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| Dear Friend,
This is my State Capitol update for the week of February 23.
If you prefer to watch rather than read, click on the play button to hear about the issues contained in this newsletter. |
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While the last two long weekends were nice, the short weeks that follow can be exhausting. As my committee had a big deadline today, we had to make sure we packed a lot into those two short weeks.
Today was the last day for the Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee to raise bills, or to reserve proposed bills for public hearing. That means, in effect, that the table setting part of the process is complete. All committees have such a deadline, and all such deadlines have passed as of the end of the day today.
To back up, committees basically hold three kinds of events: 1) Committee Meetings (at which votes are taken); 2) Public Hearings (at which any member of the public may provide testimony on legislative proposals); and 3) Informational Forums (which are not required, and are generally held as a way to educate legislators on specific topics). Generally, we hold Committee Meetings early in session to raise all of our ideas for the year, followed by Public Hearings (required for every piece of legislation), and end with more Committee Meetings at which we vote bills out of committee and make them eligible for consideration by the House and Senate.
At the risk of going deep into the weeds, I thought I’d decode an agenda for you. Here’s a link to the agenda for the Finance Committee’s meeting this week on February 21. The heart of the meeting is in Items III and IV. Item III is “Concepts to be Raised.” These become “Raised Bills” and are ideas that the committee leadership has decided to take up. At the moment, some of them are no more than the sentence on the page, others are fully fleshed out. Some of the titles are specific (i.e., item 4 “An Act Establishing a Homestead Exemption”). Others are very general (i.e., item 4 “An Act Concerning the Sales and Use Taxes”). In this particular case, we have a list of specific items that we’re putting together in that bill, but sometimes a general title is created as a way to give us flexibility to take up issues that arise later in the process. All of Raised Bills will be fully drafted in legislative language before we hold a public hearing on them.
Next up, Public Hearings!
Item IV is “Proposed Bills to be Reserved for Subject Matter Public Hearing.” These are all Proposed Bills that have been submitted by individual legislators, or groups of legislators. The committee hasn’t taken these up as its own, but we’ve decided they are worth holding a hearing on for a variety of reasons. Because these hearings are “Subject Matter” hearings, they may be general in focus.
I did get to spend yesterday in the district, beginning with an FFA Breakfast at Housatonic Valley Regional High School. Superintendent Lisa Foster and I read the FFA Proclamation declaring this week to be FFA Week, and enjoyed a fabulous breakfast. FFA students throughout the district and state have made appearances in Hartford recently, testifying on various Education-related bills, and they continue to make a strong impact on my colleagues, so keep it coming! |
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As today’s deadline passes, the time of double and triple scheduling has begun. Today I have three events scheduled simultaneously: an Environment Committee Meeting, and Energy & Technology Informational Forum on Solar Energy, and a press conference with the Reproductive Rights Caucus. Still waiting to figure out how to be in three places at once: it will definitely involve help from colleagues, staff and technology.
I wanted to flag two upcoming events:
- The League of Women Voters of Litchfield County will hold their annual legislative breakfast at Camp Cochipianee in Gosh on Saturday, February 24 at 11 am; and
- Comptroller Sean Scanlon and I will hold an event on prescription drug costs at the Washington Senior Center on Thursday, February 29 at 1:30pm.
Then it’s March! |
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Here’s a list of today’s topics:
- CT Department of Agriculture Announces Fiscal Year 24 Farm Transition Grant Recipients. Click here.
- Applications being accepted for new members to serve on the CT Office of Early Childhood’s Parent Cabinet. Click here.
- New North Canaan Regional Health Center Opens Soon. Click here.
- Upcoming Events. Click here.
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The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) announced recipients of the 2024 Farm Transition Grant (FTG) to strengthen the economic viability of Connecticut agricultural producers and cooperatives seeking to expand, diversify, and improve their existing operation. More than $643,000 has been awarded to fund 39 projects throughout the state.
In Canaan, Howling Flats Farm has been awarded $12,800 in the Infrastructure Investment Category for interior/exterior lights, windows, sorting gates and pens, and mobile chutes.
In Kent:
- Hoadley Hills Farm has been awarded $4,500 in the New Farmer Microgrant Category to purchase chicken and turkey crates.
- Marble Valley Farm has been awarded $14,600 in the Infrastructure Investment Category to update their farm stand to include a POS system, enclosing the stand, and to purchase additional cold storage.
