Maria Horn

Today is the 100^th anniversary of the ratification of the 19^th Amendment, which prohibited the states and the federal government from denying women the right to vote. After decades of protest and agitation, by many whose names are still not widely known today, women took a huge step towards true equality, a fight that continues today.  By some measures 100 years is a long time, but it is squarely within the lifetimes of women in my family I grew up with, and it is hard to imagine a world which did want their vote. 

I honored those women with a call this morning with the Town Clerks of the 64^th District (all women, by the way), to talk about the recent primary election and what could be done to improve the process for November’s general election.  I can’t emphasize enough what a fine group of people this is: dedicated, hard-working, knowledgeable, nonpartisan, and able to adapt when circumstances call for it.  And circumstances definitely have called for it this year: as if the pandemic weren’t enough, the storm damage took out power, phone, and internet for many voters throughout the district which added new hurdles. Every single one of the clerks in our district (and I’ve communicated with all nine of them) took actions, sometimes with imperfect or confusing information, to make sure voters were enfranchised. 
 
I ended the meeting with several pages of notes: suggestions to pass along to the Secretary of State, and information they wanted help getting out to voters, particularly in light of recent federal actions against the US Postal Service that have raised serious concerns. These notes will be the subject of a lot of communication in coming days, but here are a few critical pieces of information to start off with:
 

1. The polls will be open on November 3, and all voters will be able to vote in person if they choose.

2. An application for an absentee ballot will be mailed out by the Secretary of State to every voter in mid-September.  You can also get an application online, here: https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/SOTS/ElectionServices/Absentee-Ballot-Application-ED-3/ED-3-Rev-20-Final.pdf.  Please only complete one: you won’t be able to vote twice, but you will cause extra work for your Town Clerk. Also, please note this is not mandatory, and you needn’t fill out any form at all if you choose to vote in person (see #1 above)
3. For the general election on November 3, absentee ballots will be mailed out by your Town Clerk  starting on October 2. Our local postmasters work closely with our Town Clerks, and there are special procedures for ballots which get them priority treatment, so for those of you whose ballot is being mailed in town, that should help expedite the delivery of the ballots.
4. There is a ballot drop box at every town or city hall in the district: If you do choose to vote by absentee ballot (an option open to all voters this year), you can use these drop boxes for both applications and ballots, and avoid using the mail at all.  (Please only use the one in the town where you vote.)
5. When in doubt, call your Town Clerk. 

I also want to flag a new set of proposals announced yesterday by the Co-Chairs of the Energy and Technology Committee, collectively called the “Take Back the Grid Act” that address the serious and systemic failures of Eversource to communicate with local elected officials, to provide make safe crews to our towns, and to compensate ratepayers for damages caused by multiple days without power.  (See section below describing the proposal more fully.)  I applaud this excellent start to the conversation about creating more accountability in our utilities, and look forward to continuing to keep up the pressure. A committee hearing, at which Eversource CEO Jim Judge is expected to testify, is tentatively scheduled for August 27. 
 
Here’s a list of today’s topics:

• Executive Order No. 7NNN signed, concerning requirements for face coverings and private gatherings
• Holding Electric Utilities Accountable: The Take Back Our Grid Act
• Connecticut Gets Federal Approval for Food Replacement Benefits for All SNAP Recipients Statewide
• Milling and Resurfacing Project on Route 44 in Salisbury
• Connecticut Tax-Free Week 

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “COVID-19 Data Tracker.”
 
Executive Order No. 7NNN signed, concerning requirements for face coverings and private gatherings
 
At the request of Governor Lamont, Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz – in her capacity as acting governor – signed Executive Order No. 7NNN enacting the following provisions:

• Modifications to face covering requirements: This order replaces Executive Order No. 7BB, which required the wearing of face coverings in public places in Connecticut, with a similar order that requires anyone declining to wear a mask or face covering because of a medical condition to have documentation of the condition. It also contains provisions for people with disabilities to obtain such documentation without facing a significant burden.
• Permission for DECD commissioner to establish size limits for private gatherings: Permits the commissioner of DECD to issue or amend Sector Rules to establish size limits for private gatherings of people who do not live in the same household, regardless of whether such gathering has been organized by a business.

Holding Electric Utilities Accountable: The Take Back Our Grid Act
 
The Chairs of the Energy & Technology Committee have proposed The Take Back our Grid Act, which proposes substantial restructuring of electric distribution companies, including:

