State Capitol Update For The Week Of January 25

January 29, 2021

As all legislators and staff get used to running the state government on Zoom (or Microsoft Teams, Webex, Blue Jeans, and even Facetime), most committees have had a few public meetings and are gradually getting the glitches ironed out.  Even those who are experienced with the technology have issues sometimes, however (imperfect humans are involved, after all) so I’ve taken to beginning my own meetings with a reminder that we be patient with one another. 

I think the same should go for meetings on local or municipal issues, especially when they concern sensitive issues.  Local meetings are usually run by volunteers whose passion for, and expertise in, one field, doesn’t necessarily extend to the technology required to run a remote meeting.  So, let’s all be kind to one another.  And, while we’re at it, why not tune into the lecture series hosted by Scoville Memorial Library in Salisbury: Common Ground Conversations: Listening Past Differences described more fully below.

Also below is a section on how to watch a committee meeting.  As the session progresses, I’ll provide information on how to submit testimony or sign up to testify remotely. 

Here’s a list of today’s topics: 

  • Governor Lamont's Broadband Bill. Click here.
  • Scoville Memorial Library Event. Click here.
  • Webinar for Small Business Owners. Click here.
  • How to Navigate the 2021 Virtual Session. Click here
  • Equity Match Grant Program for Women in Business. Click here.
  • Data Updates on Vaccine Administration in Connecticut. Click here.
  • Weekly Update on the impact of COVID-19 on Nursing Homes. Click here.
  • COVID-19 Alert Map. Click here.
  • Torrington domestic violence agency invites businesses to be 'heroes'. Click here.
For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus and click the link that is labeled, “Data Tracker.”
 
Governor Lamont’s Broadband Bill
 
Governor Ned Lamont announced further details this week about broadband legislation he plans to introduce during the 2021 regular session of the Connecticut General Assembly, the goal of which is to make broadband internet more accessible to Connecticut residents, particularly those in underserved households.
 
While broadband internet access has become more important in recent years than ever before, the COVID-19 pandemic has deepened the digital divide, preventing some residents from accessing critical resources. A survey conducted in 2018 found that 23 percent of Connecticut residents did not have internet access, including 21 percent of white households, 35 percent of Hispanic households, and 34 percent of African-American households.
  
Governor Lamont’s proposal, which will be included as part of the governor’s 2021 package of legislation that will be submitted to the General Assembly in February, will include the following key initiatives:
  • Increase access to high-speed broadband internet through building out all unserved areas
    • Set universal broadband access goals for the state by September 2022;
    • Repeal the prohibition on the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) from requiring internet service providers to provide access to all residents where they have video licenses; and
    • Require internet service providers to report annual metrics such as availability, download and upload speeds, and outage information.
  • Reduce exorbitant costs of building broadband internet access in Connecticut
    • Adjust the permitting process to reduce time and costs to install broadband internet access in utility poles, and hold pole owners accountable to issue permits in a timely manner;
    • Require PURA to develop a one-touch make ready process to be implemented by utility pole owners; and
    • Implement dig-once policies to provide ready-made buried conduits.
  • Streamline agency efforts to ensure effective creation and coordination of goals and standards
    • The Connecticut Office of State Broadband, in consultation with the Department of Economic and Community Development and the Department of Administrative Services, will establish broadband goals and standards;
    • The Office of State Broadband and the Office of Policy and Management will develop a robust, fiber-mapping program to understand gaps and accessibility; and
    • The Office of Broadband access, in consultation with the Department of Economic and Community Development, the Department of Administrative Services, and the Department of Transportation, will coordinate and support businesses with their broadband needs.
  • Establish better consumer protections for consumers across the state by giving oversight of complaints to PURA
    • Provide PURA with the ability to oversee business and consumer complaints regarding broadband internet to more effectively manage penalties for non-compliance;
    • Prevent providers from refusing service to customers due to race, religion, sexual orientation, or financial standing (i.e. credit score); and
    • Ensure no interference with consumer use of internet for all legal purposes.

As you can imagine, this will be a complicated undertaking, one where the details matter, so I hope to continue working with the Governor to ensure the bill addresses the particular needs of the towns in the Northwest Corner.

