Weekly News March 12 - 18
March 17, 2017It's been another busy week in Hartford and I have a lot of news to share!
This morning I took part in a press conference organized by State Sen. Tim Larson (D-East Hartford) in support of bipartisan legislation - Senate Bill 806 - that would allow towns to establish grant programs to help homeowners with the repair and replacement of crumbling concrete foundations. Towns would be allowed to accept private donations and issue bonds to fund the program.
At the press conference with fellow South Windsor State Representative Tom Delnicki
No one should have to pay for their home twice over. This legislation allows towns to move forward with plans to provide tangible relief to families affected by this issue. I will continue to work with Sen. Larson and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to build upon the legislation passed out of committee this week.
On Wednesday I met with advocates from Journey Found who were here for Nonprofit Alliance Week at the Capitol.
With Tracey Walker, CEO of Journey Found, Monica Carr and Celina Kuemper at the Capitol
Located in Manchester, Journey Found is a nonprofit that was developed to provide continuity when a service provider giving care to 51 individuals opted to end their contract with the state of Connecticut. Journey Found was created to assume contracts and services since July 1, 2013, with no disruption for those enrolled in the programs.
Today was Ag Day at the Capitol, a day for businesses and organizations in the agriculture community to showcase their contributions to Connecticut's economy. Agriculture is a $3.6 billion industry in Connecticut, with over 25,000 jobs in agriculture and related occupations. To learn more about our state's agriculture industry, you can check out the Weekly Agriculture Report on the Department of Agriculture website.
At left, With Governor Malloy at Ag Day and at right, with Sen. Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport)
Congratulations to Pleasant Valley Elementary School in South Windsor for being named a School of Distinction by the CT Department of Education! The schools chosen for this honor showed high academic achievement and high growth in the 2015-2016 school year.
Read more about the award here.
On Tuesday, March 21, South Windsor residents are being asked to vote on the approval of Phase 2 of the 3-phase 10-year Elementary Schools Facilities Plan. Phase 1 was approved in 2014.
The incredible dedication of South Windsor parents, teachers, and community members in seeing this project to fruition has truly been a labor of love. This is a carefully crafted plan that increases efficiency while ensuring that South Windsor children have the modern facilities needed to enjoy a high quality education for many years to come. I fully support Phase 2 of the Elementary Schools Plan, and both Representative Tom Delnicki (R-South Windsor) and I have urged South Windsor residents to vote ‘yes’ on this critical initiative.
A 'yes' vote allows South Windsor to take advantage of its maximum construction reimbursement rate before likely changes in the next fiscal year.
Polls will be open from 6 AM-8PM. Polling Districts are:
Pleasant Valley School, District 1
Eli Terry School, District 2
South Windsor High School, District 3
Philip R. Smith School, District 4
Timothy Edwards Middle School, District 5
You can find more information on the plan and the upcoming vote on the Support South Windsor Schools website.
EAST HARTFORD:
The Town Council will hold its regular meeting on Tuesday, March 21 between 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. The meeting will take place in the Town Council room on the second floor of Town Hall (740 Main Street). View the agenda here.
Click here for the town meetings calendar.
Click here for the community events calendar.
SOUTH WINDSOR:
The American Red Cross will be hosting When I’m in Charge, a course for children 8 to 12 years old who are ever home alone. The course will cover all safety concerns parents have when their children are by themselves. Students will learn to be more aware of the potential dangers they could face when left home alone. The course will be offered on Tuesday, March 21 between 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. at the South Windsor Community Center. More information is available here. To register, email liz.langevin@southwindsor.org.
Click here for the public meetings calendar.
Click here for the community events calendar.
MANCHESTER:
The Town of Manchester will be holding Spring on Spruce Night on Friday, March 24 at the Nathan Hale Activity Center between 6:00 and 8:30 p.m. Come by for a free family fun night with spring themed crafts, light refreshments and a showing of “Bee Movie”! For more information see the town website or contact the Office of Neighborhoods and Families at 860-647-3089.
Click here for the full town calendar.
IN THE NEWS
Governor Malloy and Department of Correction (DOC) Commissioner Scott Semple announced this week that the DOC has opened a new unit at the Cheshire Correctional Institution that will house offenders between the ages of 18 to 25. Called the T.R.U.E. Program – which stands for Truthfulness, Respectfulness, Understanding, and Elevating - the goal of the unit is preventing young adults who have committed nonviolent crimes from beginning a life of crime and returning to prison. Read more here.
This great op-ed in the Hartford Courant illustrates exactly why I've introduced a bill to ban the practice of conversion therapy on minors. Conversion therapy is a practice that seeks to change someone's sexual orientation or gender identity and it can have severe mental health consequences. We need to protect and support the mental and physical well-being of LGBTQ youth.
I am supporting legislation to exempt Social Security benefits from the CT income tax. This will help ease the financial burden many seniors face and encourage retirees to stay in their home state close to family and friends. Learn more here.
Unless we act now we won't close the gender wage gap for decades. That’s why this year I am supporting legislation that will ensure men and women receive equal pay for equal work. Learn more about the gender wage gap here.
Upcoming Meetings and Events
A full calendar of all events happening at the Capitol next week, including public hearings, is available on the General Assembly website.
You can find the agenda for public hearings on the calendar by clicking on the calendar item and following the link to the committee page. For instructions on how to testify at a public hearing, please click here.