Senator Bradley Strongly Supports State Senate Passage of Legislation Banning Ghost Guns and Two Other Gun Safety Bills

Posted on May 23, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Bradley Strongly Supports State Senate Passage
of Legislation Banning Ghost Guns and Two Other Gun Safety Bills

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Dennis Bradley (D-Stamford) strongly supported legislation that will enhance gun safety across Connecticut. On Thursday, the Senate advanced three bills that would require guns to be stored in locked containers in homes with minors, prohibit the manufacturing of firearms without serial numbers and “ghost guns,” and require pistols and firearms in unattended motor vehicles to be locked and secured. On the state Senate floor, Sen. Bradley talked about the need to ban ghost guns. He said the bills passed will make Connecticut safer.

“This legislation makes Connecticut safer and more knowledgeable when it comes to guns and gun safety and I strongly support the pieces of legislation we have passed today,” said Bradley. “When a firearm does not have any marking and is not registered, it creates a plethora of issues for law enforcement when attempting to trace the firearm back to its owner when it is used in a crime. Ghost guns are becoming a problem and getting these weapons off the street will only make our state safer. Additionally Ethan’s Law, which calls for safe and secure storage of firearms whether they are loaded or not, ensures the safety of our state’s youth. I commend Ethan Song’s parents, Kristin and Mike, for their courage and advocacy for better gun safety laws in our state.”

Ghost Guns

The rise of 3D printing and new technological possibilities has also led to the rise of untraceable handguns. With current kits available online, anyone, including those legally unable to possess guns, can make their own firearm with no serial number in about three hours out of a combination of plastic parts and metal parts. These guns have been seized in Connecticut towns including Torrington, Ridgefield and Waterbury and were used in California mass shootings in 2013 and 2017. In both California shootings, two individuals who could not legally own firearms each killed five people with “ghost guns” utilizing custom-made parts.

House Bill No. 7219, which passed 28-7, prohibits manufacturing a firearm without a serial number, manufacturing a plastic gun that can pass through security measures if its grips, stocks and magazines are taken off, and possessing, receiving or transferring an unfinished firearm frame or lower receiver lacking a serial number. The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection would need to issue serial numbers for those parts.

The law provides exemptions for firearms produced by federally licensed manufacturers, antique firearms and firearms made before October 1, 2019 provided they are lawfully possessed. First-time offenses are class C felonies, but courts can suspend prosecution for first-time offenders if the violations are not serious and an offender is not likely to violate the law further. California and New Jersey previously passed similar legislation; New York and Washington state put “ghost gun” bans into place earlier this month. New Jersey’s law has seen success; at least 15 “ghost gun” companies ended sales in that state since it was enacted.

Ethan’s Law

Current state law requires gun owners to secure loaded guns in locked containers if a minor under the age of 16 lives in their home. House Bill No. 7218, commonly referred to as “Ethan’s Law,” strengthens that law by requiring safe storage for all guns – loaded and unloaded – and additionally increases the age restriction from 16 years old to 18 years old. The legislation further makes negligent storage of a firearm, loaded or unloaded, a Class D felony and requires the Connecticut Board of Education to develop a K-12 guide on gun safety. HB 7218 passed by a 34-2 vote.

Ethan’s Law, House Bill 7218 (HB 7218), is named for Ethan Song, a 15-year-old from Guilford who died in 2018 when he was accidentally killed by an improperly stored gun at a friend’s house. The gun’s owner could not be prosecuted in relation to Song’s death because the gun was not loaded when it was stored.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2017, at least 2,696 children and adolescents were unintentionally shot after a gun was improperly stored; more than 100 were killed. Another 1,100 children took their own lives, many with unsecured firearms. The Harvard School of Public Health found that adolescents who die by suicide are twice as likely to have access to a gun at home than those who survive suicide attempts.

Safe Storage in Cars

House Bill No. 7223, which passed 20-15, concerns safe storage of firearms in cars and would prohibit storing a pistol in an unattended motor vehicle, unless that pistol is in the trunk, a locked glove box or a locked safe. It would make first-time offenses class A misdemeanors with further offenses being class D felonies. Law enforcement and certain security personnel receive exemptions, and the court can suspend prosecution for first-time offenders found unlikely to violate the law again.

This law comes as many cities in the United States see rising numbers of gun thefts from cars, seeing year-to-year increases of up to 40 percent; Atlanta sees up to 70 percent of all reported gun thefts being guns stolen from cars.

This legislation can reduce the up to 600,000 guns stolen each year and reduce the number of illegal guns on streets, also preventing tragedies. In Florida, a pistol stolen from an unlocked vehicle in 2014 was used to kill a police officer later that year; in Tennessee, a handgun stolen from a car in 1994 was traced to the murder of a teenage girl in Nashville in 2015.

