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| Dear Friend,
This is my State Capitol update for the week of May 29.
If you prefer to watch rather than read, click on the video below to hear about the issues contained in this newsletter. |
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| This week at the Capitol we have been hard at work in the house passing legislation to help children, seniors, educators, and many more Connecticuter, but our work is not yet done as we work towards a balanced budget. |
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| Here’s a sample of some of the bills that we passed this week:
HB 6901: Connecticut is the fifth-highest student debt holder in the nation. HB 6901 establishes a program to reimburse some student loan payments for certain Connecticut residents and incentivizes them to stay in our state.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=…
HB 6599: Intimate partner violence is a leading contributor to death during pregnancy. To help identify and circumvent tragedies, HB 6599 requires the distribution of educational materials to pregnant and postpartum patients on intimate partner violence in birthing hospitals and healthcare providers.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=…
HB 6762: This bill includes provisions for early childhood education, special education, audits of state and local testing requirements, a Multilingual Learners Bill of Rights, and the establishment of task force to study and develop strategies to improve and promote civic engagement and instruction on civics, citizenship, media literacy and American government.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=…
SB 913: The reality is some people witness traumatic incidents on the job. SB 913 expands coverage to make all employees eligible for workers' compensation coverage for post-traumatic stress injuries.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=…
SB 1108: Students should not have to choose between their education and their reproductive health. That’s why S.B. 1108 requires the Board of Regents for Higher Education and the UConn Board of Trustees to establish a plan for providing reproductive health care services to students living on residential campuses.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=…
SB 956: SB 956 Requires written hospital and nursing home discharge plans for patients, to include the date and location of each follow up medical appointment and a list of medications the patient is taking.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=…
HB 6796: Expands on legislation we passed last year to prevent the theft of catalytic converters by allowing the sharing of information among law enforcement units in other states, creating a uniform approach to the sales and penalty for the theft of a catalytic converter and establishing a task force to further study how to deter these thefts.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=…
HB 5001: We are addressing and expanding vital services to our Intellectually, Developmentally Disabled (IDD) population with HB 5001 by connecting people with the programs they need and qualify for.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=…
SB 922: Under this bill,Connecticut higher education institutions can no longer withhold transcripts as a means to collect debt.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=…
SB 1117: Expands protections for victims of human trafficking by prohibiting hotels, motels, and similar operators from offering discounts on many hourly rates.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=…
SB 1018: Expands your ability to collect the small remaining cash balance of a gift card and it eliminates the requirement to provide the proof of purchase or a gift receipt.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=…
SB 1017: The task force goal of SB 1017 is to ensure that our local emergency services and firefighter departments have enough personnel to keep our communities safe and protected.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=…
SB 1102: Exciting news for healthcare! S.B. 1102 expands pharmacists’ roles to include ordering and administering COVID-19, HIV, and influenza tests, prescribing HIV-related prophylaxis, and administering epinephrine cartridges. Plus, mobile pharmacies are now allowed with DCP’s approval.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=…
SB 1165: High schoolers should be financially literate. Educating students about managing money and debt can help them with a much brighter financial future.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=…
SB 953: Modernizes Connecticut's racial profiling law to reflect the reality that often race is not the only motivation for detention, but a major contributing factor.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=…
SB 1103: Data privacy is a high priority - SB 1103, establishes regulations and procedures for how state departments will regulate and use artificial intelligence and creates a working group to look at certain issues concerning AI.
https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=… |
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Table of contents:
- COVID-19 weekly update. Click here
- Children's Champion Awards. Click here.
