State Capitol Update for the Week of September 12th

September 16, 2022
Dear Friend,

This is my State Capitol update for the week of September 12th.

If you prefer to watch rather than read, click on the play button to hear about the issues contained in this newsletter.
 
 
The last official week of summer is upon us, and it feels as if I’ve climbed to the top of a giant slide and am just beginning to accelerate down.  Local organizations are holding benefits to celebrate milestones and to raise the resources they need to do their work.  Others are holding ceremonies to celebrate legislation passed this year, or the work undertaken in the wake of legislation passed years ago, or to begin advocating for new legislation.  Thank you to the many of you who’ve shared community events with me so that I can share them more broadly, and attend myself!
 
In the last week I’ve attended the Cornwall Ag Fair, had breakfast with first responders in Sharon, honored 9/11 at ceremonies in Kent and Washington, attended a forum on maternal health in New England, and toasted the Northwest Connecticut Chamber’s new headquarters at 59 Field Street in Torrington.  I’ve celebrated the 10th anniversary of legislation passed to address racial profiling, and the passage this year of legislation addressing children’s mental health; tomorrow I will celebrate legislation passed this year with the CT State Firefighters Association. 
 
On Monday evening, I held a forum focused on the application process for absentee ballots, explaining changes to eligibility flowing from legislation we passed this year.  To watch that video, with Town Clerks Linda Amerighi (from Sharon) and Darlene Brady (from Kent), click here. [Taylor can you provide the link?  Would be great if it was on YouTube, but FB is fine.]
 
As I write this, I’m about to head to the Sullivan Senior Center in Torrington to celebrate their 20th Anniversary, and then later tonight to a concert at the Warner Theatre in Torrington to benefit McCall Behavioral Health.  This weekend the Lakeville Journal celebrates its 125th birthday with a party at Town Grove in Salisbury on Saturday, and the Walk in the Woods for Parkinson’s will take place on Sunday at White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield, among many community events for local organizations.  And next week Iron Bank is topping the Lakeville Journal with a party for its 175th Anniversary on Thursday at their Salisbury Branch. 
 
As many of you have asked, my calendar is also filled with political events – candidate forums, interviews with journalists, fundraisers for candidates and for local town committees.  Because those are campaign related, I don’t cover them here.  As the election gets closer, you will see more of both state-related and campaign-related posts on social media, but this newsletter is about my job representing you as your state representative: policy, not politics.
 
Enjoy the last weekend of summer, though, yes, it does already feel like fall.
 
 
Here is a list of today's topics:
  • COVID-19 Weekly Update. Click here.
  • Updated Covid-19 Booster Doses. Click Here
  • Vaccination Clinics at Housatonic Valley Regional High School. Click here
  • Disability Voting Rights week. Click here
  •  Hispanic Heritage Month. Click here
  • Governor submits request for agricultural disaster declarations in Lithchfield and New Haven Counties. Click here
  • New state grant program will support HVAC upgrades in schools. Click here
  • New Connecticut Farmer Alliance survey released. Click here
  • Connecticut is a national leader in Medicaid application and eligibility processing speed. Click here
  • Walk in the Woods for Parkinson’s research on Sunday, September 18. Click here
  • Concert at Warner Theatre to benefit McCall Center for Behavioral Health. Click here
  • Tractor and Agricultural Engine Show. Click here
  • Celebrate Belonging in Torrington on Thursday, September 29 . Click here
COVID-19 weekly update
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.”
 
Vaccination Clinics at Housatonic Valley Regional High School

There will be three upcoming 12+ COVID Vaccination Clinics at Housatonic Valley Regional High School:

  • Friday, October 7, 3:00 - 7:00 p.m.
  • Friday, October 28, 3:00 - 7:00 p.m.
  • Friday, November 18, 3:00 - 7:00 p.m.

These are each hosted by the Connecticut Department of Health with Griffin Health.  Further information can be found here:  https://portal.ct.gov/vaccine-portal/DPH-van-clinics?language=en_US
Here is some information on the new bivalent boosters that will be available: 
Pfizer Bivalent Covid Vaccine Dosing/Eligibility

  • 12 years of age and older
  • MUST have received Covid vaccine primary series
  • Eligible for bivalent booster: two months after last dose of vaccine
  • Regardless if last dose was primary series, or boosters
  • DOSE: 0.3ml DO NOT DILUTE One dose only
  • Dosing and Schedule: A single booster dose (0.3 mL) of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent may be administered at least 2 months after completion of primary vaccination or receipt of the most recent booster dose with any authorized or approved monovalent COVID-19 vaccine

