Year: 2024

ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG ANNOUNCES $350 MILLION SETTLEMENT WITH MULTINATIONAL MARKETING FIRM PUBLICIS OVER ROLE IN OPIOID EPIDEMIC

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong has announced a groundbreaking $350 million national settlement with Publicis Health, a global marketing and communications firm, to resolve investigations into its alleged role in the prescription opioid crisis. Connecticut, part of a ten-state executive committee leading the investigation, will receive nearly $4.44 million from the settlement to address the opioid crisis, along with $332,000 covering the costs of the extensive multistate inquiry. Publicis agreed to the settlement terms, acknowledging the harm caused by its conduct. The firm will publicly disclose thousands of internal documents related to its work for opioid companies like Purdue Pharma and cease accepting client work connected to opioid-based Schedule II or other Schedule III narcotics.

The settlement follows revelations in court documents describing Publicis’ contribution to the opioid crisis by assisting Purdue Pharma and other manufacturers in marketing and selling opioids. Publicis served as Purdue’s agency of record for all branded opioid drugs, developing sales tactics that relied on farming data from personal health-related conversations between patients and providers. The company played a pivotal role in Purdue’s decision to market OxyContin to providers through electronic health records. Connecticut, having lost 1,464 people to opioid overdoses in 2022 alone, sees the settlement as a crucial step in combatting the opioid crisis, with funds dedicated to treatment, prevention, and recovery. Attorney General Tong has been actively pursuing actions to hold those responsible for the crisis accountable, securing over $50 billion nationwide in the past five years, with Connecticut receiving $600 million for opioid epidemic initiatives. The Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee, composed of health professionals, individuals with lived experience, and state and municipal leaders, oversees the allocation and management of settlement funds. The multistate investigation was led by Colorado, with an executive committee including attorneys general from California, Connecticut, Idaho, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, and Vermont, joined by attorneys general from all states, territories, and the District of Columbia.

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Bridgeport News: Shot Spotter Nets Arrest

On Saturday, February 3rd, the city of Bridgeport Emergency Communication Center received information of a ShotSpotter Activation for six rounds fired in the area of 218 Orchard St. Shotspotter is a gunshot detection technology that uses sophisticated acoustic sensors to detect, locate, and alert law enforcement agencies about gunfire incidents in real-time. Several shell casings were located in the area of 218 Orchard St. Additional information was received reporting a possible argument between unknown parties followed by 5 shots fired and a vehicle leaving the area. The city of Bridgeport Fusion Center was able to locate vehicles leaving the area through the city-wide camera system. Bridgeport Police Officers located the vehicles in question parked in front of a local business on Fairfield Ave. A subsequent on scene investigation led to the recovery of a loaded Glock 19 (9mm firearm) inside of one of the vehicles on scene in plain view, laying in between the driver’s seat and the center counsel, not in a holster. An additional 17 round magazine fully loaded was also located inside the center counsel.

A 25-year-old Bridgeport resident, Stanley L. Peterkin, was charged with the following:

  • 29-38g(a)(1)    Improper Storage of Firearm in a motor vehicle
  • 53-202w(b1)    Large Capacity Magazine 
  • 53a-217a         Negligent Storage of Firearm
  • 14-147(c)         Improper use of Marker Plates

Bond was set at $12,000.00

Mr. Peterkin’s Connecticut Pistol Permit was also seized and turned into the Bridgeport Police Department’s permits office.

This was a collective response from the Patrol Division, the Emergency Communication and Fusion Centers, along with our Community, in addressing gun violence, and their efforts are commendable

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ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG RELEASES REPORT ON CONNECTICUT DATA PRIVACY ACT

In Hartford, CT, Attorney General William Tong released a comprehensive report outlining the efforts of the Office of the Attorney General in educating consumers and businesses and enforcing compliance with the Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CTDPA) since its enactment on July 1, 2023. Mandated by the Act, the report, issued no later than February 1, discloses the number and nature of violations, the status of cured violations, and any relevant matters deemed significant by the Attorney General. The CTDPA, among the nation’s first and most robust consumer privacy laws, empowers consumers with rights to access, correct, and delete data, opt-out of personal data sale and targeted advertising. The report highlights actions taken since the law’s inception, including over a dozen notices of violation and broader information requests. Identified deficiencies in various industries encompassed lacking, inadequate, and confusing disclosures, as well as issues with rights mechanisms. The Attorney General emphasized the ongoing commitment to balancing privacy and data use in the global economy and presented the report to contribute to the evolving dialogue in this legal domain. For more information about the CTDPA, the public is directed to the Attorney General’s FAQ page. The report was prepared and reviewed by the entire Privacy Section, featuring Deputy Associate Attorney General Michele Lucan as Section Chief, along with assistant attorneys general and paralegal specialists.

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GOVERNOR LAMONT UNVEILS FIRST LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL OF 2024: ELIMINATE LICENSURE APPLICATION FEES FOR CERTAIN EDUCATION, CHILDCARE, AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the fiscal year 2025 budget adjustment proposal that he will present to lawmakers when they meet in February to convene the next legislative session will include a recommendation that licensure application fees required for workers to obtain certain jobs in the education, childcare, and healthcare fields be eliminated.

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The governor said that he is proposing the change in an effort to encourage workers looking for employment to seek jobs in fields in which there is a significant need to fill available openings. The proposal will save these workers about $3.5 million annually.

“Right now, there are many job openings in essential fields that employers need to fill, and by eliminating these licensure application fees we can help encourage those who are seeking employment to consider entering a career in these sectors,” Governor Lamont said. “I am hopeful that legislators will agree and vote to approve these fee reductions.”

In particular, the governor is proposing the following changes:

  • Eliminate the initial application fee for educator certificates. Administered by the State Department of Education, this fee costs $200 and generates about $1,000,000 in annual revenue.
  • Eliminate the initial application fee for home childcare licenses. Administered by the Office of Early Childhood, the home childcare license fee costs $40 and the initial application fee for staff costs $15. Combined, they generate about $20,000 in annual revenue.
  • Eliminate the initial application fee for registered nurse licenses. Administered by the Department of Public Health, this fee costs $180 and generates about $2,005,000 in annual revenue.
  • Eliminate the initial application fee for practical nurse licenses. Administered by the Department of Public Health, this fee costs $150 and generates about $174,300 in annual revenue.
  • Eliminate the initial application fee for advanced practice registered nurse licenses. Administered by the Department of Public Health, this fee costs $200 and generates about $260,000 in annual revenue.

This is the first legislative proposal Governor Lamont has unveiled so far in 2024. He is set to deliver his State of the State and Budget Address on February 7, 2024, at noon. At that time, his full fiscal year 2025 budget adjustment proposal will be released, along with other legislative proposals that he is asking lawmakers to consider this year.

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