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I hope this email finds you in good spirits!
We are in the final phases of our legislative session, filled with long nights of passionate debate and bills passed to help the residents of Connecticut.
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| For the last few days of session, I encourage you to tune in and see democracy in action.
Watch live: CT-N.com
Stay up to date: housedems.ct.gov
Calendar of events: cga.ct.gov
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The rest of this email has more updates on bills the House has passed in the past week. Below are some helpful links to click on to jump between sections.
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| I was so proud to see one of my personal priority bills pass in the House this week: HB 5422 - An Act Concerning Hate and Bias Crimes.
This bill continues our effort to combat hate and bias crimes by requiring the court to order anyone convicted of such crime to participate in anti-bias or diversity programs or community service, and expands the membership of the Hate Crimes Advisory Council.
The bill received bipartisan support and now moves to the Senate. |
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| As the elderly population steadily grows, there is an urgency to provide resources and assistance to this community. During Monday's session, we took a significant step to achieving that goal by passing HB 5001, a top priority for House Democrats this session. |
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HB 5001, which passed with bipartisan support, protects and prioritizes elderly residents in our state. This bill:
- Makes it easier for seniors to age in place
- Creates a nursing home database, providing consumers with an easy and reliable way to compare locations around the state
- Establishes incentives to encourage nursing homes to improve care
I am glad to support a bill that gives seniors the attention and resources that they deserve. The bill now moves to the Senate for its consideration.
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| High-quality and affordable early childhood care and education contribute to a robust economy and help ensure the success of families and future generations.
Connecticut has one of the highest costs of childcare in the country. It's why we crafted and passed HB 5002 in the House to make childcare and early childhood education more affordable and accessible. |
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This House Priority Bill:
- Creates the “Early Childhood Care and Education Fund,” to be used for childcare and early childhood education programs
- Establishes the Early Childhood Care and Education Fund Advisory Commission that will report on the health of the Fund and annually update recommendations on how to best use its resources
- Invests in teachers and assistant teachers in state-funded school readiness programs and state-funded childcare programs
- Requires a study on the availability of space in state-owned properties that may be used for early childhood care and education programs
These are sound investments in our state’s future and will go a long way toward helping parents earn a living and provide for their children’s care and education.
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
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| Veterans put their lives on the line for our country and, as a small way to say “thank you for your service,” the House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill that would support Veterans who have been disabled during service.
HB 5491 establishes a property tax exemption for Veterans who have a service-connected permanent and total disability rating as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The exemption will be used for a home that is a primary residence, but if a qualified Veteran does not own a home, the exemption will apply to a single motor vehicle that they own. |
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| In CT, we have 1,209 Veterans who are totally and permanently disabled as a result of their service. These brave men and women have spent their lives fighting to protect our freedoms. It is our turn to support them when they come home with disabilities to ensure they live with dignity and without fear of losing their home.
The bill will now go to the Senate for consideration. |
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| I'm committed to the health and well-being of our community’s families and children by joining my colleagues in the House of Representatives to unanimously pass HB 5003. This comprehensive legislation ensures mothers and children who are eligible for federal benefits, such as WIC, are enrolled in these programs with ease and confidence. This bill aims to reduce barriers to participation in WIC.
WIC (Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, Children) enrollment in Connecticut is among the lowest enrollment rates in the country at 46%. Not maximizing participation in this program is resulting in worse outcomes for the health and nutrition of young children. |
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This bill:
- Keeps Connecticut families healthy: It allows Connecticut agencies to more easily enroll children and parents who qualify into federal nutrition assistance programs to keep our families healthy.
- Promotes outreach and information to access these federal programs that Connecticut underutilizes.
- Promotes Connecticut farmers by supporting them to participate in these programs at farmers markets.
When we grow healthy children, they are less likely to develop nutrition-related chronic diseases, they are at a lower risk of cavities/tooth decay, they have improved mental health, and they have improved participation in other social service programs. In general, children are better off when their families participate in WIC.
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration. |
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| Connecticut is committed to mitigating the climate crisis. The first step is acknowledging there is a crisis.
This week, I joined my Democratic colleagues and voted to pass one of our top legislative priorities this session, HB 5004, also referred to as the 2024 Connecticut Climate Protection Act. Protecting the environment and working to combat the effects of climate change should be a shared priority because the act of doing nothing is far-reaching and touches every aspect of life on Earth. |
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This bill:
- Updates the state's Global Warming Solutions Act to make our greenhouse gas emissions targets more in line with other states in the region;
- Creates incentives for businesses and municipalities that engage in clean economy sectors or engage in environmentally sustainable projects;
- Plans for transition to clean economy, workforce training and long-term policy implementation; and
- Supports and expands nature-based solutions, such as preserving marshlands and forests
We can make a difference in the quality of life for future generations of Connecticut residents. The time to start making necessary changes is now.