Moderna Bivalent Covid Vaccine Dosing/Eligibility

  • 18 years of age and older
  • MUST have received Covid vaccine primary series
  • Eligible for bivalent booster: two months after last dose of vaccine
  • Regardless if last dose was primary series, or boosters
  • DOSE: 0.5ml DO NOT DILUTE One dose only
  • Individuals 18 years of age and older are eligible for a single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent if it has been at least two months since they have completed primary vaccination or have received the most recent booster dose with any authorized or approved monovalent COVID-19 vaccine

Here is the CDC guidelines for these boosters <https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/s0901-covid-19-booster.html
 
Disability Voting Rights week

 
Voting is one of our nation’s most fundamental rights and a hallmark of our democracy. It is critical that all eligible voters have equal access and opportunity to participate in our electoral process. Connecticut is committed to ensuring that the polls are accessible to all voters and that you are fully able to exercise your voting rights privately and independently.  
Do You Know Your Rights?
  • You have the right to an accessible polling place
  • Accommodations can be made if you have difficulty standing in line at the polls
  • You have the right to use a ballot marking device at the polling place
  • You have the right to vote independently and privately
  • You have the right to receive assistance if you need help casting your ballot
  • You have the right to review a sample ballot and receive instructions concerning how to operate the voting equipment before voting 
  • You can request curbside voting if you become temporarily incapacitated when you arrive at the polling place
You have the right to vote by absentee ballot if you have a physical disability that prevents you from voting in person on Election Day.
If your voting rights have been violated, you may file a complaint with the State Elections Enforcement Commission by calling 866-733-2463 or emailing elections@ct.gov. You may also file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice.

Voting should be fair and accessible to all and I'm proud to support legislative initiatives to expand access to the vote.

Last year, the Connecticut General Assembly passed a resolution that will give you the opportunity to modernize our state's election rules. On November 8, 2022, voters will decide if Connecticut should allow for in-person early voting.
 
We also passed several new voting laws this year and during the 2021 session to make it easier to vote absentee. Click the buttons below to learn more.
 
If you have questions about voting absentee, head over to the Secretary of the State's website to learn more and download an application for an absentee ballot.   You can also check out the forum I did earlier this week on the eligilibity and how to apply for an absentee ballot. Click here to watch the recording: https://fb.watch/fAm1XX80Uo/.
2021 Acts Affecting Elections
2022 Acts Affecting Elections

Hispanic Heritage Month

From September 15 to October 15 we observe Hispanic Heritage Month to celebrate, recognize, and feature the countless achievements of the many Hispanic Americans who have positively impacted and enriched our communities.
 
Their rich culture has influenced the entertainment industry, sports, fashion, food, politics, education, science, and more with an enormous worldwide economic impact


The legislature adopted the inclusion of Latino studies in our public high school curriculum beginning in the fall of 2022.
 
Please join me in recognizing the successes, challenges, and stories of Hispanic Americans this month and their invaluable contributions to our culture.
Governor submits request for agricultural disaster declarations in Lithchfield and New Haven Counties due to ongoing drought
 

Governor Lamont has submitted a request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for primary natural disaster declarations to be approved in Litchfield and New Haven counties due to damages sustained by agricultural producers in those areas from the ongoing drought impacting Connecticut.

 

Last month, the federal agency approved primary disaster declarations for New London and Windham counties because of the drought, resulting in Hartford, Middlesex and Tolland counties being designated as contiguous counties and making farm operators in all five of those counties eligible for consideration of certain emergency assistance from the Farm Service Agency, such as low-interest loans. If Governor Lamont’s request for primary disaster declarations in Litchfield and New Haven counties is approved, this assistance will open to farm operators in those areas, as well as to those counties that are contiguous.

 

In his request to Secretary of Agriculture Thomas J. Vilsack, Governor Lamont notes that Litchfield and New Haven counties have experienced the same drought as the counties with the approved declarations, including a 30% loss of any one crop as required to meet the threshold for a declaration.
New state grant program will support HVAC upgrades in schools.  
 
The Lamont administration is releasing $150 million toward a newly established state grant program dedicated to supporting upgrades for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in Connecticut public schools. The grants will supplement more than $165 million that schools have already committed for air filtration improvements since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic through funding they received from the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund.
 
The state grant program will ensure that schools have a dedicated source of funding to support additional infrastructure upgrades, after the pandemic exposed a significant need to have modernized air filtration units in schools.
 
The Connecticut Public Schools HVAC/Indoor Air Quality Grant Program is being administered by the Office of School Construction Grants and Review, an office within the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services. It was created in collaboration with the Connecticut State Department of Education, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and the Connecticut Department of Public Health.
 
