Mary M. Mushinsky

Democrats in the Connecticut General Assembly announced joint priorities for the 2019 legislative session. The legislative priorities include establishing a paid family and medical leave program, raising the minimum wage, investing in job training and the state’s workforce pipeline, supporting small businesses, making prescription drugs more affordable, creating a Green New Deal for Connecticut and increasing access to the ballot box. 

The impact on federal employees from the prolonged government shutdown is increasingly affecting the livelihood of over 1,500 Connecticut residents and their families. Each additional day they work for no pay - child care, mortgages, food and car payments, to name a few, are falling behind and there is no indication for when paychecks will resume.

This Saturday, Dec. 15, is the last day to enroll for health insurance through Access Health CT, so if you or anyone else you know is interested, then don’t delay.

Merchants across Connecticut are getting ready for this year’s Small Business Saturday – a perfect time after Thanksgiving to shop for the holiday season while patronizing smaller stores in our own community and helping the local economy.

The time for Medicare Annual Part D and Advantage Plan open enrollment for next year is underway! Open enrollment for these two health insurance programs started October 15, and will close on December 7, 2018.

Access Health CT (AHCT) has announced that customers will receive their annual renewal notice between Oct. 24 and Oct. 27 and that it’s important for people to review the notice carefully to make sure they understand what their next steps are to stay covered with the best option for 2019.

I am pleased to report that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the State of Connecticut was awarded a total of $30,770,000 in Clean Water and Drinking Water grants to finance community-based water infrastructure projects, such as upgrades to municipal sewage plants and public drinking water systems.

The annual Open Enrollment Period for the state’s Affordable Care Act health insurance exchange is November 1st through December 15th for coverage beginning January 1, 2019.