Patrick Biggins

Dear Neighbor,

The Student Loan Reimbursement Program reopens on Friday. It provides up to $5,000 a year in loan reimbursement for CT residents who meet service and income criteria. Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. I've included all the details about the program below.

Sales Tax-Free Week begins on Sunday. and continues through Saturday, August 23rd. This is a wonderful opportunity to save money on some school shopping and maybe even [ick up something for yourself. 

Sales or purchases of certain items of clothing or footwear costing less than $100 per item will be exempt from Connecticut's 6.35% sales tax. More details below.

Lastly, check out the Biggins Books section. I got hold of some good ones.

As always, please feel free to reach out to my office with any suggestions or concerns. 

Sincerely,

Patrick Biggins
State Representative

Connecticut's annual Sales Tax-Free Week begins on Sunday through Saturday, August 23. It provides a chance to save money, whether it is taking the kids back-to-school shopping or treating yourself or your loved ones.

Highlights of Sales Tax-Free Week

• Sales or purchases of certain items of clothing or footwear costing less than $100 per item are exempt from Connecticut's 6.35% sales tax.
• Sales Tax-Free Week applies to purchases made in-store, online, mail-order, and over the phone.
• This special exemption applies to purchases made from retailers located in Connecticut as well as from online retailers.

This is Connecticut's 26th Sales Tax Free Week.

The East Hartford Commission on Culture and Fine Arts is now accepting applications for community grants. 

For the program/project grants, the proposed activity must be fully planned and directly relate to fine arts and/or culture. Eligible creative endeavors include, but are not limited to, concerts, performances, program series, festivals, workshops, exhibits, readings, after-school programs, and public art.

Applications are open now for funding to be distributed between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026. Grant applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, depending on the availability of funds, at the Commission's meetings in September, December, and March. To be considered at the September meeting, applications must be submitted by Friday, August 22. For December and March, applications must be submitted by the 15th of the prior month.

Click here for complete eligibility requirements and to access the application.

Last week, Gov. Ned Lamont signed The Firearm Industry Responsibility Act (Public Act 25-43) into law. It introduces new measures aimed at reducing gun violence and increasing accountability within the firearm industry. It allows civil lawsuits against gun industry members who fail to act responsibly and strengthens firearm permit laws. 

Key provisions of the bill include:

Gun Industry Accountability:

• Enables civil lawsuits against gun manufacturers, distributors, and retailers who fail to exercise reasonable control over the marketing, sale, and distribution of their firearms
• This makes Connecticut one of the few states allowing civil action against members of the firearm industry under state law

Closing Permit Loopholes:

• Out-of-state convictions: Individuals convicted of crimes in other states that would be disqualifying in Connecticut are now also ineligible for firearm permits in the state
• Applies to convictions within the past 8 years

Age Restrictions Expanded:

• The prohibition on selling certain semi-automatic rifles to individuals under 21 now extends to private sales, not just sales by licensed dealers

Body Armor Restrictions:

• Purchasers must have a pistol permit or an eligibility certificate to buy body armor
• Certain exemptions apply for law enforcement and specified personnel

Clarification of Self-Defense:

• The law clarifies that the unlawful discharge of a firearm statute (a Class C misdemeanor) does not apply to someone who lawfully discharged a firearm in self-defense or defense of another

Connecticut is recognized as having some of the strongest gun laws in the U.S., and this bill is seen as a significant step toward enhanced public safety and industry accountability.

Full disclosure? I hope that you're encouraged to pick up a book, any book, and just read. Reading is a wonderful way to relax, relieve stress, enhance brain activity, and more.

In the last few weeks, I've read:

The Disengaged Teen by Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop is a great book that makes you think about all of the different learners in a school and how they may be fully engaged or in different states of disengagement.

Mad Honey, A GMA Club Pick: A Novel. This book had me captivated and hooked to find out what was going to happen, and it was not predictable, which is awesome in a book.

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. This is about Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet, and it was interesting to find out how all of rivals to Lincoln were brought in and really helped his administration pass many bills, specifically the Emancipation Proclamation, and the Civil War.

Hell of a Book: National Award Winner: A Novel. This is an interesting read. The combination of flashbacks and imagination that the main character uses had me confused, but the wrap-up at the end has a lot of “oh, I get it now” moments, at least that was my experience.