Maria Horn

The House was “in session” this week, which means that we were “sitting” as a body to debate and vote on bills.  I put “sitting” in quotes because, while we were usually seated, we were not seated as a body in our traditional, and beautiful, House chamber.  Under current rules, in order to votes on bills we are required to be physically located on the property of the Capitol in Hartford, but we are not all permitted to be physically present in our chamber.  We vote from our offices and are still adjusting to the announcement read over the public address system which now says “members to your portals” to alert us to a vote. It still sounds like something out of science fiction.
 
Given the unusual procedures governing this term, we’re trying to move some business a little earlier than usual, so this week we voted on bills that would prevent double taxation of people working from home (who used to work in buildings located in other states), eliminated welfare liens that held back people who have climbed out poverty, set aside increased funds for towns that have significant amounts of nontaxable property, provided incentives for data centers to locate in Connecticut, and banned racial discrimination based on hairstyle. These bills now go to the Senate, which will be in session on Monday, March 1.
 
There are many significant hearings going on next week.  One big issue that is likely to get a public hearing the following week, probably on March 9, is the Governor’s bill on universal broadband.  I know there is a lot of interest in this topic in our neck of the woods, so I hope many of you plan to submit testimony and/or sign up to testify in person.  As soon as that date is confirmed, I will share how and when to sign up and submit. Please let me know if you’re interested!

 

Here’s a list of today’s topics:

• COVID Variant Update. Click here.
• Data on Vaccine Administration. Click here. 
• Johnson & Johnson Vaccines in CT. Click here. 
• Nursing Home Update. Click here.
• COVID Update Map. Click here. 
• CT Ranks First in AP Scores. Click here.
• Governor Lamont Urges Regulators to Reject Service Disconnection Plan. Click here.

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, “Data Tracker.”
 
Additional 21 cases of B.1.1.7 variant reported in Connecticut, bringing statewide total confirmed to 63
 
The Connecticut Department of Public Health today announced that an additional 21 cases of the B.1.1.7 variant of COVID-19, commonly known as the UK variant, have been reported among Connecticut residents, bringing the statewide total number of confirmed cases of this variant to 63.
 
The specimen collection dates for these newly identified cases are from between February 3 and February 17, 2021, and the individuals involved range in age from 5 to 80 years old.
 
The 21 individuals are residents of the following towns:
 

• Bridgeport (1)
• Guilford (1)
• Hamden (1)
• Meriden (1)
• New Haven (12)
• Stamford (2)
• Wallingford (1)
• West Haven (2)

Data updates on vaccine administration in Connecticut
 
The following data represents the total number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered in Connecticut, as reported to the state as of this week:
 

Dose	Total Administered
First doses administered	582,786
Second doses administered	304,539
Total	887,325

 

 
Connecticut continues to rank in the top four states in the nation for vaccine distribution.
 
So far, the state has vaccinated:
 

• 73 percent of its population over the age of 75
• 44 percent of its population between the ages of 65 and 74

 
Those who are currently eligible to receive the vaccine under Connecticut’s COVID-19 vaccination program include all individuals over the age of 65, as well as all healthcare personnel, medical first responders, residents and staff of long-term care facilities, and residents and staff of select congregate settings. Over the coming weeks, eligibility will expand based on age according to the following schedule:
 

• March 1, 2021: Expands to ages 55 to 64
• March 22, 2021: Expands to ages 45 to 54
• April 12, 2021: Expands to ages 35 to 44
• May 3, 2021: Expands to ages 16 to 34

 
In addition, the program will expand in March to include preK-12 school staff and teachers, as well as early childhood providers, all of whom will be provided the vaccine at dedicated clinics specifically set up for those workers.
 
Information on Connecticut’s COVID-19 vaccination program is available at ct.gov/covidvaccine.
 
Connecticut expected to receive 30,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine next week, pending anticipated FDA approval
 
Governor Lamont announced that his administration was informed by the federal government yesterday that Connecticut is expected to receive 30,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine next week, pending approval of the vaccine by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, which could come as early as this weekend.  An additional 8,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are expected to be available through CVS and Walgreens. 
 
This is in addition to 100,000 doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines which are also anticipated next week.
 
 
Weekly update on the impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes and assisted living facilities
 
The following documents contain the weekly data regarding each of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Connecticut that have reported positive cases of COVID-19 among their residents. The data is presented as it was reported to the state by each of the facilities.
 

**Download: Report from February 25, 2021 on COVID-19 in Connecticut nursing homes **Download: Report from February 25, 2021 on COVID-19 in Connecticut assisted living facilities

 
Weekly update of the Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 Alert Map: 116 of 169 municipalities in red zone alert level
 
The Connecticut Department of Public Health today released its weekly COVID-19 Alert Map, which indicates that 116 of 169 towns and cities in Connecticut are currently in the red zone alert level, the highest of the state’s four alert levels.
 
The municipalities in the 64^th District that are not in the red zone this week include:
 

• Salisbury, which is in the orange alert level;
• Canaan, Cornwall, and Goshen, all of which are in the gray alert level.

 
The color-coded zones include:
 

• Red: Indicates case rates over the last two weeks of greater than 15 per 100,000 population
• Orange: Indicates case rates between 10 to 14 cases per 100,000 population
• Yellow: Indicates case rates between 5 and 9 per 100,000 population
• Gray: Indicates case rates lower than five per 100,000 population

 
The weekly alert map is also accompanied by a chart that provides guidance on recommended actions based on the alert levels for individual residents; institutions such as schools, houses of worship, and community organizations; and municipal leaders and local health directors.
 
The COVID-19 Alert Map is updated every Thursday afternoon and can be found in the Data Tracker page of the state’s coronavirus website at ct.gov/coronavirus.
 
 
Connecticut ranks first in AP scores
 
For the first time ever, Connecticut ranked best in the nation on student performance of advanced placement (AP) exams, based on data from 2020 high school graduates. The College Board Report also shows noticeable increases among students from low-income families, and black and Hispanic students.  That is a significant achievement in light of hurdles faced by students and teachers during the pandemic, and is a sign of hope as we look to bounce back in 2021.
 
You can read the Governor’s full press release here: https://bit.ly/2MqdG9L 

Governor Lamont urges regulators to reject plan to resume service disconnections
 
Eversource Energy and United Illuminating Company recently submitted a request to resume disconnecting customers for non-payment for the first time since the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) implemented a shut-off moratorium in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This week Governor Lamont formally filed an objection, asking PURA to reject that request.
 
The Lamont administration’s objection, which was made through the leadership of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), noted that resuming disconnections at this time would have a devastating impact on many customers who are still struggling to pay their utility bills in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
 
The shutoff moratorium has provided important financial relief and contributed to significant social and health benefits. A recent study performed by the National Bureau of Economic Research estimated that “moratoria on utility disconnections reduce[d] COVID-19 infections by 4.4 percent and mortality rates by 7.4 percent.”
 
In the objection, DEEP pointed out that disconnections should not resume until additional protections for struggling ratepayers are in place, noting that many ratepayers will soon be eligible for some level of assistance from the federal government, which has designated more than $200 million to Connecticut to assist renters with rent and utility payments.
 
 
Providing information to Connecticut residents
 
For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus. Residents can also subscribe to text message alerts from the state by texting the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.
 
Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance. Anyone who is out-of-state or requires a toll-free number can connect to Connecticut 2-1-1 by dialing 1-800-203-1234. This 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 are strongly urged to contact their medical provider.