SB 23, which first passed the State Senate on May 5, incorporates the recommendations of last year’s Two Storm Panel to invest in critical infrastructure and hold utility companies accountable for their performance during emergencies. The bill is now before the Governor for his signature.

“By making smart investments in critical infrastructure now, we can build a foundation for dealing with major storms so that the massive and prolonged power outages that crippled the state last year never happen again,” said Rep. Michelle Cook (D-65th). “Our focus should be on high-priority sites around hospitals, police and fire stations, grocery stores, gas stations and nursing homes.”

State Representative Roberta Willis (D-64th) said, “We reviewed what went wrong in terms of how we prepared and how we responded. This bill creates higher standards for utility companies and better communication for state and local officials to respond to major storms.”

In summary, the bill creates:

Performance Standards for Utilities

Senate Bill 23 will require the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) to study and then establish minimum performance standards for emergency preparation and response for each electric and gas company in Connecticut.

Following that, all electric and gas utilities will be required submit a plan to PURA on implementation of these standards. PURA will also study and establish separate performance standards for telecommunications utilities, including telephone and cable television companies.

Penalties for Noncompliance with Performance Standards

Noncompliance could result in penalties of up to 2.5 percent of an electric or gas company’s annual distribution revenue, approximately $25 million in the case of Connecticut Light & Power. The penalties would be assessed as a credit on customer bills, and would not be recoverable by the utilities through increased rates. In the event of service outages to more than ten percent of a company’s customers for over 24 hours, that company would be required to provide customers a credit.

Microgrids

The legislation would establish a $15 million micro-grid and loan pilot program to support local distributed electricity generation at hospitals, police and fire stations, prisons, water treatment plants and other critical locations. Funds will be allocated evenly among small, medium, and large towns.

Undergrounding Wires

Senate Bill 23 would also take steps to facilitate the undergrounding of power and telecommunications lines. In addition to the performance standards described above, the bill would require the Department of Transportation (DOT) to notify PURA of any pending road work projects over five miles in length or located a commercial area.

Backup Generators for Cell Phone Towers

The bill will require all telecommunications companies to report to PURA and the Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection (DESPP) annually concerning their ability to provide backup power to any Connecticut based towers or antennas.

Clearing Roads for Emergency Vehicles

In the aftermath of last year’s storms, fallen trees, limbs, and downed wire blocked passage on many roads across the state became life-threatening when police, fire, and ambulance vehicles could not reach people in need of assistance. The Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, in conjunction with the utilities, DOT, DESPP, and municipalities, develop procedures to for road-clearing for public safety personnel.

Food Spoilage Program

PURA must also study and create a mechanism through which electric distribution companies would reimburse residential customers for spoilage of food or refrigerated medicine after long power outages.

“We know that education reform has to involve all parties, not just one. This piece of legislation is the beginning of education reform. It is not where we end the conversation,” Rep. Cook said. “In this bill, we address the topic of reading readiness, making sure the students are reading at grade level by third grade. It has been proven that if a student cannot read by third grade, that student will have less than a 30 percent chance of graduating high school. This is a failure to our students and their future.”

The bill now goes to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who is expected to sign it.

Rep. Willis said, “This Legislation promises to raise academic standards and ensure that all of Connecticut’s children have access to a top quality education."

Cook said the legislation recognizes the value of early childhood education. The legislation (SB 458) creates 1,000 new pre-K School Readiness seats, focused in high need, low-performing communities. It also creates a pilot program to enhance literacy for students in kindergarten through third grade.

“Investing in early childhood education pays off for a lifetime,” said Rep. Willis.

“This bill puts early childhood on the forefront and at the same time, puts invests in our family resource centers. Everyone I spoke to wanted to make sure that families were also included in the equation and the solution. We all need to take responsibility for our children. This bill is the beginning,” said Cook.

The bill establishes the Commissioner’s Network, which provides the intensive supports and interventions needed to turn around 25 of the most chronically low-performing schools in Connecticut. It grants the state commissioner of education the needed authority to develop or modify plans with teachers and parents at “turnaround” schools, while respecting collective bargaining rights.

The legislation requires at least 10 Family Resource Centers and at least 20 new or expanded School Based Health Centers to be located in education reform districts. It also increases funding for existing Family Resource Centers.

The bill reforms the teacher tenure system by increasing the frequency of teacher evaluations and linking tenure to evaluations. It also requires the education commissioner to administer an evaluation pilot program in 8 to 10 districts for the 2012-2013 school year.

“Our teachers are one of the most important people in our lives. We can all remember the one teacher that made that "amazing" impact to steer our live in one direction or another. Being a teacher is not a job that will make you a million dollars but it will bring you a millions smiles,” said Cook. “Let’s all work together and continue to put our students and their educational careers in front. They are our future!--the next Bill Gates, a future president, or teacher.”

Back row from left: State Rep. Michelle Cook, Chef Marc Hussey, Chef Richard Collier
and seniors from A. I. Prince Tech Culinary Arts Program.

“There are top notch culinary arts programs in the technical high schools and today we have the seniors from Prince Tech,” said Rep. Cook. “I am hoping that as we move forward, this will be one of many opportunities to have the culinary students showcase their talents at the capitol.”

Graduating students from Hartford’s A. I. Prince Technical High School’s were recognized during a session of the House of Representatives for their academic and culinary achievements.

“This was Rep. Cook’s idea to showcase the student’s skills in the culinary arts. She knows the work of all our trades so well,” said Patricia Ciccone, CT Technical High School Superintendent. “The seniors were thrilled and excited to be recognized before the House of Representatives.”

From Left: Rep. Michelle Cook, Larry Pomerleau, Jared Marchell, Dylan Skrip, Ayla Butler, Kevin Crispen,
Mr. Axon, Principal.

In a ceremony held May 3, 2012, the Manufacturing Technology shop at OWTS was presented with a plaque and banner signifying NIMS accreditation for the next five years.

“Each student at OWTS now has the opportunity to gain valuable skills that are nationally recognized as industry standards. This is a big step to having transferrable skills that makes their education experience as rewarding as possible,” said Rep. Cook. “Bringing the excellent OWT schooling and training with NIMS certification gets these students noticed and into good paying, highly skilled jobs.”

Cook joined 65 OWTS manufacturing students, Principal Robert Axon, Manufacturing Department Head Larry Pomerleau, Chamber of Commerce Chairperson JoAnn Ryan, business leaders, Education Consultant for Manufacturing John Murphy and Small Manufacturers Association Executive Director Karen McWhirt and long-time Manufacturing teacher at Kaynor Tech Frank Zello at the event.

The National Institute for Metalworking Skills (NIMS) was formed in 1995 by the metalworking trade associations to develop and maintain globally competitive American workforce. NIMS sets skills standards for the industry, certify individual skills against the standards and accredits training programs that meet NIMS quality requirements.

NIMS operates under rigorous and highly disciplined processes as the only developer of American National Standards for the nation’s metalworking industry accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

The award is an important step for the shop as the accreditation allows all students to become NIMS certified upon successful completion of requirements. The industry uses the credentials to recruit, hire, place and promote individual workers.

Michelle Cook (65th District) serves as Vice-chair of the Committee on Aging and also serves on the Education and Human Services Committees.

Under current law, a tax collector can enforce a tax collection at any time without providing a detailed explanation supporting the action.

HB 5314 requires a tax collector to provide a written detailed notice to the chief elected municipal official and the taxpayer explaining the tax collector’s belief that the tax collection will be in jeopardy if not immediately acted upon. Currently, jeopardy tax laws do not provide the option for a property lien, but do assist towns in collecting property taxes from businesses either going out of business quickly, or relocating to another town.

