Month: February 2025

WESTPORT DELEGATION DENOUNCES ANTI-SEMITIC SNOWMAN DISCOVERED IN TOWN

Posted on by Devin James

WESTPORT DELEGATION DENOUNCES ANTI-SEMITIC SNOWMAN DISCOVERED IN TOWN

The Westport delegation, including State Senator Ceci Maher, State Representative Jonathan Steinberg and State Representative Dominique Johnson, today denounced an anti-Semitic snowman discovered this week in the Newman Poses Preserve. The snowman had a swastika on its body, while its face appeared designed to resemble Adolf Hitler and one of its arms was raised in a Nazi salute.

The Anti-Defamation League of Connecticut issued a statement expressing “deep concern” about the snowman, which was discovered in a local park by a hiker, decrying use of a swastika and citing the offensive nature of the snowman’s design.

“This pathetic display is an example of the fear anti-Semitism tries to derive from the public, and that it was left anonymously in a local park is evidence that its creator knows they should be ashamed of themselves,” said Sen. Maher. “Our community cannot and will not condone anything like this, especially in already heightened tensions and times. I’m proud that the Westport community is coming together to denounce all forms of hate.”

“This is a disgusting display of hatred, not to mention failure; the Nazis lost World War II and their ideology has been pushed to the margins for nearly a century since. I’m heartened that the Westport community is immediately coming together to reinforce that this is completely unacceptable and has no place here or anywhere,” said Rep. Steinberg.

“This depiction of Hitler, swastikas and antisemitism is an act of malice meant to strike fear in the hearts of residents, and I’m proud of the Westport community for its universal disgust regarding this snowman,” said Rep. Johnson. “Fear and hate thrive in darkness, not in the woods of Westport. We are always stronger when we look out for one another and recommit ourselves every day to keep building an inclusive community representing all of us. This intimidation will not deter us in that goal.”

Contact: Joe O’Leary | 508-479-4969

Senator Rahman Introduces Bill that would Excuse Student Absences for Religious Holidays

Posted on by Devin James

Senator Rahman Introduces Bill that would Excuse Student Absences for Religious Holidays

Today, a bill introduced by state Senator MD Rahman (D-Manchester) that would excuse student absences for new widely recognized religious holidays was raised during the Education Committee Meeting.

Senator Rahman’s bill, SB 640, ‘An Act Concerning Absences for Observance of a Religious Holiday,’ aims to protect a students’ right to practice their religion without academic repercussions.

“A student’s absence for a religious holiday should always be marked excused as they are respecting and honoring their cultural practices,” said Sen. Rahman. “A child should be able to observe a religious holiday without it hindering their school’s attendance as it allows them to observe important traditions and practices that are integral to their identity and spiritual growth. By supporting religious observances, schools promote respect for cultural diversity and help students feel valued and understood.”

Senator Rahman has heard from numerous constituents saying they are upset their child will miss a day of school for a religious holiday and it will affect their attendance record. If a student misses a day of school for a major holiday such as Hanukkah, Diwali, or Eid, their absence would be marked as excused.

AS PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE VOTES TO SEND BILL TO SENATE FLOOR, PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE RALLIES FOR PANCREATIC CANCER REFERRAL PROGRAM

Posted on by Devin James

AS PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE VOTES TO SEND BILL TO SENATE FLOOR, PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE RALLIES FOR PANCREATIC CANCER REFERRAL PROGRAM

On Monday, as the Public Health Committee met to advance Senate Bill 1191 to the Senate floor, members of the committee joined advocates and medical professionals to rally and recognize the importance of screening and treating pancreatic cancer.

If made law, SB1991 seeks to create a referral program for pancreatic cancer screening and treatments, targeting unserved or underserved populations where individuals may not have regular access to medical resources. Under the legislation as drafted if made law, the Department of Public Health will establish a pancreatic cancer screening and treatment referral program to promote screening, detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer among unserved and underserved populations; educate the public regarding pancreatic cancer and benefits of early detection; and counseling and referral services for treatment.

“This is about turning pain into purpose,” said State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor), Senate co-chair of the Public Health Committee. “Pancreatic cancer is the second-most deadly form of cancer in our state. These deaths are preventable. Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer is so pervasive that in some cases, once it’s found, it’s too late to treat it. People at later stages see it as a death sentence. But it is treatable if discovered early. This bill pulls our state’s resources together to better ensure scans occur in time to catch and treat this cancer. We have a responsibility to create a screening program that can better save lives in our communities.”

