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Dear Friend,
This is my State Capitol update for the week of December 12.
If you prefer to watch rather than read, click the image below to hear about the issues contained in this newsletter. |
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Last weekend featured several parades and tree lightings throughout the district, so I hope you were able to get to one of them, or just to take a moment to appreciate the holiday displays in our town centers amidst everyone’s very busy schedules.
Tonight I am planning to take a tour of some of those holiday displays as a kind of reset from a cruddy day yesterday, which included a widespread power outage in Hartford that forced me out of my office (and, more importantly, also took out the power at a hospital), four hours trying unsuccessfully to get an MRI in Bloomfield for a knee injury (a reminder of the shortage of providers that causes people to delay treatment and/or travel far afield), and even discovering a mouse in our kitchen (first time for that in our current house). Those were really just inconveniences, but they definitely made me grumpy, so today I’ve been thinking about the habits of resilience which help all of us pick ourselves up after much greater challenges, and get back to doing what we need to do. Sometimes just making a cup of tea helps, as does the habit of writing a newsletter!
In terms of more bureaucratic challenges, I send my congratulations to the Town of Washington on being the first municipality in the state to successfully get authorized to install a speed camera under our new legislation! I’m hoping the process wasn’t too painful, but I’m sure being the first required tenacity (and, yes, resilience) so I look forward to learning from their experience.
This weekend includes the anniversary of the Sandy Hook shootings, an unimaginable tragedy in the wake of which many survivors have helped CT pass gun safety laws that keep us all safer, and brought resources to communities and families throughout the state. I hope you can join me at the remembrance this weekend on the White Hart Green on Saturday at 5pm. |
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Here’s a list of today’s topics:
- Student Loan Reimbursement Program Rolls Out in January. Click here.
- Reminder - DOT Road Work in Norfolk. Click here.
- Remembering Sandy Hook. Click here.
- Access Health Enrollment Deadline Approaching. Click here.
- Upcoming Events. Click here.
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Starting January 1, Connecticut college students will be able to benefit from a bill we passed to alleviate student loan debt. The reimbursement program, led by House Democrats and the first of its kind in the nation, provides up to $5,000/year for up to four years (up to $20,000) in loan forgiveness. Six million dollars has been allocated in the current budget cycle and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Office of Higher Education (OHE) may approve the participation of any person in the student loan reimbursement program who meets the following requirements:
- Must have graduated from a Connecticut state public or private college or university with a bachelor’s or associate degree or have an occupational/professional license or certificate or left such college in good standing and was granted a hardship waiver by the Office of Higher Education.
- Must be a CT resident for at least five years.
- Must have a Connecticut adjusted gross income of not more than $125,000 for single applicants and file a federal tax return as unmarried or have a Connecticut adjusted gross income of not more than $175,000 for married applicants and file a federal tax return as head of household, married filing jointly or a surviving spouse.
- Must have an outstanding student loan balance and have made payments in 2024 toward federal direct loans, federal direct PLUS loans, federal Perkins loans, CHESLA loans, other state’s sponsored student loans, or a private student loan.
Must have volunteered for at least 50 hours at a Connecticut nonprofit organization that is registered with the Department of Consumer Protection, municipal government, served on the Board of Directors for a nonprofit organization, or has military service after January 1, 2024.
This program represents a true bipartisan effort and will have a direct impact not only on Connecticut’s economy but also on its workforce.
Questions should be directed to OHE.SLRP@CT.GOV. The application process opens on January 1. For more information or to apply in January, click HERE. |
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CT Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is replacing retaining walls, slope stabilization and reconstruction of Route 44 in Norfolk. This project is scheduled to occur on Monday, December 2, 2024, and be completed on September 16, 2026.
LANE CLOSURE/DETOUR INFO
There will be a temporary signal installed to coordinate one-way alternating traffic on Route 44 in Norfolk from Monday, December 2, 2024, to Friday, November 14, 2025. Traffic control signing patterns, temporary signal lights, and variable messaging will guide motorists through the work zone.
Motorists should be aware that modifications or extensions to this schedule may become necessary due to weather delays or other unforeseen conditions. Motorists are advised to maintain a safe speed when driving in this area. |
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A date that never gets easier. So many lives were affected on this day in 2012, and many continue to struggle with the trauma that followed.
My thoughts are with the victims' families, the survivors of that horrible day, the responding law enforcement and the entire Newtown and Connecticut community. Though time has passed, you will never be forgotten.
Charlotte Bacon, 6
Daniel Barden, 7
Olivia Engel, 6
Josephine Gay, 7
Dylan Hockley, 6
Madeleine Hsu, 6
Catherine Hubbard, 6
Chase Kowalski, 7
Jesse Lewis, 6
Ana Márquez-Greene, 6
James Mattioli, 6
Grace McDonnell, 7
Emilie Parker, 6
Jack Pinto, 6
Noah Pozner, 6
Caroline Previdi, 6
Jessica Rekos, 6
Avielle Richman, 6
Benjamin Wheeler, 6
Allison Wyatt, 6
Rachel D'Avino, 29
Dawn Hochsprung, 47
Anne Marie Murphy, 52
Lauren Rousseau, 30
Mary Sherlach, 56
Victoria Leigh Soto, 27 |
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A deadline for Access Health CT's (AHCT) Open Enrollment period is fast approaching. If you want your coverage to start January 1, 2025, you must enroll by on or before December 15. If you enroll between December 16 and January 15, 2025, coverage will start on February 1, 2025.
Free help to sign up is available online, in person, and over the phone. Go to AccessHealthCT.com and click "Get Help" or call 1-855-805-4325.
For a list of enrollment fairs and to register, visit the Enrollment Events webpage. Information about enrollment locations and Navigator locations are also listed there. Customers can also get help from a certified broker or enrollment specialist in their community.
You can also chat live with a customer service representative by clicking the “Live Chat” icon on the website. Customers who are deaf or hearing impaired may use TTY at 1-855-789-2428 or call a relay operator.
Connecticut has one of the best health insurance marketplaces in the country. Now is the time to make sure you and your family are covered for your healthcare needs!
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ICMYI - Northwest Corner Events |
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Saturday, December 28, 2024 at 4 pm at Trinity Church ~ 484 Lime Rock Rd., Lakeville, CT 06039 |
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It is my honor to represent our district. I look forward to hearing from you about the issues raised in this newsletter, or any other topics you think I should know about. You can email me at maria.horn@cga.ct.gov or call me at (860)-240-8585. Thanks for reading, and I wish you a safe weekend.
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Sincerely,

Maria Horn
State Representative |
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