Scoville Memorial Library in Salisbury to host Common Ground Conversations: Listening Past Differences

Scoville Memorial Library is sponsoring a four-part series to create understanding and build common ground.  Entitled Common Ground Conversations: Listening Past Differences, the series, held on Sunday, February 7 and 21, and March 14 and 28 at 4:00 pm, will be facilitated by Dr. Mary B. O’Neill. 

Participants will learn skills for intentionally and empathetically listening and speaking to each other. They will then use these skills to discuss common values and concerns and think about how to heal the tears in our social fabric. In later sessions, they will focus on the need to attach to some larger purpose as part of the human experience and as a tool to build connections to each other.

To register, or for more information, click here.  
 
You can also listen to an interview with Marshall Miles of RobinHood Radio about the series here.

Webinar for Small Business Owners 

Next Wednesday, February 3, at 11 am,  Oak Solutions, LLC and Tind-All Creative Marketing are partnering to host a webinar for small business owners.  Deirdre Tindall and Kerri Anderson Ouellette will discuss tips to help navigate the pandemic!
 
For more information, click here. Click here to register. 

How to Navigate the 2021 Virtual Session 

As we all begin to navigate the upcoming virtual legislative session, I wanted to provide you with the resources to ensure your voice is heard. Though COVID-19 has closed the State Capitol and Legislative Office Building to the public, you can still testify and participate in public hearings from your home.

Below, I have outlined the steps to testify at a public hearing:

 

  1. Review the bulletin daily and check to see which committees are having public hearings.

 

  1. Use the “On-line Testimony Registration Form” link in the notice to register to testify. You can also call the number listed if you do not have access to the internet.

*Make sure you have noted the bill or resolution number(s) you plan to testify on because you will need that to complete the form.

  1. If you’re registering online, you’ll be taken to the Webinar registration page for the hearing at which you would like to testify. Make sure to review the details of the hearing closely to confirm that you are registering for the correct hearing.

 

  1. You will need to scroll down to find the registration form. The form requests the same information that committee staff would ask you if you were signing up to testify in-person.

 

  1. Once you submit the form, you’ll receive a pending approval notice to the email address you included in the form. Make sure to keep the information in this notice handy.

 

  1. Within 24 hours, after you have registered to testify, you will receive an email confirming that you have signed up for the hearing. If you need to cancel, there is the “cancel” link in the bottom left corner.

*Please note that there is a deadline to register to testify. You can find the exact time and date that registration closes for a particular hearing listed in the bulletin.

  1. On the morning of the hearing, a speaker list will be generated and posted on the committee page. Go to “Public Hearings” and click “testimony” and select the hearing date. In the right corner, there will be a document labeled “Speaker Order.” Click to open and find your placement.

 

  1. Make sure to log onto Zoom before the hearing starts and turn off camera/microphone until it is your turn. You will have to wait to speak as if you are sitting in a hearing room.

 

  1. You can monitor every public hearing this session in real-time on each committee's official Youtube channel (accessible at cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/broadcastmedia.asp under the "CGA Live Streaming Feeds" heading). Some public hearings are also broadcast live on CT-N. 

You have the ability to affect change through testimony at public hearings. I hope that everyone will use the resource outlined above to share your stories. Lawmakers are looking forward to hearing your voice.
 
As always, if you are not interested in testifying, but you have a story to be told, please contact me so I may advocate on your behalf.

Equity Match Grant Program for Women in Business

The Equity Match Grant Program, which will be administered by the Women’s Business Development Council through its Opportunity Fund, will aid entrepreneurs in accessing the capital needed to establish banking relationships, improve credit, and overcome challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
Together, Lt. Governor Bysiewicz and Fran Pastore, CEO of the Women’s Business Development Council, raised $525,000 in funds. The State will match the funds up to $500,000, bringing the total amount of funds available in the Equity Match Grant Program to more than $1 million. 
 
Funds from the Equity Match Grant Program can be used to purchase critical business assets such as the personal protective equipment needed to comply with reopening guidelines, or to pivot to an online business model which will help the company increase revenue and improve its cash flow. 
 
