“Hurricane Irene made it abundantly clear that the utility companies were not prepared for a major storm,” said Rep. Flexer who represents Sterling, which was the last town to have any power restored after Irene. “This bill will force utility companies to appropriately plan for storms and respond to their customers in a suitable timeframe. And if the utilities do not restore power in a timely manner, they will be held accountable and financial penalties will be imposed.”

A key part of the bill requires the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) to study and establish minimum emergency preparation and response performance standards for each electric and gas company in Connecticut. Noncompliance with the performance standards could result in penalties of up to 2.5% of the utility’s annual distribution revenue. The penalties would be assessed as a credit on customer bills, and would not be recoverable by the utilities through increased rates.

“If there is a service outage to more than ten percent of a company’s customers for over 24 hours, that company would be required to provide customers a credit,” said Rep. Flexer.

Rep. Flexer said the performance standards must address minimum staffing levels for jobs such as linemen and that there also must be benchmarks established for recovery and restoration of service based on the proportion of affected customers.

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.

“There were several days following Irene where the Town of Sterling had absolutely no phone service. Folks with life-threatening emergencies were unable to reliably reach police, fire and ambulances,” Rep. Flexer said, “That is why the bill also requires telecommunications companies to report annually their ability to provide backup power to towers or antennas in the state.”

Also, the state Department of Energy & Environmental Protection must now develop procedures to make sure roads are cleared for first responders.

The legislation also establishes 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.

The bill now heads to the governor for his signature.

“Breastfeeding has tremendous benefits for children. Studies have shown that it reduces the risk of illnesses and improves overall child development. But sometimes modern life and all its responsibilities can make it difficult for women to continue breastfeeding. This bill simply requires our judicial system to accommodate moms so they may continue breastfeeding while fulfilling their civic responsibility,” said Rep. Flexer.

The bill requires the state's courts to provide information on its website for breastfeeding women regarding jury service postponement and contact information for these women to request reasonable accommodations. Additionally, the jury administrator would be required to train staff on the policy for breastfeeding jurors, including accommodations for them.

Flexer noted that Connecticut already requires employers to provide a reasonable amount of time each day to mothers to express their milk and to provide accommodations, except restrooms, where an employee can express milk privately. It is also illegal to restrict or limit the right of a mother to breastfeed her child including in public places.

The legislation now goes to Governor Dannel P. Malloy for his signature to become law.

“One in Four women are sexually assaulted at college and many of these women do not report these assaults out of fear or shame. This bill ensures that students will be given needed information about what constitutes assault and what their options are if they or someone they know is assaulted—encouraging victims to step forward so they can get help and be safe,” said Rep. Flexer.

According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Justice, students decline to report sexual assaults because they fear reprisal (40%), they do not want other people to find out (47%), they don’t believe the incident is serious enough to report (65%), or they don’t know how to report it (14%).

The bill requires colleges to adopt policies on sexual assault and domestic violence, including information about a victim's rights to notify law enforcement, how to receive campus assistance in making the notification and how to obtain restraining orders.

It also requires colleges to outline disciplinary procedures, including clear language advising students that victims can request that disciplinary proceedings begin promptly, that they may be accompanied to proceedings by an advisor or support person of their choice, and that they may keep their identities confidential as permitted under state or federal law.

Rep. Flexer pointed out that many of the provisions in the bill are already required under a federal law known as the Clery Act. The Clery Act requires colleges and universities to publish an annual report that discloses campus crime statistics and school policies related to crime and reporting. It also requires campuses to issue “timely warnings” when they become aware of a crime or series of crimes that could impact the college community.

The bill goes next to the Senate.

Plainfield, Conn. — A bucket brigade moved wriggling brown and rainbow trout into the Quinebaug River on Thursday as part of a tour aimed at highlighting the importance of the Quinebaug Valley Trout Hatchery.

State and local officials were joined by fishermen and students for the Commissioner in Your Corner event led by state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Daniel Esty. Esty said he timed the visit to coincide with the opening day of fishing later this month, as well as to highlight planned upgrades to the facility.

This year, the state plans to install a liquid oxygen system, high-efficiency blower motors and variable-speed drives in the site's well houses, part of a $800,000 project estimated to save the plant up to $200,000 in annual energy costs once it's up and running in 2013, said Bill Hyatt, chief of the state Bureau of Natural Resources.

"It's a significant investment," Esty said. "It's two weeks before fishing season starts, and we'll have stocked more than 700,000 trout in Connecticut's rivers and streams."

Approximately 550,000 of those released trout are produced at the Quinebaug hatchery, where the fish are incubated, fed and sorted before being trucked and released throughout the state.

Reps. Flexer & Rovero help stock more than 300 brown and rainbow trout into the
Quinebaug River Thursday just behind the Quinebaug Valley Hatchery in Central Village.

Thursday's tour included a small stocking demonstration, with roughly 300 fish released into the nearby Quinebaug River. Griswold resident Michael Riley made several trips from a holding-tank truck to the river, tossing fish into the water before heading back for a bucket refill.

"I always go to Mohegan Park every opening day of fishing," said Riley, 29. "It's just enjoyable and exciting."

Riley was joined by several students from East Lyme Middle School, including Kyla Appnel, of Niantic.

"I love fishing," said the 12-year-old. "I like the idea of catching them and eating them."

State Sen. President Donald Williams, D-Brooklyn, said the planned energy upgrades to the hatchery make sound financial sense, especially considering the dividends its product pays.

"Fishermen coming to Connecticut spend $45 million a year," he said. "It's very important for our economy."

“I’m proud that Connecticut ranks #1 for women—we have some of the strongest laws in the country when it comes to ensuring that women have access to health care, education and paid sick leave. But women still continue to earn only 77 cents to every dollar earned by men and they make up less than one-third of the legislature—we still have a long way to go,” said Rep. Flexer.

In an analysis by the online site iVillage, data from the National Council of State Legislatures, the National Women’s Law Center, the Center for American Women & Politics at Rutgers and the U.S. Census Bureau, among other sources, showed Connecticut women fare better than those in all other 49 states in an comprehensive picture that includes healthcare coverage, education, economic wellbeing, parenting support systems and the percentage of women in elected office.

“Police policies, arrest standards, and protective order enforcement have needed to be seriously reviewed—this legislation will better prepare our law enforcement to respond to domestic violence incidents—and better protect victims,” said Rep. Flexer.

A key part of the bill gives police officers new tools for responding to incidents of domestic violence, including a requirement that municipal police departments develop and implement operational guidelines for arrest policies. The departments would set a uniform standard, but are given flexibility to tailor implementation to fit their departments. The bill also establishes a Family Violence Model Policy Governing Council to update the model policy going forward and review relevant data.

"This bill gives new support to victims, police officers, advocates and other front-line service providers," said House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden). "When a victim has worked up the courage to call police, to request a restraining order or to leave her home, we want to make sure that services are in place to support them. In addition, because we owe it to victims to train police in best practices so they can respond to calls speedily and appropriately, we give police officers new tools for responding to domestic violence incidents."

Victims have told the task force that they are often confused about the appropriate place to report electronic and telephonic violations of restraining and protective orders. The legislation will allow victims to report violations in the town where they reside, where they receive the communication or where the communication was initiated.

“The fight to reduce the incidence of domestic violence is an ongoing challenge,” said Gerald Fox III, House Chair of the Judiciary Committee. “Enhancing the tools of the legal system, particularly in the area of protective orders, is critical to the ultimate success of these efforts.”

The bill also requires that courts share protective orders with schools that victims attend, upon request of a victim. Current law requires that orders be shared with the police departments in the town where the victim lives and works and the town where the defendant lives, but it does not require that schools or campus police are notified of an order.

