high numbers of students are immunized. “Herd” immunity is achieved when the vaccination rate in school is high enough to protect unvaccinated children – the CDC says that number is 95-percent.

According to the CDC, schools are a leading venue for the transmission of vaccine-preventable disease, and contagious school-age children can further spread disease to their families and communities.

Legislative Leaders React to DPH School Immunization Report Low vaccine rates at more than 100 schools

Posted on May 3, 2019 by Webmaster

Legislative Leaders React to DPH School Immunization Report
Low vaccine rates at more than 100 schools

“Today’s data from the state Department of Public Health bears out what many of us feared,” said Senate President Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven). “The immunization level is dangerously low in a significant number of schools and communities putting the public’s health at risk. This is a matter of grave public health concern.”

“Ensuring that our schools are safe, healthy learning environments for our children is an ongoing responsibility,” said Speaker of the House Joe Aresimowicz (D-Berlin/Southington). “Public health is always top priority, and when there are signs it is being compromised, it can’t be ignored.”

“We have seen public health crises across the country due to a lack of vaccinations,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk). “The newly released immunization data demonstrates that parts of our state are possibly at risk of an outbreak of certain communicable diseases. We owe it to our children to consider any and all possible solutions to this potential crisis.”

“These numbers are shocking,” said House Majority Leader Matt Ritter (D-Hartford). “The more students who are vaccinated, the safer a school is from an outbreak of measles or other vaccine-preventable disease.”

According to the CDC, schools are a leading venue for the transmission of vaccine-preventable disease, and contagious school-age children can further spread disease to their families and communities.