State Capitol update for the week of February 14th
February 18, 2022Dear Friend,
This is my State Capitol update for the week of February 14th.
If you prefer to watch rather than read, you can click here.
Now that the 2022 legislative session is open, committee work has begun in earnest. All committees are holding meetings to “raise concepts,” which means voting to take up specific bill titles (which, in some cases, really are just ideas at this point). As we often point out at these meetings, a vote in favor of “raising a concept” is not a vote in favor of the policy itself: it merely means that we want to hear more, we want the concept drafted into an actual bill, and that we will hold a public hearing on that bill to get a fuller perspective on it.
Once a concept is raised by a committee, it must be drafted, so when I am not in committee meetings, I have been on Zoom or the phone with advocates, state agencies, and our Legislative Commissioners Office (or “LCO”, our nonpartisan bill drafting office) working on drafting the legislation that will then be put on the agenda for a public hearing. Public hearings generally begin next week. As I cannot say often enough, Connecticut’s nonpartisan research and drafting staff are a tremendous resource. They work very hard and with great skill to make sure we have the information we need in order to draft legislation that will accomplish what is intended.
I wanted to give a shout out to some particularly powerful testimony I’ve heard in the last week, at an informational forum and on the floor of the House Chamber. In both cases, it was from people who told a personal, painful, and emotional story. Sometimes, in order to convey a message, you have to bare your soul, and it can be scary, but it is also powerful, brave, and memorable. Rather than attacking other people, they made themselves vulnerable, which leant their stories great authority and made them very effective advocates.
Finally, I note that the Governor’s executive authority under the recent state of emergency came to a close on February 15. It was time. The legislature chose to codify certain of his executive orders for limited periods, but this is a big shift. The most discussed of the executive orders has been the school mask mandate, which will expire on February 28. Between now and then, school boards across the state will determine whether they want to create their own mask mandates, and if so, where, when, and how. Our school staff – teachers, administrators, and all of the adults who work in our schools – have done extraordinary work keeping our children safe while continuing their education under trying circumstances. Our district has worked hard to keep difficult conversations about pandemic protocols constructive and civil, and we should be proud of that. I’m sure that the common goal to keep kids safe and healthy, both physically and emotionally, even when that can lead to many different approaches, will inform the conversation in the coming weeks.
If you have a long weekend this “Presidents’ Day Weekend” I hope it is a safe, festive, and restful one.
Here’s a list of today’s topics:
- COVID-19 Weekly Update. Click Here
- Office of Health Strategy opens investigation into Sharon Hospital’s compliance with service requirements Click Here.
- Access Health CT Special Enrollment period for the Covered Connecticut program.Click Here
- Regional Vaccine Clinics. Click Here
- Job Fair at Torrington American Jobs Center on Tuesday, February 22. Click Here
- Foundation for Community Health Capacity Building Grant Program for nonprofits. Click Here
- Advanced manufacturing technology center launched at Western Connecticut State University. Click Here
- Providing information to Connecticut residents. 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.”
Office of Health Strategy opens investigation into Sharon Hospital’s compliance with service requirements
The Office of Health Strategy (OHS), which oversees the Certificate of Need (CON) governing services at Sharon Hospital (and other hospitals and systems throughout the state) has announced they will initiate an investigation into Sharon Hospital’s compliance with the CON.
In the letter announcing the investigation, OHS noted that “Information received from the community and Hospital suggests that key discrepancies persist concerning the Hospital’s compliance with the Settlement. OHS subsequently conducted an inquiry into this matter, receiving the Hospital’s response to OHS’ questions on November 22, 2021, as well as additional information from the community. However, these responses continue to raise questions concerning the specific details of the Hospital’s efforts to comply with the Settlement. “
The OHS letter concludes, “Given the apparent inconsistency in the Hospital’s actions and statements concerning its compliance with the Settlement, OHS is hereby initiating an investigation into this matter to gather and review additional information relevant to assess the Hospital’s compliance with applicable statute and the Settlement."