The legislation also permits judges to issue restraining orders for up to one year. Currently the maximum length of a restraining order is six months. Flexer said this change will reduce stress and risk to victims who will have to return to court and interface with their offenders less frequently.

Although threatening is often a precursor to serious violence, threatening with a firearm is currently a misdemeanor in Connecticut. This bill would make threats that involve the use of a firearm a felony crime. It also increases the penalties for stalking.

Flexer said with increasing numbers of people using texting as their primary way of communicating, the task force would like to see a 911 texting system implemented statewide. Unfortunately there a number of technical barriers to implementing 911 texting, so the legislation requires the Office of Statewide Emergency Telecommunications to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of developing a 911 texting system.

The task force, created by Speaker Donovan in 2009 and led by Rep. Flexer since its creation, has led the effort over the past few years to enact stronger and tougher laws to prevent violence against women and assist victims of domestic violence. Additional information about the task force can be found on its web site at http://www.housedems.ct.gov/DV

State Rep. Mae Flexer with John Filchak, NECCOG's Executive Director at the
State Capitol for a public hearing on Flexer's bill to extend the payment deadline for property
taxes if the taxes are due during a major storm, like last year's Tropical Storm Irene.

“During Irene towns had two choices—force folks who had no power and water, who may not even have had access to their banking or tax information to pay taxes or violate state law and extend the deadline,” said Rep. Flexer.

Flexer’s legislation (HB 5493) would allow property owners from having to pay property taxes if the taxes are due during a declared a state of emergency. Municipalities could extend tax deadlines up to five business days following the day on which the Governor proclaims the end of the civil preparedness emergency.

“Several of our towns [during Tropical Storm Irene] were essentially shut down for days and parts were not functional for more than a week. The focus of our towns, as it should be, during these events was on the health and welfare of its residents. Tax payments, despite the statutory requirements—were not a priority,” said John Filchak, the Executive Director of the Northeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (NECCOG), testifying in support of the bill.

Flexer, a member of Planning and Development Committee, said she is pushing for this change after seeing the hardships faced by towns in Northeastern Connecticut that were especially hard hit after by Irene.

“I represent Sterling which was the last town to have power restored after Irene. Municipal officials were focused on getting power restored, and food and drinking water to residents,” said Rep. Flexer. “The town did not want to force residents to pay taxes at a time like that, but they felt like they had no choice.”

Currently state law does not allow towns to extend the deadline for property taxes without having their legislative body vote on the extension. In many communities in Northeastern Connecticut, including Killingly and Sterling, the legislative body is a town meeting.

“Our tax collector was outside collecting taxes during the outage. I appreciate that she did her part, but it would have been nice if they didn’t have to do it,” said Russell Gray, Sterling’s First Selectman.

“Northeastern Connecticut needs opportunities to train people in a field that has available jobs and expansion opportunities, and manufacturing is certainly one of those areas,” said Representative Flexer. “As a proud alumnus of QVCC, I know that this project is the right move for the school and the right move for the region.”

The mission of the center will be to offer a variety of credit and non-credit certificate programs for incumbent workers, displaced workers, returning veterans, technical high school students and traditional college students. It will include a career-focused curriculum specifically designed for entry-level employment and employment advancement in the evolving manufacturing sector of eastern Connecticut. As part of the plan, the center will offer programs designed to provide high school juniors and seniors with opportunities to explore career paths in manufacturing. Additionally, the center will coordinate personalized career placement and mentoring programs

“The education and training provided by QVCC will ensure our residents are able to compete not only for the jobs of the future, but for the precision manufacturing jobs that are available today in eastern Connecticut,” said Senator Williams. “QVCC’s partnership with Ellis Tech is an investment in a jobs pipeline aimed at preparing students for in demand manufacturing careers.”

QVCC’s Manufacturing and Technology Center will allow the expansion of programs in advanced manufacturing and precision manufacturing. QVCC already has strong partnerships with the manufacturing firms in this area. The center will have a significant and positive impact on the region’s high unemployment, and provide opportunities for young people and working adults to obtain the skills needed to serve the state’s vital manufacturing sector.

QVCC’s proposal includes tripling the size of its manufacturing lab space—which combined with the ongoing renovations of Harvard H. Ellis Technical High School will create a critical mass of manufacturing training space in eastern Connecticut. The combined efforts of both these schools will lead to trained workers ready to compete for 21st century jobs.

Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport, QVCC in Killingly and Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury will share $8.9 million to be used to finance the design, construction and equipping of space for new manufacturing technology programs.

“I’m truly honored,” said Representative Flexer. “One of my goals when I was appointed Chair of the Task Force on Domestic Violence was ensuring that victims and their families receive the help they need, and also to raise awareness and reinvigorate the discussion on domestic violence. Receiving this award is testimony that we have raised awareness.”

Representative Flexer, who chairs the Speaker’s Task Force on Domestic Violence, is being recognized for her commitment to advancing the rights of victims affected by domestic violence. CT NOW called her a “leading voice” because of her work developing a statewide law enforcement model policy for police spending to domestic violence calls. The group also cited her proposed legislation to extend the maximum allowable length of restraining orders to up to one year and to increase to the accountability of batterers enrolled in the Family Violence Education Program.

CT Now said “most important” was Mae’s desire to change to change the public’s perception of domestic violence from ‘Why does she stay with him?’ ‘Why does she put up with it?’ to ‘Why does he think he can treat her that way.”

“We took a comprehensive look at police policies, arrest standards, and protective order enforcement—none of which had been seriously reviewed for over 25 years,” said Rep. Flexer. “Implementing a statewide model policy will better prepare our law enforcement for domestic violence situations and most importantly it will help better protect victims.”

“The task force’s recommendations build on a multi-year, bipartisan effort to improve our state’s response to domestic violence,” said Speaker Donovan. “This year's recommendations focus on making the system simpler to navigate. When a victim works up the courage to call police or leave her home, we want to make sure services are in place to support that decision. That's why our legislative priorities will focus on making it easier to get a restraining order and report a violation to police, keeping the victim informed of an offender's status, and improving law enforcement’s ability to respond to domestic violence calls.”

Chief among the group’s recommendations is implementing enhanced training standards to improve police response on domestic violence calls. Although municipal police officers and state troopers are required to receive domestic violence training—they do not all receive the same training. The task force is recommending that the state create one uniform policy that all of Connecticut’s law enforcement agencies will use when responding to incidents of family violence and violations of protective orders.

Currently, 16% of domestic violence calls in Connecticut result in dual arrest—meaning both parties are arrested. Rep. Flexer said that the dual arrests are an inadvertent result of tougher state laws requiring the police to arrest anyone they believe to have broken the law when called to the scene of a domestic violence incident.

The proposed statewide model policy more clearly explains self defense guidelines to police officers, which would help prevent the arrest of victims going forward.

The task force is also proposing improvements to civil restraining and criminal protective orders, including clarifying state law to allow minors to obtain restraining orders. Although minors are not currently prohibited from obtaining orders, the task force learned that minors have had trouble obtaining orders from some courts.

Presently, victims must return to court to renew restraining orders at least once every 180 days where they are often forced to interact with their offenders. The task force would like to extend the maximum length of restraining orders to one year so victims are no longer forced to encounter their abuser as frequently, potentially putting their safety in jeopardy.

“In our continuing efforts to reduce and prevent domestic violence, the task force has come up with another set of solid recommendations that are deserving of broad bi-partisan support,” said State Representative Clark Chapin (R-New Milford), a member of the task force. “For those recommendations that require legislative action over the next 10 weeks, I look forward to helping in moving them through the process.”

