Jennifer Leeper

Happy Friday! It's hard to believe our legislative session ended Wednesday. After countless long nights, passionate debates, and bills passed, the House of Representatives adjourned for the last time this year. Though the session is over, my work is not. I'll still be traveling in our district meeting with constituents and planning for next year's session. Please reach out to me at any time, and I'll respond as soon as I can.

Below are some final highlights of our session, plus some local events and announcements. You can use the helpful bullet points below to navigate between sections. Sine Die!

• Funding for Senior Center
• Other Bills that Passed
• Funding for the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield
• Fairfield Museum 2023 CT Open House Day
• Fairfield Farmers Market
• Summer Food Service Program
• Thank You!

• Facility improvements, which can cover a variety of capital improvements, including air and HVAC systems, lighting, accessibility features, vehicle acquisition, maintenance, and repurposing.

• Programming, which can include the acquisition of program registration software, web design renovation capability, extended senior center hours, and special or focused entertainment or programming, while also encompassing expanded staff hours to support those programs when applicable.

• SB 869: Expanding career options for workforce advancement is one of our top priorities. SB 869 will direct the Office of Workforce Strategy to help identify additional career training opportunities and training providers through the Connecticut Career Accelerator Program.
• SB 9: This is a multipronged healthcare bill. This measure addresses our state's response to the fentanyl and opioid abuse crisis, ensures access to reproductive healthcare, improves the overall health of Connecticut residents, grows and protects our health care workforce.
• HB 6397: This requires Connecticut state agencies to create a roadmap to decarbonize Connecticut’s economy and secure federal funding for this decarbonization effort.
• SB 100:This bill provides funding for cities and towns to test for and remediate drinking water contaminated with PFAS. This will help the communities throughout Connecticut struggling to address well water with elevated levels of PFAS.

Monday, June 5

• SB 7: Secures energy predictability, affordability, and transparency for rate payers. This bill empowers PURA to look out for the rate payers in our state.
• HB 6664: Connecticut takes a big step towards sustainable waste management with the passage of H.B. 6664. This bill establishes a funding mechanism through the CT Green Bank for new waste disposal and food scrap diversion facilities.
• SB 972: Requires police officer training on strategies including crisis intervention and develops recommendations on how police officers and social workers can collaborate to help people with mental illness who are in crisis.
• SB 1162: This bill continues in the realm of getting communities together for roundtable and stakeholder meetings to deal with the growing issue of gun violence, particularly in our urban centers. SB 1162 establishes criteria for communities to have these meetings to collect accurate data about the community gun violence.
• SB 2: We’re continuing our focus on the mental, physical, and emotional wellness of children. SB 2 is part of a series of bills the General Assembly has passed over the last several years that focus on helping children meet all aspects of their needs.
• HB 6718: Prescription drugs that fall into the wrong hands can cause personal damage and or death. HB 6718 will direct pharmacies to affix warning labels on containers or packaging if the substance poses a danger to children and should be kept out of reach.

Tuesday, June 6

• SB 1088: Senior citizens are often the target of scammers and financial predators. This bill allows for qualified financial institutions to put a hold on suspicious transactions to protect seniors in cases where fraud is suspected and investigate further.
• HB 6741: Healthcare providers have some of the most important jobs in the country. This bill requires the Department of Public Health to take actions to discourage aggressive or violent behavior toward our healthcare providers.
• HB 6669: Is a sweeping measure that protect patients and prohibits unnecessary health care costs by promoting more equitable access. It establishes a drug discount card program, lowers prescription drug costs, allows for negotiating discounts with drug manufacturers, and centralizes drug purchasing.
• HB 6835: Makes changes to public health and vital record statutes to ensure that those working in healthcare are properly trained, licensed, and certified.

Wednesday, June 7

• S.B. 1: Promotes transparency in school districts and helps foster equitable educational experiences for school communities by reevaluating disciplinary measures, conducting opt-in social climate surveys, and setting guidelines for training and documentation with local school boards.
• SB 984: This bill streamlines the state hiring process to make it easier for state agencies to hire qualified candidates and ensure that adequate staffing levels are achieved and maintained.
• HB 5314: Say goodbye to sneaky subscription charges! H.B. 5314 requires businesses to obtain your consent before charging your card for automatic renewals or continuous services. Plus, this bill makes it easier for you to opt out with toll-free phone numbers, email addresses, and online options.
• HB 5003: To protect students and provide a healthy and safe learning environment, HB 5003 seeks to update state laws around school climate and bullying. Additionally, this comprehensive bill aims to help recruit a more diverse teaching corps and improve transparency involving local school budgets.
• HB 6942: This bill authorizes state bonds for state capital projects and grant programs, including housing development and rehabilitation programs, school air quality improvement, school construction grants, economic development, and municipal aid programs.

The Cultural Alliance of Fairfield's mission is to support organizations, artists, and creative businesses with services including peer networks, professional development, and advocacy for the arts and culture, and I was thrilled to see the budget recognize this important group.

At the Ogden House, join a tour to see how people lived in the 1700s, stroll through the historic Dooryard Garden maintained by the Fairfield Garden Club, and experience a living history demonstration. Light refreshments will be served. Additional family-friendly activities are available from 11 am to 3 pm, including:

• Make your own posy (a small bouquet) with fresh flowers
• Create a whirligig toy to take home
• Learn more about the Fairfield Pollinator Pathway
• Explore the pollinator garden at Oak Lawn Cemetery

This looks to be a great event for the whole family, and I hope you'll drop by!