“We’ve had some real success in our state with our screening program, trying to save lives, and that’s what we’re trying to do here today,” said State Representative Cristin McCarthy Vahey (D-Fairfield), House chair of the Public Health Committee. “We need to get the message out that prevention is key, especially when it comes to pancreatic cancer. A lot of people don’t know what to do or what to look for, but we have people committed to making sure the word gets out around our state. In public health, we look in every way for everything we can do to prevent terrible diseases.”

State Senator Doug McCrory and State Representatives Sarah Keitt, Henry Genga, Antonio Felipe, Eleni Kavros-Degraw and Robin Comey, all on the Public Health Committee, joined the chairs.

“In 2024, about 67,000 new cases of pancreatic cancer were diagnosed in the United States and about 52,000 people died from pancreatic cancer,” said Dr. Brett Schipper of Hartford Healthcare, a pancreatic surgeon. “Survival increases depending on when it’s diagnosed. The key to survival is early detection. Hartford Healthcare is partnering with Project Purple, a not-for-profit based in Connecticut, to set up Connecticut’s largest pancreatic cancer screening program. It will identify high-risk individuals and screen them to hopefully catch cancer early. Legislation like this bill will catch cases early and save lives.”

Linda Kowalski, executive director of the Radiological Society of Connecticut and herself having lost her husband, Mark Gilhuly, to pancreatic cancer last year, led the rally in an effort to ensure residents of the state can have the best resources available to them for screenings, testing and treatments.

“I don’t want other families to go through what Mark and I did. That’s why this bill matters,” said Kowalski. “We have an opportunity to take meaningful action to not only add pancreatic screenings to the list of referral services recommended by the Department of Public Health, but also to develop new educational programs and systems for tracking and following up on pancreatic cancer screenings.”

Duff & Fairfield County Senators Call on Altice to Issue Refunds to Connecticut Customers

Posted on by Devin James

Duff & Fairfield County Senators Call on Altice to Issue Refunds to Connecticut Customers

“Otherwise, we may need to get involved via passing legislation to require refunds or credits under these circumstances.”

Hartford, CT—Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff and a coalition of Fairfield County Democrats called Friday on Altice USA, owner of Optimum, to issue refunds or credits to Connecticut MSG Networks customers, who have been unable to watch their favorite teams for weeks due to prolonged corporate negotiations.

Connecticut fans of the New York Rangers, Knicks, Devils, and other teams have been deprived of critical sports programming due to ongoing disputes between two corporations: Optimum and MSG Networks.

On Friday, Senator Duff, D-Norwalk, along with Senators James Maroney, D-Milford, Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, D-Trumbull, Herron Keyon Gaston, D-Bridgeport, Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, Ceci Maher, D-Wilton, and Pat Billie Miller, D-Stamford, wrote to Altice CEO Dennis Mathew to demand refunds for Connecticut customers.

“Our constituents pay significant amounts of money for the content you and MSG provide, but they have not been able to view the athletic events that give them joy in over five weeks,” the senators wrote. “Despite receiving less than they are paying for, our constituents have not received any compensation for the failure of Altice and MSG to provide what was agreed to.”

The senators stressed that they were not taking sides in the ongoing dispute between MSG Entertainment and Altice. Their most recent letter to the Altice executive followed a similar message to representatives of both companies in late January.

On Friday, the senators said it was time for Optimum to immediately restore viewers’ access to Madison Square Garden channel through Optimum and refund audiences for the services they were not provided for more than five weeks.

“The disagreement between Altice and MSG is harming our constituents, our economy, and your companies,” the senator wrote. “If you cannot settle this disagreement, at the very least you owe it to your customers to compensate them for this loss, which is no fault of their own. Otherwise, we may need to get involved via passing legislation to require refunds or credits under these circumstances.”

Mr. Dennis Mathew

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Altice

1 Court Square

Long Island City, NY 11101

Dear Mr. Mathew:

We are writing to you in follow up to our January 20, 2025 letter asking you and Madison Square Garden Entertainment (MSG) to put your customers first by coming to an agreement that will benefit all parties regarding the current disagreement between your companies. We have yet to hear back from you on this,

and the disagreement between your company and MSG has not been resolved. We are not taking any side in this dispute, however, in light of the prolonged nature of this dispute, we believe it is time for your company to provide refunds or credits to customers affected by this dispute.

Our constituents pay significant amounts of money for the content you and MSG provide, but they have not been able to view the athletic events that give them joy in over five weeks. Despite receiving less than they are paying for, our constituents have not received any compensation for the failure of Altice and MSG to provide what was agreed to. We ask that in addition to immediately giving viewers access to the Madison Square Garden channel through Optimum, you provide these customers with a refund or credit for not being provided this service for five weeks.