The task force is also recommending expanding the bail commissioner’s ability to provide for victim safety by requiring that bail commissioners evaluate safety as a matter of release. This will hopefully prevent future tragedies like the death of Milford’s Cathy Fox. Last August Cathy Fox was stabbed to death by her estranged husband after he posted $1,000 bond—despite the prosecutor recommending that the offender not be released.

They are also proposing improved notification for victims when a nolle or dismissal is entered in a case, when an offender violates probation or when the terms of an offender's probation are altered. This change would enable the victims to alter their safety plans. Changes in court proceedings or probation can be precipitating factors for additional violence.

Understanding that students are often victims of intimate partner abuse, the task force is also calling for a copy of protective and restraining orders to be sent to any school the victim attends, and to require defendants who attend the same school as their victims remain the prescribed distance from the victim while at school.

“The Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence—the state's leading voice for victims of domestic violence and those who serve them—is pleased to support the comprehensive recommendations of the task force which serve to strengthen communication, training, and systems aimed at helping victims,” sais Karen Jarmoc, the Executive Director of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “In a given year, our statewide coalition and its member programs serve more than 54,000 victims of domestic violence. Clearly, domestic violence is a problem in Connecticut and these proposed statutory and policy changes will stridently improve Connecticut's response.”

Although the task force secured funding to keep all of the state’s emergency domestic violence shelters open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the last two years, Rep. Flexer is concerned there could be proposals put forth to slash funding.

“Although these are trying economic times and everyone is looking at ways to trim our state budget, we cannot balance the budget at the expense of endangering victims and their families. We must maintain funding for 24/7 staffing levels at domestic violence shelters,” said Rep. Flexer.

The task force, created by Speaker Donovan in 2009 and led by Rep. Flexer since its creation, has led the effort over the past few years to enact stronger and tougher laws to prevent violence against women and assist victims of domestic violence. The new laws include improved enforcement of protective orders, funding for 24/7 staffing at domestic violence shelters, requiring certain high-risk offenders to surrender their firearms to police, and reforming the bail bond process making it more difficult for offenders to be released back into the community quickly.

Additional information about the task force and the full report can be found on its web site at www.housedems.ct.gov/DV.

Flexer said Malloy’s comprehensive proposal for reforming education in Connecticut from early childhood through college includes an additional $50 million in Educational Cost Sharing (ECS) funding to school districts throughout the state.

Under the proposal, Killingly would receive an additional $380,134 or 2.49%, Plainfield would get $207,080 or 1.35%, and Sterling would see an increase of $44,772 or 1.41%.

“I’m delighted that our schools will be getting more money. I have been pushing for increased funding and I appreciate Governor Malloy’s strong support for our public schools,” said Rep. Flexer.

Malloy’s proposal addresses many areas in need of reform, including: increasing the access to and quality of early childhood education slots; allocating new funding and implementing new approaches that will improve low performing schools; expanding slots for public schools of choice including charter schools; removing red tape and other barriers that stand in the way of local school districts; repositioning our vo-tech schools to promote job readiness and job linkages; and improving teacher preparation so professionals have the skills they need to excel when they enter the classroom.

“These programs are a great way for to folks to save money. If you haven’t already filed this year, visit IRS.gov or call 211 to find local sites for free tax help,” said Rep. Mae Flexer.

Free tax preparation services are available from now through April 15 through the Access Community Action Agency for low to moderate income filers. Trained, IRS certified volunteers can help residents get the biggest return to which they are entitled, at no charge, and have their refunds deposited directly into their accounts.

Tax preparers are trained in the newest tax laws and are able to advise the filers of available tax credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Educational Credits. For more information on the Earned Income Tax Credit or on locating free income tax preparation assistance dial 2-1-1 or visit www.211ct.org/taxes.

Flexer added that the governor and legislature created a state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)—a refundable tax credit for working people—last year which will increase state refunds for a number of residents.

Taxpayers with a 2010 income of up to $57,000 can also use the IRS Free File program which offers free access to commercial tax preparation software. Visit www.IRS.gov/efile to prepare, complete and e-file federal and state tax returns at no cost.

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.

Free assistance in completing Connecticut returns is available from the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services (DRS) by telephone at (800) 382-9463 or in person at their Hartford Office. Residents can also call 2-1-1 to find local tax preparation assistance options.

The 16 member task force chaired by State Representative Mae Flexer (D-Killingly, Plainfield, Sterling) and Karen Jarmoc, the Interim Executive Director of the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, was created by the legislature earlier this year.

Currently, almost 20% of domestic violence calls in Connecticut result in dual arrest—meaning both parties are arrested. Flexer said that the dual arrests are an inadvertent result of tougher state laws requiring the police to arrest anyone they believe to have broken the law when called to the scene of a domestic dispute.

“Victims should not be arrested when they call for help,” said Flexer. “Obviously we do not want the police to play judge and jury when they respond to domestic violence incidents, but we can—and must better prepare law enforcement to handle these situations so victims are not being dragged off to jail.”

The task force is recommending that the current Model Policy which the Police Officer Standards and Training Council (POST) utilizes, as well as the training materials utilized by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) be updated to better explain self defense guidelines to police officers to help prevent the arrest of victims. The task force also recommends that police supervisors should review domestic violence cases.

According to Jarmoc, the recommendations will provide law enforcement personnel with an improved working knowledge of the intricacies of family violence incidents through enhanced training.

“When the Task Force learned that police departments across the state were not all providing the same training to their personnel, we felt that a more consistent approach was needed,” said Jarmoc. “Today’s report sets important benchmarks for every department to meet when it comes to responding to a domestic violence call.”

“All police officers are trained and required to receive training updates on how to deal with domestic violence incidents, but the training varies from town-to-town,” said Flexer. “We are doing a disservice to law enforcement professionals—and more importantly to the victims by not teaching best practices to all of Connecticut’s police. Implementing a standard curriculum is a simple step we can take to improve the police’s response to domestic violence.”

The task force is also recommending a ‘train the trainer’ program be instituted to teach trainers best practices for educating law enforcement officers on how to identify and respond to domestic violence.

The state police currently require each trooper to undergo a standard domestic violence training every year. Municipal police are required to complete two hours of domestic violence training every three years. Because the relevant statutes and best practices may change from year to year, and domestic violence cases make up a large portion of local department caseloads, the task force is also calling for annual in-service trainings for both state and municipal police, including an update on changes to state law.

In addition the task force is proposing enhancements to the protective and restraining order system and the bail bond process.

Flexer added that students are often the victims of intimate partner abuse so the task force is also calling for a copy of protective and restraining orders to be sent to any school the victim attends, and to require defendants who attend the same school as their victims remain the prescribed distance from the victim at school.

The task force is also recommending expanding the bail commissioner’s ability to provide for victim safety by requiring that bail commissioners evaluate safety as a matter of release.

“The recent tragedy in Milford sadly highlights the need for bail commissioners to consider the victim’s safety,” said Flexer. “The prosecutor, who considered the victim’s safety, recommended that the offender not be released.”

The group is also proposing to allow the Judicial Branch to disclose nonconviction information to domestic violence advocates for the purpose of planning and protecting the future safety of the victim.

The task force’s full report and recommendations are available to read here.

Flexer, who chairs the Speaker’s Task Force on Domestic Violence, has led the effort over the past few years to enact stronger and tougher laws to prevent violence against women and assist victims of domestic violence. Additional information about the task force can be found on its web site.

A redistricting plan unveiled by party leadership in the state Legislature late Wednesday night is getting mixed reactions from officials and residents.

The new state Assembly and Senate district alignments, based on the results of the 2010 census, won’t take effect until 2013. Ten years of growth in Eastern Connecticut means big changes for several districts.

Norwich will have three representatives for the first time in a decade. Mayor Peter Nystrom said that leaves the city well-positioned in Hartford.

