Month: January 2020

Sen. Maroney to Hold Community Conversation in Orange on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 6 pm

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Sen. Maroney to Hold Community Conversation in Orange on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 6 pm

HARTFORD, CT – From the High Plains Community Center in Orange on Thursday, January 30 from 6 pm-8 pm, state Senator James Maroney (D-Milford) will hold a community conversation to touch base with constituents prior to the beginning of the 2020 legislative session.

The legislative session begins on Wednesday, February 5 and concludes on Wednesday, May 6. Sen. Maroney recently held community conversations in West Haven and Milford and previously held a prescription drug and long-term care forum in Orange at the High Plains Community Center.

There is much to discuss. In addition to the start of session, this month, Sen. Maroney was named Senate Chair of the legislature’s General Law Committee. Sen. Maroney said he plans to tackle robocalls, the opioid crisis and strengthen consumer protection efforts.

“I am excited to begin work as Senate Chair of this important committee,” said Sen. Maroney. “Furthermore, I am hopeful to hear from constituents at the upcoming community conversation about how I can best serve them as Senate Chair of this committee, and as their state Senator.”

Sen. Moore Leads Joint Informational Forum with 2Gen Working Group and Human Services Committee on Solutions to the Effects of Benefits Cliffs

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Sen. Moore Leads Joint Informational Forum with 2Gen Working Group and Human Services Committee on Solutions to the Effects of Benefits Cliffs

HARTFORD, CT – Today, from the Legislative Office Building, state Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport) led a joint informational forum with the Human Services Committee and the newly-formed 2Gen Working Group to discuss legislative solutions to the detrimental effects benefit cliffs have on Connecticut working families. Sen. Moore, who is Senate Chair of the Human Services Committee, said there is much work to be done this legislative session to address this issue. The legislative session begins on Wednesday, February 5.

“Benefits Cliffs are an impediment to a person’s climb out of poverty and a systemic flaw in our state that must be addressed and corrected,” said Sen. Moore. “No family should have to choose between financial or career advancements and the necessary services that are helping them stay afloat. Benefits cliffs disincentives work and positions individuals and their families for long-lasting poverty. I am committed to finding solutions to right this wrong and ensure that no one has to make the tough choices brought on by the cliff effect.”

Benefits cliffs are affecting families across the state. They are abrupt losses in public benefits due to small increases in income. They force individuals looking to improve their financial standing to make difficult choices concerning whether a pay increase is worth a loss of essential services, as the wage increase does not keep pace with the services lost. This acts as a disincentive to work, which negatively impacts the employee, their family and our economy.

As Connecticut residents experience the “cliff effect,” and are pushed farther away from upward financial mobility, our state’s labor pool takes a dive as well. Benefits cliffs limit opportunity for families and businesses, and impact government bottom lines. Employers are finding that employees are refusing wage and position advances, and that some job applicants are turning down positions, in both cases to prevent losing critical benefits such as child care and health care.

The result is a smaller available pool of workers to fill vacancies, contributing to the labor shortage in many communities and stymying the state’s economic growth. Government loses potential tax revenue from wages while continuing to provide critical financial support to families.

Shanay Fulton, a Middletown resident and 2Gen Working Group member said she knows all too well the impact of the cliff effect. Fulton is a single mother, a domestic violence survivor and was once homeless. As she attempted to pull herself out of poverty, the cliff effect awaited her at every turn.

“If I got more hours at my job, my Section 8 would go up, if my pay rate increased it was the same thing. I also couldn’t get food stamps and those are very impactful,” she said. “When you get to a place where you think you’re good, you lose things and you can’t get back on your feet. What else can I do? Should I not work or get paid the bare minimum? I can’t get to a better place in life if I do that. That’s what affected me the most, especially as a single mom.”

