Cristin McCarthy Vahey

Earlier this week I shared a re-cap with some information about the state budget and legislation impacting workforce development and economic growth. Today I would like to highlight some other important legislation.

Health and Safety:

• Tobacco 21 - Prohibits the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, electronic delivery systems, and vapor products to anyone under the age of 21, improves enforcement and creates tobacco free school campuses. I was proud work with a diverse stakeholder group and lead the bi-partisan effort to pass this bill.

• Passed sensible gun violence prevention bills, including safe storage in the home, safe storage in cars, and a ban on “ghost guns”
• Allowed for the safe importation of prescription drugs directly from Canada, which will result in significantly lower prices
• Expanded eligibility for HUSKY A health insurance for adults
• Established a health and human services network to assess the needs of the LGBTQ community and make recommendations for improved service delivery

Education:

• Maintained ECS funding levels for Fairfield’s public schools
• Refunded the Care4Kids program, providing access to childcare for working families
• Allowed private institutions of higher learning greater flexibility in their ability to offer new, relevant, highly sought-after programs of study, ensuring that our students can remain competitive and employers have the educated workforce they need

Environment:

• Approved the State Water Plan to ensure that water remains a public trust
• Following Fairfield’s recent passage of a ban on single-use plastic bags, the state is phasing out bags in all towns in 2021

Seniors:

• Passed SB 832, improving public access to abuse registries used to protect seniors and persons with disabilities
• Preserved tax exemptions on pensions and social security income
• Rejected the Governor’s asset test for Medicare Savings Program for low-income seniors