Moving Testimony on School Crisis Response Drills & Meet Me on Saturday in Ridgefield
March 10, 2025
As your legislator, I am committed to listening, learning, and taking action to support our community's needs. In the past week, I have been actively engaging with residents during public hearings to hear their perspectives on proposed bills, meeting with the CT Automotive Retailers Association to discuss job training programs and industry needs, and voting to confirm additional funding to our district for Special Education.
This coming week we have a full week of public hearings, and we want to hear from you. Please keep reading to see the schedule so you can get involved.
I would like to thank all the students from the Junior Newtown Action Alliance, for their powerful testimony on the importance of ensuring our crisis response drills do not instill fear and trauma on our students. Keep scrolling to hear their powerful message.
I invite you to join me on Saturday to learn how the entire Ridgefield Delegation is working to improve our community and the state. We will lay out our priorities and answer your questions. You will find information below on how to register for the event!
The entire nation is celebrating Women's History Month. I'll dig deeper into what that entails and what progress we still need to make to ensure gender equality.
As always, I look forward to hearing from you. For more information, please make sure to follow my Facebook page HERE.
If I can assist you and your family, please don't hesitate to reach out at Savet.Constantine.@cga.ct.gov or via phone at the Capitol at 860-240-8585.
I would like to highlight some of the powerful testimony we heard in the Education Committee's public hearing. Students, residents, and education experts shared the importance of improving our emergency and crisis responses drills to make it a safer experience for children. The goal is to ensure drills do not intimidate, scare, nor traumatize our young learners.
Please click on the must-see video below to hear from students with the Junior Newtown Action Alliance and the Connecticut Against Gun Violence Youth Council.
High school students testify on a bill concerning crisis response drills.
The Education Committee is exploring ways to provide much-needed mandate relief to our school districts. This would ensure that educators and administrators can focus more on student success. Reducing unnecessary mandates can help schools allocate resources more effectively, streamline operations, and better support teachers and students. I will keep you updated on any progress.
Most importantly for our towns, my colleagues and I in both the House and Senate went into session last Tuesday to finalize the immediate additional funds for Special Education to provide current budget relief to our towns. Here is how it affects the 42nd District:
$202,000 for Wilton Public Schools
$193,000 for Ridgefield Public Schools
$163,000 for New Canaan Public Schools
I am pleased the Governor's office and Democratic leaders in the General Assembly came to an agreement that delivers critical municipal funding to our schools to support our children and their futures while honoring the fiscal guardrails that have been integral to Connecticut's economic recovery.
The Week Ahead in Public Hearings
Are you interested in adding your voice on the bills legislators are hearing this week? Various committees are inviting constituents and advocates to share their views on a variety of proposals that may directly affect our community.
Take a look below at the schedule in order to testify in upcoming public hearings via Zoom. If you would like to make the trip to Hartford and testify in person, I would love to support you in the process. Please reach out so I can help provide any necessary information. Your voice is invaluable in shaping policies.
I have highlighted some bills that may be of interest. I will attend both the Education and Finance, Revenue, and Bonding public hearings to hear your input!
Education Committee on Wednesday at 10 a.m. in Room 1E
Here are some the bills that will be up for public debate:
You are invited to join me and fellow members of the Ridgefield Delegation for an open and engaging discussion about our legislative priorities! The event, which is sponsored by The League of Women Voters of Ridgefield, will take place at the Ridgefield Library on Saturday, March 15 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Representative Amy Berger-Girvalo, Senator Ceci Maher, Senator Julie Kushner, and I will share our legislative priorities impacting Ridgefield, neighboring communities, and the entire state. We will also discuss the important bills that we recently passed and other proposals that could get voted on this session.
Sen. Kushner, Rep. Constantine, Sen. Maher, and Rep. Berger-Girvalo
This is a great opportunity to share your concerns, ask questions, and learn more about the work we are doing to address the issues that matter most to Ridgefield and the rest of the state.
Your questions, thoughts, and concerns help shape our work. Whether it's the economy, elections, environment, public safety, education, healthcare, or another issue close to your heart, your input is invaluable.
Celebrating Women's History Month
March is Women's History Month, a time to honor the extraordinary contributions women have made to our society. Throughout our history, women have shaped our nation through their leadership, innovation, and resilience -- often overcoming immense barriers to create a more just and equitable world. This month, we recognize trailblazers in every field, from science and politics to education and the arts, while also uplifting the countless women in our communities who work tirelessly to make a difference every day.
As we celebrate, it is also a time to reflect on the ongoing fight for gender quality. Women continue to face disparities in wages, healthcare access, and representation in leadership. It is our responsibility to not only acknowledge these challenges but to actively work toward solutions that empower and support women in all aspects of life. By advocating for policies that promote economic opportunity, reproductive freedom, and workplace equity, we ensure that future generations of women can thrive.
