Month: April 2022

Senate Approves Bill Extending the Manufacturing Apprenticeship Tax Credit to Support Small Manufacturers

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Senate Approves Bill Extending the Manufacturing Apprenticeship Tax Credit to Support Small Manufacturers

State Senator Joan Hartley (D-Waterbury, Naugatuck, and Middlebury), Senate Chair of the Commerce Committee and Co-Chair of the Manufacturing Caucus, championed the Senate’s approval of Senate 98. The bill would allow the manufacturing apprenticeship tax credit to be available to pass-through entities. This extension of the tax credit would benefit small and mid-sized manufacturers, many of whom are pass-through entities, in helping them offset the cost of training new employees and apprentices.

Senate Bill 98 received the collective support of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, the National Federation of Independent Business, and the Waterbury Regional Chamber. The bill now advances to the state House of Representatives for consideration.

“Extending the manufacturing apprenticeship tax credit to pass-through entities has been a long-sought goal of the manufacturing business community and I’m confident that this is the year that we are able to get this over the finish line,” said Sen. Hartley. “This tax credit expansion would help manufacturing companies, primarily smaller manufacturers, be able to meet a surge in demand for services and products. Yet, they are hampered in their ability to meet this demand due to challenges in finding skilled workers. The greater ability to utilize the tax credit would strengthen apprenticeship opportunities, while reducing training costs for manufacturers.”

In its current form, the manufacturing apprenticeship tax credit can only be applied to the corporation tax. This limitation means that many small and mid-sized manufacturers that are pass-through entities, such as LLC’s and S-corporations, are unable to claim the tax credit. Senate Bill 98’s extension of the manufacturing apprenticeship tax credit to the pass-through entities, allowing them to reduce their personal income or affected business entity tax liability, would put them on a more level playing field with larger manufacturing companies who can afford to train new apprentices, and potentially retain them as employees.

The expansion of the tax credit would support the availability of manufacturing apprenticeship opportunities and building up a trained manufacturing workforce. An aim that is eagerly sought by the manufacturing job sector in Connecticut, which is struggling to find workers.

55 percent of Connecticut manufacturers surveyed said they experienced difficulty finding workers in 2021, according to a same-year report produced by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association. The same reported cited that 36 percent of manufacturers said a lack of necessary skills or experience among applicants contributed to hiring difficulties. A workforce need that is made more urgent by an aging manufacturing workforce. Over one-third of manufacturing workers in Connecticut are above 55 years old, according to the state Department of Labor,

Smaller manufacturers may be more reluctant to provide apprenticeship opportunities because they would have to divert the time of their small number of employees toward training apprentices and it would affect business productivity.

By extending the manufacturing tax credit to pass-through entities, it would incentivize smaller manufacturers to “hire and train the workers they need, while easing the effect on their bottom lines,” as explained in testimony from the Waterbury Regional Chamber. Additionally, CBIA noted in its testimony that the extension of the manufacturing apprenticeship tax credit would give smaller manufacturers with older employees more of an opportunity to train new workers, while reducing the financial costs to train them.

Bucking National Trend, Connecticut Senate Votes To Protect and Expand Access to Abortions

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Bucking National Trend, Connecticut Senate Votes To Protect and Expand Access to Abortions

Late Friday night, State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport) voted for House Bill 5414, “An Act Concerning Protections For Persons Receiving And Providing Reproductive Health Care Services In The State.” The bill will protect providers and patients seeking abortion care in Connecticut who may traveling from other states that have outlawed abortion. Additionally, the bill will permit more medical professionals to perform abortions in Connecticut. Previously passed by the House, this bill now heads to Governor Lamont’s desk to be signed into law.

“While Roe v. Wade was decided almost 50 years ago, the right to a safe and legal abortion is at jeopardy in America,” said Sen. Haskell. “As our country is poised to move backwards, Connecticut is taking a step forward. Tonight, we stepped up to protect the rights of those who come to our state in search of the full spectrum of reproductive healthcare. And we expanded access to abortions by allowing more medical professionals to perform this safe and critical procedure.”

