Kaitlyn Shake

Next week, the House will be in Session on April 8th and 9th as we head into the final weeks of the Short Session. Be sure to stay updated with committee meetings by checking the weekly CGA calendar here: https://www.cga.ct.gov/. If you have any questions, concerns, or if my office can be of assistance to you, please call my office at any time or email me at kaitlyn.shake@cga.ct.gov

This Wednesday, April 1st, I attended the Menopause Equity Roundtable Discussion hosted by YWCA, UConn Health, and Representative Kai Belton. This was an engaging conversation about the impacts of Menopause. I was grateful to hear from experts on the absence of Menopause research, the lack of workplace accommodations, and the disparities in access to care across our communities.
This session, there are two proposed bills to address Menopause care: 

• S.B. 353 An Act Concerning Reasonable Accommodations in the Workplace for Conditions Related to Menopause
• H.B. 5389 An Act Concerning a Provider Toolkit for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Menopause, Premenopause, and Postmenopause

Menopause affects ALL women, and we need to increase support and resources across our state. 

Last week, the Office of Attorney General Tong issued a statement of Policy and Guidance Regarding Immigration Matters. In light of the federal government’s recent actions on immigration, it is necessary for the State of Connecticut to articulate and clarify the State’s policy and legal position regarding immigration matters.

This policy includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• it is the policy of the State of Connecticut to respect, honor and protect immigrants and immigrant families in compliance with state and federal law;
• the State of Connecticut, including the Office of the Attorney General and other law enforcement agencies, should build trust with immigrants and immigrant communities, and encourage immigrants to trust state officials, law enforcement, and first responders;
• in accordance with that policy, Office of the Attorney General is deeply committed to safeguarding our community, and respecting, honoring, and protecting Connecticut’s immigrants and immigrant families;
• all personnel in the Office of the Attorney General are hereby directed to take such actions necessary to implement this policy within our legal authority and in compliance with state and federal law;
• all legal directors and legal staff throughout state government are hereby directed to consult with the Office of the Attorney General on matters related to immigration law when necessary and appropriate;
• and through this memorandum, the Office of the Attorney General hereby provides guidance and information about immigration enforcement for state and local governments, and private businesses and organizations.

The Passport to Connecticut Libraries program is back will take place from April 1st–30th.

Starting April 1st, visit your local library to pick up your official program passport along with a list of participating libraries across the state. Then the adventure begins, explore as many libraries as you can throughout April!

Visit at least five different participating libraries and collect stamps from those locations (only official participating libraries count, be sure to check your list). Then, once you’re done, be sure to return your completed passport by May 11th to be entered into a prize drawing.

With nearly 200 public libraries in Connecticut—plus school, college, museum, and even church libraries—there’s an incredible variety to discover. Each library offers something unique, and this program is a fun way to experience all the amazing things libraries across the state have to offer.

So grab your passport and start exploring, your next favorite library might be just around the corner!