Fulton provided testimony as the Human Services Committee and 2Gen Working group discussed several ways to correct this issue. They also heard from mothers, the Senate chair of the legislature’s Insurance and Real Estate committee, members from the state’s philanthropy community and other experts on the impact of the cliff effect. Ideas like creating a benefits calculator to assists parents in making employment decisions were discussed, among other possible solutions. Through Connecticut’s 2Gen Initiative, which Sen. Moore established, a bipartisan, public-private benefits cliffs working group was formed to gather research and develop policy options, both short and long term, focused on whole family solutions.

Looney Calls for Review of Deadly Force Laws

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Looney Calls for Review of Deadly Force Laws

In Response to the Death of Mubarak Soulemane, Looney Calls for Action from Judiciary Committee

HARTFORD, CT (January 30, 2020) – Today, Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) sent the following letter to the chairs of the Judiciary Committee calling for a review of Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-22 and the justification of deadly force used by police.

Senator Looney wrote the letter in response to the death of New Haven resident Mubarak Soulemane which reveals exactly why the law needs attention and examination.

In the letter Senator Looney asks, “A teenager is now dead, his family has suffered a great loss and trauma, and the question many of us are asking, as we have after so many such incidents, is why?”

The full letter can be seen below.

Honorable Gary Winfield, Co-Chair
Honorable Steven Stafstrom, Co-Chair
Joint Committee on Judiciary
Legislative Office Building, Room 2500
Hartford, CT 06106

Dear Senator Winfield and Representative Strafstrom,

As the Judiciary Committee begins its important work for the 2020 session, I ask that you review Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53a-22 and the justification of deadly force used by police.

The unfortunate death of Mubarak Soulemane reveals exactly why the law needs attention and examination. Although I am eager to review the State’s Attorney’s report once the investigation is complete, having reviewed the body cam footage released to the public, it is immensely disturbing that a person sitting in the driver’s seat, with the car doors closed, surrounded by three officers with guns drawn, was shot in the manner he was. From what was revealed by the released video of the encounter, there was no imminent threat to the officers or to a third person at the moment the officer used deadly force. A teenager is now dead, his family has suffered a great loss and trauma, and the question many of us are asking, as we have after so many such incidents, is why?

In order to maintain the public’s faith in our officers, we must ensure police are held accountable when force is not justified, that our laws permitting use of force are not unnecessarily broad, and that police are trained to avoid actions that increase the likelihood deadly force will be used, whether justified or not. It has now been thirty-five years since the U.S. Supreme Court in Tennessee v. Garner struck down the “fleeing felon” rule that authorized deadly force in pursuit of any felon who might escape capture, and instead mandated that deadly force may be used only where there is imminent danger of death or serious harm to the law enforcement officer or to a third person. Despite this clear ruling, law enforcement too often appears to struggle with its proper application.

Thank you for your past leadership on matters public of safety and police accountability, especially your efforts on transparency that have directly led to the timely release of more body cam footage. This initiative undoubtedly creates more public focus on the use of deadly force by police. I trust you will give this matter the urgent attention it deserves.

Sincerely,

Martin M. Looney
President Pro Tempore

Senator Haskell Praises Rail Improvements on Metro-North Included in ‘CT2030’ Plan

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Senator Haskell Praises Rail Improvements on Metro-North Included in ‘CT2030’ Plan

Today, State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport) praised the “CT 2030” transportation plan for its proposed investments in the state’s rail systems, most notably on the Metro-North line from New Haven to Grand Central Station servicing much of southern and southeastern Connecticut. Sen. Haskell reinforced the plan’s commitment to the more than 40 million riders who utilize Metro-North every year.

“A common misconception is that ‘CT 2030’ only includes improvements for roads, but it sets the stage for a significant upgrade of much of the state’s public transportation, especially involving trains,” said Sen. Haskell. “I support this plan because of its billions of dollars of investments in rail lines, including more than $3 billion in proposed improvements, replacements and upgrades along the New Haven Line. As the conversations surrounding transportation and infrastructure continue among legislators, I’ll remember these key elements and the life improvements they’ll provide to commuters in my district.”

