Author: Devin James

SENATOR ANWAR RELEASES STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF NORTHEAST PUBLIC HEALTH COLLABORATIVE

Posted on by Devin James

SENATOR ANWAR RELEASES STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF NORTHEAST PUBLIC HEALTH COLLABORATIVE

Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor), Senate Chair of the Public Health Committee, released the following statement after the official announcement of the Northeast Public Health Collaborative, a joint partnership between Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and New York City to coordinate public health recommendations including vaccine recommendations.

The Collaborative issued new recommendations for COVID vaccines on Thursday that differ from national ones. Children from the ages of 6 months to 2 years and all adults are encouraged to receive vaccines, especially those with risk factors for serious illness or at higher risk of exposure. Children and adolescents may be vaccinated, with those with high-risk conditions, living in high-exposure settings, who have never been vaccinated against COVID or who live with high-risk family members are recommended to get a shot. Vaccines are also recommended during pregnancy.

Conversely, the Centers for Disease Control has restricted vaccine access to adults under the age of 65 except for those at risk of serious illness and actively discouraged vaccination for children and during pregnancy. These guidelines conflict with numerous scientific studies showing COVID vaccination is safe and significantly safer than contracting the virus itself, drawing criticism from medical professionals and organizations and causing confusion and frustration among members of the public.

“Public health is not a game and I am highly encouraged to see New England and Northeastern leaders recognize that. We cannot trust Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to utilize science in its recommendations to the public. Firing the entire Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and replacing members with hand-picked vaccine opponents makes that crystal clear, as does restricting access to COVID vaccines in opposition to widely accepted medical consensus. As the autumn nears, respiratory viruses become more prevalent, and I hope the people of Connecticut take responsible, common-sense steps to protect themselves and their loved ones including vaccination.”

After Calling for Action, Senators Looney & Duff Welcome Northeast Public Health Collaborative

Posted on by Devin James

After Calling for Action, Senators Looney & Duff Welcome Northeast Public Health Collaborative

HARTFORD – Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) today issued the following statement in response to Governor Lamont’s announcement that Connecticut has formally joined the Northeast Public Health Collaborative alongside several other Northeastern states and New York City.

“Earlier, we called on Governor Lamont for Connecticut to join our neighboring states in a regional public health partnership modeled after the West Coast effort, because we know that pathogens don’t stop at state lines. With misinformation and political gamesmanship coming out of Republican-controlled Washington, we can’t count on the federal government to defend science and accurate public health information. That’s why states must work together. We’re glad to see Connecticut embracing this approach and moving forward with our neighbors to protect the health and safety of every resident.”

After Calling for Action, Senators Looney & Duff Welcome Northeast Public Health Collaborative

Posted on by Devin James

After Calling for Action, Senators Looney & Duff Welcome Northeast Public Health Collaborative

HARTFORD – Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) today issued the following statement in response to Governor Lamont’s announcement that Connecticut has formally joined the Northeast Public Health Collaborative alongside several other Northeastern states and New York City.

“Earlier, we called on Governor Lamont for Connecticut to join our neighboring states in a regional public health partnership modeled after the West Coast effort, because we know that pathogens don’t stop at state lines. With misinformation and political gamesmanship coming out of Republican-controlled Washington, we can’t count on the federal government to defend science and accurate public health information. That’s why states must work together. We’re glad to see Connecticut embracing this approach and moving forward with our neighbors to protect the health and safety of every resident.”

CT. TEACHERS GIVE SEN. KUSHNER AN “A” GRADE FOR 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

Posted on by Devin James

CT. TEACHERS GIVE SEN. KUSHNER AN “A” GRADE FOR 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

DANBURY – State Senator Julie Kushner (D-Danbury) has received an “A” grade score of 95.5 out of 100 from the Connecticut Education Association for her pro-education votes during the recently concluded 2025 legislative session.

Sen. Kushner’s score was the highest in the state Senate and the sixth-highest in the entire General Assembly; she also had one of the five highest scores on the legislature’s Education Committee, where she serves as a member. The CEA scorecards can be found here: https://cea.org/legislator-report-card/.

