Geraldo Reyes Jr

The federal government is offering some major help weeks after historic flooding left unprecedented damage in parts of the state. Please keep scrolling to find out how storm victims can get financial support in this dire time of need.

The state is urging every driver to slow down and move over if they see a vehicle stopped on the side of the road. I have shared a video below that you don't want to miss detailing why it's so important to follow our move over law.

I was proud to host some high ranking military officials from Romania at the State Capitol. Read below to find out why these remarkable individuals paid a visit to our great state.

You will find the following sections below:

• Federal Funding for Historic Flooding
• Raising Awareness for Our Move Over Law
• Romanian Military Delegation Visit

Connecticut will receive federal funding to help with the recovery from historic flooding and subsequent damage in parts of the state in August. President Joe Biden approved a request from Governor Ned Lamont for a major disaster declaration in Fairfield, New Haven, and Litchfield Counties.

The flooding was responsible for destroying and damaging homes, businesses, roads, bridges, and more. The Valley was hit hardest with damage in many communities.

This week, the feds opened two Business Recovery Centers to help local businesses that suffered losses from the storm. You can find more information on those center below. The U.S. Small Business Administration says affected businesses are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans.

Monroe Police Department
7 Fan Hill Road
Monroe, CT 06468

Monday - Friday, 8 A.M. - 6 P.M.
Saturday, 10 A.M. - 2 P.M.

The federal grants will support storm victims who need:

• Temporary housing and home repairs
• Low-cost loans for uninsured property losses
• Programs to support individuals and businesses recover

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA app. Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, can give FEMA the number for that service.

Connecticut’s Move Over Law requires drivers to slow down and move over for any vehicle stopped on the side of highways and side roads. Between 2017 and 2021, 16 people died in roadside crashes in Connecticut with 13 of them happening after dark.
The “Real Lives” campaign aims to educate the public on the following key points of Connecticut's Move Over Law:

• Move Over: When approaching a stopped vehicle on the roadside, if you are on a highway with two or more lanes in one direction, safely move over one lane.
• Slow Down: If it is not safe to move over, drivers must slow down to a reasonable speed below the posted limit and proceed with caution.
• All Vehicles: The law applies to any stopped vehicle on the roadside, not just emergency or service vehicles.
• Penalties: Violators of the law may face fines, with penalties increasing significantly if a crash results in injury or death.

I was honored to meet several members of the Romanian military delegation at the State Capitol. State Senator Joan Hartley and I were impressed to hear about the ties linking Connecticut to Romania’s military and defense. The visit coincided with Romania’s 20th anniversary of its NATO membership.