Senate Democrats Issue Open Letter to State, Local Officials, Recommending They Report Anti-Vaccine, Anti-Mask Harassment, Threats to Police
Today, a coalition of 20 Senate Democrats, led by Senate President Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven), Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) and State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex)), issued an open letter to all elected and appointed state and local officials, who are increasingly made the target of vitriol and harassment by individuals protesting COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine mandates, mask requirements and similar adjustments to everyday made necessary by the pandemic. As these individuals are met with “anger, irrationality and abuse which we fear will soon escalate into physical assaults and violence,” as the letter says, the Senators recommended officials report any and all harassment, threats, intimidation and violence to local police. The open letter was printed in Hearst newspaper editorial sections; please click here to read the Hearst publication.
This open letter comes as incidents in Connecticut and nationwide continue to be disrupted by protestors increasingly angry and aggressive about their beliefs. While everyone has the right to protest, recent incidents include Board of Education meetings and public events shut down due to disruptive, rude and unbecoming behavior in Connecticut, while even worse offenses have been committed in other states. Teachers in Texas and California have been assaulted and even hospitalized over mask rules and members of education boards in various states reported direct threats to their safety. Public officials are increasing the sizes of their security details, threatening social media posts have been investigated by police and the escalation of rhetoric and actions may further continue if unchecked, the Senators said.
The full text of the letter is reprinted in full below.
Today, we are issuing a call to action to all elected and appointed state and local officials to take a stand against the confrontational tactics of the anti-vaxxers, anti-maskers and COVID-19 deniers who are increasingly infecting our public meetings, our public discourse and our public life with an anger, irrationality and abuse which we fear will soon escalate into physical assaults and violence against elected and appointed public officials.
We have already seen evidence of such an escalation across America and right here in Connecticut.
It was less than a year ago when 13 militia members, angry with Michigan Governor Gretchen Witmer for her COVID-19 restrictions, plotted to kidnap and then ‘try’ her in the woods of Wisconsin. More recently, since Hawaii announced its vaccine or weekly test mandate, antivaxxers gathered nightly outside the home of Lt. Gov. Josh Green to yell into bullhorns and shine strobe lights into his windows; others distributed flyers attacking him as a “Jew.” Teachers in Texas and California have been assaulted. Board of Education members across America have received death threats, followed out of school buildings and told “We know who you are. You can leave freely, but we will find you.” A Missouri hospital administrator was cornered in a parking garage by a person accusing him of “crimes against humanity.” Free masks handed out at public meetings have been set ablaze by anti-maskers.
Here in Connecticut, we’ve seen Gov. Lamont’s press conference on school health issues interrupted and shut down by anti-maskers who equated Connecticut with Nazi Germany and who followed the governor out to his vehicle, with one parent extending his middle finger to him. Police have been called to contentious public meetings. Some public officials are increasing the size of their security detail. Social media posts referencing legislators have been investigated by the police. One school board meeting was interrupted by protestors shouting through bullhorns, while others have been shut down by anti-mask protestors. A Black Lives Matter supporter was spit on by an anti-vaxxer at a rally at the State Capitol. In May, someone for some reason drove 20 miles from Southington to Hartford to fire six shots at the State Capitol. The lieutenant governor was recently accosted by a man flying vile flags on his pickup truck at a veterans’ event in Norwich.
Protestors in Connecticut are angry and on the edge, and they are getting angrier. In some instances, their words and actions have been praised by certain politicians. This needs to stop. It is only a matter of time until a small, angry group of individuals or one particularly disturbed person who is egged on with disinformation and partisan hubris escalates from spitting and hand gestures and screams of Nazism and criminal behavior to something much more dangerous. The time to prevent any future tragedy is now.
Like our U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s “See Something, Say Something” campaign, we are urging state and local elected and appointed officials to report all instances of harassment, threats, intimidation and violence to local police right away for their investigation and disposition. Be it an intimidating social media post, a threatening letter or phone call, a personal confrontation, a sign at a protest threatening retribution, an interrupted public meeting, or something else that your gut tells you is just not right, please report it right away to the proper authorities. Harassment and intimidation in the course of your public duties are not “part of the job”; they are potential crimes that should be reported to police.