The disagreement between Altice and MSG is harming our constituents, our economy, and your companies. If you cannot settle this disagreement, at the very least you owe it to your customers to compensate them for this loss, which is no fault of their own. Otherwise, we may need to get involved via passing legislation to require refunds or credits under these circumstances.

 

State Senator Bob Duff, Majority Leader

State Senator James Maroney, 14th Senatorial District

State Senator Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox, 22nd Senatorial District

State Senator Herron Keyon Gaston, 23rd Senatorial District

State Senator Julie Kushner, 24th Senatorial District

State Senator Ceci Maher, 26th Senatorial District

State Senator Patricia Billie Miller, 27th Senatorial District

SENATOR MARX RELEASES STATEMENT FOLLOWING YALE NEW HAVEN HEALTH ENDING NURSE FAMILY PARTNERSHIP CONTRACTS

Posted on by Devin James

SENATOR MARX RELEASES STATEMENT FOLLOWING YALE NEW HAVEN HEALTH ENDING NURSE FAMILY PARTNERSHIP CONTRACTS

State Senator Martha Marx (D-New London), Senate Vice Chair of the Public Health Committee and a career visiting nurse, today issued a statement following Yale New Haven Health’s Health at Home Southeast announcement that its Nurse Family Partnership and Wellness program will not renew contracts with surrounding towns and will cease services to impacted communities at the beginning of the next union contract on June 30. This will result in the loss of approximately eight union jobs.

The Nurse Family Partnership sends nurses directly to the homes of at-risk pregnant mothers and follows the mother and baby from pregnancy to delivery through three years of age. The wellness program provides a part-time nurse to the local homeless hospitality center, nursing services at local senior centers, and makes home visits to some homebound patients in certain municipalities. Municipalities in south central Connecticut and the VNASC was contracted to provide those services. Towns no longer have nurses working for them and there is no stated succession plan for those who will provide these services.

The statement follows:
“Yale New Haven Health’s decision to end its Nurse Family Partnership contracts and wellness services is one seeking short-term gain at the expense of long-term community pain. YNNH has taken away some very important services that don’t just provide unique benefits but are directly vital in the towns they’re offered in. In addition to the potential layoffs this decision will bring for nurses, these programs will leave vital services unfulfilled in our communities, leaving patients and community needs unmet and in some instances sharply reducing the quality of care homebound and disabled patients will receive. The federal government working to slash important programs is bad enough. For Yale to cut them further in our backyard is going to worsen already severe impacts.”

Contact: Joe O’Leary | 508-479-4969 | Joe.OLeary@cga.ct.gov

Senator Hochadel Statement on the Passing of Former Rep. Emil “Buddy” Altobello Jr.

Posted on by Devin James

Senator Hochadel Statement on the Passing of Former Rep. Emil “Buddy” Altobello Jr.

Senator Jan Hochadel, D-Meriden, issued the following statement today on the passing of former Rep. Emil “Buddy” Altobello Jr.

“Buddy Altobello leaves behind a huge footprint in Meriden civic life and a legacy of dedicated service to our city and its people,” Senator Hochadel said. “I was privileged to have been represented by such a steadfast advocate and feel inspired by the example he set. Few achieve the lasting impact Buddy had in the state House and city council, and even fewer do so with his reputation for kindness. He will be deeply missed, and my thoughts are with his friends and family.”

Sen. Gadkar-Wilcox, Rep. Kahn to Hold Listening Sessions on Special Education

Posted on by Devin James

Sen. Gadkar-Wilcox, Rep. Kahn to Hold Listening Sessions on Special Education

State Senator Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox (D-Trumbull) and State Representative Maryam Kahn (D-Windsor), co-chairs of the newly convened Select Committee on Special Education, will hold a series of listening sessions to hear from parents, teachers, students, Boards of Education, school administrators and community members on issues impacting special education services across the state.

Tuesday, February 4 at 5:00 p.m.
Connecticut State Community College Three Rivers Campus in Norwich
B Wing Room 127

Thursday, February 6 at 5:00 p.m.
Connecticut State Community College Northwestern Campus in Winsted
Second Floor of Founder’s Hall

Tuesday, February 11 at 5:00 p.m.
Connecticut State Community College Housatonic Campus in Bridgeport
Beacon Hall – Room 214

Thursday, February 13 at 2:00 p.m.
Legislative Office Building in Hartford
Hearing Room 2A

“I have long been a strong proponent of public education, and as legislators we are charged to ensure that all students have access to appropriate services. As the Special Education Committee seeks to better support our most vulnerable students, I am eager to meet with communities across Connecticut to learn more about their experiences with special education,” said Sen. Gadkar-Wilcox. “Addressing the needs of this community will require input from all stakeholders and I look forward to learning more and turning our findings into legislation that will lead to tangible improvements.”

