Kara Rochelle

This Friday, October 22 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., I will be hosting a Legislative Coffee Update with Senator Jorge Cabrera and State Representative Mary Welander at the Valley Diner in Derby. All are welcome!

I hope to see you there!

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me at Kara.Rochelle@cga.ct.gov.

I am grateful to work alongside dedicated public servants to secure this vital funding for seniors living in this building. It was truly a team effort made possible by everyone doing their part. Senator Jorge Cabrera and I worked diligently with state and local officials to obtain these funds to help improve these apartments and enhance the quality of life offered to residents.

The funding will be used to make improvements including the replacement of the building's elevator, repairs to the roof and interior ceilings to address recent leaks and water damage, and procurement of two emergency generators. Additional upgrades will include the replacement of windows and interior and exterior doors to improve insulation and security, and updating the heating system and making energy enhancements, including energy efficient lighting.

Last month, the Connecticut General Assembly's Commerce, Housing, and Appropriations Committees, which have cognizance over the funds, held a joint public hearing followed by individuals committee meetings to approve the use of federal funds for the grants. As Vice-Chair of the Commerce Committee, I passionately advocated for these funds for Ansonia. 

Our seniors are important and I am proud to play a part in securing the grant to meaningfully improve the lives of the residents at the James J. O'Donnell Apartments. When we work collaboratively, we can achieve great things for our community. 

You can read more about this announcement on the WTNH website here. You can also find a recording of the press conference on the TEAM, Inc. Facebook page, here.

This year, I was proud to help secure $5 million in the legislature's bond bill to advance manufacturing training across our state, accelerating the implementation of a pilot program I developed and passed in 2019 to expand the community college Advanced Manufacturing Certificate Program into more Connecticut high schools. This provision will strengthen the educational workforce pipeline and provide students and adults with the skills needed to compete for thousands of good-paying manufacturing jobs currently available across Connecticut. I also advocated for and helped secure an extension of tax breaks for small manufacturers in the state budget.

Earlier this year, I worked to ensure the state budget included funding for Ansonia to potentially send high school students to Derby High School's manufacturing program. I also helped drive the effort to open the Housatonic Community College Advanced Manufacturing Certificate Program to adult learners in the lower Valley, which began accepting students earlier this year. This session, I also backed the creation of the Office of Workforce Strategy and legislation that establishes a taskforce to ensure Connecticut is responsive to modern manufacturers' workforce and technological needs, positioning the state to become a leader in the Industry 4.0 economy.

Founded in 1913, ManufactureCT, is among the longest-running industry groups to serve manufacturers in Connecticut.

In 2019, ManufactureCT celebrated entry into its second century by officially becoming a statewide forum for community and business leaders focused on sharing perspectives from inside manufacturing facilities to build collective strength for the sector.

Members are mostly manufacturers with advanced manufacturing capabilities. The directory spans firms that make precision instruments for medical and aerospace industries, security devices for information systems, specialty chemicals, fixtures in metals, plastics, and other materials using a range of technologies and processes from 3D printing to traditional stamping and machine tooling, and more. Some have been operating as family businesses for several generations, others are larger, multinational corporations. Member companies have achieved significant milestones, including induction into the American Manufacturers Hall of Fame. You can read more about ManufactureCT here.

• SB 1202, An Act Concerning Provisions Related to Revenue and Other Items to Implement the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2023, invests in education and our future by adjusting the Education Cost Share formula to better serve Ansonia, Derby, and communities like ours.
  • It provides additional support for school districts to teach reading to our youngest students, expands workforce training, and fully funds debt-free community college. 
  • The budget also increases the state's earned income tax credit from 23 percent to 30.5 percent, benefitting 195,000 working families.
  • The budget cut taxes for retirement
• HB 6687, An Act Concerning Medical Assistance for Children and Adults Without Health Care Coverage, expands healthcare coverage to all children 8 and under who otherwise are not able to get coverage. 
• SB 1004, An Act Concerning Dental and Vision Insurance Coverage for Children, Stepchildren and Other Dependent Children, requires health, vision, and dental plans to cover dependents up to age 26 on their parents’ insurance plans to ensure all families get covered. (PA 21-149)
• HB 6526, An Act Concerning Electric Suppliers, requires greater transparency and accountability from power companies. Now, electric suppliers:
  • Cannot charge a fee to any residential customer for termination or early cancellation of a contract.
  • Must provide a written notice of contract expiration to residents between 30-60 days prior to such expiration.
  • Must provide a cover page highlighting any changes between a resident's new contract and old contract.
  • Cannot charge a service rate that is more than the first price term offered in a contract without 30-day notification prior to the contract's effect.
  • Cannot charge a variable rate to residential customers.
  • Cannot transfer a customer to a different provider without approval of PURA.
• HB 5158, An Act Concerning Breastfeeding in the Workplace, requires employers to provide a space to breastfeeding mothers to pump at work and creates tax exemptions on breastfeeding supplies.
• HB 6558, An Act Concerning Issues Relating to the Provision of Early Childhood Education Services in Connecticut, expands the Care for Kids program so parents pursuing their education can access affordable childcare.

