State News

CNG OVER-COLLECTED $8 MILLION FROM CONNECTICUT RATEPAYERS

Following a recent earnings report showing Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation over-collected $8 million from Connecticut families and businesses, Attorney General William Tong, Consumer Counsel Claire E. Coleman, Connecticut Industrial Energy Consumers, and the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority Office of Education, Outreach, and Enforcement submitted a joint petition to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority seeking a new rate hearing to drive down costs for consumers. It has been five years since CNG’s last rate case before PURA. Per state statute, rate review hearings must be conducted at least every four years. CNG’s most recent earnings report shows the company has been earning 177 basis points above its authorized return on equity (“ROE”) of 9.3 percent. This was not a billing error—CNG…

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LEGISLATION TO HELP CAREGIVERS RECEIVE SOCIAL SECURITY CREDIT

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-Ill.-10) on Wednesday reintroduced legislation that would allow caregivers to receive a Social Security credit. The Social Security Caregiver Credit Act would provide retirement compensation in the form of Social Security credits to individuals who leave the workforce to care for their loved ones. U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) also co-sponsored the legislation More than 1 in 5 Americans are currently caring for loved ones who are ill, disabled, or elderly, and tens of millions of Americans leave the workforce entirely or reduce their hours significantly to care for loved ones at some point in their career. Studies…

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BILL TO FULLY FUND TITLE I, SPECIAL EDUCATION

WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Wednesday joined U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) in introducing the Keep Our Promise to America’s Children and Teachers (PACT) Act, legislation to put Congress on a fiscally responsible path to fully fund Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) on a mandatory basis. “Schools serving students from low-income backgrounds and children with disabilities have been short-changed for far too long because Congress has failed to fully fund IDEA and Title I. This legislation would ensure that our most vulnerable students get the support they need by providing the range of services and resources that…

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Stone Academy Investigation

Attorney General William Tong tsought a court order forcing Stone Academy’s owners to comply with the state’s ongoing investigation into potential violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act by Stone Academy. On March 15, Attorney General Tong served Joseph Bierbaum and Richard Scheinberg with civil investigative demands seeking detailed information regarding their financial and legal interests and duties and responsibilities at Stone Academy and other for-profit education entities in Connecticut. The demand also sought information regarding where Stone Academy records are stored, as well as payroll, staffing, enrollment and attendance records. The investigative demand further sought answers from both Bierbaum and Scheinberg as to efforts they made to ensure Stone’s compliance with Connecticut Law, including their awareness or involvement in efforts…

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GOVERNOR LAMONT STATEMENT ON THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE’S FISCAL YEAR 2024-2025 SPENDING PROPOSAL

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont issued the following statement in response to the fiscal year 2024-2025 spending proposal that was released today by the leadership of the General Assembly’s Appropriations Committee: “I appreciate the Appropriation Committee’s hard work to deliver a document that appears to respect the fiscal guardrails that have been a key component of our state’s success over the past few years. We’re reviewing the details of the legislature’s spending plan, look forward to meeting with them to discuss their proposals, and will work with them to pass an honestly balanced budget that provides growth, opportunity, and affordability for Connecticut’s residents, families, and businesses.” This press release was made possible by:

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CTDOT Reminds Drivers to Play a Role in Work Zone Safety

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is promoting National Work Zone Awareness Week (NWZAW) from April 17-21, 2023, highlighting this year's theme of “You play a role in work zone safety. Work with us.” NWZAW has been observed for more than 20 years and was launched as a public awareness campaign to help everyone understand how they play a role in keeping workers, motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists safe on the roads. “Every day, thousands of people drive through work zones across our state,” said Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “We encourage drivers to work with us in allowing CTDOT crews, construction workers, and emergency responders to make it home safe to their families. Playing a role means slowing down your speed,…

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GOVERNOR LAMONT APPOINTS KAREN PASCALE AS DIRECTOR OF THE CONNECTICUT HEAD START STATE COLLABORATION OFFICE

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is appointing Karen Pascale to serve as director of the Connecticut Head Start State Collaboration Office. Pascale has a long career in the field of early childhood with extensive experience being a leader in the Head Start community. The creation of state Head Start Collaboration Offices were authorized by the federal Head Start Act. These offices facilitate work between state and local entities to improve policies and practices that impact low-income children from birth to school entry their families, and communities. The Connecticut Head Start State Collaboration Office is housed within the Office of Early Childhood, a state agency serving young children age birth to five and their families. “I…

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DEADLINE TO SUBMIT ACCESS HEALTH CT BROKER ACADEMY APPLICATIONS EXTENDED THROUGH APRIL 30

HARTFORD, Conn. (April 10, 2023) — Access Health CT (AHCT) today announced the deadline to apply for the 2023 Broker Academy Program is extended to April 30. To apply for the program, click here. The Broker Academy creates a pathway to license health insurance brokers by recruiting from, and building the skillsets of, those who live and work in historically underserved communities throughout Connecticut. The program was created as part of AHCT’s mission to increase the rate of the insured and reduce health disparities in the state. Program applicants must be 18 years or older, hold a high school diploma or GED, have 1-3 letters of recommendation and have community service experience. The Broker Academy is open to all Connecticut residents and preference will be…

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$3.62 BILLION PROPOSAL TO U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FOR FUNDING AND DESIGNATION AS NATIONAL HUB

More Than a Dozen Projects Proposed for the Northeast to Advance Production, Consumption, and Infrastructure for Clean Hydrogen for Use in Hard to Decarbonize Sectors (HARTFORD, CT) – The States of Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maine, Rhode Island, Vermont and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts today announced the submission of the group’s proposal for a Northeast Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (NE Hub) to the U.S. Department of Energy to compete for a $1.25 billion share of the $8 billion in federal hydrogen hub funding available as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Together with the federal portion, the proposal represents a $3.6 billion investment and includes more than one dozen projects across seven Northeast states that advance clean…

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CTDOT Launches Work Zone Speed Safety Camera Pilot Program

(NEWINGTON, CT) - The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) announced the implementation of a program to reduce speeding in work zones and improve Connecticut roadway safety. The Know The Zone: Speed Safety Camera Program will be active on April 10, 2023, in Connecticut at work zones in Norwalk and East Hartford, followed by the Route 8 corridor between Shelton and Seymour shortly thereafter. The Know the Zone: Speed Safety Camera Program is a way to increase safety for the workers on these jobs and the drivers and their passengers traveling through them. Statistics from the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse show in 2020, the last year of nationally available data, there were 774 fatal crashes in work zones resulting…

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