Rail improvements in the “CT 2030” plan include:

  • $1.958 billion earmarked for rail bridge repair and replacement along the New Haven Line
  • $842 million for line track speed improvement along the New Haven Line
  • $350 million for signal system replacement along the New Haven Line
  • $985 million for 132 new rail cars and 30 locomotives to upgrade riding cars along the New Haven Line, Waterbury Line, Danbury Line, Shore Line East and Hartford Line
  • These projects, together, are predicted to cut commute times from New Haven to Stamford by 10 to 15 minutes each way through 2025 with further improvements expected by 2030. They would also allow Connecticut to work collaboratively with New York State to speed tracks and provide MetroNorth direct access to Penn Station.

For more information about the drastic transportation improvements proposed in the “CT 2030” plan, please visit ct2030.com.

CT Police Officers Honor Cathy Osten With Leadershp Award for Her Work on PTS

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CT Police Officers Honor Cathy Osten With Leadershp Award for Her Work on PTS

HARTFORD – State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) has received a Distinguished Leadership Award from the Police Officers Association of Connecticut (POACT) in appreciation of her leadership and advocacy in protecting Connecticut’s first responders by writing and passing a new state law that provides Connecticut’s police officers and firefighters with workers’ compensation coverage for the emotional and mental injuries they may suffer on the job after witnessing some particularly horrible trauma.

Last year, Sen. Osten helped write and pass the new state law which expands the definition of ‘personal injury’ in state workers’ compensation law to include so-called “mental-mental” injuries (a mental injury without an accompanying physical injury.) The new law is expected to cover an estimated 36,000 state and local employees, including 26,800 firefighters, 8,180 police officers, 958 state police officers and 140 parole officers.

“I’m honored to be recognized by the Police Officers Association of Connecticut for putting in several years of work on a bill to require workers’ compensation coverage for the traumatic injuries suffered by police officers and firefighters while they’re on the job,” Sen. Osten said. “Now we’ve finally got a law that treats an injury to your brain the same way we treat and injury to an arm or a leg. I’m so pleased to have passed a bill that protects those who work to protect us every day.”

POACT is an organization dedicated to keeping its members informed on legislation being debated at the Capitol which directly affects police officers, their working conditions, their wages and benefits, and public safety, and to promote the involvement and action of police officers in such debates.

Workers’ compensation laws typically cover medical expenses and allow an employee to collect a portion of their paycheck for a certain time period if they suffer a physical injury on the job – say, a gunshot, a burn, or a broken leg.

But workers’ compensation laws rarely provide coverage for the emotional or mental injuries a police officer or firefighter may suffer after experiencing a particularly harrowing scene, such as a mass shooting or a car accident.

The new state law that Sen. Osten wrote allows workers’ compensation benefits to be paid to police, volunteer or full-time firefighters, and parole officers diagnosed with PTS and who experienced one of the six following events:

  • Witnessing the death of a person.
  • Witnessing an injury that causes the death of a person shortly thereafter.
  • Treating an injured person who dies shortly thereafter.
  • Carrying an injured person who dies shortly thereafter.
  • Viewing a deceased minor.

Statement Of Senator Cathy Osten On The Lamont Administration’s Decision To Model Connecticut’s New Workforce Development Efforts On The Eastern Workforce Investment Board Model

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Statement Of Senator Cathy Osten On The Lamont Administration’s Decision To Model Connecticut’s New Workforce Development Efforts On The Eastern Workforce Investment Board Model

“I want to congratulate Governor Lamont for today recognizing the wisdom and the success of the Eastern Workforce Investment Board and its CEO John Beauregard and their efforts to connect job seekers with local manufacturers. For years I have been attending EWIB meetings and touting their model and their successes. It’s one of the reasons why I noted last year that manufacturing employment growth in eastern Connecticut is four times the state average and twice the national average. It’s also why I will be joining John Beauregard and Congressman Joe Courtney on Monday morning to talk once again with Electric Boat in Groton to see what we as legislators and as job-creators can do to keep eastern Connecticut’s economy humming. Now this wisdom and commitment on job creation will be replicated across the state. It’s a good day for Connecticut.”

The Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board (EWIB) is a non-profit agency mandated through the Federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014. The EWIB oversees a network of workforce-related programs funded from a variety of sources including the operations of the region’s American Job Centers.

Interstate Compact to End Business Poaching

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Interstate Compact to End Business Poaching

Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk), Rep. Jason Rojas (D-East Hartford) and Rep. Josh Elliott (D-Hamden) today joined a national bipartisan campaign to phase out corporate giveaways by establishing an interstate compact. The legislators hope to end the constant subsidy battles between states to secure corporate headquarters and other large employers.

Sen Duff, Rep. Rojas and Rep. Elliott are backing efforts to enable Connecticut to join an interstate compact to end corporate poaching between states.

“States should work to create business friendly environments that spur new start-ups, grow existing companies, and attract new businesses from other places,” said Sen. Bob Duff. “Connecticut’s highly productive and educated workforce, quality of life, education system, environment, and health care all contribute significantly to making our state a great place to do business. Unfortunately, the competition between states has too often devolved into a race to the bottom and a game of chicken. Specific and targeted incentives are at times appropriate, but states are played against each other and taxpayers are caught in the middle. One state cannot unilaterally disarm, which is why I am excited for the potential of a national bipartisan agreement benefiting all states.”

“This is an issue that is long overdue for action, given that most businesses would prefer that government focus more on providing a better business and regulatory climate than providing subsidies to entities that have the resources to more effectively lobby for incentive packages,” said Rep. Rojas, co-chair of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee. “The business community would prefer we invest in transportation, education and workforce training rather than subsidies that go to a select few and have a limited return on investment.”

There are two main provisions to the compact. First, member states would agree to end the practice of offering tax breaks to entice an employer to move. Second, member states would participate in a national commission to discuss and propose enhancements to the existing agreement for future consideration by each state.

“We should not be in the business of poaching,” Rep. Elliott said. “Connecticut should not be targeting businesses in other states and other states should not be targeting employers in Connecticut.”

According to EndTaxGiveaways.org, a similar bipartisan agreement among the governors of Missouri and Kansas reached over the summer to end corporate giveaways for companies moving within their shared Kansas City region demonstrates the shifting winds on using company-specific subsidies as an economic development policy.

New York, Hawaii, Florida, Illinois, West Virginia and New Hampshire are considering similar proposals.

Sen. Anwar Joins Sen. Osten’s Unveiling Of Casino Jobs And Revenue Bill For 2020 Legislative Session

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Sen. Anwar Joins Sen. Osten’s Unveiling Of Casino Jobs And Revenue Bill For 2020 Legislative Session

HARTFORD – State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) today joined State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague), a longtime advocate for protecting Connecticut jobs and growing Connecticut revenue, as she unveiled a working draft of her new 2020 bill, “An Act Concerning Jobs In and Revenue From the Gaming Industry,” which seeks to expand and grow Connecticut jobs in the gaming and entertainment industry while securing more gaming revenue for Connecticut’s cities and towns.

Sens. Anwar and Osten were joined today by a bipartisan group of legislators who support the bill and its goals.

“Today, we are talking about a win-win strategy,” said Sen. Anwar. “If you look at the details, everyone wins. Not only will we have significant new investments in East Windsor and Bridgeport, but we have jobs for the people who will build these places. In East Windsor, we anticipate 2,000 jobs in building the casino and 2,000 more jobs when the casino is built and running. All of the neighboring towns, including East Hartford, Ellington and South Windsor, will also benefit, getting new revenue sources as residents work at these casinos and individuals travel through them to access the casinos. It’s the same in Bridgeport – new jobs will come not only where the casino is built but the surrounding areas. I am excited to support these plans and look forward to the project’s progress.”

