Legislative Session Highlights

leeper
May 9, 2022

The 2022 Legislative Session has come to a close. It was a fast-paced and productive session, where we had historic wins in defending reproductive rights and investing in youth mental health, and many other victories that will enhance our community and our state. There were also some important pieces of legislation that didn't make it across the finish line this time, such as equitable school funding and Medical Aid in Dying. I hope to have the opportunity to return to the Capitol and continue this important work.

This session, there were very few pieces of legislation that split down party lines. Our work was- what I think many people might find surprising- truly bipartisan. Of all the doors that I’ve knocked over the years, this is what I have learned people truly want- elected officials working together, not expecting to always get 100% of what they want, but committed to achieving progress- and that is precisely what we accomplished this session. I am really proud of that work and grateful to all my colleagues with whom I get to do this work alongside.

This was my first session serving as the Vice-Chair of Human Services. Fighting for our seniors, disabled, and most vulnerable has been some of the most fulfilling and rewarding work I’ve done in this role.

Thank you, Fairfield for entrusting me with this powerful responsibility. It has been an honor to bring your concerns and passions to the Capitol and advocate for legislation that will directly benefit our community.

 
Legislative Spotlight
In the final days of the session, we passed several critical pieces of legislation. I've highlighted a few of those bills below.

We overwhelmingly passed SB 350, recognizing Juneteenth, which commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in 1865, as a state holiday. In response to disheartening statements made by a legislator on the other side of the aisle, many of us organically came together and stood behind our colleagues of color as they spoke to the significance of this holiday and their lived experiences of racial discrimination. It was one of the most powerful moments that I've experienced in the House Chamber. You can read more about the debate here.

We cannot understate the importance of Juneteenth. It is a celebration of resilience, of culture, and American history. It is emblematic of freedom for African Americans and for us all. It is a reminder of how far our country has come, and how far we still have to go.
Additional Bills Passed:

✅ HB 5170 strengths current statutes regarding tethering of dogs and clarifies the definition of adequate shelter to better protect dogs during extreme weather events. I introduced this bill with my Fairfield colleague, Representative Devlin.

✅ SB 120 prohibits the use of chlorpyrifos, a pesticide commonly found on golf courses which can be incredibly harmful to our pollinator population and can cause significant health risks to individuals regularly exposed to the pesticide. 

✅ SB 289, An Act Concerning Oversight and Funding of the Connecticut Fatherhood Initiative. CFI is an important initiative that promotes the importance of involvement and interaction of fathers with their children. I was proud to bring this Human Services bill to the House floor.

✅ SB 313 adopts the recommendations for cancer relief benefits for firefighters. It has been determined through significant research that firefighters face a considerable risk of increased incidents of cancer because of their employment and this legislation helps provide them with additional protective gear to minimize their risk.

✅ SB 358 mandates that insurance companies cover diagnostic ultrasounds for early detection of breast cancer. The bill also mandates coverage for MRIs, biopsies, prophylactic mastectomies and breast reconstruction surgery, as well as routine ovarian cancer screenings. Early detection is essential to catching cancer early and saving lives.

If you have any questions about legislation we passed this session, please reach out to me. I would love to hear from you!
 
Fairfield CARES Annual Community Event
A friendly reminder that Marc Brackett, Ph.D., Founder and Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of the acclaimed book "Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help Our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive" will be the featured speaker at this year’s Fairfield CARES Annual Community event. I hope you can join on Wednesday, May 18th at 7 p.m. for an insightful conversation on emotional intelligence. I had the pleasure of hearing him several years ago as a keynote speaker and he was truly phenomenal. You will leave the session with tangible and implementable strategies for your everyday life.

Professor Brackett is an internationally recognized author and researcher whose RULER program is utilized in over 50% of Connecticut schools. He was featured on Brené Brown's podcast which you can listen to HERE.

The event will be held in person at the RLMS Auditorium. Click below to register:
Register Here
 
Happy Mother's Day
I want to extend warm wishes for a Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible mothers, grandmothers, and women in our lives who provide so much love, care and encouragement.