Avoiding Tax Scams & More Legislative News

March 20, 2023

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Dear Neighbor,

Tax filing season is upon us. As you prepare to file, I urge you to be mindful of potential scams. The IRS produces a list of "dirty dozen" tax scams. While these scams can occur year-round, they tend to increase during this time of the year. It’s wise to stay on top of the latest list of common issues—and take some simple steps to stay safe from them.

A great way to protect yourself is to do additional research on anything that seems suspicious. Do not click on an email or a link to an unfamiliar website. Never give out any personal information—especially your Social Security Number—to someone claiming to represent the IRS over the phone or online. When in doubt, visit IRS.gov for additional guidance.

Filing taxes can be a stressful process. Avoiding these scams can prevent an even larger headache. The deadline to file is April 18.

Expanded Access to Health Coverage for
Personal Care Attendants

Personal care attendants (PCAs) will have additional access to affordable health insurance after an agreement was reached to expand the application deadline for PCAs to apply for the first round of the new premium assistance benefit.

PCAs, who provide valuable services and support to more than 7,000 of Connecticut’s Medicaid consumers so they can remain in their homes and communities, may now apply for the premium benefit through April 7. The special enrollment period for coverage through

Access Health CT, the state's health insurance exchange, runs until May 15. For those who do not apply for assistance by April 7, another application period will be provided later this year with payment on or around September, in time for the traditional open enrollment period on Access Health CT.

Connecticut is one of the first states to do this, and I encourage all PCA s who are not enrolled in health coverage to sign up for this benefit.

Wrong Way Driving Public Awareness

The governor announced that the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is launching a new public awareness campaign on the dangers of wrong-way driving as part of the state’s larger strategy of reversing the catastrophic recent increase in wrong-way crashes and deaths. The campaign’s theme of “One Wrong Move” demonstrates how just one moment and one decision can be fatal. It features spots distributed through a variety of media outlets such as television, radio, digital, and billboards.

We must embrace new crash prevention technologies and incorporate best practices from across the country to reduce the frequency of deadly wrong-way highway collisions. The alarming increase in these types of crashes demand immediate action and I am grateful to the CTDOT and Governor Lamont for their leadership on this issue. To read full announcement click

here.

Wrong-way driving crashes in Connecticut tripled in 2022. This includes 13 wrong-way crashes that resulted in 23 deaths, compared to 4 wrong-way crashes in 2021 and 2 in 2020. Studies have shown that wrong-way driving crashes are 100 times more likely to be fatal than other types of crashes.

Anyone who encounters a wrong-way driver should call 9-1-1 and report the location as soon as it’s safe to do so. If a driver discovers they have entered a highway going in the wrong direction, they should immediately pull into the breakdown lane and change their direction when it is safe.

The Summer Enrichment Grant Program is Back!

Thanks to a third round of funding to the Connecticut State Department of Education, this program can once again provide equitable, high-quality, and accessible summer enrichment opportunities for Connecticut children.

Camps can use the funds for expanding the number of students served, adding additional support services and/or activities, and subsidizing enrollment costs by providing scholarships for families from low-income backgrounds.

You can learn more here: