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| Friends and Neighbors,
I hope this message finds you and yours well and that 2022 is off to a good start.
Mark your calendars because the 2022 legislative session is right around the corner! Although the General Assembly will convene for session on February 9, the legislative process actually starts now. With the proposed bill system now open and committee deadlines set, legislators are beginning to pull together the legislation they’ll be focusing on during the session. During even years, the legislature must focus on bills related to budgetary, revenue or financial matters. I’ll be sure to keep you up-to-date as we move through the session or keep an eye on the CGA website.
If you have ideas for legislation or want to ask questions or share your concerns on state issues with me, email me at Kara.Rochelle@cga.ct.gov. |
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| NEW LAWS TOOK EFFECT JAN 1 |
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| I wanted to make you aware of a few new laws that took effect in Connecticut at the start of the new year. My colleagues and I worked hard during the 2021 legislative session to listen to your concerns and advocate for meaningful change in our state. We look forward to getting back to the Capitol soon to continue in those efforts.
Please see below for a list of laws that took effect on January 1, 2022:
Paid Family Medical Leave
- No one should have to choose between a paycheck and their loved one during a health emergency. PA 19-25 is a gamechanger for families. Applications are already being accepted at ctpaidleave.org, where you can explore details of the groundbreaking family and medical leave program.
Parental Rights
- This is about equity in our laws. The Connecticut Parentage Act (PA 21-25) provides equal treatment under the law to children born to same-sex couples and modernizes the definitions and other legal provisions relating to parenting and maternity.
Lowering Insulin Costs
- PA 20-4 targets price gouging for life-saving insulin. We capped 30-day supplies of insulin at $25 and capped costs on supplies such as syringes, pumps, and blood sugar meters at $100 a month for people who have coverage through state-regulated insurance plans.
Addressing Student Loan Debt
- PA 19-86 creates a tax credit for employers that make payments on employees' student loans.
Controlling Prescription Drug Costs
- PA 21-14 requires savings on prescription medications are passed on to consumers and not pharmacy benefits managers.
- PA 21-96 prohibits insurance carriers from altering their list of covered prescription drugs during a plan year. The law also limits the circumstances when formularies can change and requires carriers to notify consumers 90 days in advance.
Expanding Access to Dental and Vision Insurance
- Dependents up to age 26 can stay on their parent or guardians' health insurance plan, but not their vision or dental plans. PA 21-149 addresses this disparity to ensure dependents 26 and younger can keep their parents’ vision and dental insurance plans.
Unemployment Insurance Savings for Businesses
- PA 21-200 reformed our state's unemployment insurance tax system to lower costs for most businesses and ensure the fund remains solvent.
Click here for a complete list of laws that will go into effect on January 1. |
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| The state Department of Transportation recently awarded an $18.7 million contract to a New Haven-based construction firm for the Route 34 widening project! The project is anticipated to break ground this April. This is a significant investment in our community that will help revitalize Derby and the Lower Valley. You can read the full story on the Valley Independent Sentinel website, here. |
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| RELIEF FOR CT'S ESSENTIAL WORKERS |
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The Connecticut Essential Workers COVID-19 Assistance Fund is now up and running. It was authorized by the legislature in June for the purpose of easing the financial burden on essential workers who became ill and were unable to work, or died, between March 10, 2020 and July 20, 2021.
The program assists with:
- Lost Wages – Unpaid leave and lost wages if an employee was unable to work after contracting COVID-19, or due to symptoms later diagnosed as COVID-19.
- Out-of-Pocket Medical Expenses – For medical services related to contracting COVID-19 that were not covered by insurance.
- Burial Expenses – Burial/funeral expenses of $3,000 for an eligible essential worker who died from COVID-19.
Families can also apply for any combination of the three benefits on behalf of a qualified essential worker who died after contracting COVID-19. The program can distribute up to $34 million on a first-come, first-served basis through June 30, 2024, or until the fund is depleted. The application portal is now open and can be accessed by clicking on the image below.
The program stands to help thousands of first responders, hospital workers and many more who put their lives on the line to help Connecticut stay safe.
If you or someone you know is eligible and in need of assistance, please apply and share the information about the Connecticut Essential Workers COVID-19 Assistance Fund with them so they can apply, too. |
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| JOB TRAINING THROUGH CAREER CONNECT |
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Last session my legislative colleagues and I worked collaboratively with the Governor to secure and allocate $70 Million in funding for Connecticut workers. With funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act, we created CareerConneCT, a program designed to help those whose employment was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
I am excited to share – as of last week – the program has launched and is accepting applications from training providers.
For Training Providers
Under CareerConneCT training providers can:
- Apply for Grants: Over the next four years providers can receive funding to design programs that offer industry-recognized credentials and job placement services with priority across several sectors:
- Manufacturing
- Information Technology
- Healthcare
- Infrastructure
- Clean Energy
- Other In-Demand Industries
The program is anticipated to support training for approximately 8,000 participants. Grants will be issued twice per year, every February and August.
The first application round is now open, and training providers can click the button below to login to their CT.Gov accounts and apply. The first application deadline is February 20, 2022. |
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| For Workers
CareerConneCT is focused on:
- Reskilling and Upskilling: Continuous learning and job training are essential.
- Inclusiveness and Effectiveness: Help propel worker success while advancing social equity.
- Mutual Success: Helps students, workers, and Connecticut thrive by uniting employers, workforce development boards, secondary- and post-secondary institutions, and community and economic organizations.
Workers will now have online access to short-term training programs, where they can earn an industry-recognized credential and enter employment in in-demand careers. Click the button below to visit the CareerConneCT portal and stay up to date on training opportunities. |
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| The Women's Business Development Council will begin accepting applications for its Equity Match Grant program through February 13, 2022. The Equity Match Grant offers grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 to help grow women-owned businesses. Grants can be used towards operating expenses, payroll, or real estate improvements. Applicants must provide a minimum 25% match. Learn more about this great funding opportunity and start the application process here. |
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The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit is available to help businesses save on costs when they contribute to their employees’ premiums. A small business may be eligible for an up to 50% tax credit if they meet the following criteria:
- Have less than 25 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
- The average employee salary is less than $57,000
- Contribute at least 50% of each employee’s insurance premium
- Offer Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) coverage to all full-time employees. (Don’t have to offer it to dependents or employees working fewer than 30 hours per week to qualify for the tax credit)
Qualifying non-profits also may be able to get a tax credit up to 35%.
Access Health CT Small Business is available to help as health care plans available through Access Health CT generally qualify as SHOP coverage. To learn more and see if you qualify click here. |
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| CT WORKERS COMP PREMIUMS DECREASE |
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| Workers' compensation insurance rates in Connecticut have decreased for the 8th consecutive year, resulting in over $300 million in reduced premium savings. The Connecticut Insurance Department recently approved a filing with decreases of 14.1% to workers' compensation pure premium lost costs and an 8.2% decrease in assigned risk rates, enabling insurers to reduce workers' compensation premiums for businesses in our state.
This decrease reflects an ongoing reduction in workplace injuries and claims filed, signaling workplaces may be getting safer every year.
CID issued a memo and order approving the National Council on Compensation Insurance's (NCCI) filing. The council compiles annual data from the country's workers' compensation market to propose loss costs/rate adjustments for the following year. The filing took affect January 1, 2022, enabling companies in the voluntary market review their own loss cost experience and company expenses and submit individual company rate filings to CID.
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Historical NCCI Workers’ Comp Changes in Connecticut
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NCCI filing effective date
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Assigned Risk Overall Rate Change
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Voluntary Market Overall Loss Cost Change
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1/1/2022
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-8.2%
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-14.1%
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1/1/2021
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-1.4%
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-1.8%
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1/1/2020
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-4.5%
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-2.9%
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1/1/2019
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-19.8%
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-16.8%
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1/1/2018
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-12.6%
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-14.1%
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1/1/2017
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-10.9%
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-10.9%
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1/1/2016
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-9.2%
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-3.9%
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4/1/2015
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-2.3%
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-2.3%
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1/1/2015
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-0.5%
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-0.6%
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1/1/2014
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+5.7%
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+3.2%
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1/1/2013
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+0.4%
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+7.1%
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| The Federal Government launched a website for Americans wanting to request free at-home COVID-19 testing kits. You can request your free COVID-19 testing kits at COVIDTests.gov.
Up to 4 at-home tests per residential address may be requested. Tests are expected to ship within 7- 12 days of ordering through the United States Postal Service (USPS).
Please note that the tests available for ordering are rapid antigen at-home tests. They are not PCR tests.
If you or someone you know needs a COVID-19 test now, please visit Connecticut's coronavirus website here and enter your zip code in the box that says, "Find a COVID TESTING site." For a list of cost-free state-supported COVID-19 testing sites, please click here.