Now is the time to take a stand against harassment and intimidation before it escalates into physical violence, injury, and perhaps death.
Sincerely,
Senate President Martin M. Looney
Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff
State Senator Norm Needleman
State Senator Will Haskell
State Senator Rick Lopes
State Senator Marilyn Moore
State Senator Christine Cohen
State Senator Patricia Billie Miller
State Senator Saud Anwar
State Senator Julie Kushner
State Senator Matt Lesser
State Senator Steve Cassano
State Senator Derek Slap
State Senator Doug McCrory
State Senator John Fonfara
State Senator Gary Winfield
State Senator Mary Abrams
State Senator James Maroney
State Senator Jorge Cabrera
State Senator Joan Hartley
Statement of Sen. Cathy Osten on Federal Approval of CT Gaming Compacts
Statement of Sen. Cathy Osten on Federal Approval of CT Gaming Compacts
State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) today welcomed news that the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs at the U.S. Department of the Interior has approved revisions to the gaming compacts between Connecticut and the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes. A federal decision had been expected to be rendered by today.
“I’m very excited that we have jumped yet another hurdle. It’s very exciting to see this process moving along. Now we just have to wait for the state Department of Consumer Protection to issue the gaming licenses. That will be the final piece of the puzzle. Then Connecticut will have sports betting and online gaming.”
Senator Duff Appoints Area Residents to State Commissions
Senator Duff Appoints Area Residents to State Commissions
Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) is excited to announce area-residents to three Task Forces, one Commission, and one Committee. Each person appointed has a knowledgeable background and will apply their past and present experience to uphold each task force, commission, and committee.
“Each person selected has certain qualities that will translate into a successful leader to help the future of our state,” said Sen. Duff. “I look forward to see what is to come over the course of the next few months and I am certain that those chosen to lead each task force, commission, and committee will do a commendable job.”
Senator Duff has appointed the following residents:
- Michele Jakab of Norwalk to the Task Force to Study Ways to Protect Senior Citizens from Fraud
- Colin Hosten of Norwalk to the Task Force to Study the Comprehensive Needs of Children in the State
- Sabrina Church of Norwalk to the Task Force to Study the Shortage of Employees in Various Tourism-related businesses
- Lamond Daniels of Bridgeport and Steve Kleppin of New Milford to the Commission on Connecticut’s Development and Future
- Katie Banzhaf of Trumbull to the Level of Need Assessment System Advisory Committee
The Task Force to Study Ways to Protect Senior Citizens from Fraud establishes a 10-member task force to not only study ways to protect seniors from fraud but will also require the study to include available planning services for Medicaid applicants. Michele Jakab has been appointed to this task force. Jakab is a Norwalk resident who has over 17 years of experience as a Clinical Social Worker working with older adults, caregivers, and families.
“I look forward to being a part of something in the state that helps those who are of vulnerability,” said Jakab. “I would like to thank Senator Duff for giving me this opportunity to lead others to protect our seniors against any future scams. I will do whatever it takes to reduce risks and eliminate fraud all together from the elderly folks who live in our state.”
The Task Force to Study the Comprehensive Needs of Children in the State will study the comprehensive needs of children in the state and study the extent to which the needs are being met by educators, community members, and local and state agencies. This task force was built in response to COVID-19 in order to develop new programs and identify changes needed to existing programs to better address children’s needs. The task force will work to identify and advocate for funds and other resources needed and identify redundancies in existing services or programs for children. Colin Hosten, a resident of Norwalk, has been appointed to this task force. He is a dedicated Public Servant and Nonprofit Executive currently serving as Chair of the Board of Education of Norwalk.
“It is a great pleasure and honor to lead this task force as part of a larger process identifying what is needed for the children in our state to flourish,” said Hosten. “I am grateful to Senator Duff for the opportunity to be a part of this effort to create a better future for our youth, and for Connecticut overall.”
The Task Force to Study the Shortage of Employees in Various Tourism-related businesses will work to identify and create an inventory of job opportunities, exploring efficient ways to advertise those jobs and examining and making recommendations on affordable, reliable transportation options for employees. Sabrina Church, a resident of Norwalk, has been appointed to this task force. Church currently is the Director of Business Development & Tourism in Norwalk and provides guidance to over 500 business owners.