“Towns will continue to collect the necessary taxes the collector believes to be in jeopardy. The change is having them provide a reason to the town as to why the collection action is being immediately enforced. I’ve heard horror stories from reputable business people who were unfairly and arbitrarily forced to pay large tax bills one year ahead of time or have their business closed down,” said Cook. “Making these positive changes in this tough business climate is the right thing to do.”

Rep. Michelle Cook leads the House debate on special education IEP reform.

HB 5353 makes several changes to the state's special education law. The bill:

• improves school/parent communication with opportunities for informal meetings,

• expands IEP instruction and training for teachers,

• requires that the state special education excess cost grant goes to the financially responsible district paying the tuition costs for a child placed in another district, and

• requires any IEP for a deaf or hearing impaired child include a language and communication plan.

“Students who are deaf and hearing impaired have contributed to 75 to 80 percent of those not reaching goal on the Connecticut Mastery Test,” said Rep. Cook. “The state’s failure to be proactive over the years to address their learning and language needs has created another achievement gap which this bill addresses.”

The bill resulted from the recommendations made by the Legislative Task Force to Study Individualized Education Programs which Cook was a member. The task force was formed to examine relevant state and federal laws on IEPs and propose legislation on such topics as; school personnel training, auditing procedures, and noncompliance by school districts.

Rep. Cook who sponsored the bill creating the taskforce in 2010 said, “We focused and delivered a proposal for a better education for the most vulnerable children, those with special education needs.”

The IEP is a written plan that describes in detail the child’s special education and related services the district will provide to meet the student’s individualized needs. The IEP is a legal document developed by the Planning and Placement Team which includes the parents or guardian and is reviewed at least annually.

“Special education and Individual Education Plans present many challenges to students, teachers, parents and districts,” said Cook. “This bill reforms aspects of special education into a more productive and efficient part of education in this state. This reform in turn will better allow districts to focus on the education of the child not just the paperwork and process.”

In the 2009-2010 school year, a total of 60,719 children in Connecticut (ages 3 to 21) received special education services. This number is 12 percent of the total state public school enrollment of 506,882.

Rep. Michelle Cook (on right) and State Senator Beth Bye of West Hartford (L) receiving their awards.

“Rep. Cook had been a champion for children long before her time in the state legislature, as she worked in the early childhood field in Torrington,” said Maggie Adair, Executive Director of the CT Early Childhood Alliance. “But she has made a difference on the state level with her knowledge and willingness to be part of the conversation, finding solutions to make sure Connecticut’s children are healthy, safe and ready to learn.”

“I'm honored by this award and the opportunity to work with the Torrington Early Childhood Collaborative,” Rep. Cook said. “I'd like to personally thank them for working so hard on behalf of children. I can think of no other issue greater than protecting our children.”

The Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance is a consortium of organizations and individuals committed to improving developmental outcomes in the areas of learning, health, safety and economic security for nearly 20,000 Connecticut children ages birth to eight, and their families.

“With these funds, we will bring our regional fire training schools into the 21st Century,” Rep. Cook said. “I am very pleased the state will begin improvements to the deteriorating Burrville fire training school. The men and women who risk their lives for us every day deserve no less.”

"This is welcomed funding for renovations and improvements to our regional fire training schools," Rep. Willis said. "The regional fire schools must all be brought up the highest standards because they are so critical when it comes to training our future firefighters. This is a matter of public safety and saving lives."

In 1999, the Connecticut State Firefighters Association (CSFA) launched a long-term construction plan to upgrade seven of Connecticut’s regional fire schools. To date, work at the New Haven school has been completed and work has begun on the Hartford County fire school in Windsor Locks.

The Burrville fire training school was dedicated on September 3, 1961, with its first students graduating in 1962.

“Firefighters depend on their instincts and top-notch training to make split-second decisions in extreme situations,” Rep. Cook said. “The state’s deteriorating fire training schools are a disservice to the men and women who risk their lives for us every day.  I am proud renovations to the Burrville fire training school are moving forward.”

“The regional fire schools were designed to train our firefighters in ‘real world’ scenarios. We have terrific instructors, but the schools are from another century. We must provide future firefighters with the training and tools they need to protect our communities and themselves,” said Rep. Willis.

In 1999 the Connecticut State Firefighters Association (CSFA) launched a long-term construction plan to upgrade seven of Connecticut’s regional fire schools. To date, work at the New Haven school has been completed and work has begun on the Hartford County fire school in Windsor Locks.

The Burrville fire training school was dedicated on September 3, 1961, with its first students graduating in 1962.

The state Bond Commission is schedule to meet at 10:30 a.m., Friday, April 27th, in the State Capitol complex in Hartford.

The bill, based on recommendations of a task force on grandparents' visitation rights, gives grandparents and other third parties a defined process for seeking visitation rights via court petition. The legislation is in response to a Connecticut Supreme Court ruling that denied a visitation petition, which had previously been approved by a lower court.

"This gives grandparents a guide on how to go about seeking visitation rights so a court can better assess each unique situation," said Cook. "Family dynamics can be very complicated and certainly emotional, so it is important to do our best to ensure that decisions are made in a child's best interests."

Specifically the legislation requires a grandparents' visitation petition to include a showing of specific information including the existence of a parent-like relationship and activities, and that a denial of visitation rights could cause harm to the child. The bill then requires a court to hold a hearing and grant the request if clear and convincing evidence has shown such conditions exist.

Cook said, "There is a large group of grandparents in Torrington that I have been working with and this is something they have been wishing for. It is a larger problem than we may realize and being able to help the situations that grandparents find themselves in, is something I am proud of."

The state Department of Children and Families participated on the task force and supports the bill which they said "balances the constitutional right of parents to make decisions in the best interests of their children, with the desire of grandparents to be an important part of their grandchildren's lives."

“Each and every child deserves our best efforts to make their personal experiences as enriching and rewarding as possible,” said Rep. Michelle Cook. “Raising the level of awareness regarding autism is a critical issue for our educational system. Individualizing educational planning helps isolate this and other barriers to learning and growth.”

Autism Awareness Day is an annual event to draw attention to Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and affected individuals and families. This is the 8th Autism Advocacy Day at the State Capitol.

Autism is characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual, repetitive, or severely limited activities and interests.  ASDs include Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (usually referred to as PDD-NOS).

Collection of the GRT, which is a percentage of the wholesale price, would be capped whenever the price reaches $3.00 in the wholesale price per gallon or above.

The bill also contains provisions to protect consumers from profiteering and price gouging by big oil companies.

SB 457 An Act Concerning A Cap On The Petroleum Products Gross Earnings Tax And Penalties For Abnormal Price Increases In Certain Petroleum Products, today passed the General Assembly with overwhelming bipartisan support and heads to the governor’s office to be signed into law.

The legislation comes at a time when gasoline prices are climbing daily and is designed to bring consumers relief, especially before the heavy summer driving season begins.

“In these tough economic times, we must do whatever we can to stretch people’s hard-earned dollars and lessen the pain at the pump,” said Rep. Michelle Cook.

Provisions of the bill include:

• Ensuring oil companies recognize the cap and do not increase their prices as if the cap doesn’t exist as this would constitute a CT Unfair Trade Practices Act (CUTPA) violation.
• Amends the gas price gouging law so that intensely spiking wholesale gasoline prices are part of the definition of abnormal market disruptions. The bill adds an automatic trigger, that if wholesale prices spike by 15% within a 90 day period, the price gouging protections go into effect for at least one month.
• Legislatively declares an “abnormal market disruption” upon passage for a set period of 90 days in anticipation of further wholesale price spikes.
• Grants the Consumer Protection Commissioner the authority to impose CUTPA fines of up to $10,000 upon large gasoline wholesalers and distributors who are in violation of profiteering statutes.
• Ensures that similar profiteering protections are in place for home heating oil, which was selling for $3.389/gallon wholesale on March 19, over $4.00/gallon retail, and is not subject to the gross receipts tax.