Just this week, a Hartford man was indicted for stealing firearms from vehicles in Newington and Ellington, then selling those guns to other individuals.

Senator Duff Praises Senate Passage Of Three Bills Improving Gun Safety

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Duff Praises Senate Passage
Of Three Bills Improving Gun Safety

HARTFORD,
CT – Today, Senate Majority
Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk), lauded the passage
of three bills that would enhance gun safety across Connecticut. These bills would require guns to be stored in locked containers in homes with minors, prohibit the manufacturing of firearms without serial numbers and “ghost guns,” and require pistols and
firearms in unattended motor vehicles to be locked and secured.

“As
a result of the laws we have passed in prior sessions, we have lower rates of gun deaths and gun crimes and live in a safer state than other places across the nation,” said
Senator Duff. “Today, we continued this great work by passing three bills that will improve the safety of our communities. I’m proud that Connecticut continues to lead on this issue and we show the rest of the country what it means to address gun violence
head-on and protect our residents.”

Ethan’s
Law

Current
state law requires gun owners to secure loaded guns in locked containers if a minor under the age of 16 lives in their home. House Bill No. 7218, commonly referred to as “Ethan’s Law,” strengthens that law by requiring safe storage for all guns – loaded and
unloaded – and additionally increases the age restriction from 16 years old to 18 years old. The legislation further makes negligent storage of a firearm a Class D felony and requires the Connecticut Board of Education to develop a K-12 guide on gun safety.

This
bill is named for Ethan Song, a 15-year-old from Guilford who died in 2018 when he was shot with an improperly stored gun at a friend’s house. The gun’s owner could not be prosecuted in relation to Song’s death because the gun was not loaded when it was improperly
stored.

According
to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2017, at least 2,696 children and adolescents were unintentionally shot after a gun was improperly stored; more than 100 were killed. Another 1,100 children took their own lives, many with unsecured firearms. The Harvard
School of Public Health found that adolescents who die by suicide are twice as likely to have access to a gun at home than those who survive suicide attempts.1

Ghost
Guns

The
rise of 3D printing and new technological possibilities has also led to the rise of untraceable handguns. With current kits available online, anyone, including those legally unable to possess guns, can make their own firearm with no serial number in about
three hours out of a combination of plastic parts and metal parts. These guns have been seized in Connecticut towns including Torrington, Ridgefield and Waterbury and were used in California mass shootings in 2013 and 2017. In both California shootings, two
individuals who could not legally own firearms each killed five people with “ghost guns” utilizing custom-made parts.2

House
Bill No. 7219 prohibits manufacturing a firearm without a serial number, manufacturing a plastic gun that can pass through security measures if its grips, stocks and magazines are taken off, and possessing, receiving or transferring an unfinished firearm frame
or lower receiver lacking a serial number. The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection would need to issue serial numbers for those parts.

The
law provides exemptions for firearms produced by federally licensed manufacturers, antique firearms and firearms made before October 1, 2019 provided they are lawfully possessed. First-time offenses are class C felonies, but courts can suspend prosecution
for first-time offenders if the violations are not serious and an offender is not likely to violate the law further. California and New Jersey previously passed similar legislation; New York and Washington state put “ghost gun” bans into place earlier this
month. New Jersey’s law has seen success; at least 15 “ghost gun” companies ended sales in that state since it was enacted.3

Safe
Storage in Cars

House
Bill No. 7223 concerns safe storage of firearms in cars and would prohibit storing a pistol in an unattended motor vehicle, unless that pistol is in the trunk, a locked glove box or a locked safe. It would make first-time offenses class A misdemeanors with
further offenses being class D felonies. Law enforcement and certain security personnel receive exemptions, and the court can suspend prosecution for first-time offenders found unlikely to violate the law again.

This
law comes as many cities in the United States see rising numbers of gun thefts from cars, seeing year-to-year increases of up to 40 percent; Atlanta sees up to 70 percent of all reported gun thefts being guns stolen from cars.4

This
legislation can reduce the up to 600,000 guns stolen each year and reduce the number of illegal guns on streets, also preventing tragedies. In Florida, a pistol stolen from an unlocked vehicle in 2014 was used to kill a police officer later that year; in Tennessee,
a handgun stolen from a car in 1994 was traced to the murder of a teenage girl in Nashville in 2015.

