Weekly Update January 10, 2024

January 10, 2025


 
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Dear Neighbor,

On Wednesday we convened the 2025 legislative session and the start of an exciting new chapter for our state and community. With twenty new legislators in the House, and the support of the caucus to continue on as Majority Leader, this is our opportunity to tackle challenges, advocate for progress, and create meaningful change for a brighter future.

This session marks my 9th swearing in, and 17th opening day – I am looking forward to the work ahead on behalf of all residents. 

The topics covered in this e-newsletter are as follows:

  • Opening Day
  • State Update
  • Today in CT History
  • Manchester Community Events and Information
  • East Hartford Community Events and Information
 
Opening Day!

Opening Day! I'm grateful every day for the privilege of serving our families, our neighbors, our communities, and our great State of Connecticut!

 
State Update
Follow the link below for our non-partisan Office of Legislative Research major issues report for the 2025 legislative session.
2025 Major Issues
 
It's easier than ever to follow the action at the Capitol and get involved. There are several resources below you can utilize to stay updated on the legislative process as it unfolds in Hartford.

Here's how you can stay connected and actively participate:  

  • The Office of Legislative Research (OLR) provides nonpartisan and unbiased research to members of the General Assembly and their staff. Part of their duties include writing bill analyses, which are summaries of bills in plain language. 
  • You can view the Connecticut General Assembly's upcoming events by checking out its schedule on the CGA official website
  • Follow CT-N for live coverage of committee meetings, as well as House and Senate floor debates. 
  • You can register to monitor any bill's journey as it goes through the legislative process. By signing up, you can enter the bill number and receive real-time updates. Stay informed with email notifications whenever there's a change in the bill's progress. 

Visit this website for information on how to testify on a bill at a public hearing.

 
Final Access Health CT Enrollment
Deadline Approaching

The deadline to enroll in health and dental coverage through Access Health CT is Wednesday, Jan. 15th. Coverage would begin on February 1st. Please note: this is the final deadline for the 2025 Open Enrollment Period.  

AHCT is the only place state residents can get financial help to pay for their health insurance. Nearly 90% of customers received financial assistance last year. Some customers might qualify for the Covered CT Program. This program provides no-cost coverage for eligible residents.

There are 22 Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) for customers to choose from. Plans are available from Anthem, ConnectiCare Benefits Inc. and ConnectiCare Insurance Company, Inc.

There are several ways to get free help in person, online, and over the phone

AHCT is hosting five one-day enrollment fairs throughout the state during January. Customers can also visit enrollment locations and Navigator partner locations during regular business hours. For a list of enrollment fairs and to register, visit the Enrollment Events webpage on the AHCT website. Information about enrollment locations and Navigator locations is also listed.

Customers can also get help from a Certified Broker or Enrollment Specialist in their community.

To find a broker near you, go online to AccessHealthCT.com and click Get Help’.

For free help online, customers can visit AccessHealthCT.com. They can also chat live with a customer service representative by clicking the “Live Chat” icon on the website. Live chat is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Live chat is available from 8:00 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. Jan. 15, 2025.

To get help over the phone, customers can call 1-855-805-4325, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Help is available in over 100 languages.

The call center will be open from 8:00 a.m. to midnight on Jan. 15, 2025.

Customers who are deaf or hearing impaired may use TTY at 1-855-789-2428 or call with a relay operator.

 
Walmart invites communities to prioritize their health in the new year at Walmart Wellness Day on Saturday, January 11 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. local time. This community event provides free health screenings, free and low-cost immunizations, and the opportunity to talk with a local Walmart pharmacist at more than 4,600 stores nationwide.
 
During the event, affordable immunizations like flu, HPV, tetanus, hepatitis and more will be available. Customers can also participate in free health screenings for blood pressure and more. Insurance is not required to receive a COVID-19 vaccination, which is available at no cost, and other vaccines are covered under most major insurance plans.
 
Walmart pharmacies have hosted Walmart Wellness Days since 2014 and have contributed more than 5 million free health screenings for customers.
 
To find a free event in your neighborhood, visit the link below:
 
Store Finder
 
CT State is here to help you prepare for the spring semester. Take advantage of our extended enrollment hours on Saturday, January 11, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visit any campus for assistance with registration, financial aid and all the resources you need to begin your next chapter.

Haven’t applied yet? No problem! You can apply online and submit the required documents to get started. Remember, if you are a Connecticut resident and a high school graduate, you may qualify for free tuition.