The state Bond Commission is scheduled to meet on Friday, March 30, 2012, in Room 1E, Legislative Office Building at 10:30 a.m.

The funds will enable the awarding of a construction contract based on bids received for a new softball field at Oliver Wolcott Technical High School in Torrington.

The project will address a Federal Title IX deficiency and will conform to the National Federation of high school standards.

“I am pleased the request for funds for the new softball field at Oliver Technical High School will be acted upon at the next meeting of the state Bond Commission,” Rep. Willis said. “I appreciate that Governor Malloy has placed our request on the commission’s agenda.”

"A proper education, be it academic or physical education, should be available to all public schools  and that includes vo-tech students," said Rep. Cook. "Those students work just as hard in the classroom. I'm pleased to see this project move forward."

The project is expected to create or retain approximately 5 construction jobs.

Governor Dannel Malloy and Rep. Michelle Cook meet with Special Education PTO groups.

“Each child has a unique way of learning and children with special needs and learning disabilities require an even more focused, individualized approach,” said Rep. Cook. “Parents, teachers must work together for children to grow to their full potential. Special Education PTO groups are a great way to bring information and advocacy education to families and educators.”

The Connecticut Special Education PTO Alliance is a statewide council of local SEPTOs and other child advocacy organizations that work to educate, support and empower parents and families.

Rep. Cook founded the Torrington High School Parent Teacher Organization and has long supported children’s issues and was named a 2009 and 2010 Children’s Champion by the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance. Michelle is a member of the Torrington Early Childhood Collaborative, an organization committed to increase the quality of early education for young children.

“The Torrington Fire Department and surrounding towns benefit greatly from the fire training schools,” Rep. Cook said. “These fire schools provide our firefighters with the necessary tools to meet their demanding and dangerous profession and the public are ultimately the main beneficiaries of this training.”

“This needed funding will go a long way to insuring that our volunteer and career firefighters will have the modern training facilities they need to meet the increasing training that they require to insure our safety and theirs,” said Rep. Willis.

The funding was announced at a press conference at the State Capitol complex in Hartford.

In 1999 the Connecticut State Firefighters Association (CSFA) launched a long-term construction plan to upgrade seven of Connecticut’s regional fire schools. To date, work at the New Haven school has been completed and work has begun on the Hartford County fire school in Windsor Locks. The other five projects are:

• Burrville regional fire school (Torrington)
• Eastern Connecticut regional fire school (Willimantic)
• Fairfield regional fire school (Fairfield)
• Naugatuck Valley regional fire school (Beacon Falls)
• Waterbury area Wolcott regional fire school (Cheshire)

According to the CSFA there are about 26,000 firefighters in Connecticut. About 4000 are professional firefighters and more than 22,000 are volunteers.

“I’m pleased DECD included Torrington and I promise to continue to fight for these and other critical state dollars to sustain our cultural heritage and create jobs,” said Rep. Cook. “These grants recognize the importance of the arts in our community.”

“These grants are vital to the success of these organizations and help fulfill their cultural mission that contributes to the economic vitality of Torrington and the region,” Rep. Willis said. “The Warner, the Nutmeg and Artwell are the cornerstone of the revitalization of Torrington's downtown. The NW Arts Council serves 23 towns in Litchfield County.”

Torrington received the following grants:

“These state grants have matching requirements that help these organizations leverage additional donations and financial support from the business and local community”, said Rep. Willis.

“IRS Free File provides free access to tax preparation software so you can easily prepare and e-file your federal taxes online at no cost,” said Rep. Cook. “The IRS Free File service is open to everyone who made $57,000 or less last year. Just visit IRS.gov and click on the Free File icon to get started. You can even get a refund in as few as 10 days.”

To begin, taxpayers should visit the IRS Free File website - www.irs.gov/freefile. Users will find a list of Free File Alliance member companies and may either choose the one that fits their needs or utilize the “help me find a company” tool. After selecting a tax software company, users will be transferred to the company's website to prepare, complete and electronically file their federal income tax returns. The service is also available in Spanish.

The state will issue $16,500 in bonds to finance the cost of improvements at the technical school. The bond authorization was approved today by the State Bond Commission.

“The projects at Oliver Wolcott are something we have been looking at for quite a while,” said Representative Cook. “I have been pushing for state assistance to improve our state technical schools and I am pleased the money has been approved. This is a wise investment in the school and in the students.”

A grant of $9,000 will be used for electrical upgrades in the carpentry shop and $7,500 will go to replace the floor in the culinary dining room.

“The Home Health Services Legislative Work Group, representing consumers and providers, has worked diligently since its inception in January, 2010, to maximize the efficiencies of the home care system in Connecticut,” Rep. Ritter stated. “A major difficulty for consumers has been in clearly delineating services provided by caregivers in licensed or registered agencies and by private hires. This leads to significant confusion among clients, providers and state agencies.”

“As consumer choice increases and healthcare consumers become ‘employers’ of their personal care assistants, there is a critical need for consumer education and guidance,” said Rep. Cook. “In order for patients and their families to have confidence in evaluating qualifications, credentials and options for home health care service providers they need the right information to insure the right care is provided in the right setting at the right time. Legislators, providers and consumers must work together to make that happen.”

“Among all those who require home care, senior citizens comprise the fastest growing segment of Connecticut’s population, so it follows that we must fortify and then publicize the necessary services to address their needs at home, where they overwhelmingly prefer to be, where they are most comfortable, and where it is usually the most cost-effective way to care for them,” Senator Prague said. “With this in mind, each family faces heart wrenching decisions about how to best serve the needs of their loved ones, so this clearinghouse of information regarding home care will be invaluable to residents statewide.”

The State of Connecticut has begun to implement its long-term care and “rightsizing” plan to meet the Connecticut’s Medicaid budget saving projections and establish a person-centered, community-based health care delivery system for 600,000 residents receiving health services under state-funded programs.

“These issues will only become more pressing as we continue with efforts to grow the Money Follows the Person program and the increasing need for appropriate levels of home care and community based services as part of rebalancing efforts,” Rep. Ritter said. “These efforts will give us better health care for residents in the settings they choose, often at home - but we must be equally careful to ensure that care is safe, appropriate, and accessible.”

Connecticut’s home care programs provide high quality care for a fraction of the cost needed to care for people in institutional settings. We continue to struggle without dated definitions and confusing regulations that make it difficult to maximize the efficiencies of the home care system in Connecticut. The Home Health Services Legislative Work Group engaged state agency leaders in collaboration to discuss concerns related to consumer and provider confusion related to private hire caregivers and services provided by licensed home health agencies.

“The need for consumer education as the home health service delivery model changes is great,” said Kim Skehan, Home Health Services Legislative Workgroup Chair. “With the support of Rep. Ritter and agency officials, this is a true collaborative effort where all stakeholders are involved in the process to move the model of person centered, community based care forward.”

The work group has developed an informational brochure to provide consumers and providers with a better understanding of the differences between each caregiver type and risks, and to clarify coordination of care between care providers to maximize utilization of cost-effective and appropriate services to insure safe, appropriate home care to residents.

“Along with the transition to a new home services care model, comes a critical need for consumer education and guidance for individuals and their families to make an informed choice,” said Tracy Wodatch, Vice President of Clinical and Regulatory Services for the Association for Home Care and Hospice. “Today, we are delighted to release a comprehensive brochure clarifying the many options for personal care in the home.”

To access the brochure, “What Consumers Should Consider When Hiring a Personal Caregiver”, go to Connecticut Association for Home Care & Hospice website at: www.cahch.org.

Clarifying home health service options is the first step in the long term strategy to develop a cohesive, seamless delivery system that reduces cost across all health care sectors and delivers high quality care.

In 2012, the legislative work group will continue its efforts to identify specific statutory, regulatory, best practice and education opportunities to achieve that goal.

