Newsletter
July 28, 2021Last week was a busy week in our District. Between the conversation with our Police Chiefs on Car Thefts and community safety and the constituent coffee on Friday, I had the chance to connect with many of you. If you missed the safety conversation, it’s available on my Facebook page and I hope to host another coffee in the very near future.
The update this week is fairly packed with a combination of latest news, an exciting bonding update and more information on legislation we passed to help keep children safe.
Sending you my best wishes for a good week.
| CRIMINAL JUSTICE UPDATE |
THANK YOU FOR COMING!
Thanks to all of you who came out to the Coffee Hour session with friend and colleague, State Representative Tammy Exum, last Friday at BeanZ in Avon!
We had a great turnout and some spirited conversation around some sensitive topics but I'm glad we got to hear your concerns along with what we're trying to do to address those concerns and how to best represent you in Hartford.
| CRIMINAL JUSTICE UPDATE |
GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF $3.8 MILLION TO IMPROVE SECURITY PROTECTIONS AT THE FACILITIES OF 97 NONPROFITS IN CONNECTICUT
Governor Ned Lamont announced that his administration is awarding $3.8 million in grants to cover the costs associated with implementing needing security infrastructure improvements at the facilities of 97 nonprofit organizations in Connecticut.
The grants are being awarded under the state’s newly launched Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which was announced by the governor in February.
“We are fortunate to have so many nonprofit organizations in Connecticut that provide an incredible amount of services to the people of our state, and the Nonprofit Security Grant Program will help ensure that they have the resources need to make their staff and clients as safe as possible,” Governor Lamont said.
For more details please click on the image below.
| CANTON SET TO RECEIVE NEARLY $600K FOR FARMINGTON RIVER RAILS TO TRAILS GREENWAY |
This is so exciting! Please see the press release my office issued below for more details on the project. I was pleased to work with Governor Lamont to help secure funding.
| UNDERSTANDING TRISTAN'S LAW |
The safety of our children is my top priority as your representative in Hartford. This session we passed Public Act 21-20 to strengthen the traffic safety measures of ice cream trucks in order to increase visibility to other drivers.
This new law is known as “Tristan’s Law,” named after Tristan Barhorst, a 10-year-old boy from Wallingford who was hit by a passing car after purchasing ice cream last summer. Senator Blumenthal and our federal delegation are now advocating to make Tristan's law a nationwide standard.
This law requires ice cream trucks to increase their visibility to other drivers; warning drivers that children may be present by adding similar features to that of a school bus, such as:
- Red flashing lights on the roof
- Convex mirror on the front hood
- Front crossing arm attached to the bumper
- Stop signal arm extending horizontally from the left side of the truck
This law requires all traffic to stop ten feet in front of or behind the ice cream truck when the front crossing arm is extended. The law also prohibits trucks from vending ice cream on any road with a speed limit greater than 25 miles per hour or within 500 feet of an elementary or middle school on school days.
Additionally, the Department of Motor Vehicles is committed to include the new traffic laws around ice cream trucks in the Drivers Education curriculum, because the prevention of these accidents is dependent on all drivers knowing and understanding the law.
These safety features are vital to protecting all children across the state.
| ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE SUFFERING FROM "LONG COVID" |
With more than 600,000 lives lost across America (including over 8,000 here in Connecticut) since the start of the pandemic, we've known for some time how terrible a disease COVID-19 has become. Even for the people who have contracted the disease and survived, a significant number of those are still struggling with long-term effects (including excessive fatigue, shortness of breath, and "brain fog") months after testing positive.
For the many thousands across our state and country who are now dealing with what is known as "Long COVID", help is on the horizon.
On Monday, the Biden Administration, in commemorating the 31st anniversary of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), announced that some individuals who are suffering from the effects of "Long COVID" may be able to claim a disability under the ADA and other federal civil rights laws.
This landmark piece of legislation became law under the (1st) Bush administration. Though we need to continually revisit the Act, and it's important that within our own state, we continue to listen to the advocates on how we must update and move forward, today we celebrate the ADA's beginnings.
And, as always, a shout out to my Uncle Costa who had a hand in writing it. I was proud to help get HB 6121 A Workforce Development Pipeline for People with Disabilities--passed unanimously through both houses--alongside Representative Tammy Exum.
The changes announced Monday could potentially help certain workers with "Long COVID" secure job accommodations under the ADA, allow students to take advantage of reasonable services and accommodations in schools, and make it easier for people to access transportation and personal care resources to get around their communities.
Included among the resources in the administration's announcement are:
- Workers with Long COVID
- Students with Long COVID
- Guidelines for protecting against discrimination against people with Long COVID
- Resources for identifying local assistance services/programs
For more information on this announcement, click the link below.
| OUR CLIMATE CRISIS MADE VISIBLE |
Research shows that changes in our climate create warmer, drier conditions. Increased drought, and a longer fire season are boosting these increases in wildfire risk.
💡 Learn more about how wildfires affect our world HERE.
🌎 Take action and be a part of #GenerationRestoration HERE.
| CONNECTICUT RANKED #2 FOR COVID SAFETY |
Way to go CT!
You can check out the full report by clicking on the image below.
| AMERICAN DREAM TV COMES TO AVON |
Without further ado, the American Dream TV segment from Avon. I'd like to thank host David Brooke of Brooke Group Real Estate and producer Noe Gonzalez for taking the time to showcase some of the fabulousness of our town!
AMERICAN DREAM TV IN AVON