Sen. Slap’s Effort to Strengthen MDC Consumer Advocate Position Passes Senate

Posted on May 1, 2024May 2, 2024 by Devin James

Sen. Slap’s Effort to Strengthen MDC Consumer Advocate Position Passes Senate

Today, State Senator Derek Slap’s efforts to strengthen the MDC Consumer Advocate Position passed the state Senate. Senate Bill 336 – An Act Concerning the Metropolitan District of Hartford County’s Independent Consumer Advocate passed unanimously.

The position was established in 2017 by then Representative Derek Slap and Senator Beth Bye, however funding for the position has not been increased since. Funding levels are currently inadequate to support the position. The advocate is paid hourly and this proposal calls for raising the cap on billable hours so the advocate can better represent consumers.

“Since its inception the Independent Advocate has helped families and businesses save hundreds of thousands of dollars and this bill will ensure the position can continue, while attracting competitive candidates for the job,” said Sen. Slap. “With a small but purposeful investment, consumers will continue to be well represented in their agreements with this utility provider.”

This legislation will now move to the House floor.

Contact: Garnet McLaughlin
860-304-2319

Forward

SENATOR MARX LEADS SENATE’S APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION HONORING VIETNAM VETERANS EXPOSED TO AGENT ORANGE

Posted on May 1, 2024May 2, 2024 by Devin James

May 1, 2024

SENATOR MARX LEADS SENATE’S APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION HONORING VIETNAM VETERANS EXPOSED TO AGENT ORANGE

Today, State Senator Martha Marx (D-New London), Senate Chair of the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, led the Senate in its advancement of legislation recognizing and honoring veterans of the Vietnam War who were exposed to Agent Orange.

“Agent Orange’s use in the Vietnam War lingered much longer than the end of fighting, and it harmed the health of millions of veterans, who have not received recognition for their sacrifice to our nation,” said Sen. Marx. “Today, we take action to recognize what they experienced and ensure they are honored for their service.”

According to the resolution, the chemical solution Agent Orange was sprayed on land from helicopters or low-flying aircraft during the Vietnam War to destroy vegetation and crops with the intent of depriving enemy fighters of food and cover. Millions of service members were exposed to the chemical, which attacks the body’s genes and has been tied to conditions and serious illnesses including leukemia, heart disease, diabetes and several cancers. It also can cause genetic damage and has been linked to cases of spina bifida, among other health issues, in the children and grandchildren of those exposed.

There are fewer than 800,000 remaining Vietnam veterans compared to the more than eight million citizens who served during the war, which lasted for more than a decade. Approximately 300 surviving veterans die each day.

While the names of fallen service members are listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C., according to the resolution, victims of Agent Orange are not recognized as war fatalities. This resolution ensures those individuals are honored for their sacrifices in service to the United States and its citizens.

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

SEN. OSTEN WELCOMES SENATE PASSAGE OF BILL TO INCREASE DAM INSPECTIONS, DAM SAFETY IN CONNECTICUT

Posted on May 1, 2024May 17, 2024 by Devin James

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday May 1, 2024

SEN. OSTEN WELCOMES SENATE PASSAGE OF BILL TO INCREASE DAM INSPECTIONS, DAM SAFETY IN CONNECTICUT

HARTFORD – Nearly four months after the wingwall of the privately owned Fitchville Pond Dam in Bozrah sprang a leak with the potential of flooding local streets and businesses, State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) today voted for a dam safety bill that allows the state to order a private dam owner to fix a problem when a dam is threatening, or about to threaten, public safety or the environment.

Senate Bill 192, “AN ACT CONCERNING DAM SAFETY,” passed the Senate on a bipartisan and unanimous 36-0 vote and now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

“My fear is that there’s a hodge-podge of dams in various conditions across the state, and we only find out which ones are on the verge of collapsing when there’s a major weather event like all the rain we got in January, which overwhelmed the Fitchville Pond Dam. And we’re seeing more and more of these major weather events on a regular basis,” Sen. Osten said. “When a dam is on the verge of breaching and there are people and businesses downstream that are in immediate danger, time is of the essence. This bill helps the state respond much more quickly.”

About 3,300 of the 4,000 dams in Connecticut are privately owned. SB 192 explicitly prohibits anyone from maintaining a dam in a condition that might endanger life or property (unless it is solely contained to the dam owner’s property), and it expands the State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s authority to respond to conditions that threaten public safety or the environment.

