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| Dear Neighbor,
Next Saturday, April 23, I hope you will join me and the Park Road Business Association for a Community Clean-up in West Hartford. The clean-up will start at 9 a.m. Check-in will begin at 8:45 a.m. on the Playhouse on Park patio at 244 Park Rd.
This is an opportunity for us to beautify our community and recommit to a greater neighborhood, state, and planet. Rubber gloves and trash bags will be provided. |
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| This community clean-up is timed with Earth Day on Friday, April 22. Earth Day and every day, we should think critically about how we can create a greener, more sustainable neighborhood, state, and planet. A rain date is set for April 30.
If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at Kate.Farrar@cga.ct.gov. |
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| On Monday morning, I was proud to join HUSKY 4 Immigrants and Senator Derek Slap and State Rep. Jillian Gilchrest to rally in support of legislation that would provide health insurance coverage to children regardless of immigration status. Last year, we passed legislation to expand access to healthcare for children ages 0 to 8. This was an important step, however, under this law, children lose coverage on their 9th birthday. This is an arbitrary cut-off as health concerns don't stop when a child turns 9 years old. As a result, many families can't access preventative care and may not have a health issue treated until it becomes worse.
This session, my West Hartford colleagues and I are advocating for legislation that would increase the age from 8 to 18 years for children to access health insurance. This proposal would expand eligibility for HUSKY to approximately 13,000 undocumented children in our state who do not have health insurance. You can learn more about this bill here. |
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| The House was in session on Wednesday! We passed several bills including HB 5269, which approves the ability for towns to permanently hold remote meetings. In response to the pandemic our world went more digital than ever before, and while there were some struggles, we found that offering public meetings both in person and virtually offered increased flexibility and accessibility. These virtual meetings have helped so many residents more easily access their elected officials. You can read more about this bill here.
We also passed the following bills:
House Bill 5216, An Act Concerning Low-Cost Bank Accounts: This bill would establish a low-cost, basic bank account which would limit overdraft and other fees. This bill is critical as these fees can impact a family's economic security.
Senate Bill 493, An Act Extending the Provisions of Certain Executive Orders: This bill extends certain provisions of executive orders through June 30, 2022. These orders, which have been codified into law, were set to expire this Friday. The extensions will:
- Suspend certain requirements for temporary nurses' aides to allow them to continue practicing their profession at nursing homes and other facilities.
- Authorize the state to continue providing non-congregate housing to individuals experiencing homelessness.
- Temporarily postpone eviction proceedings for tenants or landlords who apply for rental assistance through UniteCT. It also requires landlords to give tenants at least 30 day notice before starting eviction proceedings.
- Enable the state Department of Public Health to disclose an individual's vaccination status to school nurses, local health directors, and others for residents who have lost their vaccination cards. This will help ensure booster shots are administered properly for those who've lost their card, and it could help local health departments respond to any COVID-19 outbreaks.
You can read more about the bills we passed so far this session here. |
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| Last week, the state Department of Education and Governor Lamont announced the winners of funding through the state's Voice4Change campaign. Among the 59 winning proposals were two from West Hartford!
Connecticut's innovative Voice4Change campaign gave high schoolers the chance to decide how to spend $1.5 million of the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funds. Students from 80 high schools across the state submitted proposals to the State Department of Education on how their school should spend $20,000. High school students then voted on the projects that SDE deemed eligible for funding. Projects must align with one of SDE's five priorities including learning acceleration; family and community connections; social-emotional and mental health; strategic use of technology; and building safe and healthy schools.
The winning proposals from West Hartford are:
- Conard High School: The Everyone Wins Initiative proposal will provide funding for science programming, student-led art projects, and more
- Hall High School: The Outdoor Wellness Project proposal will provide a space for outdoor classes and promote positive mental health practices throughout the school
These projects will have a positive, lasting impact for generations of students and our community. You can read more about the Voice4Change campaign and find a list of winning projects here. |
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| The Town of West Hartford is conducting a community survey to develop its Affordable Housing Plan, which will help advance goals and strategies outlined in the town's Plan of Conservation and Development. The survey will help local leaders gather information on demographics, community housing needs, and preferences to meet current and future demand for housing. The survey will be open until April 30, 2022. Questions and written comments can be emailed to Town Planner Todd Dumais at todd.dumais@westhartfordct.gov or mailed to:
Town Planner
50 South Main St, Room 214
West Hartford, CT 06107
To take the survey, please click here. |
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| Do you have concerns about your infant’s or toddler’s development? Birth to Three is available throughout Connecticut to help parents with children under age 3 who have delays or disabilities. Now it’s even easier for families to access these supports in their homes and communities, with no out-of-pocket costs. If you have concerns about an infant’s or toddler’s development, please call 1-800-505-7000 or visit birth23.org to learn more. |
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| 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 |
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