State Senator James Maroney Releases Statement Following Subway’s Announcement of Moving Jobs out of Milford Headquarters
Today, state Senator James Maroney (D-Milford) is releasing a statement following Subways announcement of moving some jobs out of its Milford headquarters.
“Subway has been an excellent corporate citizen who has always treated employees really well in Milford,” said Sen. Maroney. “It is disappointing to hear they will be moving some positions to Florida. Unfortunately, it is a trend for many companies to relocate employees to be closer to where the CEO lives and it’s unfortunate there will be more layoffs as units will close here. The good news is, a majority of employees will remain in Milford.”
Housing Committee Passes Bills Promising Significant Protections, Reforms in Housing Policy Statewide
Housing Committee Passes Bills Promising Significant Protections, Reforms in Housing Policy Statewide
Today, the Housing Committee passed a number of bills providing significant increases in protection for members of the public regarding housing, including expansions of protections for victims of family violence or sexual assault, increased resources to prevent homelessness and providing individuals with the right to counsel in eviction proceedings. State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor), Vice Chair of the Housing Committee and a proponent of the bills, lauded their passage today.
“The Housing Committee is committed to protecting members of the public from predatory practices and increasing their opportunities to succeed,” said Sen. Anwar. “Stable housing is key to other stability in one’s life; we owe it to our entire state to protect those in need. I’m encouraged to see many bills pass the committee today, and look forward to fighting to ensure they become law, for the good of our communities.”
Among the bills that were given joint-favorable approval by the Housing Committee today were:
- Senate Bill 48, “An Act Concerning Additional Housing Protections For Victims Of Family Violence Or Sexual Assault,” would allow a person with a valid order of protection to change the locks on their dwelling or to request their landlord change the locks.
- Senate Bill 86, “An Act Establishing The Homelessness Response System To Allocate Resources For The Homeless And To Prevent Homelessness,” would establish the Homelessness Response System to provide increased funding for coordinated access networks and the United Way of Connecticut 211 Infoline program.
- House Bill 6531, “An Act Concerning The Right To Counsel In Eviction Proceedings,” would provide individuals facing eviction with the right to receive legal counseling.
The bills now progress to the Senate and House floors.
Children’s Committee Sends Legislation Focused on Youth Protection from Harm to House Floor
Children’s Committee Sends Legislation Focused on Youth Protection from Harm to House Floor
Today, the Children’s Committee voted to send several pieces of legislation focused on the protection of children from harm to the House floor, approving of bills that would prevent children from purchasing electronic nicotine and vapor systems online and require background checks for youth sports coaches, trainers and instructors, as well as certain employees of youth camps. State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor), the Senate Chair of the Children’s Committee, was encouraged to see the legislation move forward.
House Bill 6110, “An Act Concerning The Online Sale and Delivery of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems and Vapor Products,” would close a loophole that potentially allows underage children to acquire those products online. The legislation would require buyers to provide identification at time of purchase and ensure the name on that identification matches the payment method used to buy it.
“We’ve fought so hard to protect children from the adverse effects of vaping, and we need to make sure they cannot purchase them online,” said Sen. Anwar. “By adding this step to the process, children and teens hoping to purchase these products underage have another roadblock in their way, protecting their lungs from the harmful effects of vaping and smoking.”
House Bills 6511 and 6417, “An Act Requiring Background Checks For Youth Sports Coaches, Trainers and Instructors” and “An Act Requiring Background Checks For Certain Employees Of Youth Camps” respectively, would require youth sports coaches, instructors and athletic trainers over the age of 18 to submit to background checks, as would youth camp employees over the age of 18 who provide care or have unsupervised access to children.
“Sadly and tragically, sometimes those responsible for the well-being of children act in ways that harm those children,” said Sen. Anwar. “By adding these background checks, we can add an additional layer of protection to prevent any bad actors from doing harm, making sure children’s’ coaches, trainers, instructors and counselors help youths grow and flourish.”