For more information on home care options, dial Infoline 2-1-1, or contact the Association for Home Care & Hospice, either by calling (203) 265-9931, by email at cahch@cahch.org or online at www.cahch.org.

In conjunction with the Working Group of State Legislators for Health Reform, hundreds of lawmakers from across the nation joined forces to announce and demonstrate their support of the Amicus Brief. The legislators’ brief argues that the Constitution gives broad power to the federal government to act in cases where a national solution is necessary. The ACA capitalizes on state innovations by setting a minimum coverage floor and giving states considerable policy flexibility.

The ACA has already provided benefits to children with pre-existing conditions, who can no longer be denied health insurance; individuals who cannot be kicked off their policies when they get sick; and young adults who can stay on their parents’ policies until age 26. More residents will save money on their health care when the law is fully implemented in 2014.

“It is time to stand strong and support the Affordable Care Act law that has brought much relief to Connecticut residents as well as American citizens across our nation,” Ritter said. “We cannot afford to lose the progress already made by giving in to political pressures that in the end will only hurt working families, small businesses and seniors. We will continue to push forward in implementing the Act so that our families can get the care they need.”

"We have been working hard in Connecticut to achieve the goals of federal healthcare law and coverage for all our citizens. We are fortunate that the federal government has formulated a national solution," said Cook. "Everyone should have access to healthcare by having health insurance.”

Victoria Veltri stated, "The Affordable Care Act puts consumers first, and I am proud, as the State’s Healthcare Advocate, to stand by that legislation today. Connecticut consumers benefit from reforms that go beyond the ACA’s insurance reforms to include broader healthcare reforms such as patient centered medical homes, health information technology and healthcare work force initiatives. OHA’s consumer assistance program grant under the ACA is directly responsible for putting an additional $5.7 million put back into the pockets of Connecticut’s healthcare consumers and educating hundreds of thousands of Connecticut residents about their healthcare rights."

The show of support for the Affordable Care Act in Connecticut was part of a larger demonstration of support for the law across the nation this week, as over 500 state legislators representing all 50 states signed on to the Amicus Brief defending the law. The brief will be filed this Friday and was prepared in conjunction with the Working Group of State Legislators for Health Reform (a national group of state legislators working to advance health reform and implement the Affordable Care Act), Progressive States Network, and the Constitutional Accountability Center.

The full text of the Amicus Brief will be available at: www.progressivestates.org/ACAamicus

"This new facility will better meet the transportation needs of residents across all Northwest Connecticut," Rep. Cook said. "I am very pleased to see the design phase of project moving forward.”

"This is good news as this money will finance design of the regional transit district maintenance facility in Torrington," Rep. Willis said. "This has been a long time in the making and the need has been there for some time. The project is very important to residents in our region of the state who rely on this service."

The Northwestern Connecticut Transit District was formed in 1987 and provides service to a 16 town region. The district operates a Deviated Flexible Route service in Torrington, Winsted and Litchfield and a Dial-A-Ride service in all of the following.

More information can be found on their website at: www.nwcttransit.com.

Public Act 11-152 was recommended by the Speaker’s Task Force on Domestic Violence created by Speaker Donovan in 2009. The task force held a series of meetings and public hearings over the past year to find ways the state could augment domestic violence reforms enacted last year.

“Domestic violence is sometimes seen as a private problem, but it is all of our responsibility to be vigilant, to help victims to seek assistance, to promote prevention, and to advocate for changes that make domestic violence socially unacceptable. This new law goes a long way in doing just that,” said Speaker Donovan.

“We listened to what victims of domestic violence and law enforcement professionals, including prosecutors and judges, who all said we needed to change,” said Rep. Cook. “I’d like to thank the staff and residents of the Susan B. Anthony Project for their input and support of this bill.”

The law expands the ability of victims who have experienced a pattern of threatening or stalking to request a restraining order, and clarifies that people of any age, including teens, can request a restraining order to protect them from a partner who has subjected them to abuse.

It also fixes a contradiction in state law that currently exempts people in dating relationships from arrest when a domestic violence crime is committed, so that police have clear authority to make such arrests.

"This year we made great progress to further strengthen domestic violence laws by focusing on law enforcement and victim services," said Rep. Cook. "Nearly 30 percent of criminal court dockets involve domestic violence and protecting victims during each step of the judicial process is a critical component of stopping domestic violence. By reducing the number of offenders that get quickly released on bond before a cooling period we better protect victims and their children additional violence."

The task force heard concerns about a lack of timely response from law enforcement to restraining order violations. To improve response time, courts will be authorized to issue a standing post-trial criminal protective order for certain offenses against children, which will promote more timely and lawful arrests of those in violation.

The new law will also improve access to domestic violence services by requiring police officers to provide victims with information about their regional domestic violence program so they can obtain trauma-informed counseling and other emergency services.

It also will allow families of victims of domestic violence to receive restitution like that provided to families of other crime victims. It also requires offenders to surrender their firearms to police or sell them to a federally-licensed firearms dealer if the offender is barred from possessing them due to a restraining or protective order.

The law requires judicial branch staff to disclose to the state Department of Children and Families (DCF) information indicating if a defendant poses a threat to a child. It also permits judicial branch family relations counselors to disclose information about a defendant to pretrial programs to ensure they provide appropriate services and to adult probation officers to ensure appropriate sentencing.

This is the second new law enacted to address domestic violence issues this year. Beginning October 1, bail bond agents will be required to charge the full premium and stop the practice of “undercutting.” Undercutting occurs when bail bond agents compete for business by discounting the premium due on a bond and do not charge their clients the statutorily required amount. As a result, defendants post bond at rates lower than what the state requires and are quickly released back into the community, sometimes without any “cooling off” period.

The Task Force was also responsible for introducing and leading passage of a three-part package of reforms during the 2010 session that led to the most sweeping changes to the state’s domestic violence statutes in almost 25 years. Additional information about the task force can be found on its web site at: www.housedems.ct.gov/DV.

SB 1098, An Act Regulating the Sale and Possession of Synthetic Marijuana and Salvia Divinorum, gained widespread bipartisan support and unanimously passed both the House and Senate and is now headed to the Governor’s desk where he is expected to sign the bill.

“They have become increasingly popular, particularly among students and young adults, and have been associated with sickness leading to emergency room visits and one death. The chemicals have not been approved for human consumption by the FDA and there is no government oversight of the manufacturing process,” said Cook. “These substances are labeled as incense products and pose a danger to the public when burned and inhaled.”

The products consist of plant material that has been coated with research chemicals that mimic THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, and are sold at retail outlets, convenience stores, gas stations and on the Internet. The brands K2, Spice, Blaze and Red X Dawn are currently being sold as incense to mask their intended purpose.

“Last fall we started receiving calls from the hospital that younger and younger kids were showing up at the emergency room with panic disorders and anxiety attacks after using these substances,” said Lt. Michael Emanuel, Torrington Police Department. “What we need now is for Connecticut to pass legislation banning the sale and possession of these substances.”

There are 15 states that have passed legislation to prohibit the sale and possession of synthetic cannabis.

Salvia divinorum is a psychoactive plant which can induce hallucinatory experiences and is packaged as Diviner's Sage, Ska, María Pastora or Seer's Sage.

Rep. Cook and Lt. Emanual discuss the issue in an online video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58mYPW2drs0

HB 6260 would require a tax collector to provide a written detailed notice to the chief elected municipal official and the taxpayer explaining the tax collector’s belief that the tax collection will be in jeopardy if not immediately acted upon. Today, jeopardy tax laws do not provide the option for a property lien, but does assist towns in collecting property taxes from businesses, either going out of business quickly or relocating to another town.

“Towns will continue to collect the necessary taxes the collector believes to be in jeopardy. The change is having them provide a reason to the town as to why the collection action is being immediately enforced. I’ve heard horror stories from reputable business people who were unfairly and arbitrarily forced to pay large tax bills or have their business closed down,” said Cook. “Making these positive changes in this tough business climate is the right thing to do.”

