SEN. FLEXER, REP. BOYD WELCOME STATE INVESTMENT IN POMFRET PUBLIC LIBRARY

Posted on June 12, 2024 by Devin James

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

SEN. FLEXER, REP. BOYD WELCOME STATE INVESTMENT IN POMFRET PUBLIC LIBRARY

POMFRET — State Senator Mae Flexer state Representative Pat Boyd (D-Pomfret) are welcoming State Bond Commission approval of more than a million dollars for upgrades to the Pomfret Public Library.

On Friday, June 7, the State Bond Commission approved $1,011,297 for alterations at the Pomfret Public Library to improve existing space with the addition of meeting and activity rooms. The state grant will pay for half of the total project cost of $2,022,594.

The Pomfret Public Library was built in 1739 and was the first public library in eastern Connecticut. The library receives more than 10,000 visitors a year and hosts a variety of programs every week that attract more than 2,000 attendees.

“A library is the heart of any community, and that has been true in Pomfret for almost 300 years. This more than million-dollar state investment will allow this dynamic library to expand the incredible opportunities that are available to everyone in the community, from toddlers to seniors,” Sen. Flexer said. “This project will be transformative for the Pomfret Public Library.”

“The Pomfret Public Library expansion is a critical investment in our community, helping to transform it into a modern community and library space,” said Rep. Boyd. “I want to extend my thanks to Governor Lamont and members of the State Bond Commission for considering the project and approving funding for it. A library with updated technology and amenities will provide a more connected and enriching experience to residents.”

“This project comes at a crucial time,” First Selectwoman Maureen Nicholson. “The need for connection is growing as we become more dependent on remote interactions. Pomfret’s Public Library provides a variety of opportunities for residents to meet and socialize in person in a time of growing isolation. With the space this addition will provide, our community will be enriched with greater opportunities and expanded spaces to come together. When we gather, our community fabric grows stronger, our residents feel connected, and our lives are enhanced.”

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Sen. Slap, Rep. Haddad Release Statement on Governor Lamont Naming Martin Guay as Chair of the Board of Regents

Posted on June 12, 2024 by Devin James

Sen. Slap, Rep. Haddad Release Statement on Governor Lamont Naming Martin Guay as Chair of the Board of Regents

HARTFORD, CT – Today, Chairs of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee State Senator Derek Slap and State Representative Gregg Haddad release a statement on Governor Lamont naming Martin Guay as the Chair of the Board of Regents.

“As Chairs of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee we look forward to working collaboratively with Mr. Guay to not only strengthen our CSCU system but also Connecticut’s economy. There is no denying that higher education is the largest economic engine in our state and Mr. Guay has a wealth of experience aligning education with ever-evolving workforce demands. We must also remember that the students who successfully graduate from our public institutions are the fuel of our economy and our future,” said Sen. Derek Slap and Rep. Gregg Haddad. “We are also grateful to JoAnn Ryan for her service to Connecticut, especially as we navigated the wide-ranging effects of the pandemic on our students and our institutions.”

To read more about the appointment, please click here.

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Contact: Garnet McLaughlin
860-304-2319

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STATEMENT OF SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE MARTIN LOONEY AND SENATE MAJORITY LEADER BOB DUFF ON GOVERNOR LAMONT’S VETO OF H.B. 5431, “AN ACT ESTABLISHING A CONNECTICUT FAMILIES AND WORKERS ACCOUNT”

Posted on June 11, 2024June 12, 2024 by Devin James

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

STATEMENT OF SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE MARTIN LOONEY AND SENATE MAJORITY LEADER BOB DUFF ON GOVERNOR LAMONT’S VETO OF H.B. 5431, “AN ACT ESTABLISHING A CONNECTICUT FAMILIES AND WORKERS ACCOUNT”

“It is disappointing that this legislation has been vetoed by the governor. The bill would have provided important relief to low-income workers. Legislators will return next year with a renewed focus on passing the original version of this bill, which the Senate passed two years ago.

“H.B. 5431 would have had a limited impact on employers and businesses and was designed to address an increase in an employer’s unemployment compensation costs by providing state funds to meet this need. We are determined to return with the original concept which will address the governor’s concern regarding “criteria for eligibility or the specific types of assistance that will be provided.”

