Sen. Gaston Applauds Senate Passage Of New Bill To Protect Voting Rights In Connecticut
Even as some Republican-led states across America engage in an all-out war on democracy and a reduction in voting rights for some American citizens, state Senator Herron Keyon Gaston (D-Bridgeport) voted for a bill designed to protect democracy in Connecticut and voting rights for all Connecticut citizens.
Senate Bill 1226, “An Act Concerning State Voting Rights In Recognition of John R. Lewis,” a bill named in honor of the late Georgia Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis who died in 2020 at age 80, passed the Senate and now heads to the House of Representatives.
If approved by the House of Representatives and signed into law by Governor Ned Lamont, S.B. 1226 would codify into Connecticut state law several aspects of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, which bans discrimination in voting and prohibits any city or town from engaging in intimidating, deceptive, or obstructive acts that affect a person’s right to vote.
“As the late honorable John Lewis’s former intern, I am proud to stand up in his honor as we codify anti-discrimination protections for residents in our state when they cast their votes in elections,” said Sen. Gaston. “Congressman Lewis was a fighter who believed in social justice and I believe we are bringing justice to voters here in our state. No person regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, or creed should feel any barriers when heading to the polls and should feel protected when performing their rights.”
Specifically, S.B. 1226: makes resolving Voting Rights Act complaints easier and faster by fast-tracking the complaint process at the local level, leading to more collaborative resolutions and less lengthy federal litigation (which can take years); creates a central data hub for publicly available election and demographic information; expands language assistance for voters with limited English proficiency; empowers voters to fight against intimidation, deception and obstruction; helps municipalities identify and fix problems before voters are affected; enable Connecticut judges to order appropriate, tailored remedies to address harm.
Connecticut needs to pass its own state law to protect voting rights because in 2013, the conservative-dominated U.S. Supreme Court gutted Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act, thereby allowing individual states to pass restrictive voting laws if they so choose.
Congress tried to pass the federal John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in 2021 to counteract this, but the bill failed in the U.S. Senate due to Republican opposition.
According to the Human Rights Campaign (https://www.hrc.org/resources/voting-rights-advancement-act), the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 included a requirement designed to ensure minority voters across the country are able to participate equally in the electoral process, which prohibited discriminatory voting practices and removed many barriers to voting.
But in 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated a key provision of it: among the invalidated provisions was an enforcement mechanism that prevented states from making changes to their voting laws and practices if they have a history of voting discrimination, unless they clear those changes with federal officials. The Supreme Court ruled that the formula for deciding which states and towns have a history of voting discrimination (and were therefore required to pre-approve changes in voting laws and practices) was unconstitutional. This severely weakened the federal government’s oversight of discriminatory voting practices.
Ever since the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision, various Republican states and localities across America have brazenly pushed forward discriminatory changes to voting practices, such as changing district boundaries to disadvantage certain voters, instituting more onerous voter identification laws, and changing polling locations with little notice. These laws especially disenfranchise people of color, the elderly, low-income people, transgender people and people with disabilities. As a result, millions of American voters in some Republican-led state are now more vulnerable to discrimination now than at any time since the Voting Rights Act was signed into law more than half a century ago.
SEN. SLAP JOINS SENATE PASSAGE OF NEW BILL TO PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS IN CONNECTICUT
SEN. SLAP JOINS SENATE PASSAGE OF NEW BILL TO PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS IN CONNECTICUT
HARTFORD – State Senator Derek Slap (D-West Hartford), Senate Vice Chair of the Government Administration and Elections Committee, today voted for a bill designed to protect democracy in Connecticut and voting rights for all Connecticut citizens.
Sen. Slap voted to support Senate Bill 1226, “AN ACT CONCERNING STATE VOTING RIGHTS IN RECOGNITION OF JOHN R. LEWIS,” a bill named in honor of the late Georgia Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis who died in 2020 at age 80.
If approved by the House of Representatives and signed into law by Governor Ned Lamont, S.B. 1226 would codify into Connecticut state law several aspects of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, which bans discrimination in voting and prohibits any city or town from engaging in intimidating, deceptive, or obstructive acts that affect a person’s right to vote.
“One of our most sacred rights is the right to vote and this bill strengthens and protects that right for all citizens,” said Sen. Slap. “I’m so gratified that as other states roll back voter protections, we are doing the opposite with this legislation. Combined with reforms like early voting and no-excuse absentee ballots, both of which we will advance this year, Connecticut is standing up for voting rights and helping to protect our democracy.”