The initial $150 million allocation is being supported through two revenue streams, with $75 million coming from state bond funding and the remainder from the state’s share of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.  This initial allocation is a first investment in the program, and additional rounds of funding can be invested as needed, subject to approval from the state legislature. 
Applications from school districts are now being accepted and must be submitted to the state by December 1, 2022. Municipalities will be required to provide matching grants to fund the project costs. Award notices will be announced in early 2023.
 
Examples of eligible projects include:
 
  • Replacing, upgrading, or repairing boilers and other heating and ventilation components;
  • Replacing controls and technology systems related to HVAC operations;
  • Installing or upgrading air conditioning or ventilation systems; and
  • Other similar work approved by the commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services.

 
Distribution of the grants will be prioritized based on:
 

  • Age and condition of the current HVAC system or equipment being replaced or upgraded in the school;
  • Current air quality issues at the school;
  • Age and condition of the overall school building;
  • School district’s master plan;
  • Availability of maintenance records;
  • A contract or plans for the routine maintenance and cleaning of the HVAC system; and
  • The local or regional board of education’s or regional educational service center’s ability to finance the remainder of the costs for such project after receiving a grant under the program.

 
For more information on the program, including application information, visit ct.gov/hvacgrants.
New Connecticut Farmer Alliance survey released

In April, I held a forum on the Future of Farming featuring many local farmers and farm advocacy groups which helped lay out many of the challenges our farmers face, increased now by the drought conditions we are experiencing. 
 
Following on that, I wanted to share the results of a survey recently conducted by the New Connecticut Farmer Alliance (NCTFA).  You can read the survey report here.

There's lots of great information in there about the economic viability of farming as a career, land access concerns, farmers' access (or lack thereof) to health insurance, and more. 

The findings are the basis for the NCTFA’s 2022 policy platform, Future of Farming CT, which they are launching publicly on September 20th at Green Village Initiative in Bridgeport. You can RSVP here.

Federal report ranks Connecticut a national leader in Medicaid application and eligibility processing speed
 
This week a report from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ranked Connecticut among the top four states nationally and the best in New England for Medicaid application and eligibility processing speed.
 
The report analyzes the length of time it took state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) agencies to conduct final determinations for individuals who submitted applications for those programs during the first three months of 2022. It finds that in Connecticut, 97% of these applications were processed within 24 hours, behind only Maryland, Oklahoma, and New York.
 
In Connecticut, Medicaid and CHIP are collectively known as HUSKY Health and are administered by the Department of Social Services (DSS). The department also administers the recently launched Covered Connecticut program. Applications for the multiple health coverage options offered in the state are handled by an integrated system jointly operated by DSS and Access Health CT, the state’s health insurance marketplace.
 
Applications for these coverage options can be submitted online at www.accesshealthct.com or by calling 1-855-805-4325.
 
The report focuses on HUSKY Health coverage for children, parents, pregnant women, and other adults under 65 without minor children. Currently, about 897,000 individuals in Connecticut are covered by HUSKY A, B, and D, and 102,200 individuals are covered by qualified health plans offered through Access Health CT. More information on these services are available at www.ct.gov/husky and www.accesshealthct.com.
Walk in the Woods for Parkinson’s research on Sunday, September 18

On Sunday, September 18, the Torrington Area Parkinson's Support Group, a 501c3 charity, will hold its 11th Annual Walk in the Woods for Parkinson’s. The Walk in the Woods for Parkinson's supports Parkinson's research, increases awareness, and provides support for local people who struggle daily with Parkinson's disease. The event, rain or shine, will take place at White Memorial Conservation Center, 80 White Hall Road, Litchfield, CT.  Registration and activities begin at noon, with walks beginning at 1pm. 

The Torrington Area Parkinson’s Support Group is comprised of people with Parkinson's disease, family, care partners and concerned community members. They meet monthly on Saturday mornings at Torrington's Sullivan Senior Center. All affected by Parkinson's disease are welcome to join our group and attend meetings. To learn more about TAPSG, visit www.torringtonparkinsonssupportgroup.com/
Concert at Warner Theatre to benefit McCall Center for Behavioral Health on September 16

Tractor and Agricultural Engine Show and “Touch a Truck” at Goshen Fairgrounds September 17 and 18
 
The 2nd annual Tractor and Agricultural Engine show will take place on the weekend of September 17th and 18th this year at the Goshen Fair Grounds, Goshen, CT. There will be food, drink and many activities for spectators to see such as:
  •  Antique Tractor, trucks and Engines displayed
  • Flea Market
  • Plowing Exhibitions
  • Heavy Antiques Construction equipment demonstrations
  • Slow truck race (Saturday)
  • Antique Tractor Implement pull (Saturday)
  • Antique Tractor Pull (Sunday)
  •  Touch a truck / tractor event for Kids (Saturday from 9am-2pm)

Celebrate Belonging in Torrington on Thursday, September 29