Dear Neighbor,
On March 8th, Connecticut had its first confirmed case of coronavirus. On March 9th, the Governor declared a state of Public Health and Civil Preparedness Emergencies. And our lives have been radically changed ever since.
Through the sorrow of loss, we have also witnessed the stories of Connecticut residents helping each other, which has been nothing short of remarkable. We will continue to work through these challenges together and I know our state will be stronger on the other side.
My commitment to you is stronger than ever. While the Capitol was closed my office continued to work virtually on matters important to you. This newsletter provides a snapshot of that work.
If you have any questions, concerns, or if I can be helpful to you in working with any state agency or understanding how any of our state laws or regulations can affect your work, our schools, or your opportunities, please call or email me anytime.
More than ever, it continues to be an honor and privilege to represent you.
Best,
Coronavirus Resources
For the most up to date information please visit: portal.ct.gov/coronavirus
Connecticut has been a leader in safety measures and social restrictions and as a result, we were recognized nationally as one of the few states that have turned the corner from the first wave of Covid-19.
However, many continue to have lingering challenges and, therefore, if you need healthcare, or other assistance, calling 2-1-1 is a great place to start. They will point you to the right department if you need unemployment compensation, business support, rental assistance, or have questions on safety measures and more.
I also know that working with state agencies and our partners during this time can be complicated. Phone lines are crowded, and applications may be confusing. My office is here to help. Call or email me anytime, and I promise I will get you the answers you seek.
Meanwhile, let’s continue our social distancing protocols and properly prepare ourselves to help mitigate a potentially dangerous second wave of the virus.
What’s Next?
While this newsletter is a snapshot of the important work that was completed over the past six months, we must move forward to address other areas that are vital to our State. A special session will be held in the next few months to discuss bills on insulin pricing, absentee ballot voting, and expanding telehealth. An important bill on Police Accountability and Transparency that builds on Senate Bill 380 will also be presented.
Racism has no place in our society. We need to place a priority on passing strong legislation that brings about racial equity in all systematic areas. Earlier this year, I introduced a bill that would diversify the members of the State’s Boards and Commissions. It will be my goal to get that legislation passed and to advocate for laws that promote diversity in housing, employment, and education opportunities.
Finally, it is my hope that I will be able to present the bills regarding veteran’s needs, affordable healthcare, business development, and the environment that I already worked on earlier in the year but were stopped short due to COVID-19. Legislation in those areas are very much needed and should not wait until the 2021 session.
The Legislative Session: “We needed to quickly switch gears”
We began working on bills at the end of 2019 and after thousands of hours in research, public input and hearings we were ready to roll out some important legislation when we were stopped in our tracks by the pandemic and needed to switch gears. Some of the top healthcare priorities related to COVID that I worked on with my colleagues were:
- Establishing telehealth so that you could continue to ‘see’ your doctor for many health issues including mental health. Now you can even use telehealth for your pets so that you and your pet can get healthcare without leaving home and risking yours or their health.
- Nursing homes were hit hard as they care for our most vulnerable populations. The health of our hard working frontline health care workers was severely impacted as well. The Women’s Caucus, which I co-chair, advocated for an independent review to determine what changes could be made to mitigate future loss in the event of a potential second wave.
- Mobile COVID testing: Bringing testing to buildings in our city that house seniors and lower income families is important to me. I advocated to bring mobile testing units to these sites so that we can reduce the spread of the virus in these areas.
Investing in Our Youth
Investing in our Youth is vital. Here are a few important steps toward that end:
- Increased Education Cost Sharing from $47 million to $49 million.
- Led a GIRLS’ DAY at the Capitol and brought up several teens from West Haven to discuss important topics such as healthcare, protecting yourself, mental health and more.
- We started West Haven’s first Youth Advisory Board to get input from young adults in our city.
- Our state delegation secured a two-year Anti-Violence Youth Grant to support at-risk students.
- I worked to obtain $50,000 from Yale University to purchase 220 Chromebooks for our students.
- As a proud member of the West Haven Rotary, I assisted in raising funds for an additional 50 Chromebooks and to help with families with food shortages.
- Working to allow students with special needs who are aging out of school to stay in school.
- And the fun part of the job; reading to classes to emphasize reading skills.
Beach Street
When Super Storms Irene and Sandy hit many years ago, we saw critical flooding, homes were lost and there was no access to our Water Pollution Control Plant, which is vital to providing us with clean water. FEMA came in and declared the area a potential future catastrophe and recommended the road be raised in order to diminish future risks.
In 2014, former State Representative Steve Dargan worked to secure over $3 million in state funding for Phase I of the project. Unfortunately, the 2nd and 3rd Phases of the project had been stalled due to the lack of state funding.
However, I’m very proud that through working with the Governor, the Mayor and the rest of the state delegation, this past spring West Haven received the $5.2 million needed for the remaining phases of the project so that it can get started and finished!