Access Health CT Special Enrollment period for the Covered Connecticut program
Access Health CT (AHCT) announced a Special Enrollment Period for the Covered Connecticut Program that provides health insurance at no cost to Connecticut residents who meet eligibility requirements. This Special Enrollment Period runs now through June 30.
Created and funded by the State of Connecticut, the Covered Connecticut Program pays the customer’s portion of the monthly payment (premium) directly to their insurance company. The program also covers the cost-sharing amounts they would typically have to pay with a health insurance plan, such as co-pays, co-insurance, deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket costs.
To qualify for the Covered Connecticut Program, Connecticut residents must: meet income requirements, be a parent or caretaker relative with children in the household that are under age 19 (if the children are age 18 or older, they must be full-time students in secondary school), use all the financial help available through Access Health CT and be enrolled in an eligible Silver level health insurance plan. For details on income requirements and more, visit AccessHealthCT.com and search “Covered Connecticut” or click here.
Coverage begins on the first of the month following enrollment. For example, if a person enrolls on February 5, their coverage begins on March 1.
To determine if you are eligible, have your questions answered and enroll in the Covered Connecticut Program during this Special Enrollment Period, call the Access Health CT Covered Connecticut Program hotline at 860-241-8478, Monday-Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Regional Vaccine Clinics
Housatonic Valley Regional High School (HVRHS) will hold a COVID-19 vaccination clinic for those twelve and older today, Friday, February 18, 2022, 3:00 - 7:00 p.m. There will be a second clinic on Friday, February 25, 2022 from 3:00 - 7:00 p.m.
All three vaccines, Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson, will be available. All boosters will also be available. Further information on primary shots and boosters can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/immuno.html
Marvelwood School will hold a COVID-19 vaccine clinic on Saturday, February 19 from 11am-3pm, in the lower level of the Athletic Center, at 476 Skiff Mountain Road in Kent.
Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines and booster shots will be available at no cost to anyone 12 years of age or older. Any individual who received their second vaccine on or before September 19, 2021 is eligible for a booster.
Members of the Marvelwood community will be prioritized during the first hour of the clinic, so the School asks that town residents consider arriving after 12pm in order to avoid long lines and maintain social distancing. Proper masking is required on campus at all times.
The necessary paperwork will be available on site. Participants should also bring ID and a copy of their vaccination card, if applicable. Parental permission is required for individuals under the age of 18.
Please contact the Marvelwood Health Office with any questions - 860.927.5321.
Job Fair at Torrington American Jobs Center on Tuesday, February 22
Next Tuesday, Feb. 22nd, a job fair will be held at the Torrington American Jobs Center on Field St.
- Date: Tuesday, Feb. 22nd
- Time: 10:00am – 1:00pm
- Location: Torrington American Jobs Center
Torrington, CT 06790
- Instructions: Please bring a mask and your resume; preview job listings at CTHires.com; participants must be registered users with CTHires
Foundation for Community Health Capacity Building Grant Program for nonprofits
The Foundation for Community Health (FCH) is looking for applicants for its Capacity Building Grant Program. The purpose of this program is to support the organizational health of nonprofits through general operating support, infrastructure needs, or needs related to the scaling or stabilization of a program or initiative. Organizations can submit requests between $5,000 and $15,000.
The online application will be available starting February 25th, applications will be accepted until April 30th, decisions will be made no later than May 31st. FCH will also be offering two virtual information sessions to share more about this grant opportunity and answer any questions, on February 28 and March 16.
Advanced manufacturing technology center launched at Western Connecticut State University
This week the new Connecticut State Community College (CT State) Naugatuck Valley Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center at Western Connecticut State University (WCSU) was launched.
The new facility will enroll up to 24 students in the two-semester certificate program that prepares individuals for hands-on positions in the manufacturing sector. Students earn a total of 31 credits, which can be applied to engineering technology or technology studies associate degree programs.
Those interested in learning more about Connecticut’s advanced manufacturing technology centers should visit ct.edu/makeithere.
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.
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| Sincerely,
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