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Dear Neighbor,
Memorial Day is a day of remembrance and reflection, meant to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to our nation. The holiday’s origins can be traced back to the Civil War era and the practice of decorating graves of fallen soldiers. It became a federal holiday in 1971.
While Memorial Day often marks the unofficial beginning of summer, it is always important for me to reflect and remember the reason we set aside the day. Whatever your tradition, my kids and I wish everyone a safe, peaceful and wonderful Memorial Day Weekend.
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As House-Chair of the Transportation Committee, I'm proud to have led passage in the House, late Thursday night, of a bill revamping the state’s century-old towing laws. House Bill 7162, approved with strong bipartisan support 126-21, was the result of a months (and even years) long collaboration with consumer protection advocates, municipal leaders, police chiefs, and the towers themselves, and includes key reforms.
Tow companies, for example, would be prohibited from removing vehicles from private property without written consent and photographic proof of a violation. They must also accept credit cards and allow drivers access to personal items in their vehicles even if towing fees remain unpaid. At the same time, towers will be part of both a working group and council that will determine rates for the police-ordered and heavy duty tows that our public safety experts and first responders rely upon to keep our roads safe and clear. There are also provisions for a “Bill of Rights” for those whose vehicles have been towed. |
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Additionally, the legislation extends the vehicle sale window in most cases to 30 days, with stricter notification requirements to owners and lienholders via certified mail. It also mandates that the Department of Motor Vehicles confirm whether the tow was contested before authorizing any sale.
The bill now moves to the Senate, where a vote is expected next week.
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| I spoke at a press conference on Wednesday supporting the Yellow Envelope bill, HB 7159. The proposed law would require the DMV to design yellow envelopes for holding a driver’s license, registration, and insurance card, with guidance for interactions between emergency personnel and drivers or occupants of a car who have cognitive or physical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, down syndrome or ADHD, and who may be pulled over, be involved in a crash, or have a disabled car. The bill also calls for training for first responders on the matter. |
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| We successfully implemented a Blue Envelope program in 2020, and this just builds upon that policy, to expand the aid to a broader group. As a former Behavior Therapist who has worked with children on the Autism Spectrum and heir parents, I am excited to see this pass, and to ensure some peace of mind for parents and drivers who are impacted by these cognitive and physical disabilities. |
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| Kids Mental Health and Social Media Bill |
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| The House of Representatives took a step toward addressing the mental health crisis facing Connecticut teens using social media by passing HB 6857 with bipartisan support. |
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The statistics are stark, frightening and sobering. According to the American Psychological Association, U.S. teens, on average, spend 5 hours a day on the seven most popular social media platforms, including Instagram and TikTok. While that's alarming enough, a majority (60%) of teenage high-frequency social media users who had low parental oversight reported they had poor or very poor mental health.
Social media companies have algorithms designed to keep their youngest users' eyes glued to their screens, so much so that teens often exhibit addict-like behavior in continuing to use the apps.
To address the issue, HB 6857 requires, among other things, age verification methods for minors and limits on the times when social media platforms can send minors notifications.
Connecticut took a major step forward as a national leader with this new effort to reign in big tech’s predatory practices that are reinforcing addictive and harmful choices in minors. |
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Many people have frustrating stories of hidden and/or exorbitant fees on the secondary ticket market. The House passed a bill on Wednesday (HB 7182) that protects consumers by, among other things, prohibiting entertainment venues from entering into exclusivity agreements with ticket resellers, requiring upfront disclosures on the actual price of a ticket, and requiring ticket resellers to provide refunds for cancelled live entertainment events.
The bill had overwhelming bipartisan support, with no dissenting votes. |
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| Other Legislation that Passed |
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Last week, House Democrats voted to improve interagency communication and collaboration on homeless services by establishing an interagency council on homelessness.
This council will bring together representatives from state agencies, nonprofits, public housing authorities, and individuals with lived experience of homelessness to ensure that our state agencies are coordinating and developing long-term solutions.
We are always looking at ways to improve government efficiency and address homelessness head-on. |
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Also last week, Connecticut joined more than 50 countries worldwide in banning shark finning — an inhumane practice that threatens marine ecosystems and pushes many shark species toward extinction. We are proud to be part of a growing international movement for ocean conservation.
This legislation:
- Protects ocean biodiversity
- Promotes sustainable marine practices
- Stands against cruelty in our global waters
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| House Democrats also took action last week to strengthen protections for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault by guarding the physical addresses of shelters and group homes from public access and public discussion during agency meetings. Safeguarding these locations is a testament to our unwavering support for survivors. |
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| Social Media Trend Causing Fires |
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Public safety officials across the state are issuing warnings about the dangerous trend in which students are encouraged to short-circuit their personal or school-issued electronic devices by inserting pencil lead or other conductive objects into the USB or other charge ports.
The short circuit often results in sparks and can ignite a fire, which could easily spread. It can also lead the internal battery to experience thermal runaway and ignition.
There have been at least six incidents in schools statewide, including Newington, Southington and Cromwell, during which a Chromebook or other device either ignited or sparked.
“It is vitally important that youth and adults take fire risks seriously and recognize the danger inherent to these types of social media ‘challenges’,” State Fire Marshal Lauri Volkert said. “Fire can become uncontrolled and turn deadly in just a few seconds.”
For more information, visit here. |
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Ridgefield Memorial Day
Parade and Ceremony |
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| The Ridgefield Memorial Day Parade is scheduled for Monday, May 26, starting at 11:30 a.m. with a rifle salute at the Veteran's Monument in front of Jesse Lee Memorial United Methodist Church at 207 Main St. It will conclude with closing ceremonies at Ballard Park. |
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| Ridgefield’s sixth annual Pride in the Park celebration will take place June 1 from noon to 3 p.m. in Ballard Park, 485 Main St. In case of rain, the event will be moved to Yanity Gymnasium, 60 Prospect St. |
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| CT Open House Day at Keeler Tavern |
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| On Connecticut Open House Day on June 14 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors get free site admission at Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center. Take a tour of the historic house and learn about centuries of site stories. |
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| First Concert in the Park |
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| Concert Happenings in Ridgefield Parks' first concert of 2025 is the Ridgefield High School Orchestra on Tuesday, May 27, at 6 p.m. The orchestra will play hits from pop and soul legends like Billy Joel, Aretha Franklin, Prince, and more. |
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For many residents the issues surrounding housing and zoning are among your priority concerns. I have received and read your emails, as well as those from some members of Ridgefield municipal boards, expressing concern about the housing bill that is potentially coming before us for a vote, as we near the end of session.
Since I’ve been elected I have worked to ensure that the proposals before us would benefit our community, or at the very least hold us harmless, and I will continue to do so. I want to assure you that what the bill looked like when we left the Capitol late last night was not how it appeared even just a few hours earlier, thanks to many of us working with the committees who have cognizance over these proposals. At this time there are components that I believe would benefit Ridgefield, and there are portions about which I have significant reservations.
Negotiations and conversations continue to be robust and ongoing. As always, I will cast my vote based on what I believe will be best for Ridgefield, and I will not do it in a silo. Our Planning and Zoning Chair has shared the board’s concerns with me as the bill stood last week, and I will seek his input again when I see new language in the coming days. |
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As always, if you have any comments, questions or concerns, please reach out to my office.
Sincerely,
State Representative Aimee Berger-Girvalo |
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