“This bill is a continuation of the work that was begun during my first term and I am proud that we were able to move this legislation through the House in a bi-partisan manner,” Cook said.

“The legislation (HB 6629) makes a number of significant changes to current law. Most importantly, it requires law enforcement officers to arrest a person who commits a family violence crime against someone he or she is dating.

The bill improves the state’s response to domestic violence by; strengthening access to restraining and protective orders, improving information sharing between state agencies, facilitating victims’ access to services, providing law enforcement with the tools they need to protect our communities and requiring the judicial branch to look at long-term solutions.

“We have all seen the terrible incidences of domestic violence over the past couple of years and we must continue to work to improve our state's ability to mitigate domestic violence as well as work to adequately respond to it,” Cook said.

The legislation expands the ability of victims who have experienced a pattern of threatening or stalking to request a restraining order, and clarifies that people of any age, including teens, can request a restraining order to protect them from a partner who has subjected them to abuse.

The bill also fixes a contradiction in state law that currently exempts people in dating relationships from arrest when a domestic violence crime is committed, so that police have clear authority to make such arrests.

“We have seen a lot of progress since the Tracey Thurman law in 1986, but tragically domestic violence continues to plague families in each one of our communities,” House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) said. “One of our priorities is to strengthen the response of law enforcement to domestic violence and develop a statewide law enforcement model policy that articulates best practices, for example, for responding to violations of restraining and protective orders.”

The task force heard concerns about a lack of timely response from law enforcement to restraining order violations. To improve response time, courts will be authorized to issue a standing post-trial criminal protective order for certain offenses against children, which will promote more timely and lawful arrests of those in violation.

This legislation will improve access to domestic violence services by requiring police officers to provide victims with information about their regional domestic violence program so they can obtain trauma-informed counseling and other emergency services.

It also creates a task force charged with developing a statewide law enforcement model policy that articulates best practices for police when responding to incidents of domestic violence, including a thorough examination of the state's “dual arrest” policy.

The bill will allow families of victims of domestic violence to receive restitution like that provided to families of other crime victims. It also requires offenders to surrender their firearms to police or sell them to a federally-licensed firearms dealer if the offender is barred from possessing them due to a restraining or protective order.

The bill also requires judicial branch staff to disclose to the state Department of Children and Families (DCF) information indicating if a defendant poses a threat to a child. It also permits judicial branch family relations counselors to disclose information about a defendant to pretrial programs to ensure they provide appropriate services and to adult probation officers to ensure appropriate sentencing.

Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman and State Rep. Michelle Cook announce changes to state HUSKY, Medicaid and Charter Oak Programs.

The ‘Person-Centered Medical Home’ model is simply a way of providing health care that is patient focused and puts doctors, not insurers, in charge of medical decisions. This model improves health care outcomes and reduces costs by having a primary care doctor coordinate care with specialists, hospitals, and pharmacists to reduce duplication, avoid errors and ensure patients follow through with their treatment plans. Preventive medicine directed by a medical professional is proven to keep people healthy and out of expensive emergency rooms when they do need treatment.

Rep. Cook, co-chairs the legislature’s Medicaid Care Management Oversight Council’s sub-committee on Primary Care Case Management (PCCM)that advises DSS on implementation of the HUSKY, Medicaid and Charter Oak health care programs.

“This is an exciting day in reforming health care across Connecticut. We are announcing changes that require the active partnership of providers to make our goal a reality,” said Rep. Cook. “Person-centered medical homes are an active partnership between patients and their provider - and a partnership between providers and state government. We are here today to show our commitment to begin the dialogue for an intense planning process to craft this new program.”

Lt. Gov. Wyman also welcomed a group of physicians who will help guide the state as it implements the ‘person-centered medical home’ model in the HUSKY, Medicaid and Charter Oak health care programs.

“The person-centered medical home concept is not only a better way to care for patients, but is a benefit for taxpayers because it is another step toward a self-insured coverage program that will mean significant savings over the existing managed-care system,” Lt. Gov. Wyman said. “Today, we are asking all medical providers to join us in our goal of making our health care programs for children, parents, seniors and citizens with disabilities as effective, and as cost-efficient, as possible.”

A person-centered medical home uses advanced health care information systems to help coordinate care and to identify the most effective or “evidence-based” treatments, all to help the patient and provider make the best health care choices.

Medical homes offer access to necessary health care advice 24 hours a day/7 days a week. The result is better health care services, greater satisfaction with care (for patients and their providers), and, most importantly, improved health.

“The first step is merging our various public health coverage programs under an ‘administrative services organization’ (ASO) structure, effective January 1, 2012,” Secretary Barnes said. “Currently, we have HUSKY and Charter Oak under expensive managed care organizations, and we have adults in fee-for-service Medicaid with no support or care coordination whatsoever. This underlying change - coupled with the benefits of person-centered medical home as a model of delivering care - promises to bring better health outcomes to our citizens and more economies for the state.”

The Department of Social Services is the administering state agency for Medicaid, Charter Oak and HUSKY (which combines a Medicaid program for low-income families and a non-Medicaid program for children in higher-income families).

DSS Commissioner Roderick L. Bremby noted that his department issued a request for proposals in early April for the overall restructuring.

“The Department of Social Services and the Medicaid Care Management Oversight Council will establish teams of medical providers and consumers to advise the department on the design of this new model,” Commissioner Bremby said. “The work will include focus on the standards of care and the performance measures to ensure the outcomes we are expecting.”

Commissioner Bremby noted that the new program will build on the state’s experience with its innovative HUSKY Primary Care program, a primary care case management pilot in which DSS pays primary care doctors and nurses to coordinate their patient’s care.

“Under the new model, the state will continue to pay a monthly fee to participating medical homes for coordinating care for HUSKY recipients. However, the program will be expanded and available to other individuals with Medicaid and other public coverage and also providers, no matter where they live or practice,” Bremby said.

Physician groups support expanding the program state-wide. Dr. David S. Katz, President of the CT State Medical Society, Dr. Sandra Carbonari, President -Elect of the CT Chapter American Academy of Pediatrics, and Dr. Robert McLean, Governor of Connecticut Chapter of the American College of Physicians spoke in support of broadening the scope of the program.

Under the new model, many individual doctors, practice groups and community health centers will qualify to serve as person-centered medical homes. Beginning in January, and expanding over the next several years, these medical homes will complement the administrative services organization in coordinating care for their patients.

The changes in health care administration will improve coordination of medical benefits and outcomes under Medicaid - a $4 billion program that covers over 394,000 children and parents enrolled in HUSKY A managed care; and 170,000 seniors and younger adults in fee-for-service Medicaid.

This includes senior citizens and people with disabilities, groups who have received little or no support or guidance to date in navigating the health care landscape. The same advantages will be felt in the smaller HUSKY B program for children (currently enrolling about 15,000) and Charter Oak Health Plan for uninsured adults (now serving about 10,000).

The state will contract with one or more ‘administrative services organizations’ for overall coordination of the system. The move to a self-insured administrative services organization format also means that the state will no longer pay outside firms to assume the financial risk for the cost of a medical claim, but will instead directly pay providers for patients’ care.

Michelle Cook of Torrington (65th District), co-chairs the legislature’s Medicaid Care Management Oversight Council’s sub-committee on Primary Care Case Management (PCCM) that advises DSS on implementation of the HUSKY, Medicaid and Charter Oak health care programs. She serves as Vice-chair of the Committee on Aging and also serves on the Education and Human Services Committees.

“Protecting the rights of tenants, especially those in public housing, is very important,” Rep. Cook said. “Public housing residents are working hard to improve the communities in which they live. Current law already requires at least one commission member be a tenant, but right now that member is hand picked by the town.”