“The shortage of employees in various tourism-related businesses in Connecticut is concerning and with this role, I will divulge into learning more about this business and figuring out how to fix this issue,” said Church. “Senator Duff was kind enough to believe in me for taking on this task force and I will work hard to strive to come up with a solution to ensure employment rates improve in this industry.”
The Commission on Connecticut’s Development and Future will be dedicated to looking at policies related to housing affordability including looking at 8-30g which is the state’s affordable housing statutes, the state plan of conservation and development, land use, and infrastructure. Among other things, the commission must look at alternative sewage systems and the state’s sewer and septic oversight, guidelines, and incentives for affordable housing plan compliance and must develop model design guidelines for buildings and streets. Steven Kleppin, a New Milford Resident appointed to this commission, has over ten years of experience and leads the Town of Norwalk’s Planning and Zoning Department. Lamond Daniels, a Bridgeport resident, has been appointed to this commission along with Kleppin. Daniels is the Chief of Community Services in Norwalk.
“I am thankful to Senator Duff for entrusting me to lead the commission along with Lamond Daniels to rebuild Connecticut,” said Kleppin. “Our state has been through a lot over the past year and a half, and I am ready to sit down and work on a resolution to rebuild our economy and help those in need get back on their feet.”
“Connecticut has been through hardships this past year and working toward our future begins with what is happening now,” said Daniels. “I look forward to working with Steve Kleppin to help our state recover financially with a plan that includes strategies for the restoration and growth of employment. I would like to thank Senator Duff for allowing me this opportunity to work to resolve the issues our state has been facing.”
The Level of Need Assessment System Advisory Committee establishes a level of need assessment system advisory committee to advise the Department of Developmental Services commissioner on matters relating to the system. Katie Banzhaf, a Trumbull resident, has been appointed to this committee. Banzhaf is an Executive Director for a Non-profit organization in Norwalk and supports over 600 individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
“I am thrilled to be a part of a new team that will work to help guide very important services for individuals with developmental disabilities in Connecticut,” said Banzhaf. “Thank you to Senator Duff for appointing me and giving me the opportunity to improve our system to help those and their families in need.”
Senator Duff Highlights Cost of Unvaccinated to Hospitals, Taxpayers
Senator Duff Highlights Cost of Unvaccinated to Hospitals, Taxpayers
Today, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) highlighted information from the Connecticut Hospital Association that shows the increased costs that individuals who are unvaccinated against COVID-19 are causing in the health care system when they seek treatment. These reported admission numbers indicate that in June and July of 2021 alone, unvaccinated patients who received hospital care cost hospitals more than $9.3 million in preventable costs, with the effects trickling down to taxpayers.
“We know that many current COVID-19 hospitalizations are preventable if people get vaccinated,” said Senator Duff. “The human and health cost to these individuals in incalculable but this latest information shows the financial costs as people refuse the COVID-19 vaccine. Of the more than 750 patients admitted to hospitals in June and July with COVID-19, 98.3% were unvaccinated. The nearly $10 million in preventable costs their treatment required could have been avoided – but instead, those costs will impact hospitals, and taxpayers, in years to come. It’s believed that nearly 500 of those hospitalizations could have been prevented by vaccination. This shows that vaccination is not just a personal choice, but one that impacts our communities and the services we need every day.”
According to statistics compiled by the Connecticut Hospital Association regarding reported admission numbers in June and July 2021, of the 773 adult patients admitted to hospitals with COVID-19 during that time, 98.3% were estimated to be unvaccinated. Of those patients, 74% were believed to be hospitalized primarily for COVID-19, and 84% of those hospitalizations are believed to have been preventable. Utilizing the Peterson-Kaiser Family Foundation financial model that lists an approximate cost of $20,000 on average for each COVID-19 related hospital admission, it’s believed hospitalizations among unvaccinated patients were responsible for a combined $9.447 million dollars in preventable costs in June and July alone. Additionally, given Connecticut’s vaccination rates are higher than the national average and and ICU care costs are also higher, that figure may be a conservative estimate. Below is the full data from the Connecticut Hospital Association.
