State News – Page 2

State News

MURPHY, BROWN, BALDWIN, KING, CASEY, KAINE, SINEMA INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY, ENSURE COOPERATION BETWEEN STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS ON IMMIGRATION WARRANTS

Mar 22, 2024 Alex

WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, and U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Angus King (I-Maine), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) on Thursday introduced the Improving Public Safety Through Immigration Warrant Issuance Act, legislation to improve public safety and ensure strategic cooperation between state and federal governments by creating a mechanism that would allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to obtain a judicially authorized warrant for a noncitizen who has been charged or convicted of committing a felony or violent crime in the United States. Under the current system, when a noncitizen is charged by state or local law enforcement, ICE often issues an administrative request, known as a detainer, to hold the person in…

State News

BLUMENTHAL SPONSORS LEGISLATION TO CRACK DOWN ON PRICE FIXING ALGORITHMS THAT HELP PREDATORY LANDLORDS RAISE RENTS

Mar 20, 2024 Alex

[HARTFORD, CT] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) joined Senate colleagues in introducing two new bills that would ban predatory practices by landlords who use pricing algorithms to avoid competition and raise rents. Senator Blumenthal is a cosponsor of both the Preventing Algorithmic Collusion Act, which would prevent companies from using algorithms to collude to set higher prices, and the Preventing the Algorithmic Facilitation of Rental Housing Cartels Act, which would crack down on companies that help landlords increase rents in already high-priced markets. “This practice affects housing throughout Connecticut. This kind of conscious collusion ought to be stopped. It is inflating rents for the ordinary person who goes to the landlord and is given a price that is based on an…

State News Uncategorized

GOVERNOR LAMONT URGES APPROVAL OF LEGISLATION STRENGTHENING CONNECTICUT’S PAID SICK DAYS STATUTES

Mar 19, 2024 Alex

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont is urging the Connecticut General Assembly to approve legislation he proposed for consideration this session that will expand and strengthen the state’s paid sick days statutes to ensure that more workers have the ability to take time off from work when they are sick or need to care for a sick family member without sacrificing a day’s wage or risk losing their employment. The proposal will also enact safeguards in these statutes for small businesses to ensure that the right to paid sick days is not being misused. “Our current paid sick days laws include important protections for some workers, however there are broad categories of workers who are left unprotected,” Governor Lamont said. “If…

State News

GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCES $400,000 IN STATE GRANTS TO SUPPORT FINANCIAL WELLNESS AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS

Mar 18, 2024 Alex

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont, Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, and Banking Commissioner Jorge Perez today announced the release of three state grants totaling more than $400,000 that will be used to support programs focused on improving the financial wellness of Connecticut residents with a priority focus on women and girls. The grants are being awarded through a competitive RFP process issued by the Connecticut Department of Banking that solicited proposals centered on the grant’s objectives. “These grants will be used to support programs that empower people to improve their own financial stability through education and training, with a particular focus on our underserved populations, including women and girls,” Governor Lamont said. “I appreciate the partnership of the organizations that are…

State News

Household Hazardous Waste Day

Mar 17, 2024 Alex

Saturday, April 13, 2024 RAIN or SHINE 9am – 2pm Greens Farms Railroad Station, Parking Lot #1, New Creek Road, Westport CT (Located between I-95 and Metro-North Railroad tracks) Household Hazardous Waste Day is a NO CHARGE regional program for residents of Westport, Norwalk, New Canaan, Darien, Stamford, and Greenwich to safely dispose of their household hazardous wastes. Products such as cleaners, gasoline and pesticides can pollute the environment and jeopardize public health when they are disposed of improperly. Residents of participating towns may safely dispose of the following types of hazardous waste: gasoline, kerosene, spray paint, paint strippers, paint thinners, solvents, paints, stains, turpentine, varnishes, wood preservatives, degreasers, fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, bleach, charcoal lighter, cleaning chemicals, drain…

State News

GOVERNOR LAMONT URGES LEGISLATURE TO PASS LAW PROHIBITING HIDDEN FEES ON EVENT TICKETS, LODGING, AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES

Mar 15, 2024 Alex

Governor’s Bill Approved by General Law Committee Last Week, Now Awaits Further Action by the Full Legislature (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont is urging the Connecticut General Assembly to approve legislation he proposed for consideration this session that will enact a new consumer rights law requiring upfront pricing on all event tickets, hotel and short-term rental accommodations, and food and beverage sale and delivery services, and accordingly prohibit the increasingly common practice of adding unexpected, mandatory hidden fees that are tacked on at the end of a consumer’s transaction. These hidden fees, frequently known as junk fees, are often vaguely labeled as a “service fee” or “convenience fee.” It is estimated that they cost Connecticut families thousands of dollars…