In Connecticut, a housing authority is governed by a board of commissioners, typically composed of five members. Both state and federal law require that one commissioner be a tenant of that housing authority. The tenant commissioner will have full voting rights, including voting on rent increases.

“This bill originated from concerns voiced by the tenants of Torrington Towers -- that residents can and should make valuable contributions to the housing authority. They will have the right to choose who will be their voice” said Cook. “People that live in public housing often don’t have a choice to live elsewhere as they are forced to live there out of necessity”.

Cook first co-sponsored the bill in 2010 which passed both the House and Senate only to have it vetoed by then Governor M. Jodi Rell.

“I am hopeful that public housing boards will take notice of the importance of this bill and the intentions behind it - to bring tenants into positions of authority to make real positive changes to improve their living conditions. The numerous safety and security concerns in Torrington prove that residents should have a say in how they live,” said Cook.

Federal law already provides the option for tenants to elect their tenant commissioner. This bill would allow the process in Connecticut and specify when an election would be required:

• If a sufficient number of resident’s petition (10% or 75 tenants, whichever is less).
• If tenants of the specific housing authority do not petition, a housing authority jurisdiction-wide resident council shall choose the tenant commissioner.
• If the above conditions are not met, then the appointing authority shall select the tenant commissioner.

HB 6461 is now headed to the State Senate for their consideration.

View Michelle Cook on the tenant commissioner bill: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xxl1Gj_O3Q8

Lt. Michael Emanuel, Torrington Police Department
and Rep. Michelle Cook discuss synthetic marijuana

Rep. Cook has co-sponsored SB 1098, An Act Regulating the Sale and Possession of Synthetic Marijuana and Salvia Divinorum which would designate them as controlled substances.

Joined by representatives from law enforcement, public health and substance abuse groups, Rep. Cook discussed synthetic stimulants and the harmful effects they have on individuals.

“They have become increasingly popular, particularly among students and young adults, and have been associated with sickness leading to emergency room visits and one death. The chemicals have not been approved for human consumption by the FDA and there is no government oversight of the manufacturing process,” said Cook. “These substances are labeled as incense products and pose a danger to the public when burned and inhaled.”

The products consist of plant material that has been coated with research chemicals that mimic THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, and are sold at retail outlets, convenience stores, gas stations and on the Internet. The brands K2, Spice, Blaze and Red X Dawn are sold as incense to mask their intended purpose.

“Last fall we started receiving calls from the hospital that younger and younger kids were showing up at the emergency room with panic disorders and anxiety attacks after using these substances,” said Lt. Michael Emanuel, Torrington Police Department. “What we need now is for Connecticut to pass legislation banning the sale and possession of these substances.”

There are 15 states that have passed legislation to prohibit the sale and possession of synthetic cannabis.

Salvia divinorum is a psychoactive plant which can induce hallucinatory experiences and is packaged as Diviner's Sage, Ska, María Pastora or Seer's Sage.

Rep. Cook and Lt. Emanual discuss the issue in an online video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58mYPW2drs0

What: Forum on synthetic marijuana and Salvia

When: Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at 10:45 A.M.

Where: Room 2C, Legislative Office Building, Hartford, CT

Forum Members

• Aisha S. Hamid, Director, CMHA Substance Abuse Action Council
• Michele Devine, Executive Director, Southeastern Regional Action Council
• Agent Barry Cerreto, CT Dept. of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division
• Lt. Michael Emanuel, Torrington Police Department
• Linda Forman, Legislative Assistant to Congressman Chris Murphy

The proposed bills, HB 6629, An Act Concerning Domestic Violence and HB 6053, An Act Concerning Domestic Violence and Child Trauma would implement recommendations put forth by the Speaker’s Task Force on Domestic Violence. HB 6053 has been approved by the Human Services Committee and HB 6629 is expected to be approved by the Judiciary Committee within the next two weeks. Both bills would then be considered by the full General Assembly.

“The Speaker’s task force heard from many different groups and individuals and their input was invaluable in crafting this legislation,” said Rep. Cook. “I am very pleased to see this bill gathering such support among legislators.”

The press conference was held at the Susan B. Anthony Project in Torrington. Representatives from Women's Support Services the CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Jeanne Fusco, Associate Director of the Susan B. Anthony Project spoke in support of the bills.

House Speaker Donovan, who created the task force, stated that despite progress in protecting victims of domestic violence, more needs to be done. Specifically, he said, “One of the priorities of the Speaker’s Task Force on Domestic Violence this year is to strengthen the response of law enforcement to domestic violence.”

“While we have passed important domestic violence laws in recent years, our work is far from complete and we must continue to be vigilant,” Rep. Willis said. “Domestic violence remains a serious crime and we must encourage the victims of domestic violence to call police and ensure that law enforcement at all levels protect the victims from those who are threatening them.”

A goal of the legislation is to develop a statewide law enforcement model policy that articulates best practices for responding to violations of restraining and protective orders. Another goal is to protect teen victims by clarifying that people of any age can request a restraining order to protect them from a partner who has subjected them to abuse. Department of Public Health statistics that show 10 percent of Connecticut teens were involved in a physically abusive relationship this past year, and 17 percent reported being in an emotionally or verbally abusive relationship.

"Through this task force and in the laws we've passed in recent years, the legislature has made significant progress in helping to protect victims of domestic violence from further abuse,” said Senator Roraback. “This initiative will extend protections to teenage victims and give law enforcement the necessary authority to intervene and help stop domestic violence incidents when a protective order has been violated. I am pleased this new law has met with bipartisan support in both chambers of the General Assembly."

The legislation also requires the Judicial Branch to develop additional domestic violence dockets within available appropriations, and makes several changes to the Family Violence Education Program (FVEP), a diversionary program.

When Heather Greene’s nine-year-old daughter Hope needed her tonsils out two years ago, Greene had to call a number of surgeons near her home in Waterbury before she found one who would accept her Husky A insurance.

“Finding a specialist who takes Husky is tough,” said Greene, a part-time parent advocate at CT Parent Power. “It’s kind of like having another job.”

Beyond uncertainty and wasted time, this experience leads to more costly and uneven health care outcomes. On Jan. 1, 2012, health care advocates say, families like the Greenes will achieve better care, their doctors will have more control over treatment and the state will save millions as the state adopts a new health delivery system.

Instead of managed care companies, the state will switch to an administrative services organization to self insure Husky and other Medicaid programs that serve a total of 600,000 Connecticut residents.

Supporters say the change will improve care while saving the state more than $86 million a year - including $29.5 million for the care of nearly 400,000 Husky patients - by cutting wasteful spending and reducing unnecessary tests and trips to hospital emergency rooms.

“In my opinion, they’re going to be getting better care,” Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman said at the announcement last month. “We can really watch where the dollars are being spent. This is true transparency that we have not seen before.

“The state’s new system will include delivering care through a “person-centered medical home”, Department of Social Services spokesman David Dearborn said.

“With the state moving away from managed health care plans to the ‘administrative services organization’ model, we also plan to move beyond the current scope of our Primary Care Case Management (PCCM) pilot to develop a network of ‘patient-centered medical homes’ and “health homes,’” he said.

“Incorporating what is learned from the PCCM pilot will help in establishing new patient-centered medical home standards,” he said. “This will be geared to improve care for all Medicaid-enrolled individuals, including those who are aged or with disability, and who have some of the most challenging serious and chronic health care conditions.’‘

Under the Husky Primary Care, Husky patients will choose a primary care doctor who will be paid $7.50 per month per Husky patient by the state to coordinate all aspects of their care. Doctors will no longer be subject to second-guessing by managed care companies, advocates said.

“What a remarkable difference this will make in people’s lives,” said Ellen Andrews, executive director of the Connecticut Health Policy Project. “The doctor will coordinate your care, make your appointments, screen you and help you stay on track.”