Eligible entities were able to apply to one of four categories including New Farmer Micro Grants, Infrastructure Investment Grant, Research and Development Grant, and Innovation and Diversification Grant. Though industry feedback, this program year is offering a 25% advance of the grant award for the last three categories with the remainder reimbursed upon project completion. New Farmer Micro Grant awardees will be able to request a 50% advance of their award. |
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The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood is now accepting applications for a new cohort of members to serve on its Parent Cabinet.
Established in 2022, the Parent Cabinet is a diverse, parent-led advisory group of 15 members that works directly with the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood and gives parents and caregivers of children from birth to age 5 a greater voice and ability in shaping laws and policies that impact young children and families. The Connecticut Office of Early Childhood is the state agency that oversees child care programs and early childhood services like Birth to Three, Home Visiting, and others.
The Parent Cabinet is open to all who care and raise children in a parenting role, including grandparents, foster parents, and other types of guardians. Members serve 2.5-year terms. The terms of the current members expire either in June 2024 or December 2024, making the membership terms staggered.
Members are compensated for their services, must live in Connecticut, and cannot be employed by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood or otherwise receive funding from the agency. As part of their responsibilities, they spend at least 56 to 68 hours per year on their work. This includes about four to six hours each month:
- Attending or hosting regional community group meetings or events;
- Participating in mostly virtual monthly Parent Cabinet meetings and subcommittee meetings; and
- Meeting quarterly with parent ambassadors from local early childhood collaboratives and the Children’s Collective.
Additionally, members spend about 12 hours each year on:
- Additional community outreach events;
- Meeting with local parent ambassadors;
- Attending additional subcommittee meetings;
- Attending advisory committee meetings; and
- Participating in check-ins with staff from the Office of Early Childhood.
Members are asked to:
- Listen to the needs of families from all backgrounds;
- Help increase awareness around Office of Early Childhood services and supports, such as Birth to Three, Home Visiting, and Care 4 Kids;
- Make the voices of families heard on important issues, like improving laws and policies related to the needs of young children and their families; and
- Partner with local partners and communities.
Members are chosen by a selection committee consisting of an Office of Early Childhood staff member, Parent Cabinet member, and community leader. Applications are evaluated on parent leadership, lived experience, community work, and more. Members are also selected to ensure the panel is geographically balanced across the state and come from diverse backgrounds.
For more information on the Parent Cabinet and its mission, visit ctoec.org/parent-cabinet.
To apply to become a member, visit ctoec.org/parent-cabinet/apply.
The Office of Early Childhood will host a virtual information session for prospective members on Friday, February 23, 2024, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 pm. To participate in that session, click here. Another session will be held on March 6, 2024, in the evening. |
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The new North Canaan Regional Health Center, operated by Community Health & Wellness (CH&W), is set to cut the ribbon in April and begin scheduling primary and behavioral health care appointments as early as mid-May. Joanne Borduas, CEO of CH&W, states "My vision is to create a heath care corridor... everything at your fingertips to keep yourself healthy."
CH&W is also working alongside Region One School District to launch three school-based health centers. Housatonic Valley Regional High School, North Canaan Elementary, and Sharon Center School will soon be able to provide physical and mental health care for kids all in one place. Outside of regular school hours, students will have access to care at the North Canaan Regional Health Center, without needing to forward medical records or other documentation from care provided through one of the three school-based health centers operated in the school district. |
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| In March and April, the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village (CT) will host an exhibition of local vintage photography from the early twentieth century, “From the Great Falls to the Hilltops.” A joint project of the library and the Falls Village-Canaan Historical Society, the show focuses on portraits, including many in recognizable places, most spectacularly at the Great Falls.
An opening reception will take place on Saturday, March 16th, 4-6PM. The exhibition is accompanied by two talks:
On Saturday March 16, at 3PM before the reception, Daniel Karp from Simon's Rock will talk about the progress of photographic technology.
On Saturday, March 23, 3:30PM, Michel Majer from Cora Ginsburg LLC will give a presentation on early twentieth century fashion with examples from the Falls Village-Canaan Historical Society.
All events are free and open to the public. |
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The Kent Singers will present The Peace of Wild Things on Sunday, March 10 at 3:00 pm at St. Andrew’s Church in Kent, CT.
The concert features Benjamin Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb, Randall Thompson’s Frostiana, and two pieces by the young American composer, Jake Runestad: The Hope of Loving and The Peace of Wild Things. The concert will be conducted by music director James Knox Sutterfield.
Tickets are $20 in advance online at https://kentsingers.com/category/tickets/ and at the door, ; tickets and further information are available at 860-619-8110 or at https://kentsingers.com/. |
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| 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.
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| Sincerely,
Maria Horn
State Representative |
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