- Early Voting Legislation Heads to the Governor's Desk. Click here
- National Gun Violence Awareness Day. Click here
- State Funding for Senior Centers. Click here
- Salisbury Housing Needs. Click here
- Judea Garden 15th Season Celebration Calendar. Click here
- Household Hazardous Waste Drop Off this weekend in Bethel. Click here
- CT Trails Day
- June is Pride Month. Click here
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| For graphs and tables containing data on COVID-19, including a list of cases in every municipality click the button below. |
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| Note that the federal government is making at home test kits available free of charge. For more information, https://www.covid.gov/tests. |
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| Thursday morning, the CT Early Childhood Alliance recognized me and 24 of my colleagues, as well as Treasurer Erick Russell, for the work we have done to better the lives of children and their families and for promoting early childhood education and development. I'm truly honored to be recognized by this organization. I'm also a proud member of the Early Childhood Caucus, often meeting at the Legislative Office Building.
The CT Early Childhood Alliance is a statewide organization committed to improving outcomes in the areas of learning, health, safety, and economic security, for children ages birth to eight. The Alliance's goal is for all children in Connecticut to enter kindergarten healthy, eager to learn, and ready for school success. |
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| Governor Lamont plans to sign legislation implementing early voting in Connecticut elections and primaries. When signed the legislation will become effective January 1, 2024 requiring 14 days of early voting for general elections, 7 days of early voting for most primaries, and 4 days of early voting for special elections and presidential preference primaries. Every municipality will establish at least one early voting location and has the option of establishing more. After Governor Lamont signs this bill into law, we will become one of the last states in the nation to adopt a system of early voting. |
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Like our nation’s gun violence crisis, orange is a color that can’t be ignored.
On June 2, 2023, join me and #WearOrange to shine a light on gun violence that takes the lives of 43,000 people and devastates countless others in the US every single year. |
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| Looking to get involved and raise awareness about gun violence during #WearOrangeWeekend! Text "orange" to 644-33 to find an event! |
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BIG NEWS! Connecticut has been awarded $10 million in state funding from the American Rescue Plan to upgrade and enhance our senior centers. $9 million of this funding will be distributed to municipalities, which can use the funding to support upgrades at their local senior centers through:
- Facility improvements, which can cover a variety of capital improvements, including air and HVAC systems, lighting, accessibility features, vehicle acquisition, maintenance, and repurposing.
- Programming, which can include the acquisition of program registration software, web design renovation capability, extended senior center hours, special or focused entertainment or programming, while also encompassing expanded staff hours to support those programs, when applicable.
The remaining funds will be used by the Connecticut Department of Aging and Disability Services to support its statewide senior center activities. Learn more about this exciting announcement here: tinyurl.com/56z2ym95 |
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| Salisbury Affordable Housing Commission (SAHC) wants to hear what you think about the need for affordable housing in our town. Every five years, State statute requires that they update their Affordable Housing Plan (AHP). The 2023 update provides an opportunity to reassess the needs of those who live and work in Salisbury in the wake of Covid-19.
Click this link to fill out this anonymous survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SalisburySurvey
June 17th SAHC Ice Cream Social
In addition to this survey, you are welcome to share your thoughts with them at Salisbury Affordable Housing Committee's Ice Cream Social on Saturday, June 17th at 2:00pm at the Salisbury Congregational Church. During the meeting, they will discuss Salisbury's updated affordable housing plan. Refreshments will be served after the meeting. |
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Sat., June 24 – Garden to Exercise, Exercise to Garden 9:00 am.
Thurs., July 20 – Round Table/Potluck: Does Food Insecurity Really Exist in Litchfield County?
Sat., July 29 – Kids in Judea Garden 9:00 am
Sat., August 19 – 15th Season Celebration and Open Garden 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
To learn more please visit their website: https://steeprockassoc.org/preserve/judea-garden/ |
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| June 1 kicked off PRIDE month, and in Connecticut, we raised the flag at our State Capitol. I joined many of my fellow legislators, along with Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and many advocates, to celebrate the progress we've made as a state and a country and remind everyone that Connecticut is a state that welcomes ALL people.
Stay tuned throughout the month for information on PRIDE events and news in the Northwest Corner… |
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| 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.
Click here to forward to forward this email to a friend. |
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| Sincerely,
Maria Horn
State Representative |
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