“Our neighboring states of New York and New Jersey have passed legislation providing unemployment compensation to workers who have been on strike for two weeks or more; these bills were signed into law by Democratic governors. Workers do not strike casually or without justification; striking usually results only when employers have been intransigent or have refused to bargain in good faith. These workers often sustain hardships due to the painful decision to strike, which this bill sought to address and ease.

“The commitment to advance equity for workers will continue in the next session.”

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STATEMENT OF SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE MARTIN LOONEY AND SENATE MAJORITY LEADER BOB DUFF ON GOVERNOR LAMONT’S VETO OF H.B. 5431, “AN ACT ESTABLISHING A CONNECTICUT FAMILIES AND WORKERS ACCOUNT”

Posted on June 11, 2024June 12, 2024 by Devin James

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

STATEMENT OF SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE MARTIN LOONEY AND SENATE MAJORITY LEADER BOB DUFF ON GOVERNOR LAMONT’S VETO OF H.B. 5431, “AN ACT ESTABLISHING A CONNECTICUT FAMILIES AND WORKERS ACCOUNT”

“The commitment to advance equity for workers will continue in the next session.”

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New Law Enhances Training for Connecticut Hairstylists on Curly, Coiled, and Wavy Hair

Posted on June 9, 2024June 25, 2024 by Devin James

New Law Enhances Training for Connecticut Hairstylists on Curly, Coiled, and Wavy Hair

New hairstylists and barbers in Connecticut will receive training on caring for a more diverse range of hair types under a new law celebrated Monday by the governor and supporters during a ceremonial bill signing in Stamford.

The law, which was passed during this year’s legislative session, requires that the curriculum for barbers and hairstylists include training to provide services for people with curly, coiled and wavy hair.

The bill was championed by Sen. Patricia Billie Miller, a Stamford Democrat who chairs the legislature’s Black and Puerto Rican Caucus. During Monday’s event at Vanity Studio in Stamford, Miller said the new policy would help ensure that no one is turned away from hair salons based on a stylist’s unfamiliarity with textured hair.

“For me, it’s about social justice,” Miller said, “it’s about inclusivity, it’s about making sure that there’s equity, because I was one of those individuals where doors were closed on me. When someone walks into a salon, they should be able to have the service, and not — and I’ve been there — say, ‘we don’t do that type of hair.’”

Before putting his signature on ceremonial copies of the bill, Gov. Ned Lamont credited Miller with leading passage of the new law. The governor said the policy was part of an ongoing effort to ensure the civil rights of all residents.

“This is a battle that never ends and we keep fighting it everyday,” Lamont said. “This is just one more small way that we’re able to fight this battle: treat everybody with respect they need, starting with how they look and how their hair is treated.”

ShaQueen Valentine, co-founder of Vanity Studio, said that diversifying the training of barbers and stylists would open up opportunities for hair care businesses across Connecticut.

“This opens the market up for you as a business owner as well as allow these clients to feel welcome in every salon,” Valentine said. “The curly, coily curls are also movers and shakers and they’ve got places to go and people to see and they want to feel welcome and feel as though there is a stylist in your salon that is knowledgeable and skilled in their hair texture.”

The new policy builds on the 2021 CROWN Act, which prohibited discrimination based on natural hairstyles like Afros, dreadlocks, twists among others. Connecticut’s new textured hair training requirement puts it alongside just three other states: Louisiana, New York, and Minnesota.

Miller said she hoped Connecticut would next review training requirements for skin care professionals. Everyone should feel confident they can receive quality services from cosmetology businesses licensed by the state, she said.

“I should be able to walk into a salon [run] by someone that does not look like me and ask for services as long as your door is open,” she said.

Posted by Hugh McQuaid

Sen. Lesser Welcomes $554k for Pistol Creek Trail

Posted on June 7, 2024June 10, 2024 by Devin James

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Garnet McLaughlin | Garnet.McLaughlin@cga.ct.gov

Sen. Lesser Welcomes $554k for Pistol Creek Trail

This week, State Senator Matt Lesser welcomed $554,130 for improvements to Middletown’s Pistol Creek Trail.