State News

CONNECTICUT DELEGATION URGES HHS SUPPORT FOR MEDICAL PROVIDERS IMPACTED BY CRIPPLING CYBERATTACK ON LARGEST U.S. HEALTH CARE PAYMENT SYSTEM

Mar 14, 2024 Alex

“We call on you to use all powers at your disposal to hold UHG responsible for this significant breach and guarantee the company offers accessible, robust financial assistance and frequent, transparent communication.” [WASHINGTON, DC] – Following a massive cyberattack on Change Healthcare, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT), and U.S. Representatives John Larson (D-CT), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Jim Himes (D-CT), and Jahana Hayes (D-CT) called on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support impacted care providers, and to hold the company accountable for the breach and ensure it provides necessary relief to those affected. In February, Change Healthcare, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group (UHG) and the largest health care payment…

State News

CONNECTICUT CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION & GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $21.8 MILLION FOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS

Mar 14, 2024 Alex

Federal funding will bolster local transit, road & pedestrian safety projects, as well as the Greater Hartford Mobility Study: River Gateway [HARTFORD, CT] – Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) and U.S. Representatives John B. Larson (D-CT), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Jim Himes (D-CT), and Jahana Hayes (D-CT) joined Governor Ned Lamont and CTDOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto to announce $21.8 million in federal funding for pedestrian and road safety projects in Connecticut. The federal funding comes from the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Neighborhood Access and Equity Program through the Inflation Reduction Act, and will fund projects in Norwalk, Stamford, Bridgeport, Hartford, Naugatuck and Western Connecticut. “This unprecedented investment will make Connecticut’s…

State News

MURPHY, BLUMENTHAL, LARSON, COURTNEY, DELAURO URGE BREEZE AIRWAYS TO NOT INTERFERE WITH EMPLOYEE EFFORTS TO UNIONIZE

Mar 13, 2024 Alex

WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representatives John Larson (D-Conn.-01), Joe Courtney (D-Conn.-02), and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.-03) on Wednesday sent a letter to David Neeleman, the Chief Executive Officer of Breeze Aviation Group, Inc. cautioning him to respect workers’ rights as employees in Connecticut consider the decision to join a union. Earlier this year, flight attendants employed by Breeze Airways announced a campaign to form a union with the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, AFL-CIO (AFA) and filed for an election with the National Mediation Board. “Breeze Airways employs nearly 600 flight attendants across the United States – including 99 based at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut. We are excited that Breeze is continuing to offer additional flights from Bradley International Airport. As you…

State News

Aquarion Water Company Offering Upcycled Rain Barrels

Mar 11, 2024 Alex

Water conservation opportunity available to Connecticut residents BRIDGEPORT, CONN. – March 11, 2024 – Aquarion Water Company announced today that it is offering upcycled rain barrels for sale as part of its ongoing water conservation efforts. Connecticut customers can purchase a high-quality, 60-gallon upcycled rain barrel designed to fit under a downspout and catch rainwater running off the roof. Customers can collect and store water for use in a garden whenever it rains. It takes just one-quarter inch of rainfall on an average roof to fill the barrel and provide water during dry periods, even when restrictions are imposed on water usage. The usage of rain barrels can help conserve water and reduce water bills. Key Features: 60-gallon food-grade upcycled rain barrel with brass spigot A…

MURPHY, BROWN, BALDWIN, KING, CASEY, KAINE, SINEMA INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY, ENSURE COOPERATION BETWEEN STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS ON IMMIGRATION WARRANTS

BLUMENTHAL SPONSORS LEGISLATION TO CRACK DOWN ON PRICE FIXING ALGORITHMS THAT HELP PREDATORY LANDLORDS RAISE RENTS

GOVERNOR LAMONT URGES APPROVAL OF LEGISLATION STRENGTHENING CONNECTICUT’S PAID SICK DAYS STATUTES

GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCES $400,000 IN STATE GRANTS TO SUPPORT FINANCIAL WELLNESS AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS

Household Hazardous Waste Day

GOVERNOR LAMONT URGES LEGISLATURE TO PASS LAW PROHIBITING HIDDEN FEES ON EVENT TICKETS, LODGING, AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE SERVICES

CONNECTICUT DELEGATION URGES HHS SUPPORT FOR MEDICAL PROVIDERS IMPACTED BY CRIPPLING CYBERATTACK ON LARGEST U.S. HEALTH CARE PAYMENT SYSTEM

CONNECTICUT CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION & GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $21.8 MILLION FOR TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS

MURPHY, BLUMENTHAL, LARSON, COURTNEY, DELAURO URGE BREEZE AIRWAYS TO NOT INTERFERE WITH EMPLOYEE EFFORTS TO UNIONIZE

Aquarion Water Company Offering Upcycled Rain Barrels

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