House Bill 5414 creates a “clawback” private cause of action to protect Connecticut residents against lawsuits, as several other states have recently passed laws allowing individuals to sue individuals who provide, receive or assist in reproductive health care services. This bill allows someone sued under these conditions to countersue the persecutor for reimbursement, attorney’s fees, costs, and other expenses. The bill also provides that the Governor will not extradite a person alleged to have committed a crime in another state while present in Connecticut unless the alleged act would also be a crime if performed in Connecticut.

This portion of the bill is largely in response to laws passed in states including Oklahoma and Texas which empower citizens to sue a doctor performing an abortion in Connecticut, a person who donates to a non-profit in Connecticut that provides reproductive health care services, or a person that gives a ride to a friend to receive an abortion in Connecticut. As 26 states may ban abortions in the near future, HB 5414 is a protection from the overreach of other state legislatures.

HB 5414 also expands abortion access in Connecticut by expanding the type of practitioners eligible to perform certain abortion-related care. It allows advanced-practice registered nurses (APRNs), nurse-midwives, and certified physician assistants to perform medication and aspiration abortion care.

Reproductive freedom is at the core of women’s economic security and personal autonomy. The Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund submitted testimony in support of this bill, citing research indicating that women who are denied access to abortion face economic hardship in the years following. The inability to decide if and when to have children also undermines women’s ability to succeed in education and restricts the ability to properly plan careers and lives. Women continue to shoulder the majority of caregiving responsibilities without the support they need to help meet the demands of school, work and family. Since educational attainment and earnings are linked, the decision of whether or not to have children affects lifetime economic stability and security.

In order to avoid lawsuits that punish abortion providers and recipients, the bill also:

  • Protects private health information related to reproductive health care services that are legal in CT from an in-state subpoena or other request for disclosure.
  • Protects private health information related to reproductive health care services that are legal in CT from an out-of-state subpoena or other request for disclosure.
  • Protects individuals and information located in CT from an out-of-state summons or subpoena seeking information or testimony regarding reproductive health care services that are
  • legal in CT, unless the alleged conduct forming the basis for the proceeding would also be punishable under CT law.

Senate Votes To Approve Protections for Abortion Access

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Senate Votes To Approve Protections for Abortion Access

Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) voted for House Bill 5414, “An Act Concerning Protections For Persons Receiving And Providing Reproductive Health Care Services In The State.” The bill will protect providers and patients seeking abortion care in Connecticut who may traveling from other states that have outlawed abortion. Additionally, the bill will allow more medical professionals to perform abortions in Connecticut. Previously passed by the Senate, this bill now heads to Governor Lamont’s desk to be signed into law.

“This is a bill supporting women’s rights and protecting women’s safety, not only medically but from other states’ overreaching laws,” said Sen. Anwar. “I am proud that at a time when some states seek to move backward on a woman’s right to choose, in Connecticut, we are moving forward. By putting these additional protections in place, we make sure that no matter how things change nationally, Connecticut will provide women with the right to make choices regarding their own bodies.”

House Bill 5414 creates a “clawback” private cause of action to protect Connecticut residents against lawsuits, as several other states have recently passed laws allowing individuals to sue individuals who provide, receive or assist in reproductive health care services. This bill allows someone sued under these metrics to countersue the persecutor for reimbursement, attorney’s fees, costs, and other expenses. The bill also provides that the Governor will not extradite a person alleged to have committed a crime in another state while present in Connecticut unless the alleged act would also be a crime if performed in Connecticut.

This portion of the bill is largely in response to laws passed in states including Oklahoma and Texas which empower citizens to sue a doctor performing an abortion in Connecticut, a person who donates to a non-profit in Connecticut that provides reproductive health care services, or a person that gives a ride to a friend to receive an abortion in Connecticut. As 26 states could have bans of abortions in the near future, HB 5414 is a protection from the overreach of other state legislatures.

HB 5414 also expands abortion access in Connecticut by expanding the type of practitioners eligible to perform certain abortion-related care. It allows advanced-practice registered nurses (APRNs), nurse-midwives, and certified physician assistants to perform medication and aspiration abortion care.

