NEW BRITAIN, CT – Today, Connecticut’s two electric distribution companies, Eversource and United Illuminating, filed new standard service supply rates that, if approved by PURA, will be effective for six months beginning on January 1, 2024. These new standard service supply rates will result in an increased electric bill for customers using an average of 700 kWh per month by approximately $6.24 and $18.51 respectively. However, as compared to the last winter period spanning January 1, 2023 to June 30, 2023, customers will see significant bill relief this winter season.
“While supply prices are still higher than we’d like for standard service consumers, electricity bills will be more affordable this winter as compared to last winter, and that is a relief” said Consumer Counsel Claire Coleman. “I am pleased that both energy market stability and some procurement process changes that my team advocated for and were ultimately implemented resulted in lower bids in the procurement process. As a state and across the region, there is more work to do in the move toward energy independence to get us to a place where we are no longer beholden to global market whims.”
Comparing this coming change to previous winter months is a more accurate representation because New England depends upon natural gas for both heating and the majority of electric generation, which leads to fuel constraints and elevated costs during the winter months.
OCC wants to highlight that there are currently third-party market options that could be beneficial to take advantage of as compared to standard service rates. The OCC recommends using the newly updated EnergizeCT rate board, which is the most clear and concise way to compare supplier rate offers. The rate board will automatically show the impact on your bill to help you make an informed decision if what you are signing up for will save you money.
Connecticut State Troopers are gearing up for the anticipated busy Thanksgiving travel week in 2023, with a focus on ensuring road safety by actively patrolling highways, addressing aggressive and unsafe driving, and preventing impaired driving. Assigned to Bradley International Airport, troopers will contribute to passenger safety, emphasizing the importance of adhering to regulations at the airport. Connecticut residents are urged to play a role in public safety by following traffic laws, while travelers are advised to check flight statuses, avoid leaving vehicles unattended, and utilize designated waiting areas. Interim Colonel Daniel Loughman emphasizes the need for drivers to report emergencies, follow traffic laws, and be patient on crowded highways during the holiday weekend. Troopers will employ traditional and non-traditional patrol cars to monitor traffic, issue tickets for reckless behavior, and remind all drivers that driving under the influence is strictly prohibited. In preparation for travel, individuals are encouraged to check traffic and weather reports, and the overarching message is to prioritize safety and responsible driving practices for a secure and enjoyable holiday season.
2023-11-14@10:00pm–#Darien CT– #MTA All four tracks in Darien are at a complete stop due to unknown police activity. Sounds like they are looking for the possibility of someone being hit by a train. Firefighters are using thermal imaging in the search.
U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) have reintroduced the bipartisan Preventing Opportunities for Teen E-Cigarette and Tobacco Addiction (PROTECT) Act to combat the rising usage of harmful e-cigarettes and flavored tobacco products among American youth. This legislation aims to address the adverse effects of nicotine found in these products on long-term health and adolescent brain development. The bill has received strong support from various policymakers and organizations, acknowledging the urgent need to counter the escalating public health crisis stemming from widespread teen e-cigarette use.
Senator Blumenthal highlighted the urgency of preventing another generation from falling victim to tobacco addiction, emphasizing the detrimental effects posed by e-cigarettes and deceptive marketing strategies used by manufacturers. Representative Wasserman Schultz echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the bill’s crucial role in providing tools to combat the profit-driven push by the e-cigarette and tobacco industries to target and addict young people. The PROTECT Act would allocate $500 million over five years to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to enhance research, education, and messaging about the risks of tobacco products, offering grants and resources for organizations focused on reducing youth e-cigarette use.
Endorsed by organizations such as the American Lung Association, American Heart Association, and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, the PROTECT Act aims to counter the epidemic of youth vaping, acknowledged as a significant public health concern. Leaders from these endorsing organizations have emphasized the urgency of ending the crisis through independent research and effective interventions while praising the bill’s measures to address youth e-cigarette addiction and cessation strategies, aiming to prevent the initiation of vaping among minors and aid in overcoming nicotine addiction.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds traffic safety projects that prevent fatalities, serious injuries
[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) announced $1.749 million in funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to support six traffic safety projects across Connecticut.
The funds are awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program established to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries.
“More people are dying on Connecticut’s roadways than ever before, and this $1.7 million in federal funding will help towns plan and make serious safety improvements to prevent these senseless tragedies from occurring,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal. “These critical projects target traffic and roadway issues at the local level so that Connecticut motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists can feel safer on the roads.”