“Access to open space and community recreation are two things that measurably improve the lives of all residents and I am grateful for Connecticut’s commitment to investing in these local assets,” said State Sen. Matt Lesser. “I continue to support hiking trails, bike and multipurpose trails and active and passive recreational opportunities, to fully connect our urban centers and suburban communities.”

Gov. Ned Lamont and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes Monday announced $10 million in grants to support the planning, building, expansion, and improvement of 45 multi-use trails located across Connecticut.

The grants are awarded through Connecticut Recreational Trails Grant Program, which is administered by DEEP. Funds to support the grants were approved by the State Bond Commission at its October 2023 meeting.

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SENATORS LOONEY & CABRERA WELCOME STATE BOND COMMISSION APPROVAL OF $8.69 MILLION FOR HAMDEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS

Posted on June 7, 2024June 12, 2024 by Devin James

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, June 7, 2024

SENATORS LOONEY & CABRERA WELCOME STATE BOND COMMISSION APPROVAL OF $8.69 MILLION FOR HAMDEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS

HAMDEN – Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney (D-New Haven) and state Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden) today welcomed State Bond Commission approval of an $8.69 million investment in Hamden that will help build 64 units of affordable rental housing at 2980 State Street.

One-quarter of the units are designated for disabled, unhoused persons, or people with intellectual or developmental disabilities receiving support from the Mid-State ARC. The funds approved today will also be used for a Community Hub facility and pedestrian and streetscape improvements around 2980 State Street.

The funding was first approved on March 12 by the Community Investment Fund 2030 Board and then recommended to the governor to be approved by the State Bond Commission.

“Hamden has made great strides in offering affordable housing options, and it’s one of the Top 12 towns in Connecticut that has increased its stock of affordable housing between 2011 and 2022. This grant will only accelerate Hamden’s success,” said Sen. Looney, who is Co-Chair of the CIF Board.

“The lack of affordable housing in Connecticut is a real problem, and we need real solutions,” Sen Cabrera said. “Hamden is a part of that solution, and that’s what this grant will help us do – create more than five dozen additional units of affordable housing in town.”

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SENATORS LOONEY & CABRERA WELCOME STATE BOND COMMISSION APPROVAL OF $8.69 MILLION FOR HAMDEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS

Posted on June 7, 2024June 12, 2024 by Devin James

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, June 7, 2024

SENATORS LOONEY & CABRERA WELCOME STATE BOND COMMISSION APPROVAL OF $8.69 MILLION FOR HAMDEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS

The funding was first approved on March 12 by the Community Investment Fund 2030 Board and then recommended to the governor to be approved by the State Bond Commission.

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DANBURY DELEGATION CELEBRATES FUNDING FOR SOUTH MAIN STREET REVITALIZATION

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Devin James

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 7, 2024

DANBURY DELEGATION CELEBRATES FUNDING FOR SOUTH MAIN STREET REVITALIZATION

DANBURY — State Senator Julie Kushner and state Representatives Bob Godfrey and Farley Santos today welcomed the State Bond Commission approval of $1,325,000 for the South Main Street Revitalization project in Danbury.

The funds will be used to improve sidewalks at the intersection of Park and Main Streets, make renovations to Elmwood Park, and conduct a neighborhood drainage study.

The project was first approved by the Community Investment Fund Board in March, but needed final approval today from the State Bond Commission before the funds can be released.

“This state money will help improve the heart of downtown Danbury, home to our community center and senior center and so many thriving businesses,” said Sen. Kushner. “I want to thank Senate President Looney and Speaker Ritter, who are the co-chairs of the Community Investment Fund Board, for recommending this project for approval back in March. The ongoing state investments in the people and places of Danbury are truly amazing and are genuinely appreciated.”

“We worked with each other and with Mayor Roberto Alves to upgrade the area near the old courthouse. It supports the plans to construct badly needed housing along Park Place. It revitalizes an important part of downtown and begins to deal with the flooding between Main St. and Town Hill Avenue. I’m always happy to bring money home to Danbury,” said Rep. Godfrey.