Reproductive freedom is at the core of women’s economic security and ability to provide for themselves and their families. The Connecticut Women’s Education and Legal Fund submitted testimony in support of this bill, citing research indicating that women who are denied access to abortion face economic hardship in the years following. The inability to decide if and when to have children also undermines women’s ability to succeed in education and restricts their ability to properly plan careers and lives. Women continue to shoulder the majority of caregiving responsibilities without the support they need to help meet the demands of school, work and family. Since educational attainment and earnings are linked, the decision of whether or not to have children affects lifetime economic stability and security.

In order to avoid lawsuits that punish abortion providers and recipients, the bill also:

  • Protects private health information related to reproductive health care services that are legal in CT from an in-state subpoena or other request for disclosure.
  • Protects private health information related to reproductive health care services that are legal in CT from an out-of-state subpoena or other request for disclosure.
  • Protects individuals and information located in CT from an out-of-state summons or subpoena seeking information or testimony regarding reproductive health care services that are legal in CT, unless the alleged conduct forming the basis for the proceeding would also be punishable under CT law.

Sen. Moore Votes in Favor of Student Health Services Expansion and Child Care Support Bill

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Sen. Moore Votes in Favor of Student Health Services Expansion and Child Care Support Bill

The Priority Legislation for Senate Democrats Bolsters Youth Mental Health Services, Supports More Social Workers in School, and Helps Child Care Providers

Today, State Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport) voted for Senate Bill 1, “An Act Concerning Childhood Mental and Physical Health Services in Schools.” Senate Bill 1 takes a thorough approach on supporting youth from their early years through high school. The expansive legislation would build up the necessary infrastructure – including school personnel, child care and school-based student resources– to support the needs of the whole child. Further, it responds to the impact that COVID-19 has had on young people from exacerbating the youth mental health crisis to student disengagement.

“Providing much needed additional resources for our students allows them to get the help they need,” said Sen. Moore. “Many children were experiencing trauma prior to the pandemic which exasperated the problem. We as a legislature are taking their needs seriously. We are funding providers and educational resources that are needed to support our youth. The legislation will help to expand access for each child struggling with mental health.”

Senate Bill 1 would take numerous actions to increase resources and programs available to support children, teenagers, and schools including:

Expanding Student Access to Mental Health Services and Resources for Schools

  • Provides $10 million in needs-based grants for improving and expanding services at current school-based health centers. All 36 health centers and 124 schools identified by the state Department of Public Health in need of greater services will be eligible to apply
  • Create a grant program for boards of education administered by the Connecticut Department of Education to hire and retain more social workers, psychologists, nurses, and counselors in schools

Increasing Wages for Child Care Workers and Improved Access to Early Childhood Education for Families

  • $70 million to fund a new child care and early childhood education worker salary enhancement grant to be administered by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC)
  • Nearly doubling the number of infant and toddler spaces in child development centers across Connecticut from currently about 1,500 to around 2,800 spaces. Also, increases to $13,500 the rate provided by the OEC per infant and toddler space in these centers

Enhance School Preparedness to Respond to a Student Opioid Overdose

  • Boards of education will be provided information on how to acquire no-cost opioid antagonists, like Narcan, by Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection and Department of Education
  • Pharmacists and prescribing practitioners can dispense opioid antagonists to board of educations and school district employees will be trained on proper use and handling
  • There must be at least one qualified school employee who can administer an opioid antagonist in the event a school nurse is not available

Supporting Connecticut’s Teacher Workforce

  • The state Department of Education will study and identify ways to streamline and improve pathways for teacher certification
  • Establishes a teacher shortage and retention task force
  • $1 million for a new minority teacher candidate scholarship program. The scholarships will be available to graduates of a priority school district and are enrolled in a teacher preparation program at a four-year higher education institution in Connecticut