Sens. Osten & Slap Write Letter to Governor Seeking Vaccination for People with I/DD
Sens. Osten & Slap Write Letter to Governor Seeking Vaccination for People with I/DD
HARTFORD – Saying their constituents are disappointed and frustrated, state Senators Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) and Derek Slap (D-West Hartford) have joined other members of a bipartisan commission on intellectual disabilities to urge Governor Ned Lamont to modify his COVID-19 vaccine guidelines to immediately include people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
In a March 3 letter to the governor (attached), Sens. Osten and Slap are joined by four other members of the Bipartisan Commission on Intellectual Disabilities and the Impact of COVID-19 that was created under the Joint Rules of the Senate at the beginning of the 2021 legislative session in January.
“We believe that this vulnerable population should have been prioritized to receive the vaccine as soon as possible or as originally planned under Phase 1B due to elevated health concerns and not based on the new age-based plan that was announced recently. Our immunocompromised population and many in our I/DD community are at serious risk for developing adverse complications that will only exasperate their underlying medical conditions if they are not given priority,” the bipartisan Commission wrote Gov. Lamont. “Furthermore, our I/DD population has been impacted greatly during this pandemic and they have faced even greater social isolation and setbacks that range from issues from not being able visit with family or being able to learn or work in the developmental programs normally offered to them. Due to their condition, many in this population are also not able to wear masks and have not been vaccinated because they receive services at home or may not be in other group settings.”
“We would also appreciate if you could give serious consideration to allotting a certain number of dedicated vaccines for this population based on need,” they added.
Their letter comes as a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine “Catalyst” newsletter shows individuals with intellectual disabilities are at substantially increased risk of dying from COIVID-19: https://catalyst.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/CAT.21.0051
The study of 65 million patients across 547 health care organizations reveals that having an intellectual disability was the strongest independent risk factor for presenting with a COVID-19 diagnosis, and the strongest independent risk factor — other than age — for COVID-19 mortality. The study found that people with developmental disabilities are more than three times more likely to die following a diagnosis of COVID-19, and that those with intellectual disabilities are 2.75 times as likely to die following such a diagnosis.
“Screening for COVID-19, care coordination, and vaccination efforts should be intense within this population that is less able to consistently use masks and socially distance,” the study concludes.
Sen. Osten said while she understands that older age groups are more likely to contract the coronavirus and suffer serious consequences, “the science shows that there are other, smaller groups, such as individuals with I/DD, who are also at very high risk for COVID-19.”
“If our goal as a state government is to follow the science and to vaccinate those who are most likely to contract and die from this virus, then obviously we need to prioritize vaccinations for people with I/DD. It can be done with the simple stroke of a pen,” Sen. Osten said.
“This is a wrenching issue for individuals and families that is causing a lot more heartache than it should,” Sen. Slap said. “Connecticut has been at the national forefront of coronavirus management and treatment for nearly a year. The Lamont administration has largely done a great job with the COVID-19 crisis, and I hope that they can quickly make this change in order to reduce the fear and anxiety among folks with I/DD and their family members.”
Legislators Encouraged as Higher Education Committee Sends Legislation Requiring Reporting of Accidental Deaths, Serious Injury to House, Senate Floor
Legislators Encouraged as Higher Education Committee Sends Legislation Requiring Reporting of Accidental Deaths, Serious Injury to House, Senate Floor
Today, the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee voted to approve legislation requiring higher education institutions to report accidental deaths and serious injuries occurring on campus. The bill will now move to the Senate floor for consideration. Legislators involved in the bill’s drafting, including former Higher Education Senate Chair State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport), current House Chair State Representative Josh Elliott (D-Hamden) and former Higher Education Committee Ranking Member State Senator Tony Hwang (R-Fairfield) each applauded today’s committee vote. Most importantly, the family of Corey Hausman signaled their intention to continue fighting to bring the bill across the finish line.
Should it be signed into law, Senate Bill 954, “An Act Requiring The Reporting of Incidents That Resulted In Serious Physical Injuries Or Deaths at Institutions of Higher Education,” would require colleges and universities to report the number of accidental deaths and serious injuries that occur on campus. This data would be added to statistics that colleges and universities are required to report each year by the federal Clery Act.
Testifying before the committee, Nanette Hausman of Westport told the story of her son, Corey. Corey died from injuries sustained in an accident on his college campus just weeks into his freshman year. This was the third death in 15 days since the start of classes at that college. Although Corey’s death occurred outside of Connecticut, Nanette cited the critical role of transparency and helping colleges get the funding they need to prioritize investment in all areas of safety.