“Every year during my Walk across the state, I’m reminded of how many roads in Connecticut are unsafe for pedestrians. It’s unacceptable that pedestrian fatalities in our state are at a 40-year high when we know how to prevent these deaths. This $1.75 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help towns across the state develop actionable plans to make their streets safer for pedestrians, bikers, and drivers,” said Sen. Chris Murphy.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was not only about rebuilding America’s crumbling infrastructure, it was about improving transportation safety,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro. “Accident rates in Connecticut are on the rise, and residents need safer communities. With this funding, the Naugatuck Council of Government will begin to enact their Vision Zero Action Plan which will create more accessible and inclusive transportation options aimed at making our communities walkable, healthy, and safer while supporting growth and opportunity.”
“Our state has lost hundreds of drivers, passengers, and pedestrians to tragic roadway incidents over the last two years,” said Rep. John Larson. “The Connecticut delegation worked hard to secure funding in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to make traffic safety improvements that will save lives. These resources will allow West Hartford, Winchester, and Newington to adopt community-wide approaches to ensure safety on the roads, including through new infrastructure upgrades and technologies.”
“Safer streets will make commuting more accessible, equitable, and enjoyable for Connecticut residents,” said Rep. Jim Himes. “I’m thrilled that the Town of Greenwich and the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments are receiving federal funds to develop plans that prioritize preventing traffic accidents and providing safe roads for pedestrians and bikers.”
“The historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allocated $5 billion to the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program. Connecticut will receive over $1 million to address critical roadway issues and make our communities safer,” said Rep. Jahana Hayes. “The Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments has been awarded over $300,000 to support the Vision Zero Action Plan, aimed at reducing deaths and serious injuries from traffic crashes, and Newtown is set to receive $80,000 to help create a transportation safety action plan. We fought hard for this win. Now, residents in my district will see change in their communities.”
$320,064 to the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments for the NVCOG Vision Zero Action Plan Update
$200,000 to the Town of Winchester for the SS4A Action Plan for the Town of Winchester
$80,000 to the Town of Newington for the SS4A Supplemental Planning Grant for the Cedar Street Corridor
$80,000 to the Town of Newtown for the Newtown Comprehensive Safe Streets Community Action Plan
$400,000 to the Town of Greenwich for the SS4A Planning Grant to Create A Transportation Safety Action Plan
$669,007 for the Town of West Hartford for the Speed Management Pilot Program
The SS4A program supports the Department of Transportation’s goal of zero deaths and serious injuries on our nation’s roadways. This comes at a time where traffic fatalities are at the highest level in decades.
In June 2023, Blumenthal reintroduced the Road to Zero resolution to reduce traffic fatalities and improve roadway safety for drivers, passengers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and others on the road. Introduction of the resolution follows yesterday’s announcement by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that over 9,000 people died in traffic crashes during the first three months of 2023. By improving data collection and promoting access to safe, reliable transportation, the Road to Zero resolution aims to end roadway fatalities by 2050.
Traffic fatalities are the leading cause of death for Americans under 54, killing over 100 people every day.
The Office of Consumer Counsel filed Motions to Intervene in The United Illuminating Company’s (“UI”) administrative appeals to the Superior Court where the company is seeking to overturn the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority’s (“PURA”) recent ruling rejecting the company’s rate increase request of $131 million over current rates and instead approving an increase of $22 million.
“United Illuminating’s appeals have commenced another lengthy process where they will attempt to distort the impact of PURA’s decision and weaken the integrity of Connecticut’s regulatory framework for the benefit of their bottom line,” said Consumer Counsel Coleman. “That’s why my office filed motions to intervene in the Superior Court proceedings on behalf of the customers in their service territory. During the rate case over the course of the last year, my team succeeded in demonstrating major shortcomings in UI’s original rate application, and we are prepared to do it again. Utility customers benefit from a proactive regulatory body that is willing to hold our utilities to applicable legal standards, and OCC will seek to ensure consumer interests are elevated in these appeals.”
Earlier this month, the company filed its appeals of PURA’s Final Decision contesting its core elements, including their allowed revenue requirement and return of equity determinations. OCC is intervening to preserve the Final Decision’s substantial rate benefits to customers, including reductions due to the company’s well-documented performance and management deficiencies, as well as to defend important regulatory principles that are designed to protect consumers. At the same time, OCC will continue to have constructive dialogue with UI on Connecticut’s transition to a performance-based regulatory framework, which we expect to provide additional guidance on required justifications for capital expenditures and other areas that will improve the regulatory framework for both customers and utilities.