Existing state law requires the DEEP to investigate and inspect dams that could cause loss of life or property damage if they broke away. The new bill allows that — without prior hearing – DEEP can order a private dam owner to fix a problem when a dam is threatening, or about to threaten, public safety or the environment. A hearing must be held after the order is issued.

In these circumstances, DEEP would make the person who owns the dam liable for the costs of fixing it, including the cost of hiring any private contractors to do the work.

The construction of dams in Connecticut began with the arrival of the first colonial settlers in the 1630s. Soon, mill dams facilitated economic development and production of grain, cotton and wood in Connecticut’s early history. As the state’s economy evolved, dams were used for manufacturing, water supply, mechanical power and for fire protection. DEEP maintains a computerized inventory of over 4,000 dams in Connecticut of which about 84% are held privately.

The 2024 legislative session ends at midnight on Wednesday, May 8.

###

Sen. Lesser Advances Bill to Support Elderly Nutrition Program

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Devin James

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

Sen. Lesser Advances Bill to Support Elderly Nutrition Program

Tonight State Senator Matt Lesser, Senate Chair of the Human Services Committee led passage of a bill implementing task force recommendations for the Elderly Nutrition Program.

“As the Chair of the Elderly Nutrition Task Force, I am pleased to lead the passage of this legislation that supports the wellbeing of our seniors,” said Sen. Lesser. “The funding available for senior nutrition, our Meals-on-Wheels program and our congregate sites, has fallen to levels not seen since before the Pandemic but the cost of food has not. That’s placing incredible pressure on our elderly nutrition service providers and on our vulnerable seniors. This bill will help stretch scarce dollars and connect seniors to more federal resources, and ensure that localities have a seat at the table. Our local providers do so much on tight budgets, and this additional support will ensure that essential services like Meals on Wheels and congregate meal services will continue for our most vulnerable residents. Our parents and grandparents took care of us – and it’s our job to make sure that not one senior in Connecticut goes hungry.”

Recently, nutrition providers have announced cuts to congregate site and Meals of Wheels service in Connecticut due to a reduction of federal funding under the Older Americans Act. The bill makes a number of changes to the operation of Connecticut’s elderly nutrition programs. Separately, the Department of Aging and Disability Services recently made available $500,000 of additional funding to CRT, a community action agency, to temporarily stave off threatened cuts to food service in the Hartford County region. Those cuts remain on the horizon with additional funding pressures looming.

Connecticut’s elderly nutrition programs are funded primarily by the federal government through the Older Americans Act, with funding passing through the State of Connecticut to area agencies on aging which administer programs locally.

Forward

Sen. Slap Leads Senate Passage of Legacy Admissions Reporting Bill

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Devin James

Sen. Slap Leads Senate Passage of Legacy Admissions Reporting Bill

Late Wednesday State Senator Derek Slap, Chair of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, led passage of a piece of legislation aimed at exploring the use of ‘legacy admissions’ in institutions of higher education.

The bill requires colleges and universities to either attest that the institution does not consider a prospective student’s familial relationship to a university alumnus or donor, or the institution must submit a report on admissions and enrollment data. The report must include a breakdown of several attributes of admitted students, including the admittance rate of legacy or donor related students against students without such relations.

With this passage of this bill, Connecticut joins the national conversation on transparency and fairness in higher education. There have been bipartisan proposals in Congress to address legacy admissions, and a provision banning legacy admissions just passed on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis in Virginia.

Reportedly, no public universities consider familial relationship to an alumnus or donor in the application process, and only a handful of Connecticut institutions have publicly said that they consider these factors.

“I am very gratified that Connecticut is part of the national conversation about fairness and transparency in college admissions and this bill moves us another step forward,” said Sen. Slap. “I am hopeful that the data gained from the required reporting will help inform the legislature on how to best proceed next January. I remain committed to trying to make the college admissions process for Connecticut students as fair as possible.”

“Access to the most selective colleges in Connecticut should be based on merit, not whether a student is a family legacy or related to a donor. By advancing this bill, Senator Slap has led an effort to increase transparency and fairness in the admissions process, and we are looking forward to seeing this legislation become law,” said Amy Dowell, Education Reform Now CT.

The bill now heads to the House for debate and passage.

