State Capitol Update for the Week of January 9th

January 13, 2023
Dear Friend,

This is my State Capitol update for the week of January 9th.

If you prefer to watch rather than read, click on the video below to hear about the issues contained in this newsletter.
 
 

I’m catching up on more than a week’s worth of news, but last week, I and all of my colleagues in state office were sworn in for the 2023-24 legislative session, my third.

The day was one of purpose and pride, with bipartisan observations of how different Connecticut is from what we see unspooling in Washington.  It was affirming to return to in person proceedings, and the optimism was contagious, as many family members were able to attend again, including my husband Tom and my daughter Maude.


 
Later that night, however, on the way home from the inaugural festivities, my friend and colleague Representative “Q” Williams, was struck and killed by a wrong-way driver.  Q was elected the same year I was (which made us “classmates” - a strong bond in the legislature). He and I were among four CT legislators asked to attend a leadership conference last summer in Atlanta (pictured) where, in addition to the conference itself, we had the opportunity to have a lot of long conversations about policy and how we might make life better for our constituents.  His quick and broad smile, tremendous personal warmth, policy knowledge, commitment to his constituents and his colleagues, and infectious optimism made him a beloved colleague and friend.  
On Wednesday, the hearse carrying Q's coffin, accompanied by his family, traveled to the Capitol grounds, where a service was held in his honor.  Reverend AJ Johnson encouraged us all “Let us not take our own life for granted. We don’t know the time, the hour, the minute or the day, so I challenge each and every one of you to live on purpose.”
 
A shining light has gone out among us, but Q made sure to nurture flames in everyone who knew him, and we carried that with us into all of the organizational committee meetings held this week, all of which included remembrances of, and tributes to his service. Above all, Representative Williams loved his job and the work that came with it, so we got back to it. 

This week I was very proud to have been honored by the CT Council of Small Towns (COST) with the Town Crier Award.  COST champions the interests of small towns at the state Capitol and provides resources to help municipal leaders meet the challenges they face as chief executives of the state’s 142 smaller communities.  As the representative for nine small towns, this one meant a lot.

A final note: the Office of Health Strategy has scheduled a public hearing on Nuvance’s application to change Sharon Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) to a Progressive Care Unit (PCU) for February 15.  I will provide more details on how to participate in that hearing in a future newsletter.
 
Here is a list of today's topics:
  • COVID-19 weekly update. Click here
  • Governor Lamont Announces  Energy Action Plan. Click here.
  • Connecticut History Day is looking for judges . Click here. 
  • Adult-use cannabis sales began on January 10. Click here. 
  • Eversource webinars on assistance with energy bills . Click here. 
  • Update on Bridge Closure at Route 128 in West Cornwall. Click here
  • SBA webinar on COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Click here
COVID-19 update
For graphs and tables containing data on COVID-19, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “Data Tracker.”

Note that the federal government is making at home test kits available free of charge.  For more information, https://www.covid.gov/tests. 
Energy Action Plan highlighting help with energy affordability announced.
 
This week Governor Lamont announced a comprehensive statewide strategy funded by federal and state dollars to provide energy assistance to Connecticut residents in the short-term and improve affordability and reliability in the long-term.
 
Short-Term
 
Late last month, we announced that the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) would allow all participating households that heat with deliverable fuels, such as home heating oil, to receive an additional crisis assistance benefit worth $430 this winter season, above the amount they were already able to receive. Coupled with the existing basic benefit and crisis assistance benefits, the additional benefit means those families can now access up to $2,320 per household to help pay their heating bills.
 
The additional benefit is funded thanks to an additional $20 million secured for CEAP in a Congressional omnibus spending package passed late last year and an additional $30 million in State American Rescue Plan Act funding allocated to CEAP by the state legislature and Governor Lamont in November of 2022.
 
