Kate Farrar

Congratulations to the UConn men’s and women’s basketball teams on an outstanding season!

While the outcome may not have been what we hoped for, your effort, dedication, and teamwork were truly inspiring. Thank you for giving us so many memorable moments on the court.

This week, alongside Rep. Gary Turco and Sen. Matt Lesser of the Newington delegation, we were proud to host Newington Advocacy Day at the State Capitol.

This event provided a valuable opportunity to connect directly with Newington residents, hear their perspectives, and engage them in the legislative process. Advocacy Days like this empower community members to speak up on the issues that matter most, helping to shape policies that reflect the needs and priorities of our town.

During two session days this week we also passed a range of legislation to benefit our state and residents. 

Several bills we passed included: 

• House Bill 5039: An Act Requiring Transparency and Additional Oversight of the Distribution of Certain Legislatively Directed Funds Sets up rules for state agencies to monitor funds given to specific entities, ensuring proper use and capacity.
• House Bill 5125: An Act Concerning Entertainment Event Tickets Seeks to regulate ticket resellers by setting specific contractual and online sales requirements, including mandatory refunds for cancelled events.
• House Bill 5406: An Act Concerning Various Measures Honoring the Heroism of Veterans and Members of the Armed Forces Seeks to recognize and honor the, heroic wartime service of certain veterans and reserve members of the armed forces.
• House Bill 5336: An Act Concerning Advanced Nuclear Energy  Evaluates workforce requirements for advanced nuclear technologies.

Also, this week, I participated in the Early Childhood Alliance Day of Action to highlight how much more we need to do to truly fix child care. As one of the Chairs of the Early Childhood Education Endowment, we made a critical commitment last year to make the first deposit of $300 million into this fund but we need another significant deposit this year in order to fulfill the promises of lowering costs for families, paying educators what they are worth and creating more child care spaces. In these final weeks of session, this will be a key item in the budget negotiations between the House, Senate and the Governor's office. I will be fighting for this much needed investment because our kids, parents, educators and our businesses are depending on it. 

Finally, Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) Day is a unique opportunity for Connecticut’s women entrepreneurs and members of the state legislature to come together, exchange ideas, and discuss the issues that impact women-owned small businesses across our state every day.

It was wonderful to join WBDC and Connecticut-based entrepreneurs to connect, collaborate, and celebrate the meaningful impact women-owned businesses have on our economy, our communities, and our families. Here is more information about their impact on the 20^th District: 

Connecticut’s Renters’ Rebate Program is now open to eligible renters who are elderly or living with a disability and meet certain income requirements.

Qualified applicants may receive rebates of up to $900 for married couples and $700 for single individuals. The rebate amount is determined using a graduated income scale, as well as the total rent and utility payments (excluding telephone) made during the previous calendar year.

Applications must be submitted through your local municipality’s assessor’s office or a designated social service agency. The application period is now open and will run through September 30. Please note that no extensions are permitted, and all applications must be received by the municipality no later than September 30.

Click here for more information about eligibility requirements and how to apply.

Early Start West Hartford is hosting a Community Table meeting on Monday, April 20 at Town Hall (50 S Main Street, Rooms 405 & 407) at 6:00 p.m. The goal of this meeting is to promote and support early care and education for children ages 0-5 and families of West Hartford. 

Click here to RSVP.

On Wednesday, April 22, join us for the Newington Earth Day Walk through Newington Center, a great opportunity to come together as a community and celebrate our shared commitment to protecting the environment.

This event offers a chance to enjoy the outdoors, connect with neighbors, and reflect on the small actions we can all take to make a big difference for our planet. Whether you’re passionate about sustainability or simply looking for a meaningful way to get involved, we hope to see you there!

Saturday, April 25 is National Drug Take Back Day. It allows the public to dispose of expired, unwanted, or unused pharmaceutical controlled substances and other medications in an environmentally safe manner. When flushed, these drugs can contaminate our waterways and, when used illegally, pose a potential risk to public health and safety.

ACCEPTED: Prescription and over-the-counter dosage medications (tablets, capsules, vaping products, and liquids)

NOT ACCEPTED: Intravenous solutions, injectable medicines, Epi-pens, and needles 

Please take pills out of prescription bottles for disposal. Sealed plastic bags are recommended.

The West Hartford (103 Raymond Road) and Newington (300 Garfield Street) Police Departments both have a dropbox on-site.