Contact: Garnet McLaughlin
860-304-2319

Forward

SENATOR MARX LEADS SENATE PASSAGE OF BILL EXPANDING ACCESS TO MILITARY RELIEF FUND

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Devin James

May 1, 2024

SENATOR MARX LEADS SENATE PASSAGE OF BILL EXPANDING ACCESS TO MILITARY RELIEF FUND

Early this morning, State Senator Martha Marx (D-New London), Senate Chair of the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, led the Senate’s passage of legislation that would expand access to the Military Relief Fund.

“When service members suffer injuries, or a death in the family, that can have catastrophic effects on household expenses. This bill recognizes that and takes care of our military,” said Sen. Marx. “This simple change in policy makes sure the Military Relief Fund is providing better relief to military members and their families.”

Senate Bill 238, “An Act Expanding Eligibility For Grants From The Military Relief Fund,” would allow for access to grants for a service member and their immediate family members to pay expenses for essential personal or household goods or services if those expenses are a hardship due to a serious injury, illness or death in the family. Current law allows for grants if a service member’s military service would create a hardship. The bill retains the current grant amount cap of up to $5,000.

This bill received strong support from military advocates. Alison Weir, executive director of the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center, testified to the Committee that this bill’s expansion of funds is the right thing to do as it recognizes situations where veterans or their family members experienced serious illness that reduced their earning ability; the fund’s expansion can provide relief to veterans struggling in such situations. Daniel DePasquale, vice president of the National Guard Association of Connecticut, testified its expansion is “certainly a worthwhile expenditure.”

The bill previously passed the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee by a 20-0 vote March 14. It now heads to the House.

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

Sen. Hartley Welcomes The Waterbury Promise Scholars to the Capitol

Posted on May 1, 2024May 2, 2024 by Devin James

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Garnet McLaughlin | garnet.mclaughlin@cga.ct.gov | 860-240-0288

Sen. Hartley Welcomes The Waterbury Promise Scholars to the Capitol

On Wednesday, State Senator Joan Hartley took a point of personal privilege in the Senate Chamber to honor the team behind The Waterbury Promise, and several scholarship recipients.

“What an honor to welcome these future leaders to the Senate Chamber,” said Sen. Hartley. “These young students have demonstrated great success in the classroom, and I look forward to seeing them achieve their full potential with the support of The Waterbury Promise. I want to also thank Executive Director Kelonda Maull, Director of Development and Community Engagement Hedy Ayers and their team for their commitment to ensuring the success of Waterbury students, our community is stronger because of them.”

The 2024 scholars include:

Jocelin Quituizaca, Sophomore, CT State – Naugatuck Valley (graduating this month and transferring to CCSU)
Alyssa Jhingree, Freshman, Yale University
Harinarine “Harry” Sirikishun, Freshman, UConn Storrs

Waterbury Promise was launched in late 2021 in collaboration with the City of Waterbury and Waterbury Public Schools. Waterbury Promise is a nonprofit dedicated to building a generation of college graduates in Waterbury.

Since 2021, this game-changing college access and success program has supported nearly 400 talented Waterbury Promise scholars across 15 Connecticut colleges and universities.

While the program is centered on a generous last-dollar scholarship, its success hinges on providing a full continuum of support services to help high-achieving and traditionally underserved Waterbury students get to college, thrive there, persist through graduation and be career ready to create a robust and diverse talent pipeline for the local, regional and state economies.

These supports are critical, given that 68% of Waterbury Promise Scholars are first generation college students, 78% are students of color, many come from low to moderate income households and some are even pursuing higher education without any parental support.

The program has had a powerful impact:

89% of the 2022 cohort persisted to their sophomore year of college
Waterbury Promise has a 95% overall program retention rate across both cohorts
The program has disbursed close to $500,000 in last dollar scholarships to date
Its first group of scholars will graduate from CT State – Naugatuck Valley with a degree in just a few weeks!

To become a Waterbury Promise Scholar, students must: be a Waterbury resident; graduate from a Waterbury Public High School, Holy Cross or Kaynor Technical High School; achieve a cumulative 3.0 GPA and a 90% attendance rate through graduation; complete the FAFSA; and enroll at any accredited 2 or 4 year Connecticut-based college or university.

Those looking to donate to this organization or inquire further on scholarship opportunities can visit https://www.waterburypromise.org/.

Forward

Senator Rahman Leads Passage of Bill to Ease Residential Developments

Posted on May 1, 2024May 2, 2024 by Devin James

Senator Rahman Leads Passage of Bill to Ease Residential Developments

Senator MD Rahman, Senate chair of the Planning and Development Committee, led passage Wednesday of a bill designed to increase housing availability in Connecticut by reducing the red tape associated with converting commercial buildings into residential developments.

