Weekly Updates

June 18, 2020

In case you missed it, below you will find a few updates from this week. I hope you find them helpful.

 
Today, in another historic decision, the Supreme Court upheld the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA. The program gives temporary protection from deportation to children brought to the U.S. illegally and allows DREAMers to work legally and apply for college loans if they meet certain requirements.
June is pride month, and, in a fitting affirmation, on Monday, the Supreme Court ruled favorably on expanding LGBTQ workplace rights. This historic ruling will extend protections to millions of workers nationwide and is a great victory for all who celebrate a diverse society.
 
I join with the LGBTQ community celebrating this milestone and hope that this will set a strong foundation for the work that is still ahead.

Guidelines & Information on Traveling in Connecticut
 

As Connecticut enters Phase 2 of reopening, the Department of Transportation (DOT) has released new information on what state residents can expect for train, bus, and highway travel.

Trains
Earlier this week, Metro-North Railroad announced it has begun to increase train service on the New Haven Line. The new schedule will provide a 115% increase, with several trains added in the morning and afternoon peak periods. Metro-North will continue to fully disinfect stations every 12 hours and trains every 24 hours.

In addition, customers and employees are required to wear a mask or face covering at all times while in stations, on platforms, onboard trains, and at the Terminal.

Rail service on the Hartford Line and Shore Line East continues to operate on a limited schedule. Danbury Line and Waterbury Line service remains suspended to accelerate ongoing capital projects.

Buses
According to the DOT's release:

"On the bus system, riders will continue to board through the rear door on buses so equipped. Some buses already feature clear plastic dividers between the bus driver and the general public and CTtransit is moving forward with the procurement and installation of additional driver barriers on other buses. These barriers are expected to be installed before Labor Day 2020."

Highways
The DOT also announced that the 23 service plazas on I-95, Route 15 and I-395 (as well as the seven rest areas along I-95, I-91, and I-84) are fully open for food, fuel, restrooms and other amenities. All services plazas and rest areas have implemented enhanced and more frequent cleaning in common areas.
 

Governor Lamont Issues Executive Order on Police Accountability, Modernization
 

In response to the horrible murder in Minneapolis of George Floyd by police officers and the ongoing national discussion of police reform, Governor Lamont signed an executive order on Monday that makes several changes to how the Connecticut State Police operates.

According to Governor Lamont's Office, the new order implements the following changes:

  • Bans the Connecticut State Police from using chokeholds, strangleholds, arm-bar control holds, lateral vascular neck restraints, carotid restraints, chest compressions, or any other tactics that restrict oxygen or blood flow to the head or neck.
  • Requires the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) to review the Connecticut State Police Administrative and Operations Manual and update it to include the following requirements and prohibitions:
    • Require troopers to de-escalate situations, when possible, before using force;
    • Require troopers to provide a verbal warning, when possible, before using deadly force;
    • Require troopers to exhaust all other reasonable alternatives before resorting to deadly force;
    • Require troopers to intervene to stop another law enforcement officer from using excessive force, and to report any such use to a supervisor in writing;
    • Prohibit troopers from shooting at or into moving vehicles unless the occupants of the vehicle pose a deadly threat by means other than the vehicle;
    • Include a use-of-force matrix; and
    • Require troopers to report all uses of force, including drawing a firearm on another civilian.
  • Requires DESPP to appoint and train community trust liaisons in each Connecticut State Police Troop and instruct them to assist those troops in building relationships with residents and community-based organizations, learning from those residents and organizations about how to better serve their communities, and making it easier for those residents and organizations to communicate with the State Police.
  • Prohibits DESPP from purchasing or otherwise acquiring military and military-style equipment from the federal government until further notice.
  • Directs every uniformed officer of the Connecticut State Police to be equipped with a body camera and every marked vehicle of the Connecticut State Police to be equipped with a dashboard camera.

Click here to read the full executive order.