|
|
|
|
| Dear Neighbor,
A nor'easter is headed to Connecticut this weekend, bringing 6 to 12 inches of snow starting Friday evening into Saturday. Connecticut's severe weather protocol is in effect until February 2. A winter storm could last several hours, cause power outages, and put older adults, children, and sick individuals at higher risk.
As we weather the storm, make sure to check in on your neighbors and stay safe and warm.
Warming centers and shelters will be open across our state. If you or someone you know needs shelter, please call 2-1-1 to be directed to a nearby location and transportation if necessary.
For emergency management news and resources, visit the state’s CTPrepares website at ct.gov/ctprepares or download the app to mobile devices at the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
Below are some additional resources: |
|
| Last week, I joined my colleagues on the legislature's Higher Education & Employment Advancement Committee and workforce development leaders (pictured below) from across the country for an informational forum on apprenticeships. |
|
| Apprenticeships can help workers secure well-paying careers and combine on-the-job training with paid work. Those who complete an apprenticeship oftentimes can make an average $72K salary. As our state starts to receive significant federal dollars for infrastructure, we can invest in and promote these opportunities to expand access to high-growth and high-wage jobs - especially for women and people of color.
Here in Connecticut we can learn from proven national strategies - greater targeted outreach, pre-apprenticeships with childcare and transportation, and a focus on union employers who continue to have the highest apprenticeship completion rates - to further train our state's workforce for in-demand jobs.
If you couldn't watch the forum, you can find a recording of it here. The Higher Education Committee will hold another informational forum on Student Loan Debt in the Time of COVID-19 today at 1 p.m. |
|
| Last Friday, I joined my legislative colleagues, state leaders, and activists to recognize the 49th anniversary of the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade and launch the legislature's Reproductive Rights Caucus. At a time where reproductive rights are under attack across our country, this event was particularly meaningful. The U.S. Supreme Court seems poised to overturn the historic ruling, and it's vital that states like Connecticut step up and act to protect reproductive freedom. In 1990 Connecticut codified Roe v. Wage but legal protections are not enough for every person who needs abortion care.
During the 2022 session, the caucus plans to champion legislation to expand access to care by ensuring health insurance policies cover abortion-related care, permitting telehealth for certain abortion-related care, and more.
Together with our statewide and federal elected officials we stand united to keep abortion safe, legal, and accessible to all. Abortion is health care and health care is a human right. |
|
| Last week, the U.S. Senate failed to pass critical voting rights measures that would have expanded access to the right to vote and reversed some state initiatives restricting that access. While these proposals hang in limbo, in Connecticut, we are poised to push forward to protect and expand the right to vote including with early voting, "no excuse" absentee voting and a voter bill of rights. I was pleased to join my legislative colleagues and the Connecticut League of Women Voters to of Greater Hartford to hear more about their priorities to expand voting access as well as address the climate crisis. The League of Women Voters of Greater Hartford is a nonpartisan, activist organization founded in 1920 to engage voters in our democracy.
I look forward to working together to advance these goals this session and beyond. |
|
| The SHE WORKS Career Readiness & Internship Program is accepting applications from female college students and rising high school seniors who want to build their career-readiness skills and gain valuable work experience this summer. SHE WORKS is a 100-hour paid internship program that connects students with positions at companies with strong female leaders. Interns will develop their resume writing, interviewing, networking, public speaking skills, and more. The deadline to apply is March 4, 2022. For more information, email sheworks@golivegirl.org. |
|
| The Connecticut Department of Labor has begun sending 1099G tax forms for residents who filed for unemployment benefits in 2021. Did you receive a 1099G tax form but did not file for unemployment benefits? It could be identity theft. Make sure you immediately visit CTDOL's fraud prevention page and report your concerns. Since March 13, 2020, CTDOL has identified over 100,000 fraudulent unemployment claims due to identity theft.
CTDOL's Integrity Unit will review the information and will respond as quickly as possible. For more information and resources, click the button below. |
|
If you need assistance filing your taxes this year, our state has you covered. There are free tax preparation serves and assistance if you have a legal issue concerning the state Department of Revenue Services or the Internal Revenue Service. Below are just a few of the resources:
- Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
- Offers free tax preparation to eligible households
- Find a VITA site here.
- AARP Tax-Aide Program
- Program offers free tax help for low- to moderate-income taxpayers, particularly those age 60 and older
- Virtual and in-person assistance are available
- Learn more here
- CT Department of Revenue Services
- DRS representatives can answer questions taxpayers may have.
- Phone: 860-297-5962 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or 860-297-4911 (Hearing Impaired, IDD/TT users only)
- Email: DRS@po.state.ct.us
- 2022 Connecticut Income Tax Filing Season FAQs - Access the FAQ page here.
- DRS Taxpayer Service Center (TSC) Online - find information about filing individual and business tax and more. Visit the TSC site here.
- UConn Law School Tax Clinic - 65 Elizabeth St, Hartford, CT
- Free, independent tax clinic offering legal help to low-income taxpayers with tax issues concerning the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or CT DRS
- Contact the clinic at 860-570-5165 or visit the website here.
|
|
| To work towards a greener future, our state is seeking to make significant investments in its electric vehicle infrastructure. Members of the public are invited to join the state Department of Transportation on for its Gap Analysis of EV Fast Charge webinar today, January 27 at 7 p.m. During the webinar, you'll learn more about zero-emissions vehicles, EV fast-charging infrastructure, funding and buildout in our state. Click below to register for the webinar. |
|
| As always, if I can be of assistance to you and your family, please reach out to me at 860-240-8585 or email me at Kate.Farrar@cga.ct.gov. Follow @KateforCT on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up-to-date on everything I'm doing at the Capitol!
Sincerely,
Kate Farrar
State Representative
she/her/hers |
|
|
|
|
|
|