“I know how much a public school education means to parents and children in Connecticut. We are consistently ranked as one of the best states in America for our public schools, and that is because of the hard work and dedication that our teachers put into their profession,” Sen. Kushner said. “Every vote I take is to ensure that our public schools remain strong, that our families are well-served, and that our teachers have the tools that they need to do their jobs to the best of their ability.”

Sen. Kushner was scored on her votes on 76 different bills covering issues such as universal pre-K, teacher recruitment and retention, book bans, paraeducators, school indoor air quality, new charter school approval process, virtual learning, classroom safety, and more.

The CEA is Connecticut’s largest union for certified educators, representing about 43,000 public school teachers, retired teachers, and college students preparing for the profession.

Senator Duff Receives ‘A’ from Connecticut Education Association 2025 Report Card

Posted on by Devin James

Senator Duff Receives ‘A’ from Connecticut Education Association 2025 Report Card

Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk), received an ‘A’ grade from the Connecticut Education Association’s 2025 legislator report card, indicating his continued support for Connecticut education and the state’s teaching workforce.

Senator Duff received a 90.7% score for his 2025 legislative session, following his votes earlier this year in support of key educational priorities including the state budget’s increases to municipal education funding and expansions of special education funding.

“Education is the foundation of a strong future, and I am proud to continue fighting for the resources and support our teachers and students need in the classroom,” said Sen. Duff. “This recognition from the Connecticut Education Association reflects our collective commitment to ensuring that every child has access to a high-quality education, regardless of their background.”

Senator Duff received his score for supporting policies including the state budget, which increased education funding for many municipalities and expanded special education support; increases to special education grants statewide; support for universal pre-kindergarten supporting young children and families alike; and improvements to school indoor air quality through equipment upgrades. He also voted for legislation requiring procedures for the consideration of book challenges in school libraries, has increased Norwalk’s school construction state reimbursement rate to 60% from 22.5% and is actively working to build new schools here too.

Supporting teaching priorities, Sen. Duff also voted in support of expansions of scholarships for aspiring educators and the establishment of an improved legal standard and arbitration during teacher terminations.

Senator Gaston Welcomes $100,000 of Grant Funding from State Agriculture Department for Local Farm

Posted on by Devin James

Senator Gaston Welcomes $100,000 of Grant Funding from State Agriculture Department for Local Farm

Today, state Senator Herron Keyon Gaston (D-Bridgeport) welcomed the recent announcement by the Department of Agriculture that Pearl’s Shellfish Farm, LLC in Stratford will receive $100,000 to expand the farm’s shellfish processing infrastructure.

The funding will be used to purchase two high efficiency washing systems, two oyster counters, two conveyors, and two graders.

“I’m proud to see state investment going directly to our local farms, like Pearl’s Shellfish in Stratford,” said Sen. Gaston. “This funding will help them grow their operations and continue providing fresh, local food to our communities. Supporting this farm’s shellfish processing infrastructure will increase efficiency, ensure sustainability, improve the product quality, and support our local economy.”

The grants are administered through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program, which is dedicated to improving food chain resilience and strengthening local and regional food systems.

SENATOR MAHER RECEIVES HIGH MARKS FROM CONNECTICUT EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 2025 REPORT CARD

Posted on by Devin James

SENATOR MAHER RECEIVES HIGH MARKS FROM CONNECTICUT EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 2025 REPORT CARD

State Senator Ceci Maher (D-Wilton) received a B+ grade from the Connecticut Education Association’s 2025 legislator report card, indicating her continued support for Connecticut education and the state’s teaching workforce.

Sen. Maher received an 87.8% score for the 2025 legislative session, following her votes earlier this year in support of key educational priorities including the state budget’s increases to municipal education funding and expansions of special education funding.

“The students in classrooms today will be our leaders tomorrow, and we owe them the best possible resources to succeed,” said Sen. Maher. “As well, the teachers working tirelessly in our communities deserve continued support. I’m honored to receive high marks from the CEA for my work in this year’s legislative session supporting education and will continue focusing on more ways to bolster opportunities for our youth to learn and grow.”

Sen. Maher received her score for supporting policies including the state budget, which increased education funding for many municipalities and expanded special education support; increases to special education grants statewide; support for universal pre-kindergarten supporting young children and families alike; and improvements to school indoor air quality through equipment upgrades. She also voted for legislation requiring procedures for the consideration of book challenges in school libraries.