“The ultimate goal is to save every future college student from becoming a tragic story like my boy Corey’s,” she testified. “It is also to help our public health agencies collect evidence-based accident data.” Hausman added the objective “is not to blame our colleges, it is to create transparency around accidental death.”
“Almost a year ago, Nanette picked up the phone and shared Corey’s story with me. With grace and courage, her family has channeled their grief into advocacy. They’ve working tirelessly to make sure that no tragedy is overlooked,” said Sen. Haskell. “Together, we met with colleges and universities in Connecticut to reach a consensus on how this data might be reported and used to invest in safer campuses. I am so honored to have the opportunity to work on this bill alongside the Hausman family, and I’ll fight to make sure it’s considered on the Senate Floor.”
“The courage shown by the Hausmans to bring this issue forward is courageous and inspirational, especially as they manage to endure such an unimaginable experience,” said Sen. Hwang. “As a parent of a college student, I empathize with the simultaneous excitement and worry that you feel when you drop your child off at campus. There is a lot of fear and uncertainty – but higher education institutions must be accountable to be responsive and communicate with immediate family. Colleges and universities must take sincere and serious responsibility to treat these students as their own children. I believe that Senate Bill 954 is a positive step in minimizing the uncertainty by diligently collecting data and empowering parents to have a voice in ensuring their child is protected.”
“This bill just makes sense, and it’s alarming that a proposal like it hasn’t already been signed into law,” said Rep. Elliott. “We currently collect similar data from institutions and shouldn’t neglect collecting this information as well. This bill would close that gap and provide the full scope of deaths on college campuses creating a transparent approach to making necessary improvements for the safety of students.”
Sen. Slap Seeks Tighter Regulations on the Metropolitan District
Sen. Slap Seeks Tighter Regulations on the Metropolitan District
A bill introduced by state Senator Derek Slap (D-West Hartford) to tighten restrictions on the way that the Metropolitan District operates received widespread support at its public hearing last week, and the bill could come up for a vote in the legislature’s Planning and Development Committee in the next few weeks.
Senate Bill 966, “AN ACT CONCERNING THE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT OF HARTFORD COUNTY,” would require annual audits of the Metropolitan District’s books by state auditors, create a task force to examine the District’s operations, and require the District to adopt the same code of ethics that Connecticut cities and towns operate under.
The Metropolitan District (also known as the MDC) is the largest water and sewer provider in the Greater Hartford region; it has come under fire in recent years for its repeated, large water rate hikes and its decisions to give volume price discounts to large, corporate water users.
“As I said in my testimony, we’re at the point where we need legislative action to help improve transparency at the Metropolitan District and to strengthen the public trust in them. I’ve heard from countless constituents who have serious reservations about the operations of the Metropolitan District,” Sen. Slap said. “This bill has three components which, working together, will help improve public trust. While families in my Senate district love the Metropolitan District’s water quality and its reservoirs, they’re much more conflicted about its governance and operations. This bill can close that divide, and that’s good for consumers and the Metropolitan District.”
Six dozen people submitted testimony on the bill, including town leaders and environmental organizations.
“While the MDC has periodically revised its charter over the years, we do not know whether it has been looked at in a comprehensive manner, especially by an outside entity. It is a beneficial exercise for any municipal government to periodically review its charter to determine whether its provisions need to be updated,” said West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor. “The MDC charter was first promulgated in 1929 and much has changed since then.”
“This quasi, public-private authority has long been at the center of controversy due to its lack of accountability and for policy decisions that are not in the best interest of the public it was created to serve,” said Lori Brown, Executive Director of the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters. “There must be a serious effort to review the finances, operations, and ethical standards by which the MDC must abide. The legislature created the MDC and can make course corrections for them by statute if the Authority is unable to perform in the best interest of the public.”
“Residents and the ecological communities in Hartford County, as well as those downriver, depend the MDC to carry out its mission to provide customers with safe drinking water and environmentally protective wastewater collection and treatment, said Kelsey Wentling, River Steward of the Connecticut River Conservancy. “The health of the Connecticut River and all those who live in and enjoy its waters depends on an accountable and efficient MDC. By requiring annual audits, establishing a task force to examine the organization and the required adoption of a code of ethics by the MDC, we believe Senate Bill 966 increases credibility of MDC and trust between the MDC and the public.”