“I’m so excited to begin these listening sessions across our state,” Rep. Khan said. “It’s clear our schools are in dire need of assistance with their special education programs, and these listening sessions will help us find practical solutions that will make a big difference in the lives of students and teachers alike.”

New Britain Legislators Demand Unfreezing of Federal Funds for Nonprofits, Hospitals, and Essential Services

Posted on by Devin James

New Britain Legislators Demand Unfreezing of Federal Funds for Nonprofits, Hospitals, and Essential Services

New Britain, CT – Today, a united front of New Britain legislators, state Senator Rick Lopes, Representative Bobby Sanchez, Representative David DeFronzo, Representative Gary Turco, and Representative Manny Sanchez, called for the immediate release of frozen federal funds critical to non-profits, hospitals, and other essential services in the Greater New Britain community.

These funds, intended to support life-saving programs, healthcare facilities, and organizations serving the city’s most vulnerable residents, remain locked in political gridlock—deliberate inaction that the legislators condemned as reckless and harmful.

“This isn’t just about numbers on a budget sheet—this is about real people who depend on these services every day,” said Sen. Rick Lopes. “Freezing these funds is nothing more than playing political games with people’s lives, and we refuse to stand by while our community suffers.”

The funding freeze is affecting hospitals, community health organizations, food banks, and nonprofits that provide housing assistance, mental health services, and early childhood education—services that thousands of New Britain residents rely on.

“Nonprofits and hospitals serve as a lifeline for so many in our community, and yet they are being forced to make impossible decisions because of political posturing,” said Rep. Bobby Sanchez. “This funding is not optional—it is essential. Everyday it remains frozen, more families, seniors, and children face uncertainty and hardship.”

The legislators stressed that this crisis disproportionately impacts low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities, further widening the gap between those who have access to care and those left behind.

“We were elected to fight for our constituents, and right now, our communities are being used as bargaining chips,” said Rep. David DeFronzo. “This is unacceptable. President Trump ran on a platform of helping working people and this action has done nothing but hurt them. Federal funds should be reaching the people they were intended for—not stuck in limbo while politicians argue.”

As hospitals struggle with rising costs and nonprofits face potential closures, the group is urging immediate action at both the state and federal levels to resolve the funding crisis.

“This is not a partisan issue—it’s a human issue,” said Rep. Gary Turco. “The people who rely on these services don’t care about political back-and-forth. They care about keeping a roof over their heads, affording medication, and putting food on the table. It’s time to stop the political theater and do what’s right.”

With the legislative session underway, the lawmakers are working to put pressure on federal and state officials to ensure that New Britain’s critical services receive the funding they need.

“We’re standing together to send a clear message: enough is enough,” said Rep. Manny Sanchez. “The people of New Britain should not have to wait another day for the support they deserve. It’s time to put politics aside and do the job we were elected to do.”

The legislators urge community members to join the fight by contacting their federal representatives and demanding the release of these much-needed funds.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Michelle Rappaport | Michelle.Rappaport@cga.ct.gov

Senator Needleman Statement On Eversource Increasing Dividend

Posted on by Devin James

Senator Needleman Statement On Eversource Increasing Dividend

Today, State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex), Senate Chair of the Energy and Technology Committee, released the following statement in response to the announcement that Eversource Energy’s board plans to increase its dividend by 5.2% at the end of the first quarter of 2025:

“Despite a barrage of corporate propaganda, Eversource is doing great. All the bluster in the news recently concerning lawsuits certainly isn’t stopping the company from giving its shareholders a bigger dividend this year. In fact, the service Dividend Channel recently noted Eversource is a ‘Top 10 Utility Dividend Stock,’ with a 5.22% yield and a price-to-book ratio of 1.4, both of which were well above industry averages.

So, to review: Wall Street says Eversource’s bond rating is down, but it continues to make money hand over fist and its shareholders continue to benefit. The company continues to show that its primary interest is in shareholder and executive profits; ratepayers seem to be at the end of the priority list. With potential Canadian energy tariffs just one of a number of potential issues to arise in the near future, I’d hope Eversource leaders can put their focus in better places.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joe O’Leary | Joe.OLeary@cga.ct.gov | 508-479-4969