Bolstering Education Opportunities, Student Engagement, and Inclusivity

  • $7 million for the Learner Engagement and Attendance Program (LEAP), which helps students struggling with absenteeism and disengagement
  • The state Board of Education will administer a “career and technical pathways instructor permit” to individuals with training or expertise in manufacturing, allied health, computer technology, engineering, or construction in order to teach a class related to their expertise. The permit will be issued following the request of a local or regional board of education or regional educational service center
  • Adds Asian American and Pacific Islander studies to the state curriculum for students
  • Establishes an Open Choice school program between Guilford and New Haven
  • Create separate task forces on combatting ableism in school-settings, and the governance structure and internal procedures of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC)

Majority Leader Bob Duff and Senator James Maroney Applauds House Passage Of Data Privacy Bill

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Majority Leader Bob Duff and Senator James Maroney Applauds House Passage Of Data Privacy Bill

Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) and State Senator James Maroney (D-Milford), Chair of the General Law Committee, released the following statement after the House passed Senate Bill 6, An Act Concerning Personal Data Privacy And Online Monitoring:

“I want to applaud my co-chair, Representative D’Agostino, for shepherding the data privacy bill through the house, as well as Representative Arconti for his assistance with crafting the legislation and Senator Duff for his continued advocacy for strong Data Privacy legislation,” said Sen. Maroney. “I also want to thank the Attorney General’s Data Privacy Unit, specifically Michele Lucan, the head of the data privacy unit, for their hard work and dedication over the past two years. They worked diligently with us to craft legislation that will protect Connecticut citizen’s rights. I am excited that today we took the first steps toward giving Connecticut residents control over their data privacy, which is increasingly important in our connected world.”

“I would like to thank my colleagues in the House for taking this bill another step forward in protecting the rights of residents throughout Connecticut,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff. “This piece of legislation will work to strengthen online privacy for consumers. This bill will put Connecticut in an elite spot as one of the first states to protect people’s personal data.”

This bill establishes a framework for controlling and processing personal data, and establishes responsibilities and privacy protection standards for data controllers and processors. It also grants consumers the right to access, correct, delete and obtain a copy of personal data, and opt out of the processing of personal data for the purposes.

In February 2021, Sen. Maroney introduced Senate Bill 893, “An Act Concerning Consumer Privacy,” which would have created a consumer data bill of rights and required big-tech companies to clearly state what data is being collected, how it’s being used, and why – and consumers would have the right to see that data, fix any errors in it, or delete it all. Under this data privacy bill, companies will be required to clearly cite a privacy policy telling consumers what data is being collected, how it is being used, and why. This way, consumers are aware and have the right of knowing what information is being collected from them, the ability to see and fix any false data that is collected from them, and the right to have any collected data be deleted.

The bill will also prohibit companies from discriminating against those who choose to exercise these rights. This bill will provide protection over user information, thus preventing companies from abusing their data. It will require companies to lessen the amount of data they collect and only use it for the purposes they are collected it for; therefore having less data breaches and identity theft.

Currently, children’s online privacy protection imposes certain requirements on operators of websites or online services directed to children under 13 years of age, and on operators of other websites or online services that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information online from a child under 13 years of age. This data privacy bill also raises the children’s online privacy protection rule to children under 16 years of age. It also matches California’s laws for the strongest protections for children online.

The legislation will ensure transparency within companies and consumers, therefore guaranteeing that consumers know just how much of their information is being collected and are given the right to control what is done with that data.

Senator James Maroney Applauds House Passage Of Data Privacy Bill

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Senator James Maroney Applauds House Passage Of Data Privacy Bill

State Senator James Maroney (D-Milford), Chair of the General Law Committee, released the following statement after the House passed Senate Bill 6, An Act Concerning Personal Data Privacy And Online Monitoring:

“I want to applaud my co-chair, Representative D’Agostino, for shepherding the data privacy bill through the house, as well as Representative Arconti for his assistance with crafting the legislation and Senator Duff for his continued advocacy for strong Data Privacy legislation,” said Sen. Maroney. “I also want to thank the Attorney General’s Data Privacy Unit, specifically Michele Lucan, the head of the data privacy unit, for their hard work and dedication over the past two years. They worked diligently with us to craft legislation that will protect Connecticut citizen’s rights. I am excited that today we took the first steps toward giving Connecticut residents control over their data privacy, which is increasingly important in our connected world.”