The Planning and Development Committee is expected to vote on the bill by April 9.
Senator Kushner Joins Celebration As Governor Signs C.R.O.W.N. Act into Effect
Senator Kushner Joins Celebration As Governor Signs C.R.O.W.N. Act into Effect
Today, State Senator Julie Kushner (D-Danbury) joined the celebration of her colleagues at the State Capitol as advocates and legislators gathered for the ceremonial signing of the C.R.O.W.N. Act by Governor Ned Lamont. As Senate Chair of the Labor and Public Employees Committee, Sen. Kushner helped guide the legislation through the legislative process, which bans discrimination against individuals for wearing their natural hairstyles, and today allowed her fellow supporters to discuss its importance and what its passage means for workers today, especially Black and Brown people.
“Today is a day of celebration, liberation and freedom,” said State Representative Robyn Porter (D-New Haven), House Chair of the Labor Committee. “It represents our ability to come together and work collectively to create liberating spaces for everyone. Black and Brown people, men women and children, will have the opportunity and the spaces to show up authentically, who we are, and not be defined by how we wear our hair. My hair is me, and depending on how I feel, it’s how I show up. I may wear an Afro, I may put it in some twists, I may let it dry and get curly, or I might cut it all off. Sometimes, the crown is just a crown. I’m so proud to be here with all my supporters as Connecticut is the first state in 2021 to do this and the eighth to join a national coalition.”
“I felt so honored to be a part of this process. It is rare that you get to participate in such an intimate way on an issue of racial equity when you’re a white person,” said Sen. Kushner. “To be an anti-racist, we have to begin to examine every aspect of our lives and of society to root out systemic racism, and you need a partner to do that. I have a great partner in Rep. Porter. I brought out the bill in the Senate, but I didn’t speak much but to say we must be intentional in our work and look at everything through a racial equity lens. When we came to the Senate, it was my colleagues like Senator McCrory, Senator Winfield, Senator Cabrera and Senator Moore who brought to light the lived experience that stresses and underscores the importance of the C.R.O.W.N. Act.”
“As the first African-American Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families,” said Vannessa Dorantes, the Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families, “I am also a Black woman who chooses to wear my hair in its natural state, ‘natural’ being defined as having no chemical processes to alter my hair’s texture. This act represents the opportunity to share my personal experiences and give voice to the implicit bias associated with this issue. Implicit bias refers to bias that is subconscious and refers to judgments made in an instant. Explicit bias is more deliberate. This is an issue that’s beyond the workplace. To remove discriminatory expectations within the workplace is an important step toward identity. The significant factor in considering this type of discrimination is the impact to Black children and young people. As we all know, identity development is an important factor in adolescent life stages. The issue of natural hair, and the rejection, that results in Black children feeling ostracized, bullied, disciplined unjustly or forced to acquiesce and assimilate to handbook rules banning natural hairstyles. The child on the other side of that discriminatory practice is left with feelings of humiliation, sadness, anger, frustration and confusion. I wish I could tell those children they do not have to feel concerned about negative reactions, that they are beautiful and those reactions are isolated and should not occur. I have a unique experience related to this act as I am a graduate of the state’s technical schools where I studied trade requirements, such as for the state board exam for hairdressing, I taught cultural competency courses at one of our state universities, and I co-chaired the Women and Children’s Health and Safety Subcommittee of the Council of Women and Girls. I recognize it’s important to lift up these issues. A common form of overt racism is the suppression of a person’s right to establish standards conflicting with a person’s cultural or ethnic identity. A person’s wardrobe, language and hairstyle are reflections of that person’s heritage and pride, and should be revered in a country and state as diverse as ours.”
The C.R.O.W. N. Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of ethnic hairstyles historically associated with race, specifically adding two key qualifiers to current statutes to expand the definition of “race” in the state’s antidiscrimination laws. They will now be inclusive of traits like hair texture and protective hairstyles, which can include braids, locs and twists, that are historically associated with an individual’s race, and therefore individuals cannot face punishment or different treatment for having them.