“It’s obviously a plus for us. If you go back 30 years, that’s how it was, so it’s a gain for the city,” he said.

The newest district in the city will be the 139th, now represented by Kevin Ryan, D-Montville. Ryan’s position as a deputy house speaker is a plus for the city as well, Nystrom said.

“We will be calling on him,” Nystrom said. “I welcome him representing the city of Norwich.”

Farther north, the 45th District, represented by Rep. Steve Mikutel, D-Griswold, will gain Sterling and lose half of Lisbon along with part of Plainfield.

Arthur Wall, of Sterling, said representation is mainly about the person doing the job. He said he’s seen state Rep. Mae Flexer, D-Killingly, who represents Sterling now, at town events.

“I know everyone thinks she’s done a great job, so I’ll be sad to see her go,” Wall said. “I hope the next guy can do a good job, too.”

Sterling First Selectman Russell Gray said his interactions with Mikutel have always been good, but he’s been very happy with Flexer. He said Flexer has been active in Sterling and is even a member of the local Ekonk Grange, so he does not see her interest in Sterling disappearing.

“I think, if anything at all, this is going to make my position better, because if I have any type of issue, I can go to two people,” Gray said. “I don’t see that I stand to lose. If anything, it can open a door.”

In Lisbon, which will be split in two after 10 years of being unified under Mikutel, First Selectman Tom Sparkman wasn’t worried about keeping his town’s voice heard in Hartford. But splitting the town into two districts would require a second polling place, he said, which could add some expense to each Election Day.

Split towns

In other towns in a similar situation, residents and officials said they hope to see more information soon about the new district lines.

In Colchester, most of the town will be in the 48th District, but a western portion along the East Hampton town line will be in the 34th. Tearice Peters, who lives in the western part of town, wasn’t sure what the changes meant for her.

“I need more details. There’s a lot of open space there, so it may not affect that many voters,” she said.

Lebanon Registrar of Voters Mary Beth Yarmac said she was caught off guard by news that Lebanon would be split between districts. Two-thirds of Lebanon will now be in the 48th District, along with most of Colchester, a sliver of North Windham and a portion of southern Mansfield. The rest of town will be in the 47th District, a sprawling district that will include Chaplin, Hampton and Canterbury through northern Norwich.

If the committee thought to divide Lebanon, with only 4,500 voters, Yarmac said, “it looks like they’re trying to come out to very close numbers.”

The Legislature’s close numbers also mean more work for registrars like Yarmac, whose towns are newly divided, she said.

“They’ve drawn a line on the map, now we have to see where people’s houses fall and let them know what district they’re in,” she said.

In another corner of the 47th District, Alan Nichols, of Canterbury, said the size of the district didn’t bother him as much as the towns Canterbury will be paired with.

“Similar towns have similar problems,” Nichols said. “I like Canterbury with Scotland and Sprague and those towns, but I don’t think we have much in common with Norwich, or even with Lisbon, with that big development.”

Reporters Adam Benson and Ryan Blessing also contributed to this story.

Local legislators celebrated the 100th birthday of Tina Olivo Friday at Westview Health Care Center in Dayville. From left are state Reps. Mike Alberts, R-Woodstock, Mae Flexer, D-Killingly, and Danny Rovero, D-Killingly. Emily Groves/ NorwichBulletin.com

Killingly, Conn. — Linda Colangelo said no one ever believes her when she tells people her grandmother Tina Olivo is nearly 100.

Colangelo, of Putnam, said the family brought Olivo to the Department of Motor Vehicles last week.

“We wheeled her in and said, ‘This is our grandma. She’s 100, and she’s here to get her driver’s license renewed.’ Everyone turned and looked,” she said.

Olivo, a former Putnam resident now living at Westview Health Care Center in Dayville, will celebrate her 100th birthday Monday Her “renewed license” is actually a state identification card and states in red print, “not a license to drive.”

Colangelo, who is the director of education and communications for the Northeast District Department of Health, said the family wanted to renew the license both as proof of her age and because Olivo always said she was most proud of voting and having her license.

Saluted by officials

A delegation of local legislators and family members began the centennial birthday celebration Friday with presentations of proclamations from the White House, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and the General Assembly. State Reps. Mike Alberts, R-Woodstock, Mae Flexer, D-Killingly, and Danny Rovero, D-Killingly, all read proclamations.

“Amazing,” Olivo’s grandson Paul Colangelo, of Brooklyn, said of his grandmother. “I don’t think I’m going to be that lucky.”

Olivo, whose full name is Artina Beatrice Stella Zanni Olivo, was born Nov. 28, 1911, in Providence. She married Anthony Olivo in January 1933. He died in 1980.

She worked as a buyer for ladies fashion at Pinkerson Dress Co. in Providence. She also worked at Universal Optical eyeglass company in Rhode Island. She retired in 1975. She has two daughters, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

According to her family, she loves Italian food, the opera singer Luciano Pavarotti and the Kentucky Derby. She also loves playing checkers, tic-tac-toe and the card game war, but family members allege she is a “notorious cheater.”

Colangelo said Olivo has no chronic illness and does not take any medication. She’s perfectly healthy, but because of her age she needs help transferring in and out of her wheelchair, and she doesn’t talk much.

Her family said she lives by the motto, “Live well, laugh often, love much.”

Brooklyn, Conn. — In the wake of Tropical Storm Irene, Connecticut Light & Power used the Brooklyn Fairgrounds as a staging area for hundreds of out-of-state crews brought in to help restore power.

Last week, more than two and a half months after it used the grounds, CL&P finally paid its $88,000 bill to the Windham County Agricultural Society, which owns the fairgrounds.

It took some urging from state Rep. Mae Flexer, D-Killingly, and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, to get the check written.

Sandy Eggers, president of the Brooklyn Fair, said a check from the utility company was hand-delivered to her Thursday.

“At this point, they’re in my good graces,” Eggers said Wednesday. “But last week, I was ready to call everyone.”

Irene hit in the middle of this year’s Brooklyn Fair, and Eggers said the agricultural society was “broke after the fair that wasn’t.” The tropical storm forced cancellation of the fair’s final day.

When CL&P asked to use the fairgrounds, Eggers said the society was quick to say yes and help in any way it could. The two parties hadn’t talked about any sort of a price at first. Eggers said the group would have done it as a donation. But the use by the company was so large and the society had been hit so hard by the storm, compensation was warranted, Eggers said.

But once the storm was over, Eggers had difficulty in getting the company to pay up.

Just before the Halloween snowstorm, Eggers reached out to Flexer for help.

Flexer said she waited until after power had been restored to the state from the snowstorm to talk with CL&P, and she also reached out to Courtney.

“And then the bill got paid pretty quickly,” Flexer said.

Courtney said CL&P’s delay in paying its bills from Irene crippled the state when the Halloween storm hit. Out-of-state crews reported they had not been paid for their work from Irene and so did not come to Connecticut’s aid in early November.

“It’s one of the issues that the state and federal investigations need to scrutinize,” Courtney said.

Jeff Tilghman, a spokesman for CL&P, said he was not aware of how long it took the company to pay the bill. He said he could offer no comment other than to say “that invoice has been paid.”

Eggers said she initially was angry about the delay in payment, but it’s something she can understand.

“I think they were being scrutinized for every expense after the storm, and they were reviewing everything, and then they got hit with the next storm,” Eggers said.

“Farming is a vital part of Connecticut’s economy—it generates $4 billion a year and employs thousands,” said Rep. Flexer. “I’m truly honored to be recognized by the Farm Bureau which helps to ensure that Connecticut continues to have a vibrant farming industry.”

Connecticut Farm Bureau Executive Director Henry Talmage presenting State Rep. Mae Flexer with a 2011 Legislator of the Year award. Flexer was honored for her strong support of legislation protecting and supporting Connecticut's Farms.