Specifically, S.B. 1226: makes resolving Voting Rights Act complaints easier and faster by fast-tracking the complaint process at the local level, leading to more collaborative resolutions and less lengthy federal litigation (which can take years); creates a central data hub for publicly available election and demographic information; expands language assistance for voters with limited English proficiency; empowers voters to fight against intimidation, deception and obstruction; helps municipalities identify and fix problems before voters are affected; enable Connecticut judges to order appropriate, tailored remedies to address harm.
Connecticut needs to pass its own state law to protect voting rights because in 2013, the conservative-dominated U.S. Supreme Court gutted Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act, thereby allowing individual states to pass restrictive voting laws if they so choose.
Congress tried to pass the federal John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in 2021 to counteract this, but the bill failed in the U.S. Senate due to Republican opposition.
According to the Human Rights Campaign (https://www.hrc.org/resources/voting-rights-advancement-act), the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 included a requirement designed to ensure minority voters across the country are able to participate equally in the electoral process, which prohibited discriminatory voting practices and removed many barriers to voting.
But in 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated a key provision of it: among the invalidated provisions was an enforcement mechanism that prevented states from making changes to their voting laws and practices if they have a history of voting discrimination, unless they clear those changes with federal officials. The Supreme Court ruled that the formula for deciding which states and towns have a history of voting discrimination (and were therefore required to pre-approve changes in voting laws and practices) was unconstitutional. This severely weakened the federal government’s oversight of discriminatory voting practices.
Ever since the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision, various Republican states and localities across America have brazenly pushed forward discriminatory changes to voting practices, such as changing district boundaries to disadvantage certain voters, instituting more onerous voter identification laws, and changing polling locations with little notice. These laws especially disenfranchise people of color, the elderly, low-income people, transgender people and people with disabilities. As a result, millions of American voters in some Republican-led state are now more vulnerable to discrimination now than at any time since the Voting Rights Act was signed into law more than half a century ago.
SEN. FLEXER LEADS SENATE PASSAGE OF NEW BILL TO PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS IN CONNECTICUT
SEN. FLEXER LEADS SENATE PASSAGE OF NEW BILL TO PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS IN CONNECTICUT
HARTFORD – Even as some Republican-led states across America engage in an all-out war on democracy and a reduction in voting rights for some American citizens, state Senator Mae Flexer today led passage of a bill designed to protect democracy in Connecticut and voting rights for all Connecticut citizens.
Sen. Flexer today voted in support of Senate Bill 1226, “AN ACT CONCERNING STATE VOTING RIGHTS IN RECOGNITION OF JOHN R. LEWIS,” a bill she authored which is named in honor of the late Georgia Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis who died in 2020 at age 80.
The bill passed the Senate on a 27-9 vote. If approved by the House of Representatives and signed into law by Governor Ned Lamont, S.B. 1226 would codify into Connecticut state law several aspects of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, which bans discrimination in voting and prohibits any city or town from engaging in intimidating, deceptive, or obstructive acts that affect a person’s right to vote.
“As we are seeing the erosion of voting rights protections at the federal level, it’s important for Connecticut to step-up and codify the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and to add extra protections for voters throughout Connecticut to ensure that everyone has access to the vote and that they can elect officials who truly represent their community,” said Sen. Flexer. “This bill is better in some ways than the federal law because we offer stronger voter protections with less bureaucracy and expense. This bill gives people an easier access point to change the voting systems and political structures, and it allows communities to work together toward a solution, so all voices are truly represented.”
Specifically, S.B. 1226: makes resolving Voting Rights Act complaints easier and faster by fast-tracking the complaint process at the local level, leading to more collaborative resolutions and less lengthy federal litigation (which can take years); creates a central data hub for publicly available election and demographic information; expands language assistance for voters with limited English proficiency; empowers voters to fight against intimidation, deception and obstruction; helps municipalities identify and fix problems before voters are affected; enable Connecticut judges to order appropriate, tailored remedies to address harm.
Connecticut needs to pass its own state law to protect voting rights because in 2013, the conservative-dominated U.S. Supreme Court gutted Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act, thereby allowing individual states to pass restrictive voting laws if they so choose.
Congress tried to pass the federal John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in 2021 to counteract this, but the bill failed in the U.S. Senate due to Republican opposition.
According to the Human Rights Campaign (https://www.hrc.org/resources/voting-rights-advancement-act), the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 included a requirement designed to ensure minority voters across the country are able to participate equally in the electoral process, which prohibited discriminatory voting practices and removed many barriers to voting.
