Eleni Kavros DeGraw

Session Wraps up, Thoughts on Cannabis Bill, In-District Event Success

While the 2021 legislative session faced unprecedented challenges and obstacles, bringing your concerns for our district to Hartford has been an honor and a privilege.

The virtual platform of this year's session was a bit of a learning curve, but it also increased accessibility and participation throughout the legislative process.

Many of you spoke during public hearings or submitted testimony via email, followed the budget from its initial drafts to the House floor, and even increased your communications with me to ensure your voices were heard. As we adjourned last week, I am proud to say my legislative colleagues and I worked hard to pass necessary legislation that our community will benefit from.

• Education Funding – Included in the 2-year budget:
  • We kept our commitment to funding our town's schools, ensuring predictability for our community.
  • Our budget honors the formula for state grants, which guarantees our town will not receive less than we were granted the year before.
• Tax Relief for Seniors – HB 6458 provides increased eligibility for property tax relief by:
  • Authorizing municipalities to lower the age of eligibility for property tax relief for senior citizens.
    • The property tax burden has become a financial hardship for some members of the aging community. This will ease the potential hardships for some of the aging community.
    • Of Note: I introduced HB 5857: AN ACT PHASING OUT THE PERSONAL INCOME TAX ON CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT INCOME.  It too was placed into the budget we passed and begins in 2024.
• Red Flag Law – HB 6355 works to temporarily remove firearms from those deemed by a court to be a danger:
  • This bill bolsters our current statute also known as the "Red Flag Law," which has fallen behind the curve since its initial enaction in 1999.
  • This law, also known as a Risk Warrant or a Risk Protection Order, established a legal procedure for the temporary removal of firearms from a person who may pose a danger to themselves or others.
    • The bill will also ensure individuals whose firearms are removed cannot acquire additional firearms or ammunition and requires individuals to apply to have the order revoked.
    • It is a life-saving bill that will only help our state mitigate gun violence.
• Domestic Violence – SB 1091 makes various changes in the laws relating to domestic violence, civil restraining orders, family violence, assistance programs, and certain crimes by:
  • Introducing a working definition of coercive control into Connecticut Law to protect partners and children.
    • This helps courts recognize that intimate partner violence and abuse doesn’t always look like a bruise or a broken arm.
    • Allows victims subject to coercive control by a family or household member to be eligible for civil restraining orders.
  • Establishing additional protections for tenants who are protected by certain orders of protection.
    • Requires a landlord to change a dwelling unit’s locks upon the tenant’s request or allow the tenant to do so within a certain time period.

Public Health highlights include:

• Increased privileges for PAs and APRNs to give home health orders (important bc many PAs are people's primary care providers)
• Extension of telehealth options
• An act requiring the study of the disparate impact of COVID-19
• Expanded newborn baby screenings
• Expansion of the organizations that provide mental health first aid
• Community opioid addiction prevention pilots

While this is just a short list of highlighted bills passed – they will all make great impacts for our town. To see the full list of bills passed by the House this session click here.

I also wanted to mention what you may have seen in the news about Native American mascots and funding from the tribes. I spoke with Superintendent Kevin Case who shared that Canton already has a committee reviewing the mascot, though Native American imagery has already been phased out. Additionally, Canton doesn't currently receive any tribal funding.

Although the legislative session has come to a close, I want to encourage you to stay connected to the legislative process in the future. I am always available to help, so please feel free to contact me at any time with your thoughts, suggestions, questions, or concerns.

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT REMAINS LAW OF THE LAND

Following a Thursday ruling, the Supreme Court has preserved healthcare coverage for millions of Americans.

You can read Governor Lamont and Lt. Governor Bysiewicz's statements by clicking on the image below:

SB 1201 A.K.A CANNABIS BILL PASSES THE HOUSE

On Wednesday, the House passed SB 1201: AN ACT CONCERNING RESPONSIBLE AND EQUITABLE REGULATION OF ADULT-USE CANNABIS.

As you can see in the detailed images below, this legislation was crafted carefully over the course of several years. The members of the legislature who worked on this bill looked closely at what other states who have legalized did well or did poorly.

This will be a living piece of legislation that we may have to adjust in years to come because as strong as it is, we can always make it better over time. Please email me if you have any questions. Eleni.KavrosDeGraw@cga.ct.gov

AAPI VACCINE EVENT THROUGH TODAY

The AAPI Vaccination Event continues at A Dong Supermarket in West Hartford through today.

The address is 160 Shield Street and clinic hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The first Pfizer dose will be offered as well as the one-time Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

We're all in this together. If you haven't been vaccinated please don't miss this opportunity to do so.

SBA: EXPANDING ACCESS TO CAPITAL FOR RURAL CONNECTICUT

The SBA, CT DoAg, DECD, FSA, SBDC and USDA will come together on June 30th at 3pm for a panel discussion to guide local growers and producers on direct funding opportunities and a wide network of additional support services for community and economic development.

Panelists will include:

• Bryan Hurlburt, Commissioner, CT Dept. of Agriculture
• David Lehman, Commissioner, CT Dept. of Economic and Community Development
• Carolyn Marlowe, Farm Loan Manager, USDA Farm Service Agency
• Catherine Marx, District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration
• Matt Pugliese, Associate State Director, CT Small Business Development Center
• Johan Strandson, Area Director, U.S. Dept of Agriculture

To register for the event please click on the image below:

SMILES & SUCCESS AT IN-DISTRICT EVENTS

Pups and Pride

We had so much fun in Canton for Pups and Pride Saturday! We had nearly 40 pups and so many pup families.

Rainbows were everywhere and a good time was had by all. Thanks Friends of Canton Dog Park and The Shops at Farmington Valley and all of the organizers (especially, Jane B., as it was her idea) for a wonderful afternoon. Please click the video below to watch our furry friends and their owners pass by.

Avon Pride Family Picnic

Every day is a beautiful day to have Pride and Sunday was extra special.

When I had a crazy idea to start events in the Farmington Valley (a movable feast of Pride), the Congregational Church, which has served as a home to social justice, was a natural choice.

Along with Anne Stanback, Carrie Lenarcic Firestone, Dana Barcellos-Allen, and the fearless team at ACC, an inspiring event was planned.

I’d especially like to recognize and thanks all of the high school students who bravely shared their lives with us and encouraging cis gender folks like me to stand up for our entire LGBTQ+ community.

Special shout-out to Representative Jeff Currey for supporting the event and to all of the local businesses who showed up and showed out for a beautiful Sunday afternoon.

CELEBRATING JUNTEENTH

Juneteenth, recognized as the date marking the end of slavery in the United States, has officially become the first legal public holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was signed into law in 1983.

President Biden made it official on Thursday.

June 19th is officially recognized as the day of celebration but because it falls on a Saturday this year, federal employees will have today off.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Wishing all of the fathers, stepfathers, and like-a fathers a very Happy Father's Day this Sunday. I hope you'll have time to spend with the special father figure in your life.