HARTFORD – State Senator Mary Daugherty Abrams (D- Meriden, Middlefield, Rockfall, Middletown, Cheshire) today joined with her colleagues in a special session of the Connecticut State Senate to approve a host of new public policy initiatives to improve police interactions with residents, expand the use of absentee ballots during the COVID-19 pandemic, cap out-of-pocket costs for lifesaving insulin, and continue telehealth medical consultations during the coronavirus crisis.
The bills – which were approved by the House of Representatives last week – now head to Governor Lamont, who is expected to sign them into law.
“While this year’s session was cut short, I was glad to return to the Capitol to vote on four important pieces of legislation that will have positive impacts on Connecticut residents during this difficult time,” said Sen. Daugherty Abrams, “As Chair of the Public Health Committee, telehealth has long been a priority, and while this expansion only lasts until March, I am committed to further working on this issue in next year’s session. I was also proud to vote for two other bills that will lead to a healthier state—capping the cost of insulin will improve the lives of thousands and expanding absentee ballot access will allow people exercise their right to vote in November without risking their health. Finally, I was proud to vote in favor of police accountability legislation. I hope that this bill will only be the beginning of our work towards a more just world, not just in criminal justice, but in healthcare, housing, employment, education, and beyond.
Highlights of the bills approved today by Sen. Abrams include:
Capping the Price of Insulin and Related Supplies
The bill caps a person’s out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $25 per month, caps noninsulin drugs like glucagon at $25 per month, and caps diabetic equipment and supplies (such as blood glucose test strips, glucometers, lancets, and syringes) at $100 per month. The bill also authorizes pharmacists to prescribe and dispense up to a 30-day supply of ’emergency’ insulin if a person has less than a seven-day supply and would otherwise not be able to obtain any lifesaving insulin.
Telehealth
The bill continues for the foreseeable future the temporary waiver of customary restrictions on online medical health care services (“telehealth”) so that during the COVID-19 pandemic more patients can be attended to in the comfort of their own home.
Increasing Police Accountability with the Public
Prompted by protests around Connecticut in response to the brutal murder of George Floyd, this bill provides additional accountability for police departments to improve relationships between the communities and the police. Highlights include:
Temporarily Expanded Absentee Ballot Access
This bill allows Connecticut citizens who are concerned about contracting the coronavirus at a polling location to vote instead by mail in the November election– an option which had previously been denied them. Connecticut law currently only allows state residents the right to vote by absentee ballot for six specific reasons:
The COVID-19 pandemic, which has infected more than 48,000 people in Connecticut and killed more than 4,400 state residents, has raised concerns about standing in line at the polls or voting in a crowded polling location, especially for the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions, who are particularly susceptible to the coronavirus.
The new bill amends Connecticut law for 2020 only to allow for absentee voting due to “the sickness of COVID-19.” The bill also allows any person who is in line to vote before polls close at 8 p.m. to access Connecticut’s “same-day registration” procedure at that polling location, as long as they meet all of the state’s voter eligibility requirements (existing state law only allows for same-day voter registration from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. at specific locations in town, but then the voter must proceed to their own local polling place in order to cast their vote.)