But in 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated a key provision of it: among the invalidated provisions was an enforcement mechanism that prevented states from making changes to their voting laws and practices if they have a history of voting discrimination, unless they clear those changes with federal officials. The Supreme Court ruled that the formula for deciding which states and towns have a history of voting discrimination (and were therefore required to pre-approve changes in voting laws and practices) was unconstitutional. This severely weakened the federal government’s oversight of discriminatory voting practices.
Ever since the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision, various Republican states and localities across America have brazenly pushed forward discriminatory changes to voting practices, such as changing district boundaries to disadvantage certain voters, instituting more onerous voter identification laws, and changing polling locations with little notice. These laws especially disenfranchise people of color, the elderly, low-income people, transgender people and people with disabilities. As a result, millions of American voters in some Republican-led state are now more vulnerable to discrimination now than at any time since the Voting Rights Act was signed into law more than half a century ago.
SEN. ANWAR JOINS SENATE PASSAGE OF NEW BILL TO PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS IN CONNECTICUT
SEN. ANWAR JOINS SENATE PASSAGE OF NEW BILL TO PROTECT VOTING RIGHTS IN CONNECTICUT
HARTFORD – State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) today voted for a bill designed to protect democracy in Connecticut and voting rights for all Connecticut citizens.
Sen. Anwar voted to support Senate Bill 1226, “AN ACT CONCERNING STATE VOTING RIGHTS IN RECOGNITION OF JOHN R. LEWIS,” a bill named in honor of the late Georgia Congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis who died in 2020 at age 80.
If approved by the House of Representatives and signed into law by Governor Ned Lamont, S.B. 1226 would codify into Connecticut state law several aspects of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965, which bans discrimination in voting and prohibits any city or town from engaging in intimidating, deceptive, or obstructive acts that affect a person’s right to vote.
“The right to vote is sacred and should be protected at all costs. My colleagues and I voted tonight to do just that,” said Sen. Anwar. “I’m proud that the Senate this year is working to not only protect but improve voters’ access to the polls.”
Specifically, S.B. 1226: makes resolving Voting Rights Act complaints easier and faster by fast-tracking the complaint process at the local level, leading to more collaborative resolutions and less lengthy federal litigation (which can take years); creates a central data hub for publicly available election and demographic information; expands language assistance for voters with limited English proficiency; empowers voters to fight against intimidation, deception and obstruction; helps municipalities identify and fix problems before voters are affected; enable Connecticut judges to order appropriate, tailored remedies to address harm.
Connecticut needs to pass its own state law to protect voting rights because in 2013, the conservative-dominated U.S. Supreme Court gutted Section 5 of the federal Voting Rights Act, thereby allowing individual states to pass restrictive voting laws if they so choose.
Congress tried to pass the federal John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in 2021 to counteract this, but the bill failed in the U.S. Senate due to Republican opposition.
According to the Human Rights Campaign (https://www.hrc.org/resources/voting-rights-advancement-act), the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 included a requirement designed to ensure minority voters across the country are able to participate equally in the electoral process, which prohibited discriminatory voting practices and removed many barriers to voting.
But in 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated a key provision of it: among the invalidated provisions was an enforcement mechanism that prevented states from making changes to their voting laws and practices if they have a history of voting discrimination, unless they clear those changes with federal officials. The Supreme Court ruled that the formula for deciding which states and towns have a history of voting discrimination (and were therefore required to pre-approve changes in voting laws and practices) was unconstitutional. This severely weakened the federal government’s oversight of discriminatory voting practices.
Ever since the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision, various Republican states and localities across America have brazenly pushed forward discriminatory changes to voting practices, such as changing district boundaries to disadvantage certain voters, instituting more onerous voter identification laws, and changing polling locations with little notice. These laws especially disenfranchise people of color, the elderly, low-income people, transgender people and people with disabilities. As a result, millions of American voters in some Republican-led state are now more vulnerable to discrimination now than at any time since the Voting Rights Act was signed into law more than half a century ago.
Sen. Cabrera Gives Final Approval to Early Voting Bill
Sen. Cabrera Gives Final Approval to Early Voting Bill
HARTFORD – State Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden) this evening gave final passage to House Bill 5004, “AN ACT IMPLEMENTING EARLY VOTING,” which establishes a framework for early, in-person voting for all general elections, primaries, and special elections in Connecticut held on or after January 1, 2024.
Democrats passed the bill in the House and Senate after 60% of Connecticut voters approved of an early voting change last fall to the state constitution. Forty-six American states already allow some form of early voting.
“We know Connecticut voters want increased access at the polls and with today’s vote we provided them with the access many other states already provide their residents,” said Sen. Cabrera, “Both no-excuse absentee ballot voting and early voting enables more people to participate in their democracy and choose the leaders that govern their communities. As someone who came from a working-class family, I know how challenging it can be complete the day’s tasks at work and home and find time to get to the polls on a Tuesday in November. Today, we’ve strengthened our democracy by removing the roadblocks that make voting unnecessarily harder and I’m proud to vote yes.”
