State Senator Will Haskell (D-Westport) is expanding his list of public policy responsibilities in the General Assembly to include issues pertaining to Connecticut’s environment, transportation system, criminal laws and social services.
In addition to his recent appointment as Senate Chairman of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, and as Senate Vice-Chairman of the Government Administration and Elections Committee, Sen. Haskell will now take on additional legislative duties as a voting member of the Transportation, Judiciary, Environment and Human Services committees.
Each of these committees contains multi-tiered, public policy opportunities to build a better future for Connecticut, Sen. Haskell said.
“The defining issue of my generation is protecting the environment,” Sen. Haskell said. “We have to move away from the rhetoric of protecting our an environment for our great-grandchildren and instead recognize that the climate crisis requires lawmakers to act urgently. Recent scientific reports have shown that climate change will reach the point of no return by 2035. I believe Connecticut’s Environment Committee can set a national example in standing up for clean air and clean water. Let’s protect our natural resources, recognizing that parks and beaches are valuable assets to our state. I’m especially excited to help protect Long Island Sound, where I grew up swimming, sailing and exploring.”
“The Judiciary Committee is going to play an absolutely crucial role on a variety of legal issues, especially when it comes to criminal justice reform, which is a passion of mine,” Sen. Haskell said. “Our state spends too much money on criminal justice practices that don’t work, and not enough on those that do. It’s time to move away from punitive incarceration and toward rehabilitation for those who seek to become contributing members of society. Reforming our justice system isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s also the smart thing to do for our state’s finances.”
“Transportation is an issue that I heard about constantly during the campaign. My district is served by three major highways and Metro-North,” Sen. Haskell continued. “The train from Westport to Grand Central has gotten slower since 1950, not faster. That’s simply unacceptable. Those who drive to work waste countless hours in gridlock traffic. We have a transportation crisis in Connecticut, and nowhere is that more apparent or more acute than right here in southwestern Connecticut. Crumbling infrastructure deters new residents and businesses from coming to Connecticut. I know we need to reverse that trend, and I’m going to be the voice for Fairfield County on this issue.”
“Finally, I’m honored to serve on the Human Services Committee, which helps define the scope of Connecticut’s safety net, including services for the elderly and people with disabilities,” Sen. Haskell said. “We live in a wonderful state with lots of wealth and success, but there is also too much disparity and many pockets of need. One out of every six dollars in the state budget is spent on human services. In our drive to make Connecticut more competitive, more cost-efficient, and more attractive to the next generation of businesses, we cannot forget about the needs of the hundreds of thousands of citizens in this state who count on the helping hand of government to maintain their quality of life. I’ll help make sure that those who are most in need are not left behind.”
To stay up to date with all of Sen. Haskell’s legislative work, please visit: www.senatedems.ct.gov/haskell