Daylight saving time ends on November 5 and the American Red Cross encourages everyone to test their smoke alarms as they turn their clocks back to make sure the alarms are working.
“Home fires claim more lives every year than all natural disasters combined, but working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half,” said Rebecca Johnson, regional disaster officer, American Red Cross Connecticut, and Rhode Island Region. “The sooner an alarm alerts you to a fire, the sooner you can get out. When you turn your clocks back this weekend, test your smoke alarms too to help prevent a tragedy in your home.”
Over the past year, local Red Cross volunteers responded to help over 3,100 people in Connecticut affected by around 800 home fires, which account for most of the more than 60,000 disasters that the Red Cross responds to annually across the country.
SMOKE ALARMS When turning your clocks back this weekend, test your smoke alarms and replace the batteries if needed. Visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including an escape plan to create and practice with your family, or download the free Red Cross Emergency app by searching “American Red Cross” in app stores.
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas.
Replace smoke alarms that are 10 years or older. Components such as sensors can become less sensitive over time. Follow your alarm’s manufacturer’s instructions.
Practice your two-minute home fire escape plan. Make sure everyone in your household can get out in less than two minutes — the amount of time you may have to escape a burning home before it’s too late.
Include at least two ways to get out of every room and select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as your neighbor’s home or a landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone can meet.
IF YOU NEED HELP If you cannot afford to purchase smoke alarms or are physically unable to install one, the Red Cross may be able to help. Visit redcross.org/ct or call 1-877-287-3327 (option 1) for a free smoke alarm installation and home safety visit.
Access Health CT (AHCT) today announced the Open Enrollment period will take place Nov. 1, 2023 to Jan. 15, 2024 for health insurance plans for 2024. Connecticut residents can shop, compare, and enroll or renew their health insurance plans with coverage beginning in the 2024 plan year. Customers must enroll on or before Dec. 15, 2023 for coverage to begin Jan. 1, 2024. Customers who enroll between Dec. 16, 2023 and Jan. 15, 2024 will have coverage starting Feb. 1, 2024. AHCT is the only place Connecticut residents can qualify for financial help to lower health insurance costs.
Open Enrollment gives customers the opportunity to review health coverage options to ensure they are making the best choice that meets their individual needs and budgets. “It’s important to remember that when you enroll affects when your coverage begins. We encourage Connecticut residents to enroll or renew before Dec. 15, so their coverage begins Jan. 1,” said Access Health CT Chief Executive Officer, James Michel. “Those customers who wait and enroll between Dec. 16 and Jan. 1 will not have coverage until Feb. 1, so it’s best to act early to make sure you and your family are covered for the full year.” During the Open Enrollment period, AHCT will continue to assist HUSKY Health clients affected by “Medicaid Unwinding.” Medicaid Unwinding is the process of resuming the annual review of households for Medicaid eligibility after a three-year break during the Public Health Emergency.
The eligibility redetermination process began again April 1 and HUSKY clients will be notified when it is their turn to enroll. This process will continue during the Open Enrollment Period. Connecticut residents who remain eligible for HUSKY Health will likely be automatically reenrolled. Those who need to take action will receive mail with instructions. Connecticut residents no longer eligible for HUSKY Health may become eligible for other no- or low-cost health coverage available through AHCT. Those options include the Covered Connecticut Program, which provides no-cost coverage for eligible residents, or a Qualified Health Plan (QHP), often available at a lower cost to residents if they qualify for subsidies. Free help to enroll is available online, in person and over the phone. AHCT has several ways to get free, in-person help throughout the state, including one-day events called enrollment fairs, as well as enrollment locations and Navigators that host sessions during regular business hours during the week. To see a schedule of enrollment fairs and to register, visit the Enrollment Events webpage.
A list of AHCT’s enrollment locations and Navigator partner locations is also available on that page. Residents may also work with a certified broker or enrollment specialist in their community. To find an expert, visit the Get Help webpage. For free online help, residents may visit AccessHealthCT.com. Live chat is available by clicking the “Live Chat” icon to connect with a customer service representative. Live chat is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Residents may also contact the call center at 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. The call center will be open from 8:00 a.m. to midnight on Dec. 15, 2023 and Jan. 15, 2024. The call center will be closed on Nov. 23, 2023, Dec. 25, 2023 and Jan. 1, 2024. Customers who are deaf or hearing impaired may use TTY at 1-855-789-2428 or call with a relay operator.
(Hartford, CT) — Attorney General William Tong today joined 42 attorneys general throughout the country suing Meta in federal and state courts alleging that the company knowingly designed and deployed harmful features on Instagram and its other social media platforms that purposefully addict children and teens. At the same time, Meta falsely assured the public that these features are safe and suitable for young users.