Grants between $2,500 and $10,00 may be given for clearly defined projects that will have a measurable impact on the business. Applicants are required to provide a 25% match

To qualify to apply for an Equity Match Grant businesses should: 
  • Be a woman-owned business; 
  • Have prior participation in WBDC programs or services; 
  • Be in business with a record of sales for a minimum of one year;  
  • Be registered in Connecticut and in good standing with the state; 
  • Utilize an online or automated financial system; 
  • Have an established business-banking relationship. 

 
To learn more about the Equity Match Grant Program and receive updated funder information, contact microgrants@ctwbdc.org

Click here to apply for the Equity Match Grant Program. 

Data updates on vaccine administration in Connecticut
 
The following data represents the total number of COVID-19 vaccinations administered in Connecticut, as reported to the state as of yesterday:
 

  • First doses administered: 299,876
  • Second doses administered: 64,379
  • Total doses administered: 364,255

 
Connecticut ranks among the top three states in the nation for administering the vaccine to its residents. So far, 35 percent of the state’s population over the age of 75 has received the vaccine.
 
Connecticut is currently in phase 1b of its COVID-19 vaccination program. Right now under this phase, individuals over the age of 75 can receive the vaccine. Soon, the phase will expand to include individuals between the ages of 65 and 74, and individuals between the ages of 16 and 64 who have underlying health conditions. Residents and staff of congregate settings and frontline essential workers will soon also become eligible during this phase.
 
Information on Connecticut’s COVID-19 vaccination program is available at ct.gov/covidvaccine.
 
Weekly update on the impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes and assisted living facilities
 
The following documents contain the weekly data regarding each of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Connecticut that have reported positive cases of COVID-19 among their residents. The data is presented as it was reported to the state by each of the facilities.
 

**DownloadReport from January 28, 2021 on COVID-19 in Connecticut nursing homes
**DownloadReport from January 28, 2021 on COVID-19 in Connecticut assisted living facilities

 

 
Weekly update of the Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 Alert Map: 163 of 169 municipalities in red zone alert level
 
The Connecticut Department of Public Health today released its weekly COVID-19 Alert Map, which indicates that 163 of 169 towns and cities in Connecticut are currently in the red zone alert level, the highest of the state’s four alert levels.
 
The only municipalities in the state that are not in the red zone this week are Canaan, Colebrook, Cornwall, Norfolk, Scotland, and Warren, all of which are in the gray alert level.
 
The color-coded zones include:
 

  • Red: Indicates case rates over the last two weeks of greater than 15 per 100,000 population
  • Orange: Indicates case rates between 10 to 14 cases per 100,000 population
  • Yellow: Indicates case rates between 5 and 9 per 100,000 population
  • Gray: Indicates case rates lower than five per 100,000 population

 
The weekly alert map is also accompanied by a chart that provides guidance on recommended actions based on the alert levels for individual residents; institutions such as schools, houses of worship, and community organizations; and municipal leaders and local health directors.
 
The COVID-19 Alert Map is updated every Thursday around 4:00 p.m. and can be found in the Data Tracker page of the state’s coronavirus website at ct.gov/coronavirus.

Torrington domestic violence agency invites businesses to be 'heroes'

 The Susan B. Anthony Project is a local organization  which provides support to men, women and families impacted by domestic violence. They provide various services free of charge to victims and survivors, including a 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter, and transitional living services.

SBAP is dependent on  donations and sponsorship in order to provide their important services to the community.

One way local businesses can help is by joining the HERO Program, which stands for “Helping Empower and Rebuild Others."  HERO participants are able to  donate money and involve their employees.

To be a HERO, businesses are asked to collect donations from employees and customers to benefit SBAP. Those gifts are then matched by the business. All donations collected support SBAP’s services for women, men, and children experiencing domestic and/or sexual violence.

This year SBAP is recognizing four local participants in the HERO Program: Energy Fitness Factory, Lily and Vine Floral Design and Wright’s Barn and Café, all in Torrington; and Litchfield Hills Fitness in Litchfield. 

For more information about SBAP, visit their website. 

Providing information to Connecticut residents

 
For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus. Residents can also subscribe to text message alerts from the state by texting the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.
 
Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance. Anyone who is out-of-state or requires a toll-free number can connect to Connecticut 2-1-1 by dialing 1-800-203-1234. This is intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone who is experiencing symptoms are strongly urged to contact their medical provider.
 

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.