Newsletter

April 22, 2022
Happy Earth Day! We are so lucky to have a beautiful day today to celebrate and protect our planet. I was lucky enough to be included for a tree planting on the green in Canton.
 
I also had a wonderful time delivering Girl Scout Cookies and speaking with our seniors and others at the Canton Senior Center this afternoon. It's so great to see our centers open again and figuring out what activities and adventures to plan for the near future.
 
This morning, we heard a Public Health bill in Finance—SB 367—regarding e-cigarettes. I have to tell you that it didn't go the way I hoped, and the bill was greatly amended leading me to vote against it.

For four years, I have worked to protect our children from what, for many, has become a vaping crisis and to see protections removed from this bill today that I, and many others, believe would protect not just our children but also a burgeoning younger generation from becoming hooked, was frustrating. More on this below.
 
We passed several bills in the house this week and that's part of the reason for this email to make sure you know what's happening at the Capitol and to update you on where bills are in the legislative process.
 
I hope you have a great weekend and can plug into some of the Earth Day events locally. If you are celebrating Orthodox Easter like I am, I wish you a blessed weekend.
 
A CIVICS LESSON: SB367 AN ACT CONCERNING ELECTRONIC NICOTINE DELIVERY SYSTEMS AND VAPOR PRODUCTS
Please watch.
I am also attaching the link to a story News12 did on the topic entitled "Vape Sales would be sharply limited under new legislation" here.
 
HAPPY EARTH DAY!
Today, I celebrated Earth Day by joining Bob Martin and the Canton Department of Public Works an the town green as they planted a beautiful elm tree. For years, the town has planted a tree to mark this day and it was an absolutely beautiful day to be there.
 
There are so many great resources on how you can help our one planet on the website EarthDay.org and if you'd like to learn more about how you can help our Earth and each other, I hope you'll join me at the Farmington Valley Green Living Festival in Avon on May 14 from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. on the grounds of the Avon Congregational Church.

Stay tuned for more information.
 
A VISIT TO CANTON SENIOR CENTER
I had a wonderful visit today to the Canton Senior Center. I was joined by Anna Doroghazi, the Associate State Director of Advocacy and Outreach for AARP and Amy Porter, the Commissioner of the Department of Aging and Senior Services.
 
We shared resources for avoiding elder scams, discussed healthcare, and answered questions on taxes, how to shop insurance, and how our world is changing after the pandemic.
 
I'm guessing the highlight for many were the Girl Scout Cookies I brought and the containers and seeds provided for participants by the Senior Center.
 
Gaining meaningful employment is a critical component to reentering your community following incarceration – but too often individuals face significant barriers, which limit opportunity and the ability to succeed in reintegrating. The House passed HB 5248 to remove these barriers for individuals with a criminal record trying to obtain a professional license. Click on the images for more details about the legislation.
 
Through the passage of HB 5234, the House has worked to ensure that both parties are able to work together to break down the barriers to obtaining housing. This bill establishes clear rules of the road for landlords and tenants.
 
Throughout a child's life in public K-12 schools, they have access to programs that supply free and reduced meals - but food insecurity doesn't end on graduation day. For college-age students, food insecurity can become a significant barrier in their ability to pursue and succeed at a higher education institution. HB 5301 will work to identify the nutritional needs of students and establish strategies to combat food insecurity at our colleges and universities, among other initiatives to better support students, including creating a plan to build additional childcare facilities at state colleges and universities.
 
Patients who will be under deep sedation, anesthesia or may fall unconscious should be sure that they can trust in their medical professionals to keep them safe and remain transparent about the procedures they may face. HB 5278 will require physicians to receive explicit consent before a pelvic exam can be performed, in addition to ensuring providers are properly educated on conditions such as endometriosis to increase patients' dignity and bodily autonomy.
 
Nursing homes have faced critical shortages in the last few years and as they work to replace staff, they have faced challenges in recruiting and retaining qualified individuals – including increasingly relying on nursing pool agencies which often cause the cost of labor to skyrocket. HB 5313 establishes maximum rates nursing pool agencies may charge a facility.
 
Our men and women in uniform face increased stress, PTSD, depression, and higher rates of suicide. If an officer faces a mental health assessment and requires treatment, they should be able to focus on recovery and not have to worry about their job protection or potential retribution. With the passage of HB 5420, the House has acted to ensure the necessary protections so that officers can focus on their mental health.
 
To all of my Orthodox Christian friends observing Good Friday today, I hope it’s peaceful and that if you’re helping carry the epitaphio tonight, that your load is light. Καλή Ανάσταση!