That same month, a customer relief plan was announced, including a bill credit for returning earnings under the Millstone contract, an accelerated discount for low-income hardship customers, and $13 million in utility-funded assistance programs for low and moderate-income customers including through Operation Fuel, which provides emergency energy assistance to low-to-moderate-income households that don’t qualify for CEAP or who run out of CEAP benefits.
 
Households interested in seeking assistance through CEAP should apply online at ct.gov/heatinghelp or contact their local community action agency. Additional assistance is available by calling 2-1-1. Those seeking assistance from Operation Fuel should visit operationfuel.org.
 
Long-Term
 
The state’s long-term strategy to improve energy affordability and reliability includes:
 
  • Building a cleaner, more affordable, and more reliable energy supply.
    • Offshore Wind: To date, Connecticut has contracted for 1,108 MW of offshore wind. Along with other New England states, Connecticut is exploring strategic investments in new transmission to bring this power to shore to power homes and buildings.
    • : The state is exploring opportunities to build new regional transmission for large-scale hydropower energy from Canada.
    • : The state’s contracts with the Millstone and Seabrook nuclear facilities prevented premature retirements that would have jeopardized winter grid reliability, increased New England grid emissions by 20%, and cost ratepayers $1.8 billion to replace.
    • Other Clean Energy Resources: Since 2012, the state has procured approximately 1 GW of solar, land-based wind and other renewables, of which 433 MW are now operational. Additional procurements of grid-scale storage and renewables (such as solar, small-scale hydropower, and onshore wind) are planned in 2023.

 

  • Building energy efficiency and electrification.
    • Connecticut’s energy efficiency and building retrofit programs have a strong track record of success and have been recognized as some of the best in the nation. In 2021, the Conservation and Load Management (C&LM) programs – also known as EnergizeCT programs – generated more than $62 million in savings for Connecticut residents and businesses. The energy-saving investments funded by the 2022-2024 C&LM plan are projected to provide more than $1.7 billion in cumulative benefits.
    • The state has multiple building programs focused on enabling or completing weatherization upgrades in homes of income eligible residents, including the Weatherization Assistance Program and the Residential Energy Preparation Services program.
    • Together, these programs deliver $800 in services to the average program participant and help them realize $180 to $250 in annual energy bill savings. These programs increase decarbonization and reliability, and advance equity by removing barriers to participation, providing customers with efficient technology, and strengthening workforce development.

 

  • Capitalizing on historic federal funding opportunities.
    • The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is leveraging the historic funding opportunities available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act in pursuit of this strategy. Both laws offer opportunities to fund clean energy resources including transmission, and potential tax credits for clean energy production. The Inflation Reduction Act also provides tax credits and rebates for both energy efficiency and electrification upgrades.
Reminder: Access Health CT open enrollment period ends at midnight on January 15

Access Health CT (AHCT) encourages Connecticut residents to shop, compare, and enroll or renew their health insurance plans before the Open Enrollment deadline of Jan. 15.
 
Customers who enroll before Jan. 15 at midnight will have coverage beginning Feb. 1. Free, expert help to enroll is available online, on the phone and in person at AHCT’s Navigator and Enrollment locations.
 
AHCT will also host a free, in-person enrollment fair Sunday, Jan. 15 at the University of Connecticut Stamford Campus, located at 1 University Place, Stamford, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Register here.
 
AHCT is the only place Connecticut residents can qualify for financial help to lower health insurance costs. And a new law, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), extends enhanced subsidies that make coverage more affordable by greatly reducing monthly payments (premiums) for many people who enroll through AHCT. It also provides financial help for those with somewhat higher incomes who can face high premiums but weren’t eligible in the past.
 
Residents may contact the call center at 1-855-805-4325, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and on select Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Customers who are deaf or hearing impaired may use TTY at 1-855-789-2428 or call with a relay operator.
Connecticut History Day is looking for judges!