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.
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After some long nights at the Capitol, we passed a lot of bills on the House floor this week:
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| May 1, 10-11:30am - Coffee Talk - Environmental Sustainability
Location: Connecticut Science Center
Coffee Talk is a Connecticut Science Center lecture series designed to fuel your brain and caffeinate your curiosity with intriguing topics and engaging presentations. Each session in this 4-part series on Environmental Sustainability includes a presentation, $5 parking voucher, and an assortment of beverages and pastries.
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| May 2, 5-7pm - The Wadsworth Athenem's First Thursdays
Location: Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
Celebrate First Thursdays at the Wadsworth. Each month’s event will feature a theme (think Valentine’s Day, Talk Like a Pirate Day, International Pancake Fluffiness Awareness Day, etc.) with live music, drop-in drawings, a special film or activity, snacks, and a cash bar. Pre-registration is encouraged but not required.
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| May 4, 9am-1pm - Day of Wellness on Pratt Street
Location: Pratt Street
Celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month with Mental Health Connecticut’s (MHC) Day of Wellness on Pratt Street. Stop by to explore a vibrant array of vendors and wellness activities like yoga, a sound bath, and free mental health screenings.
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| May 18, 6pm - Taste of the Caribbean Jazz Fusion 2024
Location: The People's Ballroom (3340 Main Street)
Experience the ultimate fusion of Caribbean flavors and smooth jazz melodies at the electrifying Taste of The Caribbean Jazz Fusion 2024.
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| May 18, 2-3pm - Inheriting Freedom: An Intergenerational Tour
Location: Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
This family-friendly tour explores the life of Harriet Beecher Stowe and the larger history of anti-slavery activism in the United States, with a major focus on love and family as central to freedom struggles in both the past and present. The goal of this intergenerational tour is to encourage conversations about justice between visitors of all ages through an interactive, conversation-based tour experience.
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| May 11, 5pm- Walking with the World Opening Reception
Location: Windsor Art Center
Walking with the World features three artists who work in multiple mediums, often using found, natural, or handmade sources for their art. The Windsor Art Center seeks to highlight each artist’s own take on how they find, transform, interpret and connect materials to the world, and vice versa. Each has a mix of two- and three- dimensional pieces, and we’re hoping for an immersive experience for the audience, to be surrounded by different visions for wood, clay, and found materials. |
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| May 18, 10-4pm - 2024 Shad Derby Festival & Parade
Location: Parade starts at Windsor High School and marches to the town green, where the festival will be held
Walking with the World features three artists who work in multiple mediums, often using found, natural, or handmade sources for their art. The Windsor Art Center seeks to highlight each artist’s own take on how they find, transform, interpret and connect materials to the world, and vice versa. Each has a mix of two- and three- dimensional pieces, and we’re hoping for an immersive experience for the audience, to be surrounded by different visions for wood, clay, and found materials. |
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| May 27, 10am- South Windsor Memorial Day Parade and Ceremony 2024
Location: Veteran's Memorial Park (575 Pleasant Valley Road)
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| Millions in Funding for Hartford Schools |
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| I was so proud to join Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam, Speaker of the House Matt Ritter, and so many more to annoucned an influex of $10.5 million for Hartford Public Schools to address a budget gap in Fiscal Year 2025.
Of the $10.5 million, $1 million will be absorbed by the City of Hartford, $4.5 million will be drawn from the school district's OPEB fund following approval from the Hartford Pension Commission, and the remaining $5 million from an additional state influx of dollars for the district. The City Council will meet to adopt the plan in upcoming budget resolutions. |
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| As your State Representative, and a public school teacher myself, it is a top priority of mine to make sure our schools are fully funded. And while this funding is a critical step in the right direction, I know the work is not yet done. I will continue fighting every day to make sure our schools are funded and our children receive the best education possible. |
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This week I got to attend one of my favorite events every year at the Capitol: Hartford Day! Dozens of vendors from across our beautiful capitol city visited to show what they offered, ranging from delicious restaurants, to our public library, to our amazing Yardgoats baseball team.
If you have time this weekend, I encourage you to stop by some of our great Hartford businesses!
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| Click this photo to watch a video of highlights from Hartford Day! |
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| If you have any issues, concerns, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at 860-240-8585 if you ever need anything or by email at maryam.khan@cga.ct.gov.
Sincerely,
Maryam Khan |
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