Rep. Flexer was recognized for championing legislation to help protect and support farms. This year she sponsored legislation requiring towns to consider agricultural viability and sustainability in local plans of conservation and development, and when changing local zoning regulations.

It also now allows municipalities to form local and regional agricultural councils that would promote and maintain local farming.

“Agricultural commissions are instrumental in promoting and preserving our local farms. They promote local agriculture, offer guidance to land use agencies, and educate Connecticut’s farmers about grant and commercial opportunities,” said Flexer. “Prior to this it had been confusing as to whether municipalities were authorized to form agricultural commissions. Now there is no longer any ambiguity that towns may establish agricultural commissions.”

In her first term in the legislature she fought for legislation providing economic aid to save Connecticut's last remaining dairy farms and made it easier for poultry farmers to sell products directly to consumers, restaurants and other businesses.

"In my three years in the legislature, fighting for the vibrancy of agriculture in our state has been one of my top priorities. I am proud of the work we have done to promote and improve agriculture in our state," Flexer said.

The Connecticut Farm Bureau Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to farming and the future of Connecticut agriculture. It advocates on behalf of family farms by focusing on economic viability, land use, labor, taxation and the protection of farmland.

“We have cut red tape and streamlined the state’s permitting process to make it easier to start new businesses here and to help established Connecticut companies expand. This has been one of my top priorities since I was first elected to the legislature,” said Flexer. “At a time when we need to be doing everything we can to help our companies create and retain jobs, today’s bill is an important step.”

Flexer said that the Jobs Bill (HB 6801) provides tax credits to firms that hire new workers, and companies that hire veterans, persons with disabilities or the unemployed will be given additional credits.

“This investment is a critical step towards bringing these groups, that have been highly impacted by the recession, back into the workforce,” said Flexer.

The Jobs Bill also contains short and long-term strategies to help ensure Connecticut’s workforce matches business demand by aligning programs at the state’s vocational high schools, community colleges and universities with the needs of employers, including manufacturing and technology companies.

"This bill also begins work on two other important goals—making the proper and much needed investments in our infrastructure and in our Main Street commercial centers," said Flexer. “Across northeastern Connecticut, you can find bridges that are in dire need of repair and downtown centers that are working diligently towards improvement. This bill will allow us to make important safety improvements to our bridges and give new life to the Main Streets in our towns."

It will also help local businesses by making $50 million a year available to smaller employers through incentives, grants and loans.

Some of the other provisions of the Jobs Bill include:

• Reducing the business entity tax
• $5 million for farmland restoration
• $20 million for remediating old industrial sites and brownfields
• Computer upgrades to foster seamless communication between business and the state
• Replenishing the Manufacturing Assistance Act (MAA)

Four committees of the General Assembly—Energy & Technology, Public Safety, Labor & Public Employees, and Planning & Development—will hold hearings on September 19th and 26th to hear from representatives and workers from electric, phone and internet companies, along with municipal officials and members of the general public.

“These hearings are an opportunity for the utility companies to explain why some Killingly and Plainfield families and businesses went nine days before having their power turned back on, and how could the entire town of Sterling go without electricity for a full week,” said Rep. Flexer. “Sterling also had no phone service for 48 hours—meaning no one could even call 911 if there was an emergency—which is simply unacceptable. We must make sure that our electric, phone and internet providers are properly prepared for the next storm.”

Flexer, who sits on the Planning and Development Committee, said that House Democrats have set up Facebook and Twitter accounts at www.facebook.com/pages/After-Irene-CT/262762473747233 and http://twitter.com/#!/AfterIreneCT to accept public comments and suggestions about experiences with the storm and the state’s readiness for and response to it.

Flexer added, “I’m pleased that we have set aside time for the public to testify, but I understand getting to Hartford on a weekday can be difficult for many folks, so I encourage residents to submit official testimony using social media.”

On September 19th, the hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. with representatives of CL&P, UI and municipal utilities, followed by municipal representatives and officials from telephone, cable and wireless utility companies. The hearing will conclude at 4:30 p.m.

On September 26th, members of the public will have the opportunity to appear before the committees beginning at 9:00 a.m., followed by union representatives and the electric utility companies. Members of the public will have an additional chance for comment before the hearing closes that afternoon.

The Task Force on Domestic Violence and Law Enforcement was created by the legislature earlier this year to develop a state-wide model policy for use by law enforcement agencies when responding to incidents of family violence and violations of protective orders.

Jarmoc, who heads up the statewide coalition which has 18 member programs delivering domestic violence services to an average of 54,000 victims annually, says that she is pleased to help lead the group. “In a given year, Connecticut’s domestic violence agencies are providing direct court services to some 37,500 victims where there has been an arrest. This task force provides an important opportunity for our comprehensive group to review current policy and make recommendations to strengthen our current response.”

“We have heard serious concerns from victims—and from law enforcement professionals as well—about a lack of timely response by the police to calls about restraining order violation incidents,” said Flexer. “And with 30 percent of criminal court dockets involving domestic violence it is crucial that we work together to improve response time and victims’ services.”

“Police policies, arrest standards, & protective order enforcement are important issues that have not been seriously looked at in over 25 years, said Flexer. “It's important to have this cross-section of experts studying these issues and revising our domestic violence laws to better protect victims.”

Jarmoc and Flexer were unanimously approved as chairs by the other members of the task force at its first meeting this week. The 16 person task force is comprised of advocates for domestic violence victims and law enforcement professionals including prosecutors and judges.

The task force will meet over the coming months and submit its recommendations to General Assembly before the 2012 legislative session begins.

STERLING — Around the last Connecticut town without any power Friday morning, even the hardiest natives were ready to scream.

"Day 5. Fix it" one roadside sign proclaimed. "Utility crews thank you. Can we be next?" another couple requested on a chalkboard outside their house.

"Nobody is happy. People in town are pissed," said Russell Gray, a former dairy farmer now serving as first selectman of this rural, woodsy community, which lies far from Hartford along the Rhode Island border.

Folks here never expected their small town of 3,751 to be at the front of the line in a state struggling to clean up hundreds of millions of dollars in storm-related damage.

But by Friday morning, when the power outage map showed Sterling as the last town without any electricity, this felt a lot like the state's forgotten community.

"People in northeast Connecticut have always felt that way. The way this situation has gone down has only confirmed that," said Rep. Mae Flexer, who was recharging her cellphone in the town hall parking lot.

"At the end of the day, it's a colossal failure on their part," Flexer said of CL&P. When she wasn't pleading with the power company on Friday, she was trying to get the state to deliver promised water and meals-ready-to-eat to Sterling.

On Sunday, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy plans to visit out-the-way Sterling, where he is sure to get an earful from a community that feels neglected.

CL&P "totally ignored this town, like we don't exist," said Tony Randi, who manages the town's only package store. He sat in the dark Friday morning beside coolers filled with warm beer that he worried won't be sold. "This is one of the biggest weekends of the summer."

It helped that repair trucks finally arrived late Friday morning and the first houses started getting their electricity back by afternoon, but full restoration was not expected until Monday. CL&P reported restoring power to one-third of its customers in Sterling on Friday.

At the Riverbend Campground, a beautiful Friday before Labor Day would ordinarily mean the beginning of the busiest holiday of the summer. Instead, owner Delores Sinko and her family were making cellphone calls to more than 200 people who had to be told the campground was closed.

"There used to be a big beautiful tree behind that building," Sink said, pointing to the campground. "We are already into the tree service for almost $20,000. "Labor Day weekend, it's like the nicest weekend. People are so relaxed."

This weekend, there will be no horseshoe games, campfires and no end-of-summer dance on Saturday night. "No phones, no power, no water," Sinko said. "No business."