“Connecticut needs to embrace and promote two of the largest employers in our state – the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes – with the same fervor and conviction that we have embraced the aerospace industry, advanced manufacturing, and biotech. It’s a matter of fairness and respect for an industry that that I believe is long overdue,” Sen. Osten said. “With the expansion of gaming and entertainment in Connecticut comes the responsibility, I believe, for the two tribes to share some of that wealth with Connecticut’s cities and towns. We plan on distributing $88 million more in gaming revenue to all Connecticut cities and towns – that’s up from the current $51 million – with the possibility of another $25 million or so for several targeted, impacted communities. There is also accountability in this bill in that we ask DMHAS to create a new program for the treatment and rehabilitation of compulsive gamblers in this state – with that program to be funded by fees from gaming operators – and for the Department of Consumer Protection to increase its outreach on compulsive gambling.”

The 41-page draft bill includes several new and important public policies, including:

  • Directing Governor Lamont to negotiate and amend the existing tribal compacts by October 1
  • Allowing the tribes to operate both retail and online sports betting
  • The creation of a new casino in Bridgeport to be jointly operated by the two tribes
  • The creation of tribal ‘entertainment zones’ in Hartford, New Haven, and one other town to be determined
  • Extending Connecticut’s deadline for serving alcohol in casinos from 2 a.m. until 4 a.m.
  • A new system for allotting some of the new tribal revenue, including 10% of gross gaming revenue (not from video slots) to be earmarked for statewide tourism efforts, and 15% to be deposited into the General Fund
  • An increase of $88 million (from $51 million to $139 million) of gaming revenue to be distributed annually to all 169 Connecticut cities and towns
  • If remaining funds allow, additional grants of $750,000 each to be distributed annually to Bridgeport, East Hartford, Ellington, Enfield, Hartford, New Haven, Norwalk, South Windsor, Waterbury, West Hartford, Windsor and Windsor Locks
  • If remaining funds allow, additional grants of $750,000 each to be distributed annually to East Lyme, Groton, Ledyard, Montville, Norwich, Stonington and Waterford
  • If remaining funds allow, additional grants to $375,000 each to be distributed annually to Bozrah, Franklin, Griswold, Lisbon, North Stonington, Preston, Salem, and Sprague.
  • The City of Bridgeport may impose property taxes on the planned Bridgeport casino for up to 10 years
  • The Connecticut Lottery Corporation may conduct online lottery ticket sales, with age confirmation
  • The state Department of Consumer Protection must, within available resources, inform the public about programs designed to prevent, treat and rehabilitate compulsive gamblers
  • The state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) must establish a program for the treatment and rehabilitation of compulsive gamblers

Sen. Osten Unveils Casino Jobs and Revenue Bill for 2020 Legislative Session

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Sen. Osten Unveils Casino Jobs and Revenue Bill for 2020 Legislative Session

HARTFORD – State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague), a longtime advocate for protecting Connecticut jobs and growing Connecticut revenue, today unveiled a working draft of her new 2020 bill, “An Act Concerning Jobs In and Revenue From the Gaming Industry,” which seeks to expand and grow Connecticut jobs in the gaming and entertainment industry while securing more gaming revenue for Connecticut’s cities and towns.

Sen. Osten was joined today at her announcement by a bipartisan group of legislators who support the bill and its goals.

“As I have been saying for some time now, Connecticut needs to embrace and promote two of the largest employers in our state – the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes – with the same fervor and conviction that we have embraced the aerospace industry, advanced manufacturing, and biotech. It’s a matter of fairness and respect for an industry that that I believe is long overdue. So, first and foremost, this bill does that, it embraces job growth in the gaming industry” Sen. Osten said.