This legislation comes at an important time, as currently, up to 80 percent of Black women have said they feel they need to change their natural hair color to fit in at their workplace. Further studies show Black women are more than three times as likely to have their hairstyles called “unprofessional” compared to white women, and that Black women are also 50 percent more likely than white women to have been sent home from the workforce solely due to their hair. This will have multiple positive impacts, not only ending discrimination against people of color based on hair but affirming that Black and Brown people do not need to change aspects of their own natural appearance to “fit in,” further removing pressures of discrimination.
Key Senate Legislation Protecting Children and Enhancing State Systems Receives Public Hearing
Key Senate Legislation Protecting Children and Enhancing State Systems Receives Public Hearing
Today, one of Senate Democrats’ foremost priorities for this legislative session, a key piece of legislation providing overhauls in social equity, health, safety and education of children, received a public hearing in the Children’s Committee. State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor), a sponsor of the bill and Senate Chair of the Children’s Committee, led discussion and heard testimony from members of the public about the benefits such increased access to resources would provide for youths across the state.
“Hearing from members of the public about the direct differences this legislation will make for the lives of their children – and from children themselves, talking about how their lives could benefit – only reinforces its importance,” said Sen. Anwar. “Children deserve to live in an equitable world, and we would be remiss if we did not consider their safety, health and education in building and assessing that world. I will champion this legislation until it’s sworn into law because I believe in our children receiving every opportunity and having every resource they can to succeed.”
Senate Bill 2, “An Act Concerning Social Equity and the Health, Safety and Education of Children,” is a wide-ranging piece of legislation that aims to provide increased protections for children in mental health response assistance, in-school care, the Department of Children and Families and overall child wellness. Many of its protections are responses to issues seen during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Its changes would include:
In mental health:
- Establish a youth suicide prevention training program
- Require certain licensed health care professionals including physician assistants, behavior analysts and EMTs to undergo mental health and suicide screening/prevention training
- Permit minors to receive more than six outpatient mental health treatment sessions without parental/guardian consent
- Require local and regional boards of education to permit up to four mental health wellness days per school year
In school care:
- Require boards of education to integrate social-emotional learning in professional development programs and educational goal statements
- Permit parents to virtually attend parent-teacher conferences, even post-pandemic, and require parent-teacher conferences during remote-education school sessions
- Require teachers to ask students about safety, mental health and food insecurity during virtual learning periods, proactively providing resources that may otherwise be unavailable
- Require boards of education to provide remote high school instruction, prohibiting boards from deeming a remote-attending student from being deemed absent
- Require collection of adverse childhood experiences data by boards of education and the Department of Education
In the Department of Children and Families:
- Require the Commissioner of Children and Families to provide children in state custody remote visitation opportunities if a disease outbreak occurs.
- Require the Commissioner to develop policies requiring end of in-person visitation case-by-case if such visitation could result in spread of disease
- Expand the DCF telephone Careline to receive information about child abuse or neglect by text message, especially important given the potential danger of making a verbal call in close quarters
- Require the Commissioner to give notice to parents and guardians if a child is considered for removal from a home, making sure parents and families understand through meetings
In overall child wellness:
- Require the Commissioner of Early Childhood to develop and implement a plan to expand birth-to-three programs, expanding the age of care before termination to five years old
- Require the Commissioner of Education to establish a grant program for internet access during remote school sessions
- Launch the Whole Child Initiative, a tax force to study comprehensive needs of children in Connecticut
Congressman Courtney, Senator Needleman Emphasize Importance of Affordable Housing at Centerbrook Redevelopment
Congressman Courtney, Senator Needleman Emphasize Importance of Affordable Housing at Centerbrook Redevelopment
This week, U.S. Congressman Joe Courtney (D) and State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) toured The Lofts At Spencer’s Corner, a redevelopment project in the heart of Centerbrook, to underscore and emphasize the importance of new affordable housing in local communities, especially when such housing can be created through redevelopment of key town properties. The Lofts, a redevelopment created by the HOPE Partnership, is the latest of that organization’s efforts to modernize and update older buildings to meet community needs. The mixed-use property has a variety of apartments on its second and third floors, while the first floor features retail and office space.
