Rachel Khanna

In 2023, the impact of extreme weather in Connecticut was widespread: flooding and late-season freezes that devastated crops, increased inland and coastal flooding, and record high temperatures. Preparing for and protecting our state from the effects of climate change will take a concerted effort, which is why I'm pleased to highlight another bill I co-sponsored. An Act Concerning the Implementation of Certain Climate Change Measures was passed out of the Environment Committee, and now heads to the House Floor for consideration.

The bill, referred to as the 2024 Connecticut Climate Protection Act, seeks to respond to the climate crisis by:

1) Creating incentives for businesses that engage in clean economy sectors or employ environmentally sustainable practices;
2) Developing plans for transitioning to a clean economy, including workforce training and long-term policy implementation;
3) Supporting nature-based solutions, such as preserving marshlands and forests.
4) Updating the Global Warming Solutions Act to make Connecticut's greenhouse gas emissions targets more aligned with other states in the region;

Sustainability is not only the right thing to do but also the smart, economically competitive thing to do.

Finally, I’d like to give a shout-out to the incredible UConn Huskies for their back-to-back NCAA championship titles. The UConn Women’s team also made us very proud by making it to the Final Four.

A fun fact about our awesome teams: The UConn Men’s team has won six men’s titles since 1999 - three more than anyone else - and the Women’s team has won eleven titles since 1995 - six more than anyone else.