Pilot Program, Low Enrollment

Husky Primary Care will expand a 2009 pilot program that has enrolled 514 Husky patients in 25 practices in Waterbury, Windham, Hartford and New Haven, said Dearborn. Putnam and Torrington providers are on tap next, he said.

Andrews called those numbers “pathetic,” and Sheldon V. Toubman, an attorney at the New Haven Legal Assistance Association, said DSS has put up numerous “barriers” to keep patients from enrolling in PCCM. He said doctors could not tell patients about the option unless the patient brought it up first, so the advocates distributed large buttons that said “Ask Me About PCCM.”

“DSS has really had a campaign of restricting enrollment,” Toubman said. “It’s been a recipe for failure.”

Dearborn declined to respond directly to the department critics.

Dearborn provided copies of brochures about PCCM that DSS sent to doctors’ offices and reports quoting DSS officials that doctors can discuss PCCM with patients, so long as they don’t “steer” them to it. All Husky A recipients in the pilot areas were sent letters telling them about the PCCM option, records show.

Still, DSS officials told the state’s Medicaid Managed Care Council in February that PCCM is a new concept that is hard to explain to doctors and even harder to explain to patients. They also said many doctors do not offer evening or weekend hours and that getting internists and family physicians to buy in to PCCM is challenging.

Consultants for the Connecticut Health Foundation reported last month on the benefits and drawbacks to PCCM. Consultants Meryl Price, Kip Piper and Marcia Stein found that PCCM offers patients access, choice and control of their health care. But they also found that the rates of payments to doctors may not be adequate, significant staff is required to make it work and the focus is on primary care, not specialty care.

State Rep. Michelle Cook, a Torrington Democrat on the Medicaid Managed Care Council, has previously said that DSS “sabotaged” the pilot program by not marketing it properly. But she says she is hopeful that DSS will make primary care case management a reality Jan. 1.

“This is a totally different administration that’s already made some positive changes,” she said. “I don’t want to rehash the past. I’m hopeful about moving forward.”

Patients And Doctors

While home with a sick child in her third-floor apartment, Heather Greene described PCCM as a boon to families like hers.

“You won’t have to go through the HMO middleman. Your doctor will be in charge,” Greene, 36, said. “They know you best.”

Her two daughters have been on Husky A for years, and Greene and her husband Tim joined them two years ago when he was laid off from his job as a refuse truck driver. She said he has been unable to find steady, paying work so the family relies on the $1,000 a month she earns as well as food stamps and other state aid.

Having learned how to navigate the Husky system to get prescriptions and specialists’ care, Greene now represents other Husky recipients on the Medicaid council.

“I’ve got a wealth of information that I’d didn’t have before,” she said. “I want to get all the Husky patients in a room and teach them what their rights are.”

The state’s change to PCCM has some doctors, such as Dr. Barbara Phillips, a Manchester family practitioner, seeking more information on how it will affect them.

She wonders if the $7.50 per month per patient will be enough to cover her practice’s costs and what the incentives will be for specialists to take Husky patients.

“I see how this would be a lot cheaper for the state, but I’m not sure how it would translate to better care for the patients,” said Phillips, who added that she and many family practitioners already coordinate care for their patients.

Dr. M. Alex Geertsma, a Waterbury pediatrician on the Medicaid council, said PCCM can save substantial dollars and improve care if the state gives doctors the right support and incentives.

“Some physicians may change their practice around totally or hire a care coordinator who will prove invaluable to patients and parents,” he said.

Dr. Ronald Angoff, a New Haven pediatrician who has been fighting for years to have the state adopt PCCM for Husky patients, said he’s convinced it will improve care for the state’s poorest families.

“The patients need this quality of care, and as a taxpayer, I know it makes sense,” he said. “It’s better for everybody.”

TORRINGTON -- Supporters of the state’s vocational-technical high schools sent a clear message to legislators on Thursday night -- leave our schools alone.

In a forum held at Oliver Wolcott Technical High School, graduates, current students and proponents voiced their opinion to keep the schools under state control.

State Representative Michelle Cook, D-65, who organized the forum to be held a day before a legislative vote on House Bill 6385 (an act implementing the budget recommendations of the governor concerning education), said she wants to hear from residents and bring the concerns they might have back to Hartford. Part of the governor’s budget proposal, which is focused on relieving the state budget deficit, includes placing technical schools in the hands of local school districts, with the idea that it would save money. Howver, the reaction to this proposal has been negative from groups of citizens, while local district leaders, including Torrington Superintendent of School Christoper Leone, have said they would have to have a serious discussion on any such plan before it could become a reality.

“You need some sense of assurance about what is going on at the state level,” Cook said. “The governor proposed a budget that left a lot of questions un-answered.”

Cook said that rather than a vote tomorrow she and the education committee will be pushing for a “comprehensive, in-depth study” to come out.

The crowd of about 400 people applauded loudly.

“I am not for this proposal,” Cook then said. “We will be pushing the study to come out of our committee tomorrow. Hopefully I will be able to e-mail everyone back and call the newspapers and let them know where we stand on Friday.”

Cook said the education committee needs “hard-core facts” before any recommendation or vote can commence. No study on cost saving or benefits of local control has been performed yet.

“We have been telling people that nobody wants this to happen,” Cook said. “There are 11,000 young, brilliant, students in the system who leave these schools with the ability to perform a job, to work with their hands, jobs that are sometimes lost now. I don’t believe the current system is broken.”

Following Cook, vocational-technical superintendent Patricia Ciccone said she was encouraged by what cook and other members of the committee are pushing for.

“I am encouraged about this study. Please don’t have any fear,” Ciccone told the crowd. “An in-depth study will not conclude that this goes away.”

Torrington resident Glenn Royals, a graduate of Oliver Wolcott also supported state control over the technical schools.

“Torrington’s Board of Education can’t handle their own school system, there is no way they can handle this school,” Royals said on Thursday. “If it’s not broken, why fix it. We are getting further ahead with this school every year. We have the Cadillac of schools. You have to test to come here, you don’t just walk through the door. Parents want their kids to leave here with a trade and an education.

Class of 1987 graduate Jason Woodward said the governor’s plan was incredibly short sighted and ill-conceived, and urged lawmakers not to back the idea.

“This is a generation that will have to handle the tax burdens we have to now,” Woodward said. “The only difference is they won’t have a trade to fall back on if this plan happens. Please don’t support this. Give our children the chance to succeed in the future.”

Several Oliver Wolcott Tech students also testified before Cook, Ciccone and Principal Robert Axon and said they receive the “best of both worlds” at the school. They learn a trade and get an education, and have the choice of continuing with a job or going to college when the graduate, they said.

“I want to assure you that you will have a place to go to school next year,” Cook said. “Students have a voice and we need to show that to our legislators.”

“Unless you went to a technical school or have been involved in some way at a technical school, you have no idea about the type of learning experience that goes on here,” Banziruk said. “Any legislator that votes to support this is making an irresponsible and foolish decision.”

The IRS Free File has offered low-to-moderate income taxpayers free since 2003, access to leading commercial tax preparation software. This year, every taxpayer with a 2010 Adjusted Gross Income of $58,000 or less may visit www.IRS.gov/efile to prepare, complete and e-file their federal and state tax returns at no cost.

“This is a great opportunity to use IRS Free File tax preparation software so you can easily prepare and e-file your federal and state taxes at no cost,” said Rep. Cook.

Taxpayers may visit the IRS website, www.IRS.gov, and click on the “Free File” icon. Users will find a list of Free File Alliance member companies and may either choose the one that fits their needs or utilize the “help me find a company” tool. After selecting a company, taxpayers will be transferred to the company's website to prepare, complete and electronically file their federal income tax returns. Three of the 19 participating software companies also offer services in Spanish.

Rep. Cook urged residents to make sure their computers and networks are secure before preparing their taxes online. “Please make sure your wireless network is secure, your antivirus software is up-to-date and establish a unique password,” Rep. Cook said.