“I would like to thank my colleagues in the House for taking this bill another step forward in protecting the rights of residents throughout Connecticut,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff. “This piece of legislation will work to strengthen online privacy for consumers. This bill will put Connecticut in an elite spot as one of the first states to protect people’s personal data.”

This bill establishes a framework for controlling and processing personal data, and establishes responsibilities and privacy protection standards for data controllers and processors. It also grants consumers the right to access, correct, delete and obtain a copy of personal data, and opt out of the processing of personal data for the purposes.

In February 2021, Sen. Maroney introduced Senate Bill 893, “An Act Concerning Consumer Privacy,” which would have created a consumer data bill of rights and required big-tech companies to clearly state what data is being collected, how it’s being used, and why – and consumers would have the right to see that data, fix any errors in it, or delete it all.
Under this data privacy bill, companies will be required to clearly cite a privacy policy telling consumers what data is being collected, how it is being used, and why. This way, consumers are aware and have the right of knowing what information is being collected from them, the ability to see and fix any false data that is collected from them, and the right to have any collected data be deleted.

The bill will also prohibit companies from discriminating against those who choose to exercise these rights. This bill will provide protection over user information, thus preventing companies from abusing their data. It will require companies to lessen the amount of data they collect and only use it for the purposes they are collected it for; therefore having less data breaches and identity theft.

Currently, children’s online privacy protection imposes certain requirements on operators of websites or online services directed to children under 13 years of age, and on operators of other websites or online services that have actual knowledge that they are collecting personal information online from a child under 13 years of age. This data privacy bill also raises the children’s online privacy protection rule to children under 16 years of age. It also matches California’s laws for the strongest protections for children online.

The legislation will ensure transparency within companies and consumers, therefore guaranteeing that consumers know just how much of their information is being collected and are given the right to control what is done with that data.

Sen. Miller Votes in Favor of Student Health Services Expansion and Child Care Support Bill

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Sen. Miller Votes in Favor of Student Health Services Expansion and Child Care Support Bill

The Priority Legislation for Senate Democrats Bolsters Youth Mental Health Services,

Supports More Social Workers in School, and Helps Child Care Providers

State Senator Pat Billie Miller (D-Stamford) voted for Senate Bill 1, “An Act Concerning Childhood Mental and Physical Health Services in Schools.” Senate Bill 1 takes a thorough approach on supporting youth from their early years through high school. The expansive legislation would build up the necessary infrastructure – including school personnel, child care and school-based student resources– to support the needs of the whole child. Further, it responds to the impact that COVID-19 has had on young people from exacerbating the youth mental health crisis to student disengagement.

“This bill invests in school-based health centers, educators, and school preparedness to help our students be in the best possible position to succeed,” said Sen. Miller. Our children, especially the youngest, are the foundation of Connecticut’s future and I am proud to sponsor this historic investment in them.”

Senate Bill 1 would take numerous actions to increase resources and programs available to support children, teenagers, and schools including:

Expanding Student Access to Mental Health Services and Resources for Schools

  • Provides $10 million in needs-based grants for improving and expanding services at current school-based health centers. All 36 health centers and 124 schools identified by the state Department of Public Health in need of greater services will be eligible to apply
  • Create a grant program for boards of education administered by the Connecticut Department of Education to hire and retain more social workers, psychologists, nurses, and counselors in schools

Increasing Wages for Child Care Workers and Improved Access to Early Childhood Education for Families

  • $70 million to fund a new child care and early childhood education worker salary enhancement grant to be administered by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC)
  • Nearly doubling the number of infant and toddler spaces in child development centers across Connecticut from currently about 1,500 to around 2,800 spaces. Also, increases to $13,500 the rate provided by the OEC per infant and toddler space in these centers

Enhance School Preparedness to Respond to a Student Opioid Overdose

  • Boards of education will be provided information on how to acquire no-cost opioid antagonists, like Narcan, by Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection and Department of Education
  • Pharmacists and prescribing practitioners can dispense opioid antagonists to board of educations and school district employees will be trained on proper use and handling
  • There must be at least one qualified school employee who can administer an opioid antagonist in the event a school nurse is not available