The attorneys general assert that Meta’s business practices violate state consumer protection laws and the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). These practices have harmed and continue to harm the physical and mental health of children and teens and have fueled what the U.S. Surgeon General has deemed a “youth mental health crisis” which has ended lives, devastated families, and damaged the potential of a generation of young people.
“Meta saw American kids as a ‘valuable and untapped market’—nameless factors on a bottom line to maximize profits. They enabled kids to access addictive platforms riddled with harmful messages built to override self-control that one developer likened to ‘behavioral cocaine.’ Their abusive practices have unleashed a youth mental health catastrophe. Attorneys general today are blanketing the country in coordinated federal and state court actions to hold Meta accountable for their blatant violations of consumer protection and child privacy laws. Meta’s actions are egregious, but we know they are not the only bad actor in social media. Other investigations—including into TikTok—are active and ongoing and we will not hesitate to use the full weight of our enforcement authority to force this broken industry to respect the law and the safety and wellbeing of our children,” said Attorney General Tong.
“Businesses have a duty to minimize the harm their product may cause, and to disclose when their product may have harmful effects, particularly on children,” said Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan T. Cafferelli. “Our priority is to protect public health and safety, and I support the Attorney General in joining this action to bring about change in Meta’s business practices.”
The federal complaint, joined by Connecticut and 32 other states and filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges that Meta knew of the harmful impact of its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram, on young people. Instead of taking steps to mitigate these harms, it misled the public about the harms associated with use of its platform, concealing the extent of the psychological and health harms suffered by young users addicted to use of its platforms. The complaint further alleges that Meta knew that young users, including those under 13, were active on the platforms, and knowingly collected data from these users without parental consent. It targeted these young users noting, as reported in a 2021 Wall Street Journal article, that such a user base was “valuable, but untapped.”
While much of the complaint relies on confidential material that is not yet available to the public, publicly available sources including those previously released by former Meta employees detail that Meta profited by purposely making its platforms addictive to children and teens. Its platform algorithms push users into descending “rabbit holes” in an effort to maximize engagement. Features like infinite scroll and near-constant alerts were created with the express goal of hooking young users. These manipulative tactics continually lure children and teens back onto the platform. As Aza Raskin, the original developer of the infinite scroll concept, noted to the BBC about the feature’s addictive qualities: “If you don’t give your brain time to catch up with your impulses, . . . you just keep scrolling.”
Meta knew these addictive features harmed young people’s physical and mental health, including undermining their ability to get adequate sleep, but did not disclose the harm nor did they make meaningful changes to minimize the harm. Instead, they claimed their platforms were safe for young users.
These choices, the complaint alleges, violate state consumer protection laws and COPPA. The federal complaint seeks injunctive and monetary relief to rectify the harms caused by these platforms.
In parallel complaints filed in state courts today, eight states have made similar allegations.
These lawsuits are the result of a bipartisan, nationwide investigation led by the attorneys general of Colorado and Tennessee. Nearly all the attorneys general in the country have worked together since 2021 to investigate Meta for providing and promoting its social media platforms to children and young adults while use is associated with physical and mental health harms. While some states have pursued litigation in state court and others in collective federal action, the attorneys general will continue to work together as the litigation continues.
The multistate coalition that brought today’s complaint is also investigating TikTok’s conduct on a similar set of concerns. That investigation remains ongoing, and states have pushed for adequate disclosure of information and documents in litigation related to TikTok’s failure to provide adequate discovery in response to requests by the Tennessee Attorney General’s office.
States joining the federal lawsuit are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Filing lawsuits in their own state courts are the District of Columbia, Florida, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah, and Vermont.
Lauren Bidra, Special Counsel for Media and Technology and Legal Intern Caroline McCormack assisted the Attorney General in this matter.
WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined a group of 32 colleagues in urging Congressional leaders to extend funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides financial assistance to access high-speed internet for 172,54 households in Connecticut and more than 21 million working families across the nation.
“We write to urge you to extend funding for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides over 21 million working families with financial assistance for broadband access, to help bridge the digital divide so they can continue to afford the broadband services they need for work, school, health care, and more,” wrote the senators. “Should ACP funding not be extended, millions of Americans could be at risk of losing access to broadband.”
“Failing to extend funding would be irresponsible,” they continued. “We urge you to extend funding for the ACP in a government appropriations package and include a long-term solution that ensures efficient spending of taxpayer dollars.”