Just
this week, a Hartford man was indicted for stealing firearms from vehicles in Newington and Ellington, then selling those guns to other individuals.5

Sources
1. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/means-matter/means-matter/risk/
2. https://www.thetrace.org/2019/05/ghost-gun-california-crime/
3. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-jersey-ghost-guns-lawsuit/new-jersey-sues-company-over-illegal-ghost-gun-sales-idUSKCN1R32DA
4. https://patch.com/connecticut/ellington-somers/charges-filed-stolen-firearms-case-involving-ellington-cars
5. https://www.thetrace.org/2016/09/stolen-guns-cars-trucks-us-atlanta/

Sen. Lesser Votes in Favor of Statewide Paid Family and Medical Leave Program

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Webmaster

Sen. Lesser Votes in Favor of Statewide
Paid Family and Medical Leave Program

HARTFORD, CT – Today, state Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown) voted in favor of legislation to create a statewide paid family and medical leave program. The bill passed by a 21 to 15 vote. This legislation will enable Connecticut residents to gain access to benefits allowing them to take time off from work to care for a newborn or a sick family member and have the peace of mind that they will still receive a paycheck.

“This is the culmination of five years of work that I’ve put into this,” said Sen. Lesser. “This is the most important piece of social legislation in decades. Connecticut now has the opportunity to join all of our surrounding states and the rest of the world in allowing families to earn paid family and medical leave. Families like Jan and Brendon Cameron. Brendon, a disabled Gulf War veteran, received care from his wife Jan, who worked for a small nonprofit. Her employer terminated her and the Cameron’s were forced into foreclosure. Due to our inability to offer paid family and medical leave, we pushed a war veteran and his wife into poverty. I also know from first-hand experience as a cancer survivor how important the financial protections that paid leave offers are and why this bill will make a difference for families all across our state.”

Senate Bill 1, “An Act Concerning Paid Family and Medical Leave,” is state Senate Democrats’ top priority this legislative session. This 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 percent in 1970 and increased to 46 percent in 2015. Similarly, the percentage of two-parent households in which the father is full time and the mother is not employed has shrunk from 46 percent in 1970 to 26 percent in 2015.

As the dynamic of the modern household continues to evolve, state governments across the United States are beginning to enact family and medical leave programs to catch up with other countries which have had similar programs on the books for years. California, the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Washington state all have paid family and medical leave programs.

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.

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 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 cannot 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. In California the maximum weekly benefit 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, 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 Anwar Proudly Votes To Create Statewide Paid Family And Medical Leave Program

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Anwar Proudly Votes To Create Statewide Paid Family And Medical Leave Program

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) proudly voted for legislation creating a statewide paid family and medical leave program. Connecticut residents would gain access to benefits allowing them to take time off work to care for a newborn child, their personal illness or a family member’s serious illness under the new bill.

“Welcoming a new member of the family is a life-changing experience. Dealing with serious illness in one’s family can be, too. Under the stress of these situations, an individual returning to work prematurely can negatively impact their family,” said Sen. Anwar. “The majority of the developed world has some form of paid leave program in place, so we know the concept is viable. This is a real opportunity for our state to become a national leader and join our neighbors who have already implemented similar programs. I’m thankful that my colleagues worked so hard to help us bring a better tomorrow in Connecticut.”

Paid family and medical leave in Connecticut comes as the state, and several others across the United States, work to match what is otherwise a global custom. The United States is the only nation of the 41 in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the European Union that does not provide any paid leave for new parents, and the United Nations’ International Labor Organization indicates 183 of 185 countries surveyed provide paid maternity leave; only the United States and Papau New Guinea do not.

Additionally, the legislation aims to support a changing family and household dynamic in the United States. In the last 45 years, the number of households with both parents working full time increased by 15 percent, and the number of two-parent households where the mother is not employed fell by 20 percent in that time. Connecticut joins Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, California, Washington and the District of Columbia in implementing these new programs.

Sustainable Funding

In Connecticut, personal disability leave and family care leave will be funded solely by employees. The program will be funded by a withholding rate of 0.5 percent, or one-half of one percent, on earnings up to the Social Security wage base. This is similar to other programs in other states. California funds its program with a 1 percent withholding rate on workers’ first $118,371 in wages; Rhode Island funds its with the first 1.1 percent of a worker’s first $71,000 in wages.

Who Benefits

Under the paid family and medical leave program, employees in the state will be eligible for 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child, a family member with a serious health condition, or to care for their own serious health condition. Additionally, employees can claim leave if they meet qualifying standards when an employee is on active duty, or if they are to serve as organ or bone marrow donors. Connecticut would be the first state to allow paid leave for such a donation.

Under the legislation, “family member” refers to a child, parent, spouse, domestic partner, grandparent, grandchild or an individual related by blood. It also refers to someone whose “close association to an employee is equivalent of a family relationship.”

