Eleni Kavros DeGraw

Beating The Heat, A Legislative Update, Eagle Scouts In Avon

As we have another heat wave this week, I hope you are doing your best to stay hydrated and cool! You'll see information below about how to beat the heat and don’t forget our cooling centers in each town.

Now that Session has ended until next year, I will be providing this e-update once a week instead of twice, but as always, do not hesitate to reach me at Eleni.KavrosDeGraw@cga.ct.gov.

Saturday, I once again had the opportunity to attend a rising Eagle Scout Ceremony for Troop 274 in Avon. These events are incredibly inspiring reminder of how our future will be led by an extraordinary generation.

As we come to the end of Pride month, I've included some information on pronouns as they are a topic of interest to many of us right now and by sharing this information, it helps us understand one another better.

Also, the Governor announced new incentives for purchasing electric vehicles which is great news as these heatwaves will just keep coming until we can enact meaningful change toward our climate crisis.

Lastly, some information from Hartford Healthcare on how to stay safe this Fourth of July holiday.

Wishing all of you a wonderful Independence Day weekend.

BEATING THE HEAT DURING EXTREME TEMPERATURES

We are expected to experience extreme temperatures this week prompting heat advisories from the National Weather Service through Wednesday.

For immediate relief from the heat, dial 2-1-1 or click here to find a cooling center near you.

While extreme heat can put us all at risk for certain illnesses, especially heat exhaustion and heat stroke, some vulnerable populations are at greater risk than others:

• Infants and young children are sensitive to the effects of high temperatures and rely on others to regulate their environments and provide adequate liquids.
• People 65 years of age or older may not compensate for heat stress efficiently and are less likely to sense and respond to change in temperature.
• People who are overweight may be prone to heat sickness because of their tendency to retain more body heat.
• People who overexert during work or exercise may become dehydrated and susceptible to heat sickness.
• People with pre-existing medical conditions, especially those with heart disease or high blood pressure, or who take certain medications, including medications for depression, insomnia, or poor circulation, may be affected by extreme heat.

In these extreme temperatures, it’s important to stay cool and stay safe. Here are some tips to help manage the extreme heat.

• Stay in air-conditioned buildings as much as possible. If you must be outdoors, try to limit your outdoor activity to the morning and evening. Try to rest often in shady areas so that your body has a chance to cool off. (Call 2-1-1 for a list of cooling centers).
• Avoid direct sunlight.
• Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing.
• Take cool showers or baths.
• Check on those most at-risk several times a day.
• Pets that cannot be brought indoors should be provided ready access to water and shade to keep them cool.
• Drink at least two to four cups of water every hour while working or exercising outside.
• Avoid alcohol or liquids containing high amounts of sugar.
• Remind others to drink enough water.

Please make sure you are staying cool, hydrated and safe during these extra hot summer days. Check in on loved-ones and neighbors who you think may need a little extra help. And as always, if you or someone you know needs any extra assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

As promised, I have more information on legislation passed this session.

As we focused on growing Connecticut's economy, we passed:

HB 6647: An Act Concerning Geographic Systems  - to create centralized state GIS Mapping (the zoning and geographic maps of our towns) which ultimately helps development, local government, and planning.
 
HB 6467: An Act Concerning The Small Business Program -  expands the Small Business Express Program to help more local businesses grow while expanding minority, women, veteran and disabled-owned businesses.