Learn More
 

Our mission is to ensure a fair, equitable, and safe marketplace for businesses and consumers in the industries we regulate by:

  • Managing licenses, permits, and registrations across many regulated industries
  • Enforcing regulations in the industries we oversee without overburdening businesses that follow the law
  • Monitoring the marketplace to protect consumers from unfair business practices and unsafe products
  • Investigating consumer complaints
DCP Newsletter January, 2025
 
Legislative Town Halls
As the State Representative for the 9th Assembly District, and a member of both the East Hartford and Manchester delegation, it is important that we hear directly from our constituents on the issues that matter most to you, your families, your businesses, and your neighbors. To join in the conversation, please consider attending the Manchester Delegation’s Town Hall (see below) at the Whiton Branch Library, located at 100 North Main Street, on January 13th from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. If you aren’t able to make it on the 13th, please join us at the East Hartford Delegation’s Town Hall (see above) at the East Hartford Town Hall, located at 740 Main Street, on January 29th from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. Whether you have questions, ideas, or simply want to listen, a Town Hall is a great chance to have your voice heard and to be part of the conversation shaping our future. We encourage you to join us for an informative and open discussion, and we look forward to seeing you there!
 
Today In CT History
 
Today in 1788, the delegates at the Connecticut state convention ratified the United States Constitution by a vote of 128 to 40, making Connecticut the fifth state to join the Union.   While certain states, most notably New York and Virginia, remained skeptical of the new Constitution and required lots of convincing in order to accept it, ratification was a relatively easy decision for Connecticans to make, especially if it meant replacing the deeply unpopular Articles of Confederation.

After declaring American independence in 1776,the Continental Congress had enacted a loose and largely non-binding document — the Articles of Confederation — that set up a very weak central government for the newly-formed United States.  When the thirteen States focused on the business of rebuilding their economies and settling war debts after the end of the Revolutionary War in 1783, the inherent flaws of the Articles of Confederation became more apparent than ever before. Without a strong central government, the Congress was unable to collect tax revenue and had little power to set national economic policy, which resulted in states imposing import taxes on each other.  Connecticut, as a smaller state that depended heavily on importing and exporting goods to other states, was hit especially hard by these interstate taxes.

Soon after the U.S. Constitution was sent to the states for ratification in September 1787, the Connecticut General Assembly issued a call for statewide delegates to gather in Hartford to discuss ratification.  In his speech to the Connecticut convention arguing in favor of ratification, Oliver Ellsworth noted that Connecticut payed tens of thousands of dollars to both New York and Massachusetts annually in the form of import taxes.  For most Connecticans, the promise of no more interstate import taxes was all the convincing they needed in order to support a new federal government.  Other, more politically-minded voters were confident that Connecticut’s interests would be properly represented in the new Congress, which would now be comprised of both a Senate and House of Representatives thanks to the “Connecticut Compromise” proposed by Connecticut’s original delegation to the Constitutional Convention.  On January 9, 1788, Connecticut’s delegates voted in favor of ratifying the new U.S. Constitution by one of the biggest majorities of any state: 128 to 40.   Before the summer of 1788 was over, eleven states would ratify the new document, and the Constitution would become the law of the land the following year.  A bold and confident vote in favor of a new government for the United States, made today in Connecticut history.

Further Reading

Andrew Glass,Connecticut Ratifies U.S. Constitution, Jan. 9, 1788,” Politico

John Morrison, “The Connecticut Ratification Convention,” connecticuthistory.org

The Connecticut Convention Ratifies, 128 – 40,” TeachingAmericanHistory.org

 
Town Of East Hartford
 Town Meetings
 
Regular Town Council Meeting
January 21st, 2025 at 7:30 PM
740 Main Street (Town Hall)
+1929-235-8441; ID: 565393232#    
Board of Education Meeting
January 13th, 2025, at 7:00 PM
857 Forbes Street
https://www.easthartford.org/board_of_education

Town Resources
https://www.easthartfordct.gov/residents
 
Town Newsletters
Pulse of East Hartford     
East Hartford Public Schools
East Hartford Works

 
Town Of Manchester
Town Meetings
 
Regular Board of Directors Meeting
January 14th, 2025, 7:00 PM
Lincoln Center Hearing Room (494 Main Street)
Board of Directors

Board of Education Regular Meeting
January 13th, 2025 7:00 PM
Lincoln Center Hearing Room (494 Main Street)
Board of Education
 
 
Warming Centers
 

The Town of Manchester will mail Supplemental Motor Vehicle tax bills for the October 2023 Grand List on December 26, 2024.

The second installment of taxes on the Grand List of October 01, 2023 and the Supplemental Motor Vehicle List are due and payable on January 1, 2025.

Failure to pay any tax due January 1, 2025, on or before February 3, 2025, will cause the tax to become delinquent and subject to interest at the rate of 1.5% per month (minimum $2.00), back to the original due date of January 1, 2025.

 
Winter/Spring Program and Event Guide 2024-2025

The Department of Leisure, Family, and Recreation Winter/Spring Program and Event Guide is here!