Based on the number of COVID-19 hospital admissions in Connecticut for the months of June and July and utilizing the assumptions (percent of unvaccinated hospital admissions; share of hospitalizations primarily for COVID-19; share of unvaccinated hospitalizations for COVID-19 that were preventable; approximate cost of preventable COVID-19-related hospital admissions) used in the Peterson-KFF model, we estimate the cost of unvaccinated preventable COVID-19 hospitalizations in Connecticut at $4.2 million for June and $5.3 million for July.
Sen. Osten Votes for, Applauds Passage of Online Gaming and Sports Betting Regulations: “It’s the Culmination of Years of Hard Work.”
Sen. Osten Votes for, Applauds Passage of Online Gaming and Sports Betting Regulations: “It’s the Culmination of Years of Hard Work.”
HARTFORD – State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague), who for years led the effort to amend Connecticut’s existing gaming compact with the Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribal nations to include online gaming and sports betting, today applauded the passage in the Regulation Review Committee of new state rules governing the operation of online casino gaming, sports betting, fantasy contests, Keno and the online sale of lottery tickets.
Today’s 9-4 vote came three months after the General Assembly gave bipartisan and overwhelming approval to a bill legalizing online gaming and sports betting in Connecticut. That bill, House Bill 6451, included a provision that the state Department of Consumer Protection create specific regulations related to gaming licenses and other gaming-related issues. Those provisions were approved by the Regulation Review Committee today on a bipartisan basis.
The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs must still approve Connecticut’s amended compact with the two tribal nations; it has been reviewing the new compact for the past month and is expected to issue its final decision by Thursday, September 9.
“Today is the culmination of years of hard work to bring Connecticut up to speed with modern betting practices and to give our tribal partners, who are some of the largest employers in the state and who have contributed billions of dollars to our economy, a more modern and expanded approach to the gaming portion of their entertainment, retail and restaurant business here in Connecticut,” Sen. Osten said. “Hopefully the BIA will issue its final decision approving Connecticut’s amended compact before September 9, which would theoretically allow for sports betting on fall football games for those who are so inclined. I’m just excited and happy that the committee approved these regulations today on a bipartisan basis and that we are on probably within a week of finally moving forward with the first real expansion of gaming in Connecticut in several decades.”
A copy of the new, 82-page regulation can be found at: https://eregulations.ct.gov/eRegsPortal/Search/RMRView/ER2021-031
On the Day of Cuomo’s Resignation, Sen. Flexer & CHRO Highlight CT Sexual Harassment Laws
On the Day of Cuomo’s Resignation, Sen. Flexer & CHRO Highlight CT Sexual Harassment Laws
HARTFORD – On the day that New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo resigned from office in the face of sexual harassment allegations and Kathy Hochul became the first female governor of New York at the stroke of midnight, Democratic state Senator Mae Flexer and the leadership of Connecticut’s Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities highlighted Connecticut’s strong sexual harassment laws, business training requirements for employees, and where people can turn to for help if they have been sexually harassed on the job.
Sen. Flexer was joined by CHRO Executive Director Tanya Hughes and Deputy Director Cheryl Sharp to detail Connecticut’s sexual harassment laws and remedies.
“I want to make it clear today that we need to uphold sexual harassment prevention standards in all places of work – whether that be a construction site or an office building or a state capitol – and that no person working in Connecticut should ever have to endure what those women in New York State endured under former Governor Cuomo,” Sen. Flexer said. “We’ve worked on a largely bipartisan basis here in Connecticut to enact and update some pretty tough sexual harassment standards over the years, including the 2019 Time’s Up Act, and the public needs to know what they should expect in the workplace and where they can turn if they’re harassed.”
“The CHRO is the Connecticut agency charged with enforcing the state’s antidiscrimination laws, including those that prohibit sexual harassment. The situation with Governor Cuomo in New York demonstrates yet again that sexual harassment is a problem across society, in all types of jobs,” Hughes said. “As Senator Flexer said, Connecticut passed a Time’s Up bill in 2019 which strengthened sexual harassment prevention training requirements and other protections for employees in Connecticut. That year, the CHRO saw the highest number of sexual harassment complaints –260 complaints — filed in its history. So far in 2021, sexual harassment complaint filings are on pace to exceed the 2020 numbers. The numbers make clear the continuing importance of prevention training, making sure every resident of Connecticut understands their rights, and working to make sure our sexual harassment laws are as strong as possible.”