Supporting Connecticut’s Teacher Workforce

  • The state Department of Education will study and identify ways to streamline and improve pathways for teacher certification
  • Establishes a teacher shortage and retention task force
  • $1 million for a new minority teacher candidate scholarship program. The scholarships will be available to graduates of a priority school district and are enrolled in a teacher preparation program at a four-year higher education institution in Connecticut

Bolstering Education Opportunities, Student Engagement, and Inclusivity

  • $7 million for the Learner Engagement and Attendance Program (LEAP), which helps students struggling with absenteeism and disengagement
  • The state Board of Education will administer a “career and technical pathways instructor permit” to individuals with training or expertise in manufacturing, allied health, computer technology, engineering, or construction in order to teach a class related to their expertise. The permit will be issued following the request of a local or regional board of education or regional educational service center
  • Adds Asian American and Pacific Islander studies to the state curriculum for students
  • Establishes an Open Choice school program between Guilford and New Haven
  • Create separate task forces on combatting ableism in school-settings, and the governance structure and internal procedures of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC)

Sen. Hartley Supports Student Health Services Expansion and Child Care Support Bill

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Sen. Hartley Supports Student Health Services Expansion and Child Care Support Bill

Senate Bill 1 Bolsters Youth Mental Health Services,

Supports More Social Workers in School, and Helps Child Care Providers

State Senator Joan Hartley (D-Waterbury, Naugatuck, and Middlebury) voted for Senate Bill 1, “An Act Concerning Childhood Mental and Physical Health Services in Schools.” Senate Bill 1 takes a thorough approach on supporting youth from their early years through high school. The expansive legislation would build up the necessary infrastructure – including school personnel, child care and school-based student resources – to support the needs of the whole child. Further, it responds to the impact that COVID-19 has had on young people from exacerbating the youth mental health crisis to student disengagement. The bill now advances to the state House of Representatives for a vote.

“When you ask students about what can be done to help make a difference in their daily lives an answer that continually comes up is growing access to mental health services. I’m glad to see the advancement of this bill which responds to the mental, social-emotional, and learning needs of students in the greater Waterbury region and across Connecticut,” said Sen. Hartley. “Further, I welcome this expansive piece of legislation’s inclusion of a new pathway to help introduce students to careers in high-demand job fields, including manufacturing, and experts who can provide students with real-world instruction on foundational skills for these careers.”

Senate Bill 1 increases resources and programs available to support children, teenagers, and schools including:

Expanding Student Access to Mental Health Services and Resources for Schools

  • Provides $10 million in needs-based grants for improving and expanding services at current school-based health centers. All 36 health centers and 124 schools identified by the state Department of Public Health in need of greater services will be eligible to apply
  • Create a grant program for boards of education administered by the Connecticut Department of Education to hire and retain more social workers, psychologists, nurses, and counselors in schools

Increasing Wages for Child Care Workers and Improved Access to Early Childhood Education for Families

  • $70 million to fund a new child care and early childhood education worker salary enhancement grant to be administered by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC)
  • Nearly doubling the number of infant and toddler spaces in child development centers across Connecticut from currently about 1,500 to around 2,800 spaces. Also, increases to $13,500 the rate provided by the OEC per infant and toddler space in these centers

Bolstering Education Opportunities, Student Engagement, and Inclusivity

  • The state Board of Education will administer a “career and technical pathways instructor permit” to individuals with training or expertise in manufacturing, allied health, computer technology, engineering, or construction in order to teach a class related to their expertise. The permit will be issued following the request of a local or regional board of education or regional educational service center
  • $7 million for the Learner Engagement and Attendance Program (LEAP), which helps students struggling with absenteeism and disengagement
  • Adds Asian American and Pacific Islander studies to the state curriculum for students
  • Establishes an Open Choice school program between Guilford and New Haven
  • Create separate task forces on combatting ableism in school-settings, and the governance structure and internal procedures of the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC)

Supporting Connecticut’s Teacher Workforce

  • The state Department of Education will study and identify ways to streamline and improve pathways for teacher certification
  • Establishes a teacher shortage and retention task force
  • $1 million for a new minority teacher candidate scholarship program. The scholarships will be available to graduates of a priority school district and are enrolled in a teacher preparation program at a four-year higher education institution in Connecticut

Enhance School Preparedness to Respond to a Student Opioid Overdose

  • Boards of education will be provided information on how to acquire no-cost opioid antagonists, like Narcan, by Connecticut’s Department of Consumer Protection and Department of Education
  • Pharmacists and prescribing practitioners can dispense opioid antagonists to board of educations and school district employees will be trained on proper use and handling
  • There must be at least one qualified school employee who can administer an opioid antagonist in the event a school nurse is not available

According to a 2021 advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General, high school students who reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness increased to more than one in three students between 2009 and 2019. The same advisory found that suicide rates among youth ages 10 to 24 increased by almost 60 percent between 2007 and 2018. This crisis in mental health among youth has been intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Over a third of high school students reported having “poor” mental health during the pandemic in 2021, according to a CDC survey of high school students. The survey report underscored that the negative impact of poor mental health extends into other areas of a person’s life including academic performance struggles and increased risk of drug use.

Over 480 young people in Connecticut have lost their lives due to an unintentional drug overdose since 2015, according to the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Fentanyl, an opioid, was involved in over 370 of these overdoses. One life lost is too many and these statistics emphasize the need for schools to strengthen their ability to respond to a student experiencing an opioid overdose.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the lives of young people both during and outside of school hours, especially when it came to child care. 21 percent of child care centers closed due to the pandemic, according to CT Voices for Children. The job sector that provides a critical support to children during their early years of growth and development, along with helping parents balance work and family, has been hampered in recovering from the pandemic because of struggles to hire and retain workers. An early 2022 poll by the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance of more than 120 providers found that almost 90 percent reported difficulty hiring staff. The low pay given to child care employees, who are among the lowest-paid workers in the nation, has been a major factor in the difficulty to hire and keep employees.

Sen. Osten Leads Senate Passage of Bill to Combat Catalytic Converter Theft

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Sen. Osten Leads Senate Passage of Bill to Combat Catalytic Converter Theft

HARTFORD – In response to catalytic converter thefts surging in Connecticut and across the country, state Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) led the state Senate this afternoon in passing a bipartisan and comprehensive anti-catalytic converter theft bill designed to kill the criminal market for stolen catalytic converters.

Senate Bill 256, “AN ACT CONCERNING THE PURCHASE OR RECEIPT OF CATALYTIC CONVERTERS BY MOTOR VEHICLE RECYCLERS, SCRAP METAL PROCESSORS AND JUNK DEALERS,” was passed on a bipartisan basis in the Senate and now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

“The pandemic has really brought about a number of changes over the past two years: drunken driving has increased, as have pedestrian deaths, and catalytic converter thefts are up. So we’re doing something about it,” said Sen. Osten, who is Senate Chair of the Public Safety Committee. “One solution to catalytic converter thefts is to kill the market for their illegal sale. Criminals aren’t going to steal something they can’t sell, and this bill makes it nearly impossible to sell a stolen catalytic converter. I think this will make a difference for police and the public.”

About half the states in America have already passed or are considering passing new bills pertaining to catalytic converter theft, according to the National Council of State Legislatures. Like other states, Connecticut’s bill attempts to kill the market for stolen catalytic converters so thieves have no incentive to steal them in the first place.

Senate Bill 256 accomplishes this in several ways, affecting both vehicle recycling companies and junk yards. Under the bill:

  • Motor vehicle recyclers in Connecticut cannot take a catalytic converter from a customer unless:
  • It is physically attached to a motor vehicle;
  • The recycler affixes or writes a stock number on the part, and creates a written record of the transaction, including the name, address, telephone number and license number and automobile VIN number of the customer.
  • For scrap metal processors, junk dealers and junk yards, they cannot accept a catalytic converter that is not attached to a motor vehicle unless:
  • They record the place and date of the transaction, a description of the catalytic converter, and the amount paid;
  • Records a description of the seller and the seller’s name, address and driver’s license number;
  • Affixes or writes a stock number on the catalytic converter;
  • Records the license number plate number of the motor vehicle that was used to transport the catalytic converter;
  • Obtains from the seller a statement that they own the catalytic converter;
  • Takes a photograph or video of the seller and their driver’s license;
  • Sellers may sell only one catalytic converter per day to a scrap metal dealer;
  • Scrap metal processors and junk dealers can only pay a seller by check, which is mailed to their home address;
  • Scrap metal processors and junk dealers have to electronically submit all of their catalytic converter sales information to state police once a week.

If approved by the legislature and signed into law, Connecticut’s catalytic converter theft bill would take effect on July 1.

As precious metals prices soar, catalytic converter thefts have increased all across America. Catalytic converters contain the precious metals rhodium, palladium and platinum, and prices for those precious metals have increased 123% to 1,100% since 2018. For example, rhodium, which was selling for $1,850 an ounce in 2018, has been selling for $20,250 an ounce in 2022. 90 percent of the world’s rhodium is used in automobile catalytic converters, where it is used to reduce the amount of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in exhaust gases that are emitted out the tailpipe and into the atmosphere.

As precious metals prices have spiked, so have catalytic converter thefts. Thefts were up 326% nationally from 2019 to 2020, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), an industry association set up to combat insurance fraud. Catalytic converter thefts then jumped another 293% nationwide from mid-2020 to mid-2021, according to the State Farm insurance company.

The NICB says the rise in catalytic converter thefts has been driven not only by the rise in precious metals prices, but by the COVID-19 pandemic of the past two years. People lost income after being laid-off or reduced to working part-time, more people were working at home and leaving their parked outside, and supply chain disruptions caused shortages of already rare precious metals. It only takes a few minutes for criminals with simple tools to steal a catalytic converter that may bring them $150 cash at a junkyard, but which can cost a car owner several hundred to several thousand dollars to replace, depending on their insurance.

Sen. Kushner Welcomes Agriculture Grant for Hollandia Nursery in Bethel

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Sen. Kushner Welcomes Agriculture Grant for Hollandia Nursery in Bethel

BETHEL – State Senator Julie Kushner (D-Danbury) and state Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt announced today that the Connecticut Department of Agriculture has awarded funds for 33 projects – including a project in Bethel – totaling $516,000 to strengthen the economic viability of Connecticut farmers and of agricultural cooperatives that are seeking to expand, diversify, or improve their existing operation.

Hollandia Nurseries in Bethel will receive a Farm Transition Grant to help purchase and install irrigation systems in five greenhouses. Hollandia Nurseries was founded in a 2-car garage in 1964 and now covers more than 20 acres on Stony Hill Road.

“Connecticut may be known as the insurance capital of the world, and as a defense manufacturing powerhouse, but we are also home to thousands of farms that contribute more than $4 billion annually to our state economy,” Sen. Kushner said. “Hollandia Nurseries has been a part of that Connecticut farm economy for more than half a century and I’m happy to see them benefit from this state investment in our farms and open spaces.”

The Farm Transition Grant Program was created in 2005 and was passed in the legislature on a unanimous and bipartisan basis. Ongoing funding for this competitive, matching grant program is provided through Public Act 05-228, “An Act Concerning Farmland Preservation, Land Protection, Affordable Housing, and Historic Preservation.” Grant funds are reimbursed to the farm after the project is successfully completed, a final financial and written report outlining all of the expenses and tasks associated with the project have been received and approved, and a site inspection by agency staff is conducted.

“Now in our second grant cycle of offering the four Farm Transition Grant categories, we are encouraged by the response with a wider variety of projects seeking funding from a more diverse spectrum of Connecticut producers,” said Commissioner Hurlburt said. “We look forward to sharing success stories from each of these projects in the future to showcase the innovation and growth of agriculture in Connecticut and the positive impacts it has for our state’s economy, job growth, and food production.”