
Dear Neighbor,
During the 2019 legislative session, my priority to help families remained constant. I have tirelessly fought for policies that reflect the concerns you and your neighbors have shared with me.
As House Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I focused on crafting a two-year budget that protects vital services which will benefit all people in Connecticut. I am proud to say that we were able to pass a budget that increases funding to the city of New Haven, the Youth Employment Program, and the Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative, creates the Green Jobs Pipeline, and establishes a plan for debt-free community college.
The budget also rejects the asset test for the Medicare Savings Program, protecting this vital program for our seniors, and expands access to Medicaid by raising the cap to 160% of the federal poverty level.
hope you find the information in this newsletter informative and helpful. Please do not hesitate to contact my office if I can be of assistance to you or your family. It is my honor to represent you in Hartford.
Sincerely,
City Of New Haven Municipal Aid 2020
Education Cost Sharing | $158,100,479 |
PILOT: Colleges & Hospitals | $36,545,385 |
Municipal Revenue Sharing | $15,246,372 |
PILOT: State Property | $5,146,251 |
Pequot/Mohegan Revenue Sharing | $5,503,352 |
Municipal Stabilization Grant | $1,675,450 |
Adult Education | $2,800,788 |
Total State Funds to New Haven | $225,018,077 |
Increasing Fairness and Transparency in Criminal Justice
We passed a bill which establishes new prosecutorial data collection and reporting requirements. New data will help us see how and why prosecutors make decisions. PA 19-59
A new law requires police departments to submit an annual use of force report, narrows the instances during which deadly force is justified, and prohibits an officer from discharging a firearm into a fleeing motor vehicle. The law also requires certain body or dashboard camera footage to be released to the public within 96 hours after an incident. PA 19-90
Raising Wages
People should not have to work 2 or 3 jobs in order to make ends meet. Over 300,000 Connecticut workers will receive a raise as the state’s minimum hourly wage gradually rises to $15 by 2023. In 2024 and years thereafter, the minimum wage will be indexed to the rate of inflation. Here is the schedule of the incremental increases in the minimum wage until we reach $15 an hour:
- $11 an hour on October 1, 2019
- $12 an hour on September 1, 2020
- $13 an hour on August 1, 2021
- $14 an hour on July 1, 2022
- $15 an hour on June 1, 2023
Healthcare Coverage
A new law will expand health insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions. Passed unanimously, this protects Connecticut residents against any changes to federal law. Prior to the Affordable Care Act, if someone had a pre-existing or chronic condition, insurance companies could refuse to insure them – impacting fifty million people. As a result, hospital emergency rooms and Medicaid were forced to absorb these costs, resulting in higher prices for everyone. Now, our healthcare system is a little more fair for everyone. PA 19-134
Enriching our Children’s Educational Experience
We are expanding social studies curriculums to include an important part of our shared culture: African-American, Black, and Puerto Rican and Latino history. Through the teaching of this curriculum, we all become more aware of both the hardships and accomplishments of our fellow Americans. It helps all students to have a fuller picture of the challenges and resilience of our African American and Latino populations. This also gives students of color the opportunity to learn more about their own history and the significant contributions their cultures have made in Connecticut and the rest of the country. PA 19-12
Supporting Working Families
I am proud to announce that we have established a Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance program in our state. In the event of a medical emergency, Paid Family and Medical Leave allows workers to care for themselves or a loved one without having to face the threat of financial ruin. By providing up to 12 weeks of Family and Medical Leave Insurance per year, equaling up to 95% of an employee’s weekly paycheck, we will provide financial protection to those who find themselves in an unanticipated medical emergency. This will help pregnant women on medically-ordered bed rest, families with an infirm or aging parent, and new parents who want to bond with an infant. The program is funded by employee contributions. If you or your family has an emergency, there will now be financial peace-of-mind. PA 19-25
Sensible Gun Regulations
Three new gun laws will further reduce gun violence in our state. We banned “ghost guns” – homemade weapons that have no serial numbers and circumvent our background check laws. PA 19-6
We passed Ethan’s Law, which requires the safe storage of all firearms in a home with children under 18. PA 19-5
We now require guns in a car to be kept out of sight, locked away, either in the trunk, a locked glove box, or a locked safe. This will reduce the number of stolen guns that end up on our streets. PA 19-7