Patrick Biggins

Dear Neighbor,

Following the hot days and thunderstorms, we are well-positioned for a beautiful weekend. Let's get outside and enjoy the fresh air!

Speaking of fresh air, I was proud to stand with state officials to welcome a new program that makes funding for HVAC more accessible to school districts across the state, including East Hartford. Healthy indoor environments in our schools and improved student performance go hand-in-hand. Scroll down to read more.

The Women's Business Development Council (WBDC) has been helping women excel in business for years, and their grant programs have been a great boon to many.

The Child Care Business Opportunity Fund will begin accepting applications on Friday through the end of August. This grant is designed to help licensed and aspiring child care businesses grow. The Ignite Grant Program kicks off Tuesday. Women who have been in business for two years or more and have revenues between $25,000 and $2 million can apply for a $10,000 grant. You'll find more details below.

As a teacher, I'm proud to support the Aspiring Educators Scholarship Program. I've added all the details below, including the deadline to apply, which is September 15th.

As always, please feel free to reach out to my office with any suggestions or concerns. 

Sincerely,

Patrick Biggins
State Representative

House of Heroes is a Veteran’s non-profit that helps Veterans and/or their spouses with simple home repairs, free of charge. They are currently in search of Veterans within the Hartford County area for service projects over the next few months.
If you know of a Veteran in your district who could use this assistance, I highly encourage you to apply as their sponsor HERE. 

The basic requirements for the Veteran receiving the assistance are:

• Be a Military or Public Safety Veteran or their spouse (DD 214 Discharge paperwork required)
• Need financial and/or physical assistance with home repair
• Own and occupy the home to be repaired

E-bikes are gaining popularity, but medical professionals are warning that these bikes can be dangerous. Connecticut Children's Medical Center treated 25 e-bike injuries in May and June 2025, compared to three in May and June 2024.

Here’s what parents and kids need to know about riding e-bikes in Connecticut:

• Speed limits matter: Class 2 e-bikes (the ones with a throttle) are capped at 20 mph. Class 3 models can go up to 28 mph—but only if they’re not throttle-powered
• No passengers unless built for two: Most e-bikes aren’t designed for a second rider
• Stay off the sidewalk: Unless otherwise posted, e-bikes are considered vehicles. They belong on the road, in the right lane
• Be courteous and cautious: If riding on sidewalks or shared paths, yield to pedestrians
• New in 2025: Class 1 e-bikes are now allowed on bikes and multi-use trails statewide, unless a town says otherwise.

Attention Future Educators in Connecticut! 

The Aspiring Educators Scholarship Program, established by the Connecticut General Assembly and administered by the CT State Department of Education (CSDE), is now open for applications!

This scholarship supports students who:

• Graduated from a public high school in an Alliance District
• Are enrolled—or will soon enroll—in a teacher preparation program at a four-year college or university
• Are in good academic standing
• Meet any additional CSDE eligibility requirements

Of Note:

 Up to $10,000 per year is available for eligible students, including:
 High school seniors planning to begin a teacher prep program this fall
 Undergraduate or graduate students already enrolled in an approved program

Don’t miss this opportunity to get financial support as you prepare to inspire the next generation of learners!

 Apply now and take the next step toward becoming an educator. To learn more, click HERE.

Full disclosure? I hope that you're encouraged to pick up a book, any book, and just read. Reading is a wonderful way to relax, relieve stress, enhance brain activity, and more.

In the last few weeks, I've read:

Dear Justyce by Nick Stone

My daughter’s 7th-grade teacher had me read Dear Martin, and it was a great book, so I followed up with this book.  It is another great book and opens the door for lots of conversations about racial inequality in our current systems, specifically the judicial. 

Cher: Part One: The Memoir (The Cher Memoir, 1) by Cher

I find it interesting to hear the stories of people’s lives from their perspective.  I can’t say I am a huge Cher fan, but I appreciate her skills and struggles.

All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker 

This book was confusing. It is about a person's journey after being abducted and searching for a specific person he swears was also abducted with him, and it gets complicated.

Legacy, A Black Physician Reckons With Racism in Medicine by Uche Blackstock, MD

This book deserves its own feature!

This is potentially one of the best books I have ever read. It is a great example of how all of the systems in our society are intertwined. The focus is on public health and how our systems are falling short. 

Did you know that pulse oxygen readers don’t work as designed on people with darker skin? This read made my vote on this year’s maternal health bill more meaningful in trying to get better equity in health.

Poverty by America by Matthew Desmond

This is also a book that deserves a breakdown: How in the richest country on earth can we have families and children growing up impoverished? Did you know that hearing a gunshot in your neighborhood has a worse effect on test scores than missing an entire night's sleep?

Making it So: A Memoir by Patrick Stewart

This is another biography and another one that I wasn’t hugely invested in, but it was interesting to learn more about the captain of the Starship Enterprise, whom I grew up watching.