Griffin Hospital has increased staffing to meet the increased demand for PCR testing. Testing is available for individuals 4+ at 130 Division St in Derby. Testing hours are Sunday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. To make an appointment, please call 203-437-6815.
Below are additional COVID-19 testing locations in our community. Additional testing sites are available by calling 2-1-1 or visiting the 2-1-1 website here. |
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| Getting vaccinated is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself against a severe case of COVID-19 and any of the variants. If you were vaccinated over 6 months ago, public health and medical experts recommend getting boosted. Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 boosters for individuals 12 to 15 years. You can learn more about this here.
If you're looking to get your first COVID-19 shot or a booster, the state Department of Public Health Mobile Vaccination Team will host vaccination clinics in our community. You can find a full list of mobile COVID-19 vaccination clinics here.
Children ages 5 to 11 are eligible for the pediatric dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. To find a vaccination location in your area, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID-19 vaccine locator, here.
You can also text your zip code to GETVAX (438829) in English, or VACUNA (822862) in Spanish to instantly receive details about clinics in your area and assistance with transportation, childcare, and more.
If you would like assistance over the phone, dial 2-1-1 to get connected with a specialist. |
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| Additional information about getting vaccinated, including how to make an appointment and a list of clinics, is available on Connecticut's Vaccine Portal, here.
If you need assistance finding transportation to and from a vaccine appointment, you can find transportation resources here.
If you're a homebound resident, you can receive your COVID-19 shot at home. Complete the state Department of Public Health's Homebound Intake Form to get the appointment process started. |
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| Do you love reading and want to help others? Consider getting involved with Literacy Volunteers to help your neighbors in the Valley learn English as a second language or or strengthen their reading and writing skills! Volunteers do not need to have prior teaching experience or speak another language. Literacy Volunteers will provide training. Call 203-551-9831 or click here to learn more. |
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| NOW HIRING & JOB TRAINING |
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| Did you hear the Ansonia Police Department is hiring officers? The department will be taking certified and uncertified candidates. Applications will be accepted through March 31, 2022. The salary range for entry level police officers is $70,616 to $79,435. If you're interested in serving your community, click the button below to learn more and apply. |
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| Do you want to make a difference in our community and join a passionate and caring team? TEAM, Inc in Derby has several openings at sites in Derby, Ansonia, Waterbury, and Shelton! The nonprofit organization is hiring an Executive Support & Planning Manager, assistant teacher, education coordinator, family support specialist, and more. Click the button below to see the full list or positions and start the application process. |
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| Are you a compassionate individual who wants to help others? Griffin Hospital has several openings for clinical and nonclinical professionals. Positions include registered nurses, call center assistant, COVID-19 testing support, scheduling assistants, medical assistants, and more. To learn about career opportunities at Griffin Hospital and apply, click the button below. |
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| AARP Connecticut has funding for scholarships for students age 50+ who want to pursue careers in manufacturing at one of Connecticut's community colleges, including Naugatuck Valley Community College. Through a partnership with the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame and the College of Technology, AARP-CT is offering this opportunity for scholarships in the amount of $1,250 per student, while funds last.
Students must be age 50+ and enrolled/enrolling in any Connecticut Community College system manufacturing program. Students must also be willing to share their story and demographic information with AARP, the American Manufacturing Hall of Fame, and the College of Technology for potential publication across AARP communication channels and be willing to sign related releases.
To apply for this opportunity at NVCC, interested students should contact Angela Chapman at AChapman@nvcc.commnet.edu.
Individuals interested in learning more about NVCC's Manufacturing program can contact Deirdre D'Amore directly at ddamore@nv.edu. The popular program is currently enrolling for their certificate program which prepares individuals to enter this in-demand and good-paying field! |
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The Jackson Laboratory has several exciting career development and scholarship opportunities for high school and college students who want to pursue careers in biomedicine and/or health care:
- The JAX College Scholarship Program is accepting applications through February 15, 2022. Three students will receive a $10,000 scholarship. Click here for eligibility guidelines and how to nominate a student.
- The Postbacc at JAX program is accepting applications from college graduates for its 2-year scientific training program. Learn more and apply here.
- Applications are open for the JAX Summer Student Program! This competitive, paid, residential research internship is open to undergraduate and high school students who want to immerse themselves in genetics and genomics research. Learn more and apply here.
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Click image for more details
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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
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