Dear Friend,
I am very proud of the great work we did in the 2019 legislative session, much in a bipartisan fashion, to improve the quality of life for all state residents and to make smart investments in our future. Serving as your State Representative is an incredible honor and I want to thank you all for your support, your feedback and your powerful advocacy throughout this legislative process.
As Vice Chair of the Education Committee and a member of the Finance Committee, I was instrumental in rejecting the Governor’s proposal to cut educational aid to Glastonbury and to shift the costs of the teachers’ pension onto our town. As a member of the Public Safety Committee, I listened to the concerns of first responders and worked to increase their safety.
Over the past year, I have had the pleasure of working with small businesses, environmental groups, real estate agents, the education community and many of you. In the interim, I will continue to listen to your concerns and address them in the upcoming session.
This brochure highlights some of my proudest accomplishments. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you or your family is in need of assistance, or if you would like to share an opinion with me.
Your Representative,
Fighting for Consumers
Diseases of the brain and body need to be treated equally in society and by insurance companies. We unanimously passed the Mental Health Parity Act which gives people with mental health and substance use disorders the same access to care as those with cancer and heart disease. One in four Americans have or will be affected by mental health or a substance use disorder. It should be just as easy to receive treatment for depression or addiction as it is for heart disease or diabetes.
The Inclusion of Computer Science
We are now requiring that schools teach computer science, specifically making computer programming a required part of computer science classes. Computer science is a foundational skill for 21st century jobs, and impacts almost every industry in the state including manufacturing, financial services, cybersecurity, health care, law, construction and technology. Computer science builds students’ computational, critical thinking and deeper learning skills, which will help them create the next generation of technological tools. We must make sure our students are prepared to succeed in the digital age. (PA 19-128)
Tobacco 21
Research shows that if you haven’t started smoking by 21, you likely never will. We have made the sale of cigarettes, e-cigarettes and vape products illegal for those under 21. Nicotine creates addiction in teens, and 95% percent of adults who smoke started young. Nationwide, e-cigarette use, also known as “vaping,” is on the rise among middle and high school students. This law, which I proudly supported, seeks to keep nicotine out of the hands of minors.
This legislation will:
- Require someone to show their ID proving they are 21 or older to purchase cigarettes / vaping products
- Protect middle school students who often purchase vaping products from 18 year olds
- Protect a generation from becoming addicted to nicotine
- Require dealers who sell e-cigs and related products online to obtain the signature of a person aged 21 or older at the shipping address prior to delivery and require the signer to show proof of age
Protecting Our Water
A major accomplishment of the 2019 Legislation Session was passing the State Water Plan, which defines our water supply as a “public trust” to ensure our water resources are protected. The State Water Plan manages the water resources of the state, including balancing the needs of public water supply, economic development, recreation and ecological health.
Ethan’s Law
Ethan’s Law, named after Ethan Song who tragically lost his life due to an improperly stored gun, requires the safe storage of all firearms in a home with children under 18.
This legislation will:
- Make it harder for children to access a gun, reducing gun deaths
- Demand greater responsibility by those storing firearms