With 48 miles of town roads criss-crossing 27 square miles, town leaders were at first overwhelmed by the storm's damage. By Tuesday, town crews and local residents had removed most of the fallen trees and branches from the roads. Town officials created a map detailing the 45 or so locations of downed power lines.

"We thought we'd do our part and they'd help us," Gray told me.

Last year the state recognized Sterling for the quality of its planning for an emergency. When the storm hit, the town lost power and virtually all communications, including 911.

"Nobody showed up. Here we are, Friday, they say they are on the way," said Carl Kvist, Sterling's director of emergency management, a few hours before the power company repair trucks arrived.

It wasn't like Sterling was looking for a handout this week. They would just like not to be elbowed aside by all those towns in Hartford and Fairfield counties they saw come back online while Sterling waited in the dark, like a community that's not quite part of the state.

All week, there were stories of neighbors showing up to cut up fallen trees or to check on the elderly. People live in this old mill town of farms and rural one-lane roads because they like to be away from it all.

"I'd rather be here than in the city," said Ed Oakley, who was cutting up a tree along Snake Meadow Hill Road with his son Dalton. Nearby, trees still rested on electric and telephone wires.

When the power went out, his family lost the beef, pork and other meat they had raised and recently frozen for the winter. "We lost everything," Oakley said, shrugging, before going back to his chain saw.

At the Oneco Market, which dates to 1820, manager Lynne Davis worked by candlelight and calculator.

"Every morning people show up and bring me breakfast and coffee, just because I'm open," Davis told me as she estimated the cost of a customer's purchase. "Out here, you get a hardy bunch of people."

Yes, but after nearly a week, they'd like their electricity back — or at least to be treated more like equal citizens of the state of Connecticut.

State Reps. Gerry Fox, Mae Flexer, Gov. Malloy, and Speaker Donovan at a ceremonial
signing of a new law that strengthens the state's response to domestic violence.

The new law (Public Act 11-152) was recommended by the Speaker’s Task Force on Domestic Violence created by Speaker Donovan in 2009 and led by Representative Flexer. 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, said we needed to change. This law sends an unequivocal message that violence against women is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said Rep. Flexer.

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.

“Stemming domestic violence is an ongoing challenge and protecting victims during each step of the judicial process is a critical component,” said Rep. Fox, House Chair of the legislature’s Judiciary Committee, noting 30 percent of criminal court dockets involve domestic violence. “This year we focused on improving law enforcement and victim services, such as reducing the number of offenders that get quickly released on bond before a cooling off period.”

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.

“Not only is this the second new law strengthening our domestic violence laws, but the state budget also included funding that will allow domestic violence shelters to remain open 24 hours a day and seven days a week,” said Rep. Flexer.

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.

Free summer fun is available to seniors through the Charter Oak Pass sponsored by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). The pass allows residents 65 and older free admission to all state parks and forests (excluding camping).

“Our state parks and beaches are one of the things that make Connecticut such a great place to live. This is a great way for seniors to get outside and enjoy Connecticut’s immense natural beauty—and do it for free,” said Rep. Flexer.

To obtain a Charter Oak Pass by mail, send a photocopy of your current Connecticut driver’s license or other legal proof of age and residency to: DEEP Charter Oak Pass, State Parks Division, 79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106-5127.

For more information about Charter Oak Pass, call DEEP at 860-424-3200 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday or visit www.ct.gov/dep.

Passes may also be obtained in person at Quinebaug Valley Hatchery on Cady Lane in Central Village between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Rep. Flexer noted that admission prices at Connecticut’s state parks and beaches remained the same as last year, unlike neighboring Rhode Island.

For children, the state judicial branch is sponsoring a day trip to Hartford on Thursday, August 11. Children will be able to explore state government through tours of Connecticut’s Supreme Court, State Capitol and the Museum of Connecticut History.

Activities include:

• A scavenger hunt in the Museum of Connecticut History, where you will find exhibits that trace the growth of the State and its role in the development of the nation
  
  
• Visiting the State Capitol’s Hall of Flags, which displays flags Connecticut soldiers have carried into battle, and also learn about the legislative process
  
  
• Celebrating the upcoming 100th anniversary of the historic Connecticut Supreme Court courtroom by visiting and learning about the room where Connecticut’s most important legal rulings have occurred

A full schedule of events is available at www.jud.ct.gov.

“I never imagined that I would meet a sitting president and I’m so honored to have received this invitation to the White House,” said Flexer. “This is an excellent opportunity to speak with President Obama and administration officials about issues we’re dealing with here in northeastern Connecticut.”

Flexer is one of a small number from the Young Elected Officials Network who was invited to the White House to discuss important issues facing states and localities.

The Young Elected Officials Network provides support and training for over 600 progressive state, county and city elected officials from all 50 states.

“These young leaders are on the front lines of progressive change, fighting for the values of fairness, equality and opportunity in their home communities,” said Andrew Gillum, Executive Director of the Young Elected Officials Network. “President Obama, a successful grassroots leader himself, understands that national movements are built by individual citizens and their elected representatives working hard to bring about positive change in their own communities.”

The legislation (HB 6629) was recommended by the Speaker’s Task Force on Domestic Violence, led by Flexer. The task force held a series of meetings and public hearings over the past year to hear from domestic violence advocacy groups, survivors, law enforcement professionals including prosecutors and judges, about ways the state could augment domestic violence reforms enacted last year.

“Domestic violence is an awful problem afflicting our community crossing all social and economic boundaries. Today’s legislation goes a long way to protecting the one in four women who experiences domestic violence in her lifetime,” said Flexer. “I want to thank the many victims, law enforcement professionals, and others that came forward this past year to let us know how we could improve Connecticut’s response to domestic violence.”

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. This bill moves us substantially in the right direction.”

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.

Today’s 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.

This is the second bill passed by the legislature to address domestic violence issues this year. Last week the legislature approved a bill requiring bail bond agents to charge the full premium and stop the practice of undercutting. Undercutting occurs when bail bond agents compete for business by illegally 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 released back into the community, sometimes without any “cooling off” period.

Flexer noted that domestic violence issues have taken center stage at the legislature this year.

“Not only is this the second bill passed this year addressing domestic violence issues, but the state budget approved a few weeks ago also included funding that will allow domestic violence shelters to remain open 24 hours a day and seven days a week,” said Flexer.

The Task Force, created last year by Speaker Donovan, was 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.

State Representative Mae Flexer presents Robert Brex, the Executive Director of Northeast Communities Against Substance Abuse, with a citation from the Connecticut General Assembly.
(L-R) Rep. Kevin Ryan, Rep. Mae Flexer, Robert Brex, Rep. Susan Johnson & Rep. Mike Alberts

State Representative Mae Flexer (D-Killingly, Plainfield, Sterling) praised Brex on the floor of the Connecticut House of Representatives.

“I’m so proud of Bob’s service to the state and I’m equally proud to have him here today,” said Flexer. “For 20 years, he has done a tremendous job at both preventing and educating our community about substance abuse.”

Flexer presented Brex with a citation from the Connecticut General Assembly and the entire Connecticut House of Representatives gave him a standing ovation.

“Bob has not only been Northeastern Connecticut’s leader on substance abuse, he has become a model of public service,” said Flexer.

Robert Brex was a founder of NECASA, which was established in 1990 in Dayville to prevent and reduce substance abuse in Northeast Connecticut. It offers services including continuum of care, community awareness and education, prevention, intervention, treatment and aftercare.