 
WORK_SPACE's 2nd Saturday Monthly Open House

Next date: Saturday, January 11, 2025, | 10:00 AM to 02:00 PM

WORK_SPACE's 2nd Saturday Monthly Open House

Featuring rotating art exhibits, a gallery shop with locally made hand-crafted gifts, live music, and a family-friendly craft station.

Free admission.

10:00 AM - 02:00 PM

903 Main St. Manchester CT

https://workspacemanchester.com

860.647.6029

 
Town Of Manchester
Town Resources
Manchester Public Schools - One Manchester
Manchester Matters
 
 
Warming Centers
 

All American Waste crews will be picking up Christmas trees from Monday January 6, 2025 through Friday, January 17, 2025, weather-permitting. Collection of the trees generally occurs on the same day as trash collection. Trees should be placed on the curb near trash bins with no plastic bags or decorations.

Should the curbside collection be delayed due to snow or unforeseen circumstances, residents are asked to leave trees at the curb. Please do not remove trees from the curb. 

Residents are also encouraged to bring their Christmas trees to the Transfer Station at 1 Ecology Drive for disposal at no charge.

Regular Transfer Station hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Friday 7:15 a.m. to Noon and 12:30 p.m. to 2:45 P.M. Saturdays 8:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. first and third Saturdays of the month, holidays excluded.

For additional information, please call East Hartford Public Works at 860-291-7374.

 
Community Branding Initiative:
Your Input Needed!

The Town of East Hartford has recently begun a community-wide branding initiative. Why? In an increasingly competitive and mobile world, communities must present what they stand for to their residents, prospective residents, visitors, and businesses to give each of these audiences confidence in choosing the community. It's a matter of ensuring long-term economic health and vibrancy.

While this is a branding project for the Town of East Hartford as a municipal government, the Town’s brand must reflect East Hartford’s identity both as a government and as a community. The East Hartford story is defined by the people who spend their time here—living, working, and exploring. Each individual plays a part in defining this town, and their stories help us uncover the unique identity of East Hartford. As we build the East Hartford brand, we will rely on a strong foundation of research to inform creative outcomes and implementation planning. We are currently in the Research portion of the project and look forward to uncovering and creating the East Hartford brand.

Help us shape the brand, (how people talk about us) by responding to our community survey here.

The survey is available in both English and Spanish. You can also find paper copies of the survey at Town buildings (Town Hall, CCC, both libraries, Public Safety, and the Senior Center) beginning Friday, December 13th. The community survey will close on January 31st, 2025.

Learn more about the Community Branding Initiative and how YOU can get involved by visiting chooseeasthartford.com.

 
East Hartford Commission Showcase

Announcing the 2025 Board and Commission Showcase, an event where residents can learn about and engage with the boards and commissions in East Hartford. There will also be opportunities to join those that are currently recruiting new members.

The showcase will be held on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at the Community Cultural Center, located at 50 Chapman Place from 5:30-8:00 PM.

The schedule of events will be as follows:

  • 5:30-6:00 PM: Meet and greet with Commissions and Boards
  • 6:15 PM: Presentation by Commission and Board Chairs: How they can help and how residents can get involved. A short Q&A will follow.
  • 7:00-8:00 PM: A light dinner, dessert and drinks will be served, and residents will be encouraged to spend time speaking to commission/board members.

Service on Town boards and commissions is one of the principal means by which citizens can participate in the conduct of local government. Volunteers may serve in a variety of capacities and are encouraged to look for opportunities which will allow them to share their experience, skills and talents, while offering a meaningful and rewarding experience for the volunteer.

Boards and commissions exercise a number of advisory, administrative and quasi-judicial powers and functions that are essential to the operation of town government. Boards and commissions are created and enabled in different ways. Some are required by the State of Connecticut and some are created by the Town Council. Terms of office and qualifications for office vary as well.

Join us on January 15, to learn how our Commissions and Boards can help you and how you can get involved.

 
 
Planning and Zoning Commission Meeting 
The East Hartford Planning and Zoning Commission is hosting a hybrid (in-person and virtual) public hearing on Wednesday January 29th at 7:00 PM in the Welling Conference Room located on the second floor of Town Hall, 740 Main Street. The meeting will be for adoption of the Town’s 10-Year Plan of Conservation and Development.

Members of the public are invited to share any comments, feedback, or questions about the Plan. Public comments may also be submitted in writing in advance of the meeting to

shnatuk@easthartfordct.gov.

Dial in by phone:
+1 929-235-8441;
ID: 197393367#
Learn more here:

 https://tinyurl.com/bddty2y6
View the draft here
 
Town Of East Hartford
Town Resources
Pulse of East Hartford Newsletter
East Hartford Public School News
East Hartford Works
 
My office is always open if you or your family are in need of assistance. Please do not hesitate to contact me by email at Jason.Rojas@cga.ct.gov or by phone at 860-240-8541.

Sincerely,

Jason Rojas

 
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