“The talented staff at HOPE, along with their volunteer supporters, did an outstanding job top to bottom on this project, which demonstrates the transformational difference that federal dollars through HUD’s HOME program can make,” said Congressman Courtney. “Recognizing the potential of a parcel built as commercial real estate, HOPE was able to utilize federal dollars to create new, modern apartments, helping bring attractive and affordable housing to the Essex and which will be occupied by younger, millennial-aged families that will help the town prosper. With my former-colleague from the Education and Labor Committee Marcia Fudge now at the helm at HUD, I look forward to helping bring more federal resources and opportunities like this one to eastern Connecticut—my office is here to help make those happen.”
“In many of Connecticut’s communities, we don’t have enough affordable housing to meet residents’ needs, which can cause a number of different problems,” said Sen. Needleman. “The HOPE Partnership’s work on The Lofts At Spencer’s Corner is exactly the kind of project that can better transform our communities to meet the needs of families and businesses simultaneously. By expanding access to affordable and sustainable housing while transforming local buildings into new sources of revenue, our communities and their residents all benefit from the process.”
The HOPE Partnership has for several years worked to redevelop properties with the intent of increasing access to affordable housing in efforts to reinvigorate local communities. The Center for Housing Policy reports affordable housing development often increases, not decreases, property values by injecting increased economic investment in the local community. A study by the National Low Income Housing Coalition reported that if 100 new affordable rental housing units were developed, they could generate $12 million in annual income, more than $2 million in tax revenue and government funding and spur the creation of up to 160 jobs in a community in just one year.
In Middlesex County, where more than half of all renters spend at least 30 percent of income on housing annually, that’s more important than ever. The Lofts at Spencer’s Corner, located on Main Street in Centerbrook, is the HOPE Partnership’s latest property; it has previously developed Old Saybrook’s Ferry Crossing townhouse project, which offers 16 homes to families earning less than 80 percent of median area income and was completed in 2012, and is working to develop a 35-unit project in Madison with 24 affordable housing units.
Energy & Technology Committee Holds Public Hearing on Net Neutrality, Data Cap, Broadband Legislation
Energy & Technology Committee Holds Public Hearing on Net Neutrality, Data Cap, Broadband Legislation
Today, the Energy & Technology Committee held a public hearing on a series of bills that would change the state’s regulations and guidelines on topics including net neutrality, internet access, data caps and broadband access statewide, several coming in response to trends noticed or exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex), Senate Chair of the Energy & Technology Committee, led the discussion, noting several bills were primary focuses of Connecticut Senate Democrats and Governor Lamont’s office, respectively.
I’m grateful the public was able to join the committee in a healthy, constructive discussion about broadband access and other significant internet-centric legislation,” said Sen. Needleman. “The hearing saw a healthy debate, giving legislators and members of the public more context and information about what these bills could change in our state.
Among the bills discussed in today’s hearing:
- Senate Bill 4, “An Act Concerning Data Privacy, Net Neutrality, Cyber Security and Fairness in Data Usage in the New Age of a Digital Workforce,” would make several improvements, including requiring the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to apply net neutrality principles, conduct studies on cyberstalking and data privacy, and extend the crime of stalking in the second degree to certain internet disclosures of personal information without consent. It would also establish a civil action for victims of such crimes, requiring school boards to post existing suicide prevention policies and procedures online. This legislation is a priority of Senate Democrats.
- Governor’s Bill 6442, “An Act Concerning Equitable Access to Broadband,” would implement programs and policies to ensure universal availability and accessibility of high-speed broadband internet access service statewide, establish advanced standards for broadband internet access service, ensure broadband internet service is available and affordable for all residents of the state, create structures to sustain broadband internet infrastructure statewide, ensure educational institutions have access at all times, encourage existing and new internet access providers to pilot affordable services for residents, businesses and governments, regulate the resulting environment, and encourage the state’s educational community to grow its talent pipeline and invest in long-term benefits from such service. This legislation is a priority of the Governor’s office.
- Senate Bill 990, “An Act Preventing New Data Caps During COVID-19,” would block the imposition of data caps, which limit monthly internet consumption for customers, by internet service providers until the conclusion of the COVID-19 public health emergency.