Maria Horn

Yesterday, during a light, warm spring rain, I visited three different state parks in Torrington alongside a dedicated group of Torrington residents devoted to their preservation and maintenance.  The first was the 715-acre John A. Minetto State Park – an immense, beautiful and wild area with many great options for picnicking, fishing and hiking.  Although motorized vehicles are prohibited, visitors have reported a lot of ATVs using the trails recently, and it is easy to see some of the destruction that has resulted, particularly where their paths cross the many waterways. 

The second was Sunny Brook State Park, a 464 acre park, which is the southwestern terminus for the John Muir Trail across the Paugnut State Forest.  And the third was a jewel of a park that feels like a community garden right in the heart of Torrington, Coe Brass Dam Park, where we spoke with Jim Febbroriello of the Heritage Land Preservation Trust about the park’s origins and the dam’s history.  What a privilege it is to spend time in these green spaces that have meant so much to us over the last year, and to families in the area for generations.  They keep us healthy physically and emotionally, and I look forward to advocating for their care well into the future. If you’d like to join a local group working on trails in Torrington, check out the Torrington Trails Network.

And a reminder to join a remarkable event in Norfolk this weekend, honoring James Mars, the last slave sold in Norfolk, with the placement of a Witness Stone at the Church of Christ.  Organized by the Finding Slavery class of Salisbury School, the Norfolk Church of Christ, and the Norfolk Historical Society, we will read a proclamation naming the day in his honor, and I’ll be joined by Representative Jahana Hayes, State Senator Kevin Witkos, and Reverend Cleo Graham at 2:00 pm at 12 Litchfield Road in Norfolk. Masks and distancing required.  If you can’t make it, a livestream of the event will be available at https://vimeo.com/540216941.

Here’s a list of today’s topics:

• Governor Lamont's Executive Orders. Click here.
• House Passes Tax Cut for Local Businesses. Click here.
• Upcoming Voting Bills. Click here.
• Special Enrollment Period for Access Health. Click here.
• Free Admission for Children at CT Museums. 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 signs Executive Order No. 11F enacting the following provisions:
 

• Remote driver credential transactions: Extends authority for the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue duplicate driver’s licenses and identification credentials remotely.
• Outdoor service of alcohol: Permits service of alcohol outdoors without requiring that drinks be served with food.

 

House Passes Tax Cut for Local Businesses 

During Monday's session, the Connecticut House of Representatives unanimously voted in favor of H.B. 5377, An Act Concerning the Removal Of COVID-19 Related Layoffs From the Unemployment Compensation Experience Account.  If passed by the Senate and approved by the Governor, this bill would cut taxes for local businesses.
 
This proposal excludes COVID-19 related layoffs from the Unemployment Compensation Experience Account and new contribution rate for 2021.  
 
The usual rate that a business must contribute to the Unemployment Compensation Experience Account increases based on the number of employees laid off in order to compensate for the increased strain on our unemployment fund from those layoffs.
 
However, through H.B. 5377, unemployment benefits paid to former employees from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2021 will not affect an employer’s experience rate. This is a huge relief for local businesses.

Small and local businesses were hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Although Connecticut's strong COVID-19 response and vaccine distribution have signaled a brighter future, there is still a lot of work to be done, especially for small business owners. This bill will ensure that they will have one less financial burden to consider as they work towards rebuilding.

Two important voting bills: pushing for a vote soon!
 
The legislature has two major voting bills this session that I am pressing we vote on as soon as possible.  They are both proposed constitutional amendments (Connecticut constrains our process in the constitution), so the process is a little different.  The first is HJ 58, which would amend our state constitution to allow for “no-excuse” absentee ballots, and the second is HJ 59, which would amend our state constitution to allow for early voting.  To amend our constitution a resolution must first pass both houses of the legislature by a supermajority (75%), or pass both houses by simple majority in two successive legislatures.  After that it can be placed on the ballot at the next statewide election. Because we passed a resolution on early voting by simple majority in 2019, HB 59 only has to pass this year by simple majority to make it onto your ballot in 2022.  On no-excuse absentee ballots, we are just beginning the process, so we will need a supermajority to get it onto the next ballot, but given their widespread, successful, popular, and fair use in the 2020 election, I am hopeful we can get a supermajority.  Your support might make the difference!
 
Your vote is your voice and your right: demand a say on how and when you cast your ballot.

Access Health CT Announces Special Enrollment Period for New And Existing Customers 

• The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) will make health insurance coverage more affordable for many CT residents, by virtually eliminating or vastly reducing monthly payments (premiums) for people with low and moderate incomes, and providing new financial help for people with somewhat higher incomes who can face high premiums.
• Access Health CT will open a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) from May 1 – August 15, 2021.

• The average savings per household will be $116.05 per month, or $1,392.57 per year.
• Households with annual income over 400% of the Federal Poverty Level ($51,040 for one person), will be newly eligible for financial help and will see an average monthly savings of over $500 or $6,200 a year.

• Over half of current households in a qualified health plan will now pay under $16/month for their health insurance.

Access Health CT will continue to offer free help: 

• Online: AccessHealthCT.com (Live chat: AccessHealthCT.com click “Live Chat” icon) 
• Phone: 1-855-805-4325, Mon. – Fri.,  8 AM – 5 PM (Saturday May 1, 2021  9 AM – 3 PM)
• With Enrollment Specialists in the community 
• In-person help at either of AHCT’s Navigator partner locations*: 
  • Project Access New Haven located at 63 York Street in New Haven, Conn.   
  • Community Renewal Team located at 330 Market Street in Hartford, Conn. 

For more information on the AHCT Special Enrollment Period and the American Rescue Plan, visit AccessHealthCT.com.
 
Program to allow children free access to Connecticut museums this summer 
 
Governor Ned Lamont announced that he is proposing to launch an initiative that will allow all children in Connecticut to visit museums throughout the state free of charge during the upcoming summer months.
 
The initiative was included as part of the proposal the governor presented earlier this week to the Connecticut General Assembly to allocate the federal COVID-19 recovery funding Connecticut is receiving from the American Rescue Plan Act. This summer museum portion of the proposal is part of Governor Lamont’s larger plan to provide students and families with engaging summer enrichment and learning experiences in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Under the initiative, all Connecticut children 18 and under plus one accompanying adult can visit any of the state’s participating museums free of charge from July 1 to September 6. It will be supported by a $15 million investment from the state’s federal recovery funds to the participating museums.
 
Additional information on the program, including participating museums, will be announced in the coming weeks.
 
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.