• Justice for Ratepayers: Hold Electric Distribution Companies Legally Liable. Current law essentially absolves electric distribution companies from being held liable for costs incurred by citizens during extended power outages.  That must change. The proposed legislation would include:
  • Compensation for consumers and required back-up generation for critical needs customers: $100 a Day after 48 Hours & $500 for Lost Food & Medicine; the company could not seek rate recovery for these costs.
• Bolster the Civil Penalty Authority of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA).  Current law allows PURA to impose civil penalties on the electric distribution companies, and prohibits those companies from recovering those penalties from ratepayers.  The proposed legislation would authorize PURA to return that penalty to customers in the form of an immediate bill credit, energy assistance grant, and/or offsets to necessary system upgrade costs.
• Change Legal Liability of Utilities: Currently, electric distribution companies include overly broad disclaimers that attempt to limit their liability for damages resulting from service interruption. The proposed legislation would prohibit them from shirking their financial liability for damage to customers they have caused.
• Reforms and Requirements for Electric Distribution Companies
  • Require minimum, in-state, on direct payroll staffing: For over a decade, electric distribution companies have outsourced the power grid management to sub-contractors, reducing in-house workers.  The proposed legislation would require them to maintain proper staffing levels on their direct payroll to ensure rapid local response.
• Mandate the Burying of Power Lines. The proposed legislation would require lines to be buried where possible, and mandate this in the case of new residential, commercial, or industrial development.
• Ratepayers Needs, Not Corporate Greed: Curbing Excessive Profits of Electric Providers. The present compensation system for upper management in electric distribution companies incentivizes and rewards shareholder returns over customer service and ratepayer value. Those priorities must change. 
  • Public Hearings on How Rates are Developed. CT has some of the highest electric rates in the country, and every charge on a customer’s bill must be explained and justified at public hearings that give PURA the ability to ensure they do not make a profit on pass-through expenditures.
  • Ensuring Representation of Relevant Stakeholder Groups in PURA Dockets: the proposed legislation would make it easier for nonprofits and customer groups to participate in PURA proceedings.
  • Proposed Rate Increases Tied to Corporate Profits: the proposed legislation would require the entire regional grid to be taken into consideration, not just CT, and would empower PURA to set rates in such a way that make utility company executives accountable to ratepayers.
  • More Electric Options for Consumers & Decentralizing the Grid: the proposed legislation would create a more competitive marketplace by removing laws and regulations preventing customers from operating “off the grid” through solar or other emerging technologies.
  • New Local Renewable Energy Options & Further Decentralizing the Grid: the proposed legislation would provide for state funding support for new municipal and neighborhood-sized renewable energy microgrids, helping drive down rates for all.
  • Freeze on Rate Increases: the proposed legislation would prohibit the electric distribution companies from seeking any new rate increases associated with the operation and maintenance of its system for a minimum of two calendar year.  This rate freeze allows time for the state and regulators to complete the process of mapping out a modernization plan.
  • Tying Cost Recovery to Storm Response: the proposed legislation would explicitly tie cost recovery for storm preparation and response to the performance of the company during the restoration process. 

Connecticut Gets Federal Approval for Food Replacement Benefits for All SNAP Recipients Statewide
 
Over 210,600 Connecticut households enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will receive federal storm-related food replacement benefits, Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Deidre S. Gifford announced.
 
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has approved $9.9 million in food assistance for Connecticut SNAP recipients statewide, based on an analysis of Tropical Storm Isaias power outages and federal guidelines for replacement benefits. Replacement benefits range from $10 to over $230, depending on income and household size, with the average replacement benefit estimated at $61.
 
All 210,600 SNAP-enrolled households (nearly 387,000 people) will automatically receive 20 percent of their August benefit amount in electronic benefit transfer (EBT) accounts on a date to be announced by DSS after systems planning.
 
Individual requests for SNAP replacement benefits are also being handled by DSS, with information available atwww.ct.gov/snap and www.endhungerct.org. If individual replacement benefits are requested, DSS will determine the amount of replacement benefits and exclude the recipient from the statewide automatic distribution.
 
SNAP benefits can be used only for federally approved food items at supermarkets, grocery stores, approved online retailers and farmers’ markets.
 
Milling and Resurfacing Project on Route 44 in Salisbury
Beginning on Tuesday, September 8, the Connecticut Department of Transportation will perform a milling and resurfacing project on Route 44 in Salisbury.
The project consists of milling and resurfacing a 3.06-mile segment of Route 44 from Route 41 to the New York state line. The milling portion of the project is scheduled to occur on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, and be completed on Friday, September 11, 2020. The resurfacing portion of the project is scheduled to occur on Monday, September 21, 2020, and be completed on Wednesday, September 30.  As always, delays may occur due to weather or other unforeseen conditions. 
Motorists can expect delays and alternating one-way traffic. Traffic control personnel will be on site. The regular work schedule for this project is 7:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Please drive safely!
 
Connecticut Tax-Free Week 
Because we all need to catch a break, particularly with the start of school around the corner, a reminder that this week is Connecticut Tax-Free Week. During this one-week sales tax holiday, retail purchases of most clothing and footwear items priced under $100 are exempt from Connecticut sales and use tax. This exemption applies to each eligible item under $100, regardless of how many of those items are sold to a customer on the same invoice.
 
For more information, click here: https://portal.ct.gov/DRS/Sales-Tax/Sales-Tax-Free-Week
 
 
Governor Lamont encourages residents to sign up for the state’s CTAlert notification system
 
Governor Lamont is encouraging Connecticut residents to sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system, which provides text message notifications to users. To subscribe, text the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.
 
Providing information to Connecticut residents
 
For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ and other guidance and resources, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus.
 

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance. Relay services can be accessed by calling 7-1-1. Anyone who is out-of-state or using Relay can connect to Connecticut 2-1-1 toll free by dialing 1-800-203-1234. The hotline is intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms is strongly urged to contact their medical provider.