CALLS ON EVERSOURCE AND UNITED ILLUMINATING TO CONTRIBUTE GREATER SHARE OF PROFITS TO RATEPAYER RELIEF DURING EXTRAORDINARY SPIKE IN WINTER ENERGY COSTS (Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong released the following statement today calling on Eversource and United Illuminating to contribute a greater share of their profits to ratepayer relief to lessen the crushing burden of the extraordinary spike in winter energy costs. Attorney General Tong had been participating in rate relief negotiations with the two utilities and state leaders over the past week. He has asked Eversource and United Illuminating to contribute roughly 10 percent of their substantial earnings—or approximately $40 million for Eversource and $8 million for United Illuminating. Attorney General Tong has proposed to use those…
ACCESS HEALTH CT WAIVES REQUIREMENT FOR CERTAIN SMALL BUSINESSES
HARTFORD, Conn. (Nov. 23, 2022) — Access Health CT (AHCT) Small Business announced it will waive the minimum number of employees typically required to enroll in a small group health insurance plan now through Dec. 15. Small businesses can enroll in a group health insurance plan at any time of year. However, they usually need a certain percentage of employees to participate in the plan. During this period, any small business with 50 or fewer employees in Connecticut can enroll in a group health insurance plan regardless of how many employees participate. This opportunity, called the Employee Participation Waiver Period for small businesses, is only offered to new groups not currently enrolled through Access Health CT Small Business. “This period…
State Police Thanksgiving Weekend Traffic Stats
12:00 a.m. Wednesday, 11/23/22 to 7:00 a.m. Sunday, 11/27/22 Calls for service: 5,649 Motorist Assists: 258 Speeding Citations: 247 Total traffic violations: 787 DUI arrests: 36 Motor vehicle accidents: 338 Serious: 2 (New Britain, Glastonbury) Fatal: 3 (Wallingford, West Haven, Milford) This press release was made possible by:
SPECIAL SESSION FOR GAS TAX CUTS, FARE-FREE BUS SERVICE, INCREASED ENERGY ASSISTANCE AND PANDEMIC PREMIUM PAY, AND UPDATES TO BOTTLE BILL
Special Session Scheduled for Monday, November 28, 2022 (HARTFORD, CT) – In his first executive action since being re-elected to a second term earlier this month, Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is calling the Connecticut General Assembly into special session for the purpose of extending the duration of cuts on gasoline taxes, as well as the suspension of fares on all public transit buses. Additionally, he is asking the legislature to approve more funding for the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) and Premium Pay Program, and also modify the effective date of sections in the container redemption program, commonly known as the bottle bill. “I’m asking the legislature to extend for several additional months the suspension of Connecticut’s…
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG ANNOUNCES INVESTIGATION INTO OPTIMUM FOLLOWING HUNDREDS OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong announced he has opened an investigation under the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act into Altice Optimum following nearly 500 consumer complaints regarding slow internet speeds, hidden fees, and unacceptable technical support. Many complaints to the Office of the Attorney General involved consumers who paid for either 300 Mbps or 400 Mbps cable internet plans. When consumers ran home speed tests, they discovered they were not receiving the speeds they paid for. The Office of the Attorney General also received complaints regarding service fees, technical support, and customer service. The Office of the Attorney General is also investigating a $3.50 “Network Enhancement Fee” for internet customers. “Customers have a right to expect the service…
State Police Ready For Holiday Rush
(Middletown CT – November 21, 2022) – As family and friends gather this week for the Thanksgiving holiday, CT State Troopers remind residents that there will be many more vehicles on state roads in the next seven days. State Police is ramping up plans to keep highways safe for everyone during this holiday rush. Beginning on Wednesday, November 23, 2022, at 12:00 a.m. and running through Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022, at 11:59 p.m., Connecticut State Police will supplement its normal routine patrol personnel with additional Troopers throughout the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Troopers will patrol roads and highways across Connecticut focusing on aggressive drivers, unsafe drivers and drunk drivers. These violations are causes of countless motor vehicle crashes in Connecticut…
GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCES CONNECTICUT RECEIVES CREDIT RATING INCREASE FROM S&P
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that his administration has received notification from credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) that it is increasing Connecticut’s general obligation bond credit rating from A+ (positive) to AA- (stable). This credit rating increase follows increases in 2021 by several other agencies, including Moody’s, S&P, Fitch, and Kroll. Prior to Governor Lamont taking office, Connecticut had not experienced an increase in its credit rating since February 2001. Governor Lamont said, “Connecticut taxpayers should celebrate today’s news. This credit rating increase will mean lower costs for critical projects that move our state forward. It is a signal to the businesses and residents that our state is on the right financial path, that we…
BLUMENTHAL LEADS GROUP OF SENATE DEMOCRATS URGING FTC INVESTIGATION OF TWITTER
“We are concerned that the actions taken by Mr. Musk and others in Twitter management could already represent a violation of the FTC’s consent decree.” [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Following recent alarming developments at Twitter after Elon Musk’s takeover of the company, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), along with U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ), called on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to conduct vigorous oversight and enforcement of Twitter’s consent decree and to investigate potential violations of consumer protection laws. “We write regarding Twitter’s serious, willful disregard for the safety and security of its users, and encourage the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to…
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STATEMENT ON EVERSOURCE AND UNITED ILLUMINATING SUPPLY RATE INCREASE
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong released the following statement regarding new Eversource and United Illuminating standard service supply rates effective January 1. Eversource supply rates will double from 12.05 cents per kWh to 24.2 cents per kWh, resulting in an $84 per month increase for the average user. United Illuminating supply rates will go from 10.6 cents per kWh to 22.5 cents per kWh, resulting in an $83.09 increase for the average user. This press release was made possible by: “This is a massive increase that will be unaffordable for many Connecticut families and businesses. We pay far too much for our energy in Connecticut as it is, and these winter rates are nothing short of punishing. My…
BILL TO CURB UNHEALTHY FOOD & BEVERAGE MARKETING TARGETING KIDS
Legislation would end a federal tax subsidy allowing companies to deduct advertising expenses for unhealthy foods & use revenue to provide healthy snacks at low-income schools [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) introduced bicameral legislation to prevent the aggressive marketing of junk food and sugary beverages directed at children. In the last thirty years, obesity rates have doubled among children and tripled among adolescents. The Stop Subsidizing Childhood Obesity Act of 2022 would end the federal tax subsidy that allows companies to deduct expenses for marketing and advertising goods of poor nutritional value. The legislation would also use the revenue generated from eliminating the subsidy to provide healthy snacks for…