“Anyone who is experiencing sexual harassment, whether it be at work, from a landlord or neighbor, or at a place of public accommodation, can file a discrimination complaint at the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities,” Sharp said. “Information regarding how to file a complaint and which of our four regional offices you should contact can be found on the ‘Contact Us’ page at www.ct.gov/chro, or by calling 860-541-3400.”
The first State Constitution in 1818 declared all men equal in rights and guaranteeing freedom of religion, speech, press and assembly. In 1947, the Fair Employment Practices Act was adopted, making it an illegal practice for individuals or employers of five or more persons to discriminate because of race, color, religious creed, national origin or ancestry. It wasn’t until 1980 that sexual harassment was specifically prohibited in employment law.
Sexual harassment is defined in Connecticut as any unwelcome sexual advances or request for sexual favors or any conduct of a sexual nature when: a) submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employment; b) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual; or c) such conduct has the purpose or effect of substantially interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.
After a series of high-profile sexual assault and harassment charges in sports, Hollywood and politics made the national news in 2017, Connecticut updated its sexual harassment prevention laws with the passage of the June 2019 “Time’s Up” Act (Public Act 19-16).
The new law enhances employer-sponsored training on sexual harassment, extends the statute of limitations applicable to certain personal injury actions involving sexual abuse, sexual exploitation and sexual assault, increase penalties for sexually assaulting a mentally incapacitated person, and eliminates or extends the statute of limitations for the prosecution of sexual assault crimes and certain risk of injury to children offenses.
The bill specifically strengthened Connecticut’s existing sexual harassment prevention training requirements by requiring that employers with three or more employees do the following:
- Provide to a new employee within three months a copy of information regarding the illegality of sexual harassment and remedies available to victims
- Provide two hours of training/education to all employees by May 20, 2021
- Any employee hired on or after October 1, 2019 must receive the training not later than six months after start date
- Employers with less than three employees must provide two hours of training/education to all existing supervisory employees by May 20, 2021 or within six months to new supervisory employees
- Any employer required to provide training must provide periodic supplemental training not less than every ten years
The Time’s Up Act also required the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities to develop and make available for free a sexual harassment prevention training video, which can currently be found on its website, and it extended the filing deadline for cases involving employment discrimination to 300 days.
If Human Rights Referees find that a person was sexually harassed, they can be awarded damages necessary to eliminate the harassment and to make them whole, including back pay, attorney’s fees, cease and desist orders, money for emotional distress, punitive damages (if the case is tried in court), and more.
Looney, Duff Support Lamont’s Vaccination Plan for State Employees
Looney, Duff Support Lamont’s Vaccination Plan for State Employees
HARTFORD – Senate President Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) welcomed Governor Ned Lamont’s announcement today that all Connecticut state employees must either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested weekly for the potentially deadly virus.
The governor’s announcement comes as Connecticut and the nation are seeing a surge in COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths due to the newer, highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus.
“Despite our wishes to the contrary, the coronavirus continues to have a major impact on the quality of our lives here in Connecticut and across the nation,” Sen. Looney said. “Because it is our duty to protect and serve the public and its health, Connecticut state government has a singular role in leading by example, so I welcome the governor’s announcement today that all state employees must either be vaccinated against the coronavirus or undergo weekly testing. Connecticut residents should rest assured that the people working every day on their behalf are virus-free and are committed to their health and safety.”
“Every day we are learning of some new university or business or facility that is requiring proof of a COVID-19 vaccination to work, attend an event or otherwise engage with the public. And every day we see news stories about some other states where masks and vaccines are not required, and where new COVID-19 infections are raging, sending children and people of all ages into hospitals and ICUs,” Sen. Duff said. “From the beginning we have taken this coronavirus very seriously, and today’s action by Governor Lamont is yet another example of just how seriously Connecticut takes this virus, and how we are committed to fighting it together for the good of our citizens. State employees have stepped up and will continue to step up to lead by example in this ongoing battle against a potentially deadly virus that preys on disinformation, inaction and political inertia.”
