A Leader on Paid Family & Medical Leave, Protecting the Elderly, and Tesla Direct Sales

August 9, 2023


I hope you are enjoying what's left of summer as we get closer to the start of the new school year. In this newsletter, I'm breaking down how our state is a leader on paid and family medical leave, how new legislation is protecting the elderly from scammers, and why I support direct sales of Tesla vehicles in Connecticut.

Click on any of these links to jump to that section of the email:
     
    Leader on Paid Family and Medical Leave
    Did you know residents in every town in the state have applied for CT Paid Leave? Approximately 66,000 workers in Connecticut have received over $375 million in benefits when they were unable to work due to qualifying health or family reasons. 

    In 2019, the legislature passed and Governor Ned Lamont signed Public Act 19-25 into law, creating CT Paid Leave. Employee payroll contributions began in 2021. One year later, on January 1, 2022, benefit programs began for qualified applicants.

    Families in Connecticut shouldn't have to worry about whether they can balance taking care of family needs or paying the bills. With this program, both can happen, as it offers partial income replacement benefits.
    What qualifies for eligible leave?
    • Parental bonding - the birth of an employee's child or placement of an adopted or foster child with the employee
    • Serious health conditions - for the employee or a family member of the employee
    • Donors - to serve as an organ or bone marrow donor
    • Armed Forces - for family members in the armed forces undergoing treatment for an injury or illness incurred in the line of duty or being deployed to a foreign country
    • Family violence - for family violence victims to seek medical care or counseling, obtain services from a victim services organization, relocate because of family violence, or participate in civil or criminal proceedings related to the family
    Learn More About CT Paid Leave

    Connecticut is one of 13 states in the nation, along with Washington D.C., to pass paid family and medical leave legislation. New Hampshire and Vermont have enacted voluntary programs for employers who want to opt in.

    Connecticut should be proud of its paid leave program. It is held up as a national model for other states to emulate.
     
    New Laws Protecting the Elderly
    During session, we successfully passed legislation that protects and supports individuals in the state who are in the twilight years of their life. Unfortunately, as the elderly population steadily rises, scam attempts against that community also increases. To help shield our older residents from being victimized, we passed PA 23-161, AN ACT CONCERNING FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION OF SENIOR CITIZENS. 

    Starting July 1, 2024, banks and credit unions will have the power to temporarily suspend or hold transactions involving an account of an adult over the age of 60 if there is a reasonable suspicion of financial exploitation for up to 45 days.
    Below are some of the highlights of Aging bills we passed this year:
    • Established a new coordinator of state services for people with dementia
    • Strengthened patient's involvement in their homemaker care plans and streamlined the process for filing complaints
    • Expanded eligibility for seniors to participate in adult day services (serving those with early onset dementia)
    • Increased funding for elderly nutrition and Meals on Wheels
    • Required homemaker companion companies to provide notice to their clients before they abruptly close and prohibited any increases in rates without at least 60-day notice

      The elderly deserve to live comfortably and unburdened. This legislation that we passed will make that possible.

         
        Direct Tesla Sales in Connecticut
        Tesla has found a way to sell its electric cars directly to consumers in Connecticut by partnering with Mohegan Sun Casino to open a state-of-the-art showroom this fall in the Shops at Mohegan Sun. The showroom is on tribal land where it can sell directly to consumers, bypassing state laws that block automakers from also being retailers in favor of the dealership model. Tesla currently has a service center in Milford, but it only allows consumers to lease.
        During the 2023 legislative session, I re-introduced a bill paving the road for direct Tesla sales, but it did not get approval in the Transportation Committee. Barron's recently profiled this ongoing debate and asked for my take on Tesla's move to sell electric vehicles on tribal land.
        Click Here to Read the Barron's Article