Specifically, the bill requires a 14-day early voting period for general elections, a seven-day period for most primaries, and a four-day early voting period for special elections and presidential preference primaries.
Every city and town in Connecticut must establish at least one early voting location and may establish more. Early voting locations must be open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., including weekends, except that on the last Tuesday and Thursday before the election, the locations must be open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The bill also sets various requirements and procedures for early voting including voter eligibility, same-day election registration, ballot custody, staffing and training, and materials.
The bill now heads to Governor Ned Lamont for his signature of the bill into law.
SEN. LESSER APPLAUDS PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION DOUBLING ACCESSIBILITY OF DEBT-FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR STUDENTS IN CONNECTICUT
SEN. LESSER APPLAUDS PASSAGE OF LEGISLATION DOUBLING ACCESSIBILITY OF DEBT-FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR STUDENTS IN CONNECTICUT
HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown) voted to pass Senate Bill 8, a flagship priority bill of the Senate Democratic caucus, seeking to make higher education more affordable in Connecticut and ensure graduates of Connecticut colleges and universities remain in the state after completing their studies. Most prominently, the bill would expand the state’s debt-free community college program to include returning students and increase minimum program award amounts; in doing so, the bill will double the students currently eligible for debt-free community college programs from 12,000 to 24,000.
“Higher education continues to power the American dream and is critical for Connecticut’s economic future,” said Sen. Lesser. “This bill is an important statement that college affordability remains front of mind, including debt-free community college. But we have more work to do to ensure sustainable funding of our state colleges and universities in the state budget.”
Senate Bill 8, “An Act Concerning Higher Education Affordability and Graduate Retention,” seeks to make the following changes to higher education in Connecticut:
It would expand the Pledge to Advance CT, which provides debt-free community college to first-time students in the state, to include returning students as well.
Thousands of students have been able to access community college without accruing debt since PACT began providing aid in 2020. This would allow students returning to college with previous experience to take advantage of this program as well.
Students will no longer be required to graduate from a Connecticut high school.
The bill also increases minimum awards for students who have all of their costs paid from $250 to $500 per semester for full-time students and from $150 to $250 for part-time students per semester.
It requires American Rescue Plan Act funds for the Roberta B. Willis Scholarship program, which provides merit- and need-based financial aid to students attending in-state colleges and universities, to be reallocated from regional community-technical colleges to the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities to be expended as grants supporting students. ARPA funds will be used first to make sure these funds are expended before they expire.
The bill also prevents the lapsing of Roberta Willis Scholarship funds, allowing for the program to operate without issue in perpetuity.
Colleges and universities will need to notify the Office of Higher Education when new educational programs are started or discontinued at least annually on or before the last day of each semester.
The bill previously passed the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee by a 21-1 tally in March. It now heads to the House for further consideration.
Sen. Lesser Leads Passage of Legislation Requiring Air Conditioning in Nursing Homes
Sen. Lesser Leads Passage of Legislation Requiring Air Conditioning in Nursing Homes
HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown), Senate Chair of the Human Services Committee, led passage of SB 989 requiring nursing homes provide air conditioning in patient rooms.
“It is simply unacceptable that many vulnerable, aging residents in nursing homes do not have access to adequate temperature control in their rooms,” said Sen. Lesser. “These residents are oftentimes already dealing with aches and ailments and various health issues, excessive heat can create uncomfortable conditions at best and at worst, exacerbate existing health concerns. I am pleased to partner with AARP and the Connecticut Long Term Care Ombudsman to improve conditions across the state – this legislation is long overdue.”
The legislation will require that each nursing home provides an air conditioner in every patient room by no later than January 1, 2026. The legislation also establishes a loan account within the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority to provide financial assistance to an owner of a nursing home facility for costs incurred to install the air conditioning systems.
SENATOR MARX VOTES FOR POLICIES BENEFITTING WORKERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
SENATOR MARX VOTES FOR POLICIES BENEFITTING WORKERS AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Today, State Senator Martha Marx (D-New London) voted with the Senate to support policies that will make life a little better for workers and the environment in Connecticut. Her votes included support to update the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program, first passed in 2019 and made available to the public in 2022, making it more friendly to workers by prohibiting disability insurance benefit reductions and increasing eligible organizations , and voting in favor of legislation creating a Public Schools Solar Power Systems and Energy Efficiency Projects Financing Program through the Connecticut Green Bank, helping schools and municipalities improve the energy efficiency of their buildings and resources.