Flexer’s bill (HB 5866) which was passed with bipartisan support would require internet dating sites charging fees to provide their customers with safety tips and advice designed to make their dating experience, both on- and offline, safer. These include:

• Act with caution when communicating with any stranger who wants to meet you.
• Never include your last name, e-mail address, home address, phone number, place of work, or any other identifying information in your internet profile or initial e-mail messages.
• Stop communicating with anyone who pressures you for personal or financial information or attempts in any way to trick you into revealing it.
• If you choose to have a face to face meeting with another member, always tell someone in your family or a friend where you are going and when you will return.
• Never agree to be picked up at your home. Always provide your own transportation to and from your date and meet in a public place with many people around.

“With an estimated 20 million users, online dating sites have become a new place for sexual predators and financial scam artists to look for victims,” said Flexer. “Today we approved a simple common sense fix to state law to ensure that Connecticut consumers who use Internet dating services are fully informed and safer.”

Match.com recently announced that it will begin screening its customers against the national sex offender registry. The announcement was made after a California woman sued Match, after she was sexually assaulted while on a second date by a man she met on Match.com. The accused rapist has a violent history involving sex assault cases.

If Flexer’s bill becomes law, Connecticut would become the third state to regulate internet dating sites joining New York and New Jersey who have passed similar legislation. The bill now heads to the Connecticut State Senate for consideration.

In only her second term at the legislature, Flexer has become a strong voice for victim’s rights. As head of the Speaker’s Task Force on Domestic Violence, she was 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.

“Agriculture is important to our community–and to our economy. It contributes $3.5 billion and 20,000 jobs to Connecticut’s economy.” said Flexer. “Agricultural commissions are key to promoting and protecting our farms. These advisory groups bring farmers together with government officials, non-profits, local businesses and other members of the community to promote local agriculture, offer guidance to land use agencies, and educate farmers about grant and commercial opportunities.”

Flexer noted that current state law is unclear as to whether municipalities are authorized to form agricultural commissions. An Act Authorizing Local and Regional Agricultural Councils (HB 5472) would specifically allow municipalities to form local and regional agricultural councils that would promote and maintain local farming.

The legislation also adds agriculture to the list of things to be considered in local plans of conservation and development. It also clarifies the definition of agriculture for planning and zoning commissions so that they all have a uniform description.

The bill supported by Connecticut’s farming community, including the Connecticut Farm Bureau, will now go to the State Senate for consideration.

Currently no more than 10 percent of the state’s total budget may be put into Connecticut’s Budget Reserve Fund – more commonly called the Rainy Day Fund. Rojas and Flexer’s legislation (HB 6271) would increase the maximum deposit in the Rainy Day Fund to 30 percent.

Rojas and Flexer told the state legislature’s Appropriations Committee at a public hearing that increasing the Rainy Day Fund’s cap would help the state in the future avoid the problems of overconfidence that come along with having a “full piggy bank.”

“One of the great lessons of this recent recession is that as a state government we can be better prepared to mitigate economic downturns,” Rojas said. “That preparation can be assisted by having a larger capacity in the Budget Reserve Fund to help get us through deficit years without having to resort to unprecedented tax increases and/or spending reductions like we are facing today. The other important component to this will be that we have to develop better fiscal discipline during good times and use budget surpluses to grow the states reserves or to apply them to paying down bonding or other long term debts.”

“If we can put more money away during good times we will be better prepared to weather economic downturns,” said Flexer. “If we had been legally allowed to save more money for the many years we had a budget surplus, we would not be facing as dire a situation as we are with our current budget crisis. If we had more money in the rainy day fund, we could have avoided the current situation where some are suggesting tax increase or cuts in vital services at a time where when the need for services is greatest. The tax increases and cuts in services that we are facing could have been dramatically reduced if we had put more money in the Rainy Day fund over the last two decades.”

Flexer noted that had Connecticut had a higher cap we could have started this recession in 2008 with $2.85 billion instead of $1.47 billion (an extra $1.38 billion) in the reserve. “Even though we know the budget reserve fund will be empty for quite some time, it is imperative that we make these changes now especially as we consider revenue changes that we know will eventually lead to surpluses in the years to come,” she said.

“This is about protecting our agricultural heritage and character of our community–and jobs,” said Flexer. “Farming is a billion-dollar industry that provides jobs to thousands of Connecticut residents. We need to ensure that municipalities consider how their planning and zoning impacts farming.”

Flexer introduced legislation (HB 5470, HB 5471) that calls for towns to consider agricultural viability and sustainability in local plans of conservation and development, and when changing local zoning regulations.

Another bill (HB 5472) introduced by Flexer would allow municipalities to form local and regional agricultural councils that would promote and maintain local farming.

“Agricultural commissions are instrumental in promoting and preserving our local farms. They promote local agriculture, offer guidance to land use agencies, and educate Connecticut’s farmers about grant and commercial opportunities,” said Flexer. “Unfortunately current state law is confusing as to whether municipalities are authorized to form agricultural commissions. This legislation removes the ambiguity and makes it clear that towns may establish agricultural commissions.”

Flexer also introduced a bill (HB 5921) to allow municipalities to establish land banks. Land banking allows towns to remove abandoned properties from the market and either convert them into new, productive uses or hold them in reserve for other land-use planning or when the real estate market picks up.

“The ability to bank land for future redevelopment would be an important new tool for communities across northeastern Connecticut and across our state,” said Flexer. “Land banks will allow communities to put together multiple pieces of vacant or blighted properties over a period of time and construct a redevelopment plan that is thorough and comprehensive. Instead of piecemeal development, towns would be able to move forward with larger development plans with several facets including retail space, commercial development, and housing.”

“These programs are a great way for working families to save money,” said Flexer. “I encourage anyone who has not already filed their taxes to consider visiting IRS.gov or calling 211.”

Free tax preparation services are available from now through April 15 through the Access Community Action Agency for low to moderate income filers. Trained, IRS certified volunteers can help residents get the biggest return to which they are entitled, at no charge, and have their refunds deposited directly into their accounts.

Tax preparers are trained in the newest tax laws and are able to advise the filers of available tax credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit and Educational Credits. For more information on the Earned Income Tax Credit or on locating free income tax preparation assistance dial 2-1-1 or visit www.211ct.org/taxes.

Taxpayers with a 2010 income of up to $58,000 can also use the IRS Free File program which offers free access to commercial tax preparation software. Visit www.IRS.gov/efile to prepare, complete and e-file federal and state tax returns at no cost.

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.

 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.

“We made important progress in empowering victims, law enforcement personnel and service providers with groundbreaking legislation a year ago,” said Donovan. “We still must do more to put a stop to these horrific crimes. I am encouraged that this task force is doing everything it can to prevent family violence and ensure that victims of domestic violence are receiving the help they need.”

“We have looked at domestic violence from a variety of angles and today’s recommendations show real breadth and depth,” said Flexer. “With one in every four women experiencing domestic violence in their lifetime, we need to continue working together to improve both protection for victims and the overall prevention of domestic violence.”

Chief among the group’s recommendations is a series of changes to the judicial system, including reforming the bail bond process to improve the state’s ability to regulate bail bond agents and professional bondsmen to stop the practice of “undercutting.”

There have been a number of serious and fatal domestic violence incidents—including the tragic murder of Shengyl Rasim last year in West Haven—where the practice of bail bond undercutting played a role. In these instances, bail bond agents illegally discounted the premium due on the defendants’ bonds and failed to charge for the amount they are statutorily required to charge. As a result, defendants post bond at rates lower than what the state requires and are released back into the community, sometimes without any “cooling off” period.

In 2010, Selami Ozdemir shot his wife, Shengyl Rasim, as she held her crying infant in her arms and their young son slept in the next room shortly after being released on bond following his second arrest for a domestic violence offense in a four month period. Ozdemir, despite having his bail set at $25,000, was bailed out immediately by a bail bondsman without Ozdemir giving any monetary compensation to the bail bondsman.