The State of Connecticut is among 38 states which allow taxpayers the ability to also file their state returns from the IRS site. Just click on the link marked “Federal/State e-file options” in the lower right hand side of the www.IRS.gov/efile page.

Rep. Cook, a co-sponsor of the bill said, “The girls are very committed to reducing bullying in schools and cyber-bullying on the internet. Some shared personal experiences with bullying which made the meetings powerful and particularly meaningful to legislators.”

The Girl Scouts have their own program, Girlz R.U.L.E. which is an outreach curriculum-based program that embraces girl leadership and challenges young women to take steps to reduce conflict, aggression and violence.

“These young women are learning valuable skills to better manage situations once thought to exist only in high school, such as; put downs, rumors, sexual harassment, bullying and violence,” said Cook. “Too often little conflicts go unnoticed and perpetuate until the situation gets way out of hand. This program builds awareness and empowers them to move from a bystander or victim to a problem-solver.”

In 2010, Rep. Cook helped organize a Capitol Girl Scout troop made up of women legislators who are strong, positive role models for every Girl Scout in Connecticut.

According to the Girl Scouts, approximately 44,000, or 15 percent of 5-18 year old girls are enrolled in a Girl Scout program in Connecticut.

The group of 10th and 11th grade students met Governor Dannel Malloy and attended his budget address to a joint session of the General Assembly.

The Young Democrats Club is for students with an interest in politics or government and has been active for over 25 years.

“This club is unique in having had members who have gone on to have careers in public service and politics,” said Representative Cook. “They are a bright, insightful group who has a grasp of the tough issues the state faces as outlined in the governor’s address. This was a great opportunity for the club to experience the political process and gain a better understanding of how state government works.”

The Young Democrats faculty advisors, Ms. Pat Conroy and Mrs. Jo-An Cracco, escorted the students to Hartford. “This day was a unique opportunity for the students to experience the legislative process and hear first-hand from the governor on how he plans to solve the state’s budget crisis,” said Pat Conroy.

The governor spoke on issues important to club members who said:
“My mom’s a teacher, so how they would tie teacher assessment to student achievement is important to me, as is not cutting local education funding and having a shared sacrifice across the state,” said Christina Hammer.

“I liked hearing the governor commit to fixing up our roads through ‘town aid road’ funding,” said Jeremy Santoro.

“Keeping public safety a priority will help keep people safe,” said Brianna Cole.

“Governor Malloy really seems to know what he is doing,” said Alison Price.

“Providing pre-school opportunities across the state will help children better adjust to Kindergarten,” said Adam Evertz.

Extreme anxiety, racing heart and paranoia are among the symptoms patients have complained of after smoking synthetic marijuana.

All were teenagers or people in their early 20s, said Dr. Danyal Ibrahim, director of toxicology at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, and at least one had hallucinations. The most recent patient, he said, was sweaty, agitated, and "felt a sense of doom and felt that he was going to die."

More commonly known as "spice" or K2, synthetic marijuana is easy to buy -- at gas stations, convenience stores, head shops and online. A small envelope was selling for $9.99 at one Hartford gas station.

The package touts "an exotic herbal incense blend composed of rare plants and herbal extracts." The chemical that's sprayed on the leaves -- a synthetic form of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), the active ingredient in marijuana -- is what's selling the product. Doctors at St. Francis and at Hartford Hospital said they first started seeing cases involving synthetic marijuana in the middle of last year.

While the products are sold as incense and bear the label "not for human consumption," Barbara Carreno, a spokeswoman with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, said everything else about the marketing makes it obvious that the contents are meant to be consumed.

For instance, many packages are marked "for 18 years and over" and websites boast that it can't be traced in drug tests. That means it could run afoul of the Federal Analog Act of 1970, which regulates synthetic substances designed to mimic the effects of currently prohibited drugs.

In November, the DEA announced it would put synthetic marijuana under a 12-month ban. The temporary ban has not yet been enacted, but Carreno said it will be "any day."

At least seven states have banned the sale of synthetic marijuana. Several more states, including Connecticut, are considering bans.

State Rep. Michelle Cook, D-Torrington, is a co-sponsor of one of two proposed measures to prohibit the sale of the product. Cook said she first heard of synthetic marijuana when local police officers told her they were concerned about a surge in its use among young people. Cook and the police urged businesses in Torrington to withdraw the products from sale, but only one went along.

"There were a couple that said, 'We'll ID, we won't sell to anyone under 21,'" she said. "Even though it's legal, it's deadly."

If the state does enact a ban, she said, the real work will be keeping on top of the situation to keep the law effective.

"The manufacturing agencies are much smarter and quicker than we are," Cook said, "and they can dance around the bans that we've made by coming up with different chemical mixes."

Bad Reactions

The Connecticut Poison Control Center at the UConn Health Center has received "at least a couple dozen calls" from people reacting badly to synthetic marijuana, said Charles McKay, the center's associate director. And at Hartford Hospital, where he is director of toxicology, McKay said he has treated "a handful" of cases. Symptoms typically include paranoia and tachycardia, an unusually fast heart rate.

McKay said he generally treats patients with benzodiazepine, an anti-anxiety medication, and they usually are OK after a few hours under supervision. He said the effects of synthetic marijuana resemble those of natural marijuana: a sense of ease and heightened sensations. But other times, usually when synthetic pot is taken in greater doses, it has the opposite effect, he said.

Ibrahim said synthetic marijuana is much more dangerous than the natural substance. Although he has treated three people for fake pot in the past six months, Ibrahim said he has never treated anyone for a bad reaction to natural marijuana in the six years that he has worked in toxicology. For the people who have bad reactions to the synthetic version, he said, the symptoms are closer to those caused by cocaine and other stimulants.

Ibrahim and McKay both said none of the patients faced life-threatening conditions and in all cases, they were released within 24 hours. There have been reports elsewhere that the substances induced seizures, but neither Ibrahim nor McKay have seen that.

Medicinal Research

The chemicals used in synthetic marijuana are modeled after cannabinoids, the active agents in natural marijuana (THC is the most well-known). They're based on chemicals first developed in the 1980s at Clemson University and Hebrew University to research the medicinal use of cannabinoids. Because several papers on these studies have been published in science and medical journals, the public has had access to details about the substances' chemical makeup.

In Europe, synthetic marijuana first appeared in the middle of the last decade; in Connecticut in the last year or so. Exactly who is manufacturing it, Carreno said, is difficult to trace.

"The substances, a lot of them come from overseas -- China, Middle East, Europe, all kinds of places," she said. "There are many different suppliers with different names and different contents."

Paul Armentano, deputy director of the marijuana legalization group NORML, said regulations will be hard to enforce and could possibly backfire.

"Most likely, the clampdown will likely only make the situation more dangerous from both a legal standpoint and from a health standpoint to the consumer," he said in an e-mail.

Carreno said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommended the 12-month ban to allow time to test the chemicals on human subjects in clinical trials, something that's never been done before.

Carreno also acknowledged that regulating synthetic substances is difficult because federal drug laws have to be very specific. In this case, the ban names the five most commonly used chemicals in synthetic marijuana. For instance, the chemical JWH-018 is named in the ban, but JWH-073 -- a slight variation -- is not. Tweaking a banned chemical, even minimally, can be enough to skirt regulations.

The letters JWH come from the initials of John W. Huffmann, a Clemson University scientist who first developed synthetic cannabinoids in the 1980s. He did so to study their effects on animals and explore the chemicals' potential for treating such conditions as osteoporosis, liver disease and certain cancers. He developed JWH-018 and other chemicals in his lab with funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

In an e-mail, Huffman stressed that these chemicals have not been tested on humans and could have toxic effects on people.

"They absolutely should not be used as recreational drug," Huffman said.

Copyright © 2011, The Hartford Courant