S.B. 256, AN ACT CONCERNING THE PURCHASE OR RECEIPT OF CATALYTIC CONVERTERS BY MOTOR VEHICLE RECYCLERS, SCRAP METAL PROCESSORS AND JUNK DEALERS.
Nationwide, states have experienced a wave in catalytic converter thefts. Today, my House colleagues and I voted on a bipartisan basis for legislation which works to curb these thefts by eliminating the market for these parts.
Senate Bill 256 would address the receipt and sale of these parts and provide our law enforcement officers the tools to better track and identify potential criminal activity.
Catalytic converters contain several precious metals and are easy targets as they're accessible from underneath a vehicle. This issue has contributed to a parts shortage and higher costs. This is a smart, proactive start to addressing this issue by regulating the sale of these parts in Connecticut, deterring these kinds of thefts.
This bill is the first step, and we expect to continue this fight in the coming years. CLICK HERE for more details.
S.B. 251, AN ACT EXPANDING TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR CAREERS IN HEALTH CARE.
As we optimistically move toward a post-pandemic world, we know that health care workers will remain integral to the state's continued success in combatting the pandemic and any future public health emergencies. SB 251 will address the current critical shortage by requiring the Office of Workforce Strategy to assess the shortage and make recommendations to grow existing workforce development and job training programs. CLICK HERE for more details.
S.B. 103, AN ACT CONCERNING THE CONNECTICUT HEALTH AND EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES AUTHORITY AND THE CONNECTICUT HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPLEMENTAL LOAN AUTHORITY.
The cost of attending a postsecondary education program extends well beyond the cost of attending a class. While accruing debt for attending school, students are worried about the cost of affording laptops, broadband, transportation, and several other related costs. The House just passed SB 103 to enable CHESLA to increase access to postsecondary education opportunities. CLICK HERE for more details.
I also wanted to update you on three other bills that have now passed both the House and the Senate and await the Governor's signature:
H.B. 5414, AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROVISION OF PROTECTIONS FOR PERSONS RECEIVING AND PROVIDING REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN THE STATE AND ACCESS TO REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN THE STATE.
An important reproductive rights bill, which passed the House on April 20, passed the Senate last night and is on its way to the Governor's desk. Across the nation, women's reproductive healthcare is being severely curtailed. I was proud to be part of a team that raised this bill, which protects Connecticut abortion providers and patients from predatory inter-state extradition practices. It effectively provides a safe haven to women from other states with restrictive laws who come to Connecticut for an abortion. It also protects the Connecticut clinicians who provide the service. It also expands who can perform them, e.g. physicians' assistants, APRNs and nurse midwifes.
CLICK HERE to read more.
S.B. 6, AN ACT CONCERNING PERSONAL DATA PRIVACY AND ONLINE MONITORING.
In a world run amok with technological gadgets and online data, the right to protect one's privacy has never been more urgent. This bill, which has cleared both the House and the Senate, will protect consumers, especially children, and empower digital users to have more control.
Be sure to read this excellent article on this topic by H-K's own Barth Keck, English teacher and assistant football coach.
S.B. 459, AN ACT CONCERNING THE CORRECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THE USE OF ISOLATED CONFINEMENT AND TRANSPARENCY FOR CONDITIONS OF INCARCERATION.
The Geneva Convention deemed solitary confinement torture, and I certainly agree. I am pleased that a bill I worked on to limit the incidents in which solitary confinement is used, as well as shorten the time of the isolation, has passed both the House and the Senate. A similar bill was vetoed by Gov. Lamont last year. But with the help of the "Stop Solitary" coalition, lawmakers were able to craft a compromise bill that still has teeth. As a member of the Judiciary Committee, I will never forget the many young people who waited hours to testify on the bill, and yielded their time to playing the haunting recorded testimony of incarcerated people.
CLICK HERE for more details. |