This session, I proudly helped deliver additional state funding for our community and will continue to work diligently for more funding in the future. Here's a look at the education and municipal funding heading toward Ansonia and Derby:

What is a waiver?
 
A waiver forgives part, or all, of the overpayment debt accrued by an unemployment claimant.

Overpayment may be eligible for a waiver if:

• There was an unintentional error on the part of the claimant, employer, or CTDOL.
• There was no attempt to obtain unemployment benefits to which the claimant knew they were not eligible (fraud).
• The Employment Security Appeals Division reverses a decision to grant unemployment benefits and that leaves the claimant with an overpayment debt.

Can I get a waiver?
 
Waivers will be considered for accidental overpayments only. CTDOL notifies claimants that they may be eligible for a waiver during the pre-determination process and sends a questionnaire that the claimant fills out and returns. Most waivers are granted for:

• A mental or physical condition which would significantly reduce opportunity for employment.
• An error on the part of CTDOL or the Appeals Division.
• Claimant bankruptcy.
• Economic grounds when it’s against equity and good conscience to have an overpayment repaid.

The questionnaire and hearing request must be completed and returned together to CTDOL within 14 days of the mail date (this is on the upper right corner of the pre-determination letter.)  
 
What if I didn’t get a questionnaire with my pre-determination letter?
 
If you didn’t receive a waiver questionnaire, this means CTDOL claims you may not be eligible for one. If you believe this is not correct and that you are eligible for a waiver based on the criteria above, you are encouraged to reach out to the Consumer Contact Centerwith questions.
  
Please also remember that you can reach out to me if you need any assistance moving forward with this process, I will do all I can to help.

Distracted driving has become one of the leading causes of accidents on our roads, with nearly 5,000 crashes attributed to distracted driving in Connecticut in 2020 alone.

Connecticut law prohibits the use of any hand-held mobile electronic device while operating a motor vehicle. Drivers who are 16 or 17 years of age are prohibited from using a cell phone or mobile device at any time, even with a hands-free accessory.

The new fines for driving while distracted are:

• For the first violation, offenders are fined $200 (was previously $150)
• For a second violation, offenders are fined $375 (was previously $300)
• For a third or subsequent violation, offenders are fined $625 (was previously $500)

Throughout the month of October, state and local police will be increasing enforcement of the new distracted driving law.

Please urge your family and friends to put their cell phones away while driving. No text message or phone call is worth putting yourself and others at risk.

For more information, visit www.distraction.gov.

The single booster dose of the Moderna vaccine may be administered to the following:

• Individuals 65 years of age and older
• Individuals 18-64 years of at high risk of severe COVID-19
• Individuals 18-64 years of age with frequent institutional or occupational exposure to COVID-19

In September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) previously recommended booster shots for certain individuals who received the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Booster shots were also approved for those who are immunocompromised in mid-August.

Although people who have received two vaccine doses still have significant protection against COVID-19, a third dose is a chance for older adults and those most at risk to reinforce their immunity. 

Booster shots for those who received the Pfizer COVID-19 or Moderna vaccine may be administered six months after the second vaccine dose.

Booster shots for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine may be administered at least 2 months after the single dose. 

Those who are eligible for a booster shot can sign up at https://portal.ct.gov/Vaccine-Portal or review the list below for local vaccine sites this week. Booster shots will be available at hospital vaccine sites, at urgent care clinics and pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens.

In 2019, Connecticut joined nine states including Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, California, Oregon, and Washington D.C. to offer paid family and medical leave to residents. As our state begins to roll out these benefits in January, the CT Paid Leave Authority has developed several resources to assist small businesses with this transition. 

Beginning January 1, 2022, there will be significant changes to the CT Family and Medical Leave Act. Income replacement benefits will be available for Connecticut workers who need to take unpaid time away from work to attend to their personal — or a loved one’s — health needs. 

Previously, Connecticut’s Family and Medical Leave Act only applied to workplaces with 50 or more employees, but as of January 1st, the CT FMLA's job-protections will apply to workplaces with one or more employees to ensure all workers in Connecticut receive the assistance they need.

It is equally important that we support both families and small business owners throughout the state. While these benefits begin in January, applicants may begin to file before the start date. In preparation, the CT Paid Leave Authority has put together the following webpage to guide businesses as they navigate this shift.

Additionally, the Connecticut Small Business Development Center is hosting a series of webinars on the subject. For a list of dates and to register, click here.

If you have any questions about these resources or the CT Family and Medical Leave Act, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office. 

Please feel free to contact me with any thoughts and concerns you may have on Kara.Rochelle@cga.ct.gov or 1-800-842-8267. Follow my Facebook page for regular legislative updates.

All my Best,

Kara Rochelle
State Representative