Supporting teaching priorities, Sen. Maher also voted in support of expansions of scholarships for aspiring educators and the establishment of an improved legal standard and arbitration during teacher terminations.

SENATOR ANWAR RECEIVES A GRADE FROM CONNECTICUT EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 2025 REPORT CARD

Posted on by Devin James

SENATOR ANWAR RECEIVES A GRADE FROM CONNECTICUT EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 2025 REPORT CARD

State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) received an A grade from the Connecticut Education Association’s 2025 legislator report card, indicating his continued support for Connecticut education and the state’s teaching workforce.

Sen. Anwar received a 90.8% score for the 2025 legislative session, which considers his votes in support of priorities including the state budget’s increases to municipal education funding and expansions of special education funding, among other key bills.

“Our children are our future, and we need to provide them with the best possible resources to succeed,” said Sen. Anwar. “I’m grateful for the CEA’s recognition of my support for policies that bring more funding into our schools, provide better environments for students and families alike and benefit the educational workforce pipeline. This is the seventh year I’ve received an A grade from the CEA and I hope to continue that streak for years to come.”

Sen. Anwar received high marks for supporting policies including the state budget, which increased education funding for many municipalities and expanded special education support; increases to special education grants statewide; support for universal pre-kindergarten supporting young children and families alike; and improvements to school indoor air quality through equipment upgrades.

Supporting teaching priorities, Sen. Anwar also voted in support of expansions of scholarships for aspiring educators and the establishment of an improved legal standard and arbitration during teacher terminations.

Sen. Slap Receives A Grade from Connecticut Teachers

Posted on by Devin James

Sen. Slap Receives A Grade from Connecticut Teachers

Today, State Senator Derek Slap welcomed news that he earned an A from the Connecticut Education Association (CEA) during the 2025 legislative session. CEA is the largest union of certified educators in the state and work as strong advocates for students, teachers and public education.

CEA represents educators in West Hartford, Burlington, Farmington and Bloomfield.

“I have long been a strong advocate for teachers, students, parents and the power of public education,” said Sen. Slap. “I am proud of the work we accomplished in this past session to provide educators with the tools they need to help our students thrive. One of my top priorities this session was securing more money for special education and I’m gratified we got that done, delivering millions more over the next two years to towns in the 5th state senate district, but there is more work ahead. We must continue to ensure that state is a strong partner to our local school districts and teachers feel safe, supported and appreciated in the classroom.”

Some of the legislation Senator Slap supported to receive this grade include:

HB 7287 – The biennial budget passed this year increases ECS funding that holds towns harmless, expands special education funding, procedures for book challenges in public and school libraries and more.
SB 1 – this priority piece of legislation for the Senate Democrat caucus included multiple initiatives, including the establishment of a universal pre-K endowment, special education enhancement grants, outlining IEP support staff, local budget transparency reporting & more.
SB 1513 – Expanding aspiring educator scholarships, certification alternative assessments and more.
HB 5001 – expanding special education grants and strengthening special education policies in Connecticut.

To read Senator Slap’s full grading breakdown, click here.

Duff, Rilling & Norwalk Delegation: BOE’s Surprise Contract Extension Breaches Public Trust

Posted on by Devin James

Duff, Rilling & Norwalk Delegation: BOE’s Surprise Contract Extension Breaches Public Trust

HARTFORD – Today, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, Mayor Harry Rilling, and State Representatives Travis Simms, Kadeem Roberts, Lucy Dathan, and Dominique Johnson released a joint statement following the Norwalk Board of Education’s approval of a contract extension for the Superintendent of Schools last night in a 7-2 vote.

“After hundreds of parents, educators, and community members spoke out this year, urging the Board not to extend the Superintendent’s contract, the Board publicly agreed. Yet last night, without notice to the Mayor, Senator Duff, or the rest of the state legislative delegation, the Board unexpectedly added this contract to its agenda and rushed through the extension. Taking such a consequential vote with zero public notice shows a troubling disregard for transparency and community input.

“This decision is a breach of trust with Norwalk families, teachers, and taxpayers. The Board of Education now sets a terrible example for our students by failing to keep its word and honor agreements. We stand with Norwalk parents and educators in demanding transparency, accountability, and leadership that truly puts children first.”