Employee Coverage

Beginning on Jan. 1, 2022, the weekly benefit Connecticut employees can receive is 95 percent of 40 times the minimum wage and 60 percent on earnings above the minimum wage. The maximum benefit cannot exceed 60 times the minimum wage, meaning the maximum benefit will be $780 in 2022 when the minimum wage is $13, $840 when the minimum wage increases to $14 later that year, and $900 in 2023 when the minimum wage increases to $15.

These benefits are similar to other states, which implemented maximum benefits ranging from $850 to $1,252.

Paid leave in Connecticut will apply to private sector employers with at least one employee, while self-employed and sole-proprietor employees can opt-in. Non-union state and local government employees are also covered, while unionized workers can collectively bargain to become covered. This is similar to paid leave programs in California, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Washington.

The bill will now go to the House.

Senator Anwar Releases Statement On Medicaid Increases To Help Nursing Home Staffing

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Anwar Releases Statement On Medicaid Increases To Help Nursing Home Staffing

State Senator Saud Anwar stands with nursing home workers in early May as they announced a possible strike.

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) issued the following statement after news Wednesday that Governor Ned Lamont endorsed Medicaid rate hikes for the nursing industry, preventing a threatened strike of nursing home workers.

“I want to thank Gov. Ned Lamont’s step Monday to prevent the strike by endorsing three rates hikes for the industry to be phased in between this July and January 2021,” said Sen. Anwar. “Based on the governor’s decision, nursing homes that serve Medicaid patients would receive a 2 percent rate increase in July 2019, a 1 percent hike in October 2020 and a final 1 percent bump in January 2021. I was honored to stand with the nursing home staff a few weeks ago asking our governor for these very much needed Medicaid increases. As the Medicaid increases are planned today, I ask the nursing home owners to make sure that these raises are used to provide much-needed pay raises and fix the staffing ratios. It would be heartbreaking if these increases are not used to make the residents and staff safer.”

Senator Moore, Recalling Her Family’s Experience, Proudly Votes To Create Statewide Paid Family And Medical Leave Program

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Moore, Recalling Her Family’s
Experience, Proudly Votes To Create Statewide Paid Family And Medical Leave Program

HARTFORD, CT – Today, Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport) proudly voted for legislation creating a statewide paid family and medical leave program. Connecticut residents would gain access to benefits allowing them to take time off work to care for a newborn child or a sick family member under the new bill.

“When my mom – who was 90 – became ill, she needed care and refused to go to a convalescent home,” said Senator Moore,
sharing her own experience. “She said to me and my 5 siblings, ‘I raised 6 and 6 can’t help me now?’ She was a widow who raised 6 kids since she was 47 years of age. It hurt, but she was right on. We could not afford to take the time needed without pay to
bridge her care until she could be acclimated to this major change in her life. If paid family and medical leave was available, my siblings and I could have shared the responsibility of caring for our mother, but instead one sister took on the job as caregiver and left her job. In time, my mom got use to someone else in the house assisting her. But my sister, who is a wonderful caretaker and loving daughter, lost her position.”

“Too many working families are forced to choose between their job and taking care of their health or that of a family member,” said Senator Moore.
“It’s unacceptable that working families in Connecticut are forced to make a choice like that. This program will protect, strengthen, and support our modern-day workforce, provide psychological and financial relief to families, and ensure we have a healthier
and fairer economy.”

The details of the bill include:

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. In California the maximum weekly benefit is $1,252, $1,000 in the District of Columbia, and $850 in Massachusetts.

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

Senator Flexer Lauds Senate Passage of Bill That Updates State Statutes For Cooperative Associations

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Flexer Lauds Senate Passage of Bill That Updates State Statutes For Cooperative Associations

HARTFORD, CT – On Tuesday, May 21, the Senate passed a bill that would update state statutes for cooperative associations by a unanimous 34-0 vote. Senator Mae Flexer (D-Danielson) is a member of the Judiciary Committee which introduced the bill.

Senate Bill 138, “An Act Modernizing the State’s Cooperative Association Statutes,” would revise state statutes governing the formation of cooperative associations in order to enhance the use of such associations as a business model in the state. It would make structural changes to the membership of co-ops – reducing the minimum size from 7 people to 3 – eliminate joint and several liability of co-op members if an annual report is not filed, and eliminate the requirement that, prior to allocated profits, 10% of profits be appropriated for a contingent or sinking fund and equal a total of 20% of the capital stock.