Senate Bill 416, An Act Concerning the Conversion of Commercial Real Property for Residential Use, was proposed by Senator Rahman and passed by the state Senate during a session Wednesday and will now head to the House for consideration.

The legislation would boost the availability of homes in Connecticut by allowing developers to convert unused commercial space into housing “as of right.” This term means that municipalities must approve the projects if they comply with local building or fire safety codes. This distinction prevents towns from requiring public hearings or special permits before granting approval.

“This proposal aims to help Connecticut communities convert vacant commercial properties into vibrant residential developments by cutting through some of the red tape that often impedes these projects,” Senator Rahman, D-Manchester, said.

“By putting aside these bureaucratic barriers, we encourage growth, promote the construction of affordable housing for our neighbors, and expand our tax base,” Senator Rahman said. “Proactively repurposing unused commercial sites staves off the degradation of vacant properties before they become blighted eyesores that pose public health risks and drag down property values.”

In order to be converted into residential developments, properties would still need to meet applicable building and fire codes under Senate Bill 416. The proposal requires towns and cities to decide on a conversion application within 65 days of its submission.

The bill advanced out of the Planning and Development Committee, where it received a public hearing on March 13. Jim Perras, CEO of the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Connecticut, was among those who submitted testimony in favor of the legislation.

“The bill’s provision ensuring that any zoning regulations allow such conversions as of right is a progressive step towards addressing Connecticut’s housing shortage,” Perras said in written testimony. “By removing unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles, this legislation empowers property owners to repurpose commercial spaces efficiently, meeting the growing demand for residential units.”

SENATOR NEEDLEMAN CHEERS $200,000 IN MANUFACTURING GRANTS IN HIS DISTRICT

Posted on May 1, 2024May 2, 2024 by Devin James

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

May 1, 2024

SENATOR NEEDLEMAN CHEERS $200,000 IN MANUFACTURING GRANTS IN HIS DISTRICT

Today, State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) cheered the announcement by Governor Lamont’s administration that manufacturers Airex Rubber Products Corporation of Portland and TriMech Solutions, LLC of Deep River will each receive state grants valued at $100,000 to support their adoption of additive technologies.

The companies receiving these grants will each provide matching grants of equal or greater amounts of company funding. These grants are awarded from the Additive Manufacturing Adoption Program, an initiative from the Connecticut Manufacturing Innovation Fund Advisory Board and Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology. It’s part of the state’s Manufacturing Innovation Fund to support and promote Connecticut’s advanced manufacturing sector.

“Our manufacturing businesses are the backbone of our state’s economy, and I’m proud to know that our region is receiving this support to aid and benefit job creation, technological advancement and small manufacturers all at once,” said Sen. Needleman. “I am grateful to Governor Lamont and his administration for this important aid.”

“Manufacturing continues to be a high-growth sector nationwide and we want to do everything we can to ensure that Connecticut is at the forefront of the jobs and economic growth that it is delivering,” Governor Lamont said. “This grant program is a way that we can partner with small manufacturers in our state to support their growth.”

The grant investments are designed to aid these companies through improving operations and driving innovation, including high-end 3D metal printers for functional parts and tooling and advanced plastic printing capabilities.

Forward

SEN. FLEXER LEADS SENATE PASSAGE OF BILL TO ALLOW SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO BE PAID FOR THEIR TIME

Posted on April 30, 2024May 22, 2024 by Devin James

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, April 30, 2024

SEN. FLEXER LEADS SENATE PASSAGE OF BILL TO ALLOW SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS TO BE PAID FOR THEIR TIME

HARTFORD – State Senator Mae Flexer today led Senate passage of a bill which – for the first time in state history – will allow towns to set salaries for Board of Education members. Under current state law, school board members are the only town officials who are prohibited from being paid a salary.

Senate Bill 356, “AN ACT CONCERNING COMPENSATION OF BOARD OF

EDUCATION MEMBERS,” passed the state Senate on a partisan xx-xx vote, with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed, and now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

“Board of education members spend an awful lot of time away from their families on policy matters affecting our children. They work incredibly hard, and it seems wrong that they are the only municipal officials who are prohibited under state statue from being compensated,” Sen. Flexer said. “This bill will remedy that wrong.”

###