“Secondly, with the expansion of gaming and entertainment in Connecticut comes the responsibility, I believe, for the two tribes to share some of that wealth with Connecticut’s cities and towns. And this bill does that too,” Sen. Osten continued. “We plan on distributing $88 million more in gaming revenue to all Connecticut cities and towns – that’s up from the current $51 million – with the possibility of another $25 million or so for several targeted, impacted communities. So on top of the all new jobs for the state and the economic boost that will generate, we will be distributing more tribal funds to Connecticut cities and towns than we do now.”

“And lastly, there is accountability in this bill in that we ask DMHAS to create a new program for the treatment and rehabilitation of compulsive gamblers in this state – with that program to be funded by fees from gaming operators – and for the Department of Consumer Protection to increase its outreach on compulsive gambling,” Sen. Osten said. “All in all this is a very comprehensive bill, it’s a very forward-looking bill, it has a lot of moving parts, but in the end this is a job-creator and a revenue-enhancer for the State of Connecticut, and that is something that we need right now as well as going forward into the future. It’s a bill with great bipartisan support in the legislature that should be passed and signed into law as soon as possible.”

Senator Haskell Joins Senate Democrats To Announce “A Connecticut for All” Agenda

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Senator Haskell Joins Senate Democrats To Announce “A Connecticut for All” Agenda

Bill proposals aim to support families and build a state for all our residents

On Friday, State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport) joined members of the Senate Democratic caucus to announce “A Connecticut for All,” the final of four legislative agendas for the 2020 legislative session from Senate Democrats. The series of bills outlined the policy proposals from Senate Democrats aim to support families and build a state for all our residents.

Sen. Haskell introduced the topic of ensuring equal access for parenting, promoting legislation that would require newly constructed, publicly-accessible buildings to include diaper changing tables in both men’s rooms and women’s rooms. This legislation was initially proposed in the 2019 legislative session and was approved by the Senate in a 34-2 bipartisan vote, but never reached the House floor.

“I want to talk about my niece, Mimi,” Sen. Haskell said. “She has two dads, my brother Stephen and his wonderful husband Dave. They’re the two most dedicated, remarkable, caring parents I know, and yet they run into an issue almost constantly. When Mimi’s diaper needs to be changed and they’re out in public, they can’t find a diaper changing station in a public men’s restroom. There are only changing tables in women’s restrooms. That’s because we have a societal belief that women should do the majority of childcare. Fortunately, that is changing. Men are starting to take on more parenting roles. This isn’t just about same-sex couples but about heterosexual couples where men and women share child rearing responsibilities equally. In 2016, fathers reported spending eighthours a week on childcare. That’s triple the time they spent in 1965. The picture is still unequal – mothers reported spending 14 hours per week on childcare – but we can start to right this wrong by asking every new building built in Connecticut and everysubstantially renovated building in the state to install diaper changing stations in both men’s and women’s restrooms.”

Additional legislative proposals in the “A Connecticut for All” agenda discussed today included:

SUPPORTING FAMILIES

Planned Parenthood Funding
To provide state funding for Planned Parenthood to counter the loss of federal Title X funding due to the Trump administration’s gag order.

Preventing Youth Suicide
To increase awareness, education and services to our youth around suicide prevention.

Diaper Changing Stations
To improve the health and safety of children by requiring all new or substantially renovated buildings that have public restrooms to provide at least one diaper changing table to women and men on each building floor that is accessible to the public.

PROTECTING CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS

Non-Disclosure Agreements
To stop employers from using non-disclosure agreements to silence victims of sexual harassment.

Captive Audience Meetings
To prohibit an employer from coercing employees into attending or participating in meetings sponsored by the employer concerning the employer’s views on religious or political matters.

Age Discrimination
To increase job protections for older workers in our state.

Narcan and Epi-Pens for Public Safety Officers
To increase the number of municipal and state police officers who carry life-saving Narcan
and EpiPens.

Read background information on the proposed legislation here.