Washington, DC – The NewDEAL announced today that Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff’s (D-Norwalk) efforts to serve first responders experiencing PTSD have made him a finalist in the 2019 New Ideas Challenge – a competition among rising and innovative state and local policymakers to propose the most effective solutions to an array of challenges. Policy experts vote for the proposals that best improve Americans’ economic well-being and overall quality of life, and that make government work more effectively to meet communities’ needs. A full list of finalists is below.
Of fifty proposals evaluated by an esteemed and diverse panel of judges (see list below), Duff’s PTSD Coverage for First Responders idea is a finalist in the “Adapting to the Future of Work” category, which includes ideas that ensure that everyone, including traditionally underserved populations, has opportunities to earn good jobs and pursue entrepreneurial ventures, while having access to a safety net that provides security and stability. His bill covers police officers, parole officers and firefighters with certain workers’ compensation benefits for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) caused by experiences they encounter in the “line of duty.”
“In a world being rapidly transformed by the forces like globalization and technological innovation, and where Americans have lost faith in national government to solve pressing issues, the New Ideas Challenge shows how a group of innovative state and local officials are rising to the occasion,” said NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan. “Senator Duff and his fellow finalists have made proposals that, together, set an important governing agenda for the country to follow and for making the economy and government work better for the American people.”
The Challenge was open to the 166 members of the NewDEAL (Developing Exceptional American Leaders), an organization that supports state and local pro-growth progressive elected officials through the exchange of ideas and engagement with other top public, private, and non-profit sector officials. U.S. Senator Mark Warner (VA) and former Delaware Governor Jack Markell serve as Honorary Co-Chairs of the group.
The five winners of the New Ideas Challenge will be announced on Thursday November 21 at the ninth annual NewDEAL Leaders Conference in Washington.
In its fourth edition, this year’s competition takes place in the context of a presidential campaign that gives Americans a unique opportunity to debate the direction of the country, the society we want to build for present and future generations, and the policies required to achieve our goals. NewDEALers are at the forefront of efforts to make good on the promise of states and cities as laboratories of democracy. The Ideas Challenge recognizes that these leaders, who represent diverse communities from urban centers to rural towns and in red, blue, and purple districts, have powerful messages, experiences, and proposals that must be heard.
“I am thrilled to be named a finalist and to be included in this group of talented leaders across the country,” said Senator Duff. “Americans can’t wait for theoretical debates and political rhetoric to address the challenges they face. This is an important time to share practical ideas that can remove barriers to opportunity for working families and communities across the country.”
Winners for this year’s Ideas Challenge were selected in the following categories:
Submissions to the New Ideas Challenge were evaluated by eight judges:
Adapting to the Future of Work
PTSD Coverage for First Responders – Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, Norwalk, CT
Creating Portable Benefits – Senator Eric Lesser, Longmeadow, MA
Accelerated Career Certification for the Unemployed/Underemployed – Senator Troy Singleton, Moorestown, NJ
Expanding Access to Education
City of Columbus ACCESS – Councilmember Elizabeth Brown, Columbus, OH
Library in Every School Plan – House Democratic Whip Darrin Camilleri, Brownstown, MI
Alabama School of Cyber Technology & Engineering – House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, Huntsville, AL
Securing our Communities and our Planet
Schools as a Center of Sustainability – School Board Member Laura Capps, Santa Barbara, CA
Sustainable Communities – Mayor Josh Maxwell, Downingtown, PA
Resilient Zoning Code for a Coastal Community – Councilmember Andria McClellan, Norfolk, VA
Empowering Disadvantaged Populations
West Sacramento On-Demand: Mobility for All – Mayor Christopher Cabaldon, West Sacramento, CA
Fair Fees and Fines for Vulnerable Residents – Treasurer José Cisneros, San Francisco, CA
Helping Understand Barriers (HUB) Prosecutor Diversion Program – City Attorney Zach Klein, Columbus, OH
Rebuilding Community
The Law Enforcement Trust and Transparency Act – Councilmember Will Jawando, Montgomery County, MD
Transit Corridor Opportunity Program (TCOP) – Councilmember Nirva LaFortune, Providence, RI
Mobile Mayor – Mayor Libby Schaaf, Oakland, CA
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