“Additionally, I would like to thank Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling and Superintendent of Norwalk Public Schools Dr. Alexandra Estrella for following Governor Lamont’s lead and putting in place the same requirements for all city and school employees,” continued Senator Duff. “Local and state government along with the private sector are taking an important step to follow the science, keep our families safe, and ensure we can all go back to our normal lives.”
Looney, Duff Support Lamont’s Vaccination Plan for State Employees
Looney, Duff Support Lamont’s Vaccination Plan for State Employees
HARTFORD – Senate President Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) welcomed Governor Ned Lamont’s announcement today that all Connecticut state employees must either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or be tested weekly for the potentially deadly virus.
The governor’s announcement comes as Connecticut and the nation are seeing a surge in COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths due to the newer, highly transmissible Delta variant of the coronavirus.
“Despite our wishes to the contrary, the coronavirus continues to have a major impact on the quality of our lives here in Connecticut and across the nation,” Sen. Looney said. “Because it is our duty to protect and serve the public and its health, Connecticut state government has a singular role in leading by example, so I welcome the governor’s announcement today that all state employees must either be vaccinated against the coronavirus or undergo weekly testing. Connecticut residents should rest assured that the people working every day on their behalf are virus-free and are committed to their health and safety.”
“Every day we are learning of some new university or business or facility that is requiring proof of a COVID-19 vaccination to work, attend an event or otherwise engage with the public. And every day we see news stories about some other states where masks and vaccines are not required, and where new COVID-19 infections are raging, sending children and people of all ages into hospitals and ICUs,” Sen. Duff said. “From the beginning we have taken this coronavirus very seriously, and today’s action by Governor Lamont is yet another example of just how seriously Connecticut takes this virus, and how we are committed to fighting it together for the good of our citizens. State employees have stepped up and will continue to step up to lead by example in this ongoing battle against a potentially deadly virus that preys on disinformation, inaction and political inertia.”
“Additionally, I would like to thank Norwalk Mayor Harry Rilling and Superintendent of Norwalk Public Schools Dr. Alexandra Estrella for following Governor Lamont’s lead and putting in place the same requirements for all city and school employees,” continued Senator Duff. “Local and state government along with the private sector are taking an important step to follow the science, keep our families safe, and ensure we can all go back to our normal lives.”
Senator Haskell Proud of 100% Attendance Record During 2021 Legislative Session
Senator Haskell Proud of 100% Attendance Record During 2021 Legislative Session
Given the unique and difficult circumstances surrounding the 2021 legislative session, State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport) announced he achieved a 100% attendance record, giving his district a voice in every matter voted on by the General Assembly. Sen. Haskell voted 481 times from January to June.
“The 2021 legislative session began with an open-air, frigid swearing-in ceremony due to the threat of COVID-19 and ended on the Senate floor, as our state took historic steps to address a public health and economic crisis,” said Sen. Haskell. “Each and every day, I’m grateful for the opportunity to speak up for my constituents in the Senate. I’m looking forward to getting back to Hartford and returning to work soon — there’s plenty of unfinished business.”
Senator Kushner Proud of 100% Voting Record During 2021 Legislative Session
Senator Kushner Proud of 100% Voting Record During 2021 Legislative Session
Given the unique and difficult circumstances surrounding the 2021 legislative session, State Senator Julie Kushner (D-Danbury) today was proud to announce she achieved a 100% voting record, giving her district a voice in every matter voted on by the General Assembly. Sen. Kushner voted 481 times from January to June.
“From being sworn in for my second term in office outside in the cold of January due to a surge of COVID-19 to joining my colleagues on the Senate floor for special sessions in mid-June, this was an arduous but successful year for the General Assembly,” said Sen. Kushner. “Through Zoom calls and sometimes-limited access to the Senate. I was able to join several of my colleagues in voting on every piece of legislation considered by the legislature. I am incredibly proud of our successes, such as achieving expanded post-traumatic stress injury claims for more first responders. But, I also recognize more could have been done to help the public. I hope to achieve similar successes in next year’s session.”
Sen. Kushner was one of 14 Senators to achieve a 100% voting record, with 12 of those Senators including herself being Democrats. She voted to support Connecticut working families 100% of the time.