“I am delighted to see that our collaborative efforts, together with Mayor Roberto Alves, to champion for Danbury, are consistently yielding positive outcomes for our community,” said Rep. Farley Santos. “I am pleased to receive this funding, which will facilitate crucial enhancements for this area of our city.”

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Stamford Delegation Welcomes $3.2 Million in Funding from the State Bond Commission

Posted on June 7, 2024June 10, 2024 by Devin James

Stamford Delegation Welcomes $3.2 Million in Funding from the State Bond Commission

Stamford’s legislative delegation applauded the State Bond Commission’s Friday approval of more than $3.2 million to support the city’s efforts to improve pedestrian safety and equip its police force with body and dashboard cameras.

The delegation — which includes Senators Patricia Billie Miller and Ceci Maher, as well as Representatives Matt Blumenthal, Hubert Delany, Anabel Figueroa, Rachel Khanna, David Michel, and Corey Paris — celebrated the funding following the State Bond Commission’s Friday morning meeting.

The panel approved support for projects across Connecticut including $3 million for the City of Stamford to make pedestrian safety improvements and create food truck parking near Government Center. This project is expected to create more green space, support local businesses, and ensure that the area is walkable and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The commission approved an additional $236,880 to reimburse the Stamford Police Department for the costs of purchasing body cameras and dashboard cameras.

“This funding will provide all our residents with equal access to Government Center by making the area walkable and ADA compliant, while also supporting local food truck businesses with a dedicated parking location,” Senator Miller said. “The commission’s approval of funds to reimburse the Stamford Police Department for body and dashboard cameras underscores our commitment to accountability and transparency in law enforcement. I appreciate Governor Lamont and the Bond Commission for prioritizing these vital projects to make Stamford safer and more accessible for everyone.”

“Government Center is a focal point in the city, and food trucks are a recognized positive addition to the vibrant food offerings in Stamford. Increasing accessibility to the building and improved food truck parking is a significant use of funds that will help people in the city,” Senator Maher said. “I’m grateful to Governor Lamont and the State Bond Commission for supporting Stamford.”

“I would like to thank Governor Lamont and the State Bond Commission for allocating these funds to Stamford. We plan to use the money to improve the way pedestrians move around by the Government Center. It will lead to a more livable, accessible, environmentally friendly, and vibrant neighborhood,” Representative Blumenthal said. “Additionally, the funding for updated police technology will contribute to a safer community while increasing accountability.”

“I would like to wholeheartedly thank Governor Lamont, the State Bond Commission, and all of my colleagues for fighting to bring these resources back to Stamford,” Representative Delany said. “This funding is the answer to the concerns of many of our constituents. We hope to use this funding to enhance pedestrian safety for our residents who travel near the Stamford Government Center, and we plan to use this funding to increase transparency and accountability for the Stamford Police Department.”

“This funding shows our dedication to the brave members of the Stamford Police Department who put their lives on the line every day to protect the community,” Representative Figueroa said. “This new technology will improve safety for everyone, transparency, and accountability. Body and dashboard camera equipment will also increase trust between our officers and the public.”

“I’m proud of the Delegation’s work on behalf of the city of Stamford,” Representative Khanna said. “Together, we’ve brought over $3 million in state bonding grants to the city, dollars that will be put to good use in further improving the livability and safety of the city.”

“I’m always grateful for the work our delegation does as a team,” Representative Michel said. “Again, many thanks to the governor and the State Bond Commission.”

“I want to extend my gratitude to Governor Lamont and the State Bond Commission for approving these essential projects on the bond agenda for the City of Stamford,” Representative Paris said. “The allocation of $236,880 will significantly enhance our public safety infrastructure by reimbursing the Stamford Police Department for the acquisition of body-worn and dashboard recording equipment, along with associated storage costs. I’m proud that Stamford is one of the five municipalities to receive this crucial funding. Additionally, I am excited about the pedestrian improvements and the new food truck parking near the Stamford Government Center. This bond funding will not only enhance safety for pedestrians but also enrich the community experience for all who enjoy the diverse food truck offerings.”

Contact: Hugh McQuaid | Hugh.McQuaid@cga.ct.gov | 860-634-4651

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