What is Connecticut History Day, you ask?  An affiliate program of National History Day, Connecticut History Day (CHD) is a Connecticut Democracy Center program in residence at Connecticut’s Old State House. CHD annually engages thousands of middle- and high-school students in historical research, interpretation, and creative expression through project-based learning.
As they prepare for the big events, they are looking for judges for the in-person 2023 contests.
You can access the judges portal HERE. Scroll to the correct contest and go ahead and register. If you would like to judge at multiple contests, please create an account with one of the Regional Contests and use the Multi-Judge Contest Portal. If you need assistance, please email: info@historydayct.org.  

For more information, visit historydayct.org.
Adult-use cannabis sales began on January 10
 
The first legal retail sales in Connecticut of adult-use cannabis to all adults aged 21 and over began earlier this week at several retailers that have been licensed to sell the products.
 
The opening of the adult-use cannabis market in Connecticut marks the start of an expanded cannabis industry that prioritizes the safe and equitable regulation of adult-use cannabis, as well as the preservation of the medical marijuana market, which continues to serve nearly 50,000 patients in the state. The law implementing these measures was signed by Governor Lamont in 2021 and contains comprehensive reforms addressing equity, criminal justice, public health, and public safety.
 
This new industry is expected to bring hundreds of new, good-paying jobs to Connecticut as businesses continue to open and expand, including work in production and jobs directly handling cannabis products, as well as industry support like technical jobs, administrative and information technology positions, and security.
 
The law takes a comprehensive approach to promoting social equity, focused on the neighborhoods most impacted by the war on drugs. It provides for expungement of past cannabis-related crimes and reserves half of all cannabis business licenses for people from impacted neighborhoods. In addition, more than half of the revenue from cannabis sales will be dedicated to a new fund that will be invested in those neighborhoods.
 
The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection has overseen the regulation of the adult-use cannabis market in the state, ensuring that it prioritizes public health and safety.
 
The Social Equity Council was created by that same law that Governor Lamont signed in 2021 and has been tasked with ensuring the adult-use cannabis market is grown equitably and to bring funds from the program back to the communities hit hardest by the war on drugs.
 
There are three taxes on the retail sale of cannabis, including the state’s usual 6.35% sales tax, a 3% sales tax dedicated to the city or town where the sale occurs, and a tax based on THC content that will cost approximately 10% to 15% of the sale price.
 
As of today, the retailers in Connecticut that have been licensed to sell cannabis products to all adults aged 21 and older include:


For more information about adult-use cannabis in Connecticut, visit ct.gov/cannabis.
 Eversource webinars on assistance with energy bills
Register Here
Learn more about programs to help with your energy bill at Eversource.com/billhelp. You may also call 800-286-2828 for help finding the program that best suits your needs.
Update on Bridge Closure at Route 128 in West Cornwall

              

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) announced that Route 128 at the West Cornwall Covered Bridge will be open from 5 p.m. - 7 a.m. Monday-Thursday and will remain open all day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. It will remain closed to all traffic from 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday.
This schedule began on Friday, January 6, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. and will remain in place until repairs are completed. During periods of closure the detour route will remain in place. Motorists will follow the detour listed during the hours of closure. 
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
860-594-2560
DOT.CustomerCare@ct.gov
Operating Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Small Business Administration webinar on COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loans on January 17

COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) deferment periods are approaching an end. As such, business owners must start preparing to make payments. The following are key points and resources for all COVID EIDL borrowers. Register to join SBA for an informative webinar on your COVID Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) servicing requirements.
Learn the following:
  • Where to find your COVID EIDL loan details
  • How to access SBA's digital loan platform and where to download step-by-step instructions on CAFS
  • Where to make payments on your COVID EIDL loan
  • Where to get help and much more!

Tuesday, January 17th

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Register Here
It is my honor to represent our district. I look forward to hearing from you about the issues raised in this newsletter, or any other topics you think I should know about. You can email me at maria.horn@cga.ct.gov or call me at (860)-240-8585. Thanks for reading, and I wish you a safe weekend.