“With about 30 percent of criminal court dockets involving domestic violence, reducing its incidence is an ongoing challenge,” said State Representative Gerald Fox III (D-Stamford), who serves as House Chair of the legislature’s Judiciary Committee and is a member of the Domestic Violence Task Force. “These recommendations build upon the great progress accomplished last year with a focus on both law enforcement and improving victim services.”

The task force has also heard concerns about a lack of timely response from law enforcement to restraining order violations. To improve response time in these cases, the task force is proposing that a Statewide Law Enforcement Model Policy be implemented for the response to incidents of domestic violence.

The taskforce is also advocating improvements to the current restraining order laws. Among their recommendations are to permit teens to secure restraining orders against their abusive teen dating partners. Currently adults can secure restraining orders against abusive intimate partners, but minors can only secure orders against abusive adults.

“The issue of domestic violence crosses socio-economic and ethnic boundaries as well as party lines. I'm proud to join with others in the legislature in identifying ongoing problems with the domestic violence laws and in efforts to better assist victims and their families. I believe the Task Force has put forward significant recommendations to solve these flaws in the law," said State Representative Clark Chapin (R- New Milford).

Exposure to family violence has a lasting and traumatic impact on children, and recent studies have shown a strong link between untreated traumatic exposure and cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, lifelong mental health difficulties, incarceration, unemployment, violence and early death. In response to this, the task force would also like to incorporate trauma-informed care principles in the treatment of domestic violence victims to prevent chronic physical and behavioral health consequences and avoid the costs of managing chronic illness later in life.

The recommendations arose from a series of meetings and public hearings the task force held to hear from domestic violence advocacy groups, survivors, law enforcement professionals including prosecutors and judges, and others about the next steps the legislature could take to augment the domestic violence reforms enacted last year.

“I am very pleased with the accomplishments made by the Domestic Violence Task Force this session,” said State Representative Terrie Wood (R-Darien). “These recommendations will better prepare both the judicial branch and health care professionals to handle these sensitive situations in a positive and productive manner. I hope that the General Assembly gives these ideas serious consideration.”

The task force, created by Speaker Donovan, was 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.

“Sexual predators now have a new tool to find victims—internet dating websites,” Flexer told the state legislature’s General Law Committee. “We have a responsibility as lawmakers to amend our laws to reflect technological changes and protect our citizens.”

Flexer’s bill (HB 5866) would require internet dating sites charging fees to provide their customers with safety tips and advice designed to make their dating experience, both on- and offline, safer. These include:

• Act with caution when communicating with any stranger who wants to meet you.
• Never include your last name, e-mail address, home address, phone number, place of work, or any other identifying information in your internet profile or initial e-mail messages.
• Stop communicating with anyone who pressures you for personal or financial information or attempts in any way to trick you into revealing it.
• If you choose to have a face to face meeting with another member, always tell someone in your family or a friend where you are going and when you will return.
• Never agree to be picked up at your home. Always provide your own transportation to and from your date and meet in a public place with many people around.

Flexer noted that the overwhelming majority of individuals who use online dating services are searching for relationships, but there is a dangerous minority of users that customers need to be warned about. She cited a number of sexual assault cases that stemmed from internet dating including Jeffrey Marsalis, a serial rapist accused of ten rapes in the Philadelphia area and currently incarcerated in Idaho for the same charge, who met his victims on Match.com.

“Currently one in five Connecticut residents has  experienced sexual assault. My bill is a sensible solution to inform potential customers of the risks involved with using these sites and help protect women,” said Flexer, who noted that it is largely women, who are victims from this type of crime.

Online matchmaking is a billon dollar industry with an estimated 20 million users.

If the legislature approves Flexer’s bill, Connecticut would become the third state to regulate internet dating sites joining New York and New Jersey who have passed similar legislation. The next step for the bill is a vote by the General Law Committee in the coming weeks.

In her short time at the legislature, Flexer has been a strong voice for victim’s rights. As head of the Speaker’s Task Force on Domestic Violence, she was 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.

“I really enjoy meeting with my constituents and hearing what they are thinking, but getting to Hartford to meet with me is difficult for most people,” Flexer said. “This is great way to make myself available in an informal setting where folks can just stop by and chat.”

“I encourage my constituents to take part in the political process by contacting me,” said Rovero. “Meeting people in person, placing a name to a face often results in great ideas and solutions. I hope to see you on February 26th.”

This is an opportunity for residents to share their thoughts and concerns with their representatives, ask questions, get help or just meet.

The state lawmakers are encouraging Killingly residents unable to attend the office hours to contact them at the State Capitol at 1-800-842-8267.

Last January, Selami Ozdemir shot his wife, Shengyl Rasim, as she held her crying infant in her arms and their young son slept in the next room shortly after being released on bond following his second arrest for a domestic violence offense in a four month period.

Kevin Lawlor, State's Attorney for the Judicial District of Ansonia/Milford, told the Domestic Violence Task Force that his office undertook an investigation following Rasim’s murder and discovered several shortcomings in Connecticut’s bail bond structure which contributed to the shooting.

Lawlor’s office discovered that Ozdemir, despite having his bail set at $25,000, was bailed out immediately by a bail bondsman without Ozdemir giving any monetary compensation to the bail bondsman. This is due to a loophole in state law which provides a maximum allowable percentage fee that a bondsman may charge, but not a minimum required fee.

The bondsman is also not currently required to immediately fill out any paperwork outlining the contractual relationship between the parties.

Under normal circumstances, Ozdemir would have had to raise $2,500 to pay the bondsman prior to his release or provide $25,000 cash himself to the police. His ability to immediately be released prevented any cooling off period and allowed him to immediately leave the police department and obtain the handgun used in this homicide.

“Our current bail bond situation is not working for the victims of domestic violence,” said Flexer. “We have a system where no one knows how much money someone actually needs to come up with to be released. That means your bail could be set at $1 million, but you could be released without paying a cent if a bondsman is willing to post the bond for free.”

Flexer said she supports introducing legislation, similar to a bill that died last year, which would remedy this problem. Last year’s bill (House Bill 5147) unanimously passed the house, but it was never brought out for a vote in the state senate.

The task force, created by Speaker of the House Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) and chaired by State Representative Mae Flexer (D-Killingly, Plainfield, Sterling), was 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.

State Representative Mae Flexer is serving her second term representing the 44th Assembly District of Killingly, Plainfield and Sterling. She is hair of state legislature’s Task Force on Domestic Violence and the Internship Committee.

Flexer, a Democrat, began her second term representing the 44th Assembly District, which includes Killingly, Plainfield and Sterling. She was given the oath of office by outgoing Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz while surrounded by friends and family.

House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) named Flexer chair of the legislature’s Internship Committee last week. The Killingly lawmaker will also serve on the legislature’s Human Services, Judiciary, and Planning & Development Committees.

The Internship Committee oversees the Connecticut General Assembly’s internship program which pairs Connecticut students with state lawmakers for a legislative session, allowing students to become acquainted with both the formal and informal aspects of the legislative process.

“I am honored to be the only second term legislator named chair of a committee by Speaker Donovan,” said Flexer. “In today’s climate when too many young people are cynical about government or politics, this program is a great way for them to see democracy in action and that government can work.”

Flexer, who interned at the state capitol during her college years, noted that her experience led her to pursue a career in public service.

“I saw firsthand how our state government could have a really positive impact on people’s lives,” said Flexer. “My experience as an intern inspired me to go into public service. I know how important this program can be in shaping the lives of young people.”

The Danielson lawmaker will also serve on the legislature’s Human Services, Judiciary, and Planning & Development Committees.

The entire membership of the state legislature serves two-year terms. This year’s legislative session ends on June 8.