“This legislation will strengthen and bolster existing cooperatives, like the Willimantic Food Co-op,” said Senator Mae Flexer, who is a member of the Willimantic Food Co-op. “Cooperatives are innovative and community-focused entities. Modernizing these statutes will enhance the use of cooperative associations as a business model and will encourage new co-ops to form, creating more economic growth in our communities and throughout our state.”

“I am pleased to work with Senator Flexer to simplify the Cooperative Association Statutes,” said Representative Susan Johnson (D-Windham). “The Willimantic Food Coop is a wonderful shopping option for the region. Having healthy delicious food is one more thing that makes Windham/Willimantic a go to place for food, health and beauty aids. Shoppers can rest assured that all of the items meet the standards for organic foods. Thanks to the Food Co-op leaders for bringing this to our attention. This simplified statutory change is another model that will enhance Connecticut’s opportunities for economic opportunity and development.”

“Cooperatives are a unique and viable business model,” said Alice Rubin from the Willimantic Food Co-op. “In this time of big business consolidating and resources going to far away corporations, cooperatives empower communities and keep valuable resources in Connecticut. Updating Connecticut’s cooperative association statutes would encourage more cooperatives to form and operate in our state and make a real difference in our economy.”

The bill now awaits a vote by the House of Representatives.

Senator Flexer Proudly Votes To Create Statewide Paid Family And Medical Leave Program

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Flexer Proudly Votes To Create Statewide Paid Family And Medical Leave Program

HARTFORD, CT – Today, Senator Mae Flexer (D-Danielson) proudly voted for legislation creating a statewide paid family and medical leave program. Connecticut residents would gain access to benefits allowing them to take time off work to care for a newborn child or a sick family member under the new bill.

“Connecticut workers should not be forced to choose between the family they love and the job they need,” said Senator Flexer. “Establishing a comprehensive, portable, and accessible paid family medical leave program will benefit employees and employers and the Connecticut workforce will be stronger and fairer because of it.”

“One of my first experiences I remember in my family, in my lifetime was an experience when my dad was very ill,” continued Senator Flexer. “He was in a very serious motorcycle accident and my mother had a two month old baby and a two-year old. My father was incapacitated in the hospital recovering from very serious injuries for several weeks. I think about what a difference a program like this would have made for her at that time. I’m thrilled that after five years of fighting for this legislation, it finally passed.”

Connecticut joins Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, California, Washington and the District of Columbia in implementing these new programs.

Sustainable Funding

Who Benefits

Employee Coverage

These benefits are similar to other states, which implemented maximum benefits ranging from $850 to $1,252.

The bill will now go to the House.

Sen. Cohen Votes in Favor of Statewide Paid Family and Medical Leave Program

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Webmaster

Sen. Cohen Votes in Favor of Statewide
Paid Family and Medical Leave Program

HARTFORD, CT – Today, state Senator Christine Cohen (D-Guilford) voted in favor of legislation to create a statewide paid family and medical leave program. The bill passed by a 21 to 15 vote. This legislation will enable Connecticut residents to gain access to benefits allowing them to take time off from work to care for a newborn or a sick family member and have the peace of mind that they will still receive a paycheck.

“As a small business owner, I support this legislation,” said Sen. Cohen. “I want my employees to know that if a health crisis arises that they can tend to their health or the health of a loved one and not have to worry about getting paid. This legislation will not only help employees, but businesses as well. Providing paid family and medical leave to employees has been proven to increase retention and job satisfaction. Across the World programs to provide paid family and medical leave are being enacted. It is time for Connecticut to join them and do what is best for our state’s employees and businesses”

The details of the bill include:

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. In California the maximum weekly benefit is $1,252, $1,000 in the District of Columbia, and $850 in Massachusetts.

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

Senator Abrams Proudly Votes For Creation Of Statewide Paid Family And Medical Leave Program

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Webmaster

Senator Abrams Proudly Votes For Creation Of Statewide Paid Family And Medical Leave Program

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Mary Daugherty Abrams (D- Meriden, Middlefield, Rockfall, Middletown, Cheshire) proudly voted for legislation creating a statewide paid family and medical leave program. Connecticut residents would gain access to benefits allowing them to take time off work to care for a newborn child, a sick family member, or their own serious illness under the bill.

“No one should have to face the impossible choice between their family and their career,” said Sen. Abrams. “This will give people the financial security to take care of themselves or their loved ones when facing medical problems or in the wonderful event of having a child. It says to the people of Connecticut and people elsewhere that we’re a state that cares about family and business, letting people have balance in their lives.”

The details of the bill include:

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. In California the maximum weekly benefit is $1,252, $1,000 in the District of Columbia, and $850 in Massachusetts.

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