“These bills are representative of ground-level, real-world changes that the Legislature can press forward,” said Sen. Marx. “They will help workers with significant problems avoid reduced benefits from disability insurance because they claim paid family medical leave. They will help our environment by allowing local schools and municipalities better afford valuable upgrades – and benefit workers in the process by expanding employment opportunities in the process. I love being a Senator because I get opportunities to support legislation like this.”
Senate Bill 1179, “An Act Amending Connecticut Paid Family Medical Leave,” prohibits certain disability insurance policies from reducing benefits due to receipt of benefits from the Paid Family and Medical Leave program and allows tribal enterprises, such as the commercial businesses managed or controlled by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation or Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut, to enroll in the program – which represents many businesses including those at the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casinos.
Ed Hawthorne, President of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, testified in March that this bill comes as some employers have required employees to exhaust PFML benefits before short-term disability benefits, even as workers have paid into both programs as required by law. The bill now moves to the House for further consideration.
Senate Bill 961, “An Act Concerning Carbon-Free School Requirements For New School Construction And Establishing Other School Construction And Establishing Other School Construction And Public Health Requirements For School Districts,” would establish the Public Schools Solar Power Systems and Energy Efficiency Projects Financing Program through the Connecticut Green Bank. That program would provide financing to public school districts looking to voluntarily install solar power systems and energy efficiency improvements. Projects would undergo feasibility and energy-efficiency studies to determine cost-effectiveness.
The program would also see contractors enroll in an apprenticeship program supporting workforce development programs connecting workers residing in the same municipality as a project and workers traditionally underrepresented in employment.
This bill received strong support from education and clean energy advocates for its benefits both to resources in educational institutions and for the state’s environment. It previously passed the Environment Committee by a 22-10 tally in March and now heads to the House for further consideration.
SENATOR MARX LEADS SENATE PASSAGE OF BILL ADDING VETERAN SERVICE OFFICERS TO OFFICE OF ADVOCACY AND ASSISTANCE
SENATOR MARX LEADS SENATE PASSAGE OF BILL ADDING VETERAN SERVICE OFFICERS TO OFFICE OF ADVOCACY AND ASSISTANCE
Today, State Senator Martha Marx (D-New London), Senate Chair of the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, led the Senate’s passage of legislation that will add two veteran service officers to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of Advocacy and Assistance, who will work to oversee and support municipal efforts to help veterans in the state. It also increases that office’s minimum number of veteran service officers from six to eight and the office’s total staff from eight to ten.
“This bill will ensure that veterans in Connecticut have more advocates who can hear them and respond to their needs,” said Sen. Marx. “We owe those who have fought and served to defend our country the services and aid they deserve. I’m proud we’re meeting that goal and I’m proud to see this bill advance out of the Senate.”
Senate Bill 634, “An Act Concerning Municipal Veterans Services,” will require at least two veteran service officers in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ to be responsible for municipal compliance with municipal veteran representative program requirements. These individuals will work to connect veterans with municipal aid programs and oversee those programs’ administration of services.
The bill received support from former Commissioner of Veterans Affairs Thomas Saadi, the Connecticut Council of Small Towns and the Eastern Connecticut Veterans Community Center. It previously received unanimous support from the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee and Appropriations Committee. It now proceeds to the House for further consideration.
SEN. OSTEN VOTES TO MAKE ALL-TERRAIN WHEELCHAIRS AVAILABLE IN STATE PARKS
SEN. OSTEN VOTES TO MAKE ALL-TERRAIN WHEELCHAIRS AVAILABLE IN STATE PARKS
State Senator Cathy Osten today voted for a bill which would put 10 all-terrain wheelchairs in five state parks beginning in April 2024 for disabled visitors to use.
Senate Bill 301, “AN ACT REQUIRING THE PROVISION OF ALL-TERRAIN WHEELCHAIRS AT STATE PARKS,” passed the Senate on a nearly unanimous 35-1 vote and now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration. Under the bill, an “all-terrain wheelchair” is a battery-powered wheelchair with treads that can travel over trails, sand, gravel, and similar rugged terrain or ground cover.
“I first ran across the use of all-terrain wheelchairs at the Rocky Hill Veterans Home – they had a number of these vehicles in use for veterans who had lost limbs,” said Sen. Osten, who is a Vietnam-era Army veteran. “Now, whether you were born with a disability, were injured in an accident, or are a disabled veteran, this program will help bring people who once enjoyed the outdoors back outside. And we have beautiful state parks for everyone to enjoy.”