We lead the country with equitable broadband access by passing HB 6442: An Act Concerning Equitable Access to Broadband which:

• provides an assessment of state-wide across to the Web
• provides grants to cities and towns for broadband projects and
• requires internet providers to cover part of the state's cost

As you know, restaurants hold a special place in our communities and in my heart and that's why I fought for Connecticut restaurants to have:

• a tax-free day to help them get back on their feet (SB 1202)
• enabled restaurants to keep 1% of taxes collected for one year (in the budget)
• helped cut the red tape and made outdoor dining a permanent option for bars and restaurants (also SB 1202)
• continued alcohol to-go and delivery sales by local bars and restaurants (PA 21-37)

We also focused on a "greener" Connecticut this session by:

• Passing PA 21-58, the modernized "Bottle Bill" raising bottle deposits to 10 cents, applying deposits to more products and providing money to towns and redemption centers to ensure these items don't end up as litter or landfill.
• Regulating the harmful PFAS chemical you've probably heard so much about by supporting fire departments on how to phase this chemical out of their work (SB 837). 
• Helped the approval of more anaerobic digesters on farms to address storm water runoff and food waste (PA 21-16) ultimately helping us turn methane gas into energy. 
• Creating a competitive program for fuel cell projects that favors Connecticut-made equipment and will move us to redevelop brownfields and landfills (HB 6524).

NEW ELECTRIC VEHICLE INCENTIVES FOR CT RESIDENTS

Governor Ned Lamont announced in a press release a suite of improvements to the Connecticut Hydrogen and Electric Automobile Purchase Rebate (CHEAPR) program – the state’s successful consumer rebate program for electric vehicles (EVs) – that will provide more Connecticut residents with more affordable access to purchase or lease an EV.

The newly approved incentives, which become available this month, increase rebate amounts and expand the CHEAPR program to cover used EVs as well as new EVs and provide an additional incentive for income-eligible consumers.

There are several new incentive levels included in the program.

For new vehicles, the CHEAPR rebate is now:

1. $2,250 for a new BEV (previously $1,500)
2. $750 for a new PHEV (previously $500)
3. $7,500 for a new FCEV (previously $5,000)

Under the Rebate+ New program, eligible purchasers or lessees may receive an additional:

• $2,000 for a new BEV
• $1,500 for a new PHEV
• $2,000 for a new FCEV  

Under the Rebate+ Used program, eligible purchasers or lessees of qualified used vehicles will receive:

• $3,000 for a used BEV
• $1,125 for a used PHEV
• $7,500 for a used FCEV

To read the full press release please click on the image below:

CELEBRATING EAGLE SCOUTS IN AVON

It was a pleasure to once again join Trop 274 in Avon this past Saturday for their Eagle Scout Ceremony. I was impressed to hear what kind, empathetic, strong leaders these young men have become over the course of their scouting journey and look forward to seeing what their futures hold Congratulations to Ryan Patrick Bagley, Alexander Michael Bump, William Peyton Klemm, Andrew Carl Pooler, and Jacob Theodore Pooler and their entire families.

ALZHEIMER'S AND BRAIN AWARENESS MONTH

This Alzheimer's Awareness Month, help spread the word about warning signs of this disease. An early diagnosis of Alzheimer's provides a range of benefits for the individuals who are diagnosed. You can read more about the importance of early detection please click the image below:

UNDERSTANDING GENDER PRONOUNS

Respecting pronouns isn't just polite - it is suicide prevention. As of 2020, around 28% of U.S. transgender and nonbinary youth who reported that no one respected their pronouns attempted suicide in the past year, compared to 12% of youth who reported that all or most people around them respected their pronouns. Learn more about this study HERE. If you’d like to learn more about the importance of pronouns and gender identity, please click on the image below.

WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT IS NOT RIGHT...

I have long been an admirer or Congressman John Lewis. While he has many excellent quotes, this one has often been a guiding force and one that I think we all strive to share with the next generation.

TIPS FOR A SAFE, HEALTHY AND HAPPY 4TH

Great tips from Hartford HealthCare!

Summer of 2021: Fun in the Sun

After more than a year of being stuck at home, many people are looking to get up and go this summer. For some, that means travel, for others, that means spending more time outdoors with friends and family, taking in the rays and some fresh air.

Whether you journey near or far, before you head out, make sure you have a few of these potential life-savers on hand:

• Sunscreen
• Extra Water
• Bandages of varying sizes
• Insect repellent