State News Archives - Page 50 of 113

State News

SUV Safety

Aug 9, 2022 Stephen Krauchick

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, called for National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) action to address child deaths due to frontovers. Recent demonstrations by investigative reporters have shown blind zones in front of some cars to be as big as 16 feet, obstructing children from view and putting them at risk of being run over. “I am extremely troubled that large blind zones in front of SUVs are reportedly causing senseless deaths of children. In such instances, called ‘frontovers,’ tragedy strikes because a child in front of the car is not visible above the car’s hood and no warning occurs,” wrote Blumenthal to NHTSA Administrator Dr. Stephen Cliff. “I am sure you agree that…

State News

Inflation Reduction Act

Aug 8, 2022 Stephen Krauchick

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) released the following statement after the Senate approved the Inflation Reduction Act, a measure to cut costs for consumers, lower drug prices, and make historic investments in clean energy: “The Inflation Reduction Act is history-making and record-setting. This bill will save money, it will save lives, and it will help save the planet.” “Our bill will cut costs for consumers. It will help families better afford groceries, gas, and utilities while billionaire tax cheats will finally have to pay their fair share. Democrats have fought for years to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices which will result in huge savings for seniors. This bill is the largest investment and most important action to fight climate…

State News

LEGISLATION SIGNED STRENGTHENING CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING STANDARDS

Aug 8, 2022 Stephen Krauchick

(WATERBURY, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed into law Public Act 22-49, which will align Connecticut’s standards on childhood lead poisoning with federal standards and help alleviate the risks associated with it. The governor proposed the legislation earlier this year as part of his package of priorities for the legislative session, explaining that the state needs to proactively do a better job of protecting children from lead poisoning.The governor discussed the importance of the new law today during an event on the topic in Waterbury, a city where 72% of its housing units were built before 1978, making the presence of lead likely now or in the past. Waterbury has embraced the issue of addressing…

State News

Attorney General Tong Urges the Biden Administration to Provide More Time and Opportunity for Borrowers to Achieve Loan Forgiveness

Aug 5, 2022 Stephen Krauchick

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 20 states in urging the Biden Administration to extend and expand temporary changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program to provide borrowers with more opportunities to get closer to loan forgiveness faster. Under the PSLF Program, remaining balances on federal Direct Loans are forgiven after borrowers – dedicated public servants such as teachers, firefighters, nurses, police officers – make 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer. However, due to the PSLF Program’s complexity and poor management, millions of public service workers have been unable to access forgiveness, and the program’s denial rates have been as high as 99 percent. To restore the promise of…

State News

ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STATEMENT ON UNITED ILLUMINATING RATE REQUEST

Aug 2, 2022 Stephen Krauchick

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong released the following statement regarding a United Illuminating notice with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority filed today seeking to raise rates as much as 8 percent over three years. New rates would take effect after September 2023. “Connecticut families pay far too much for their energy, and a rate increase at this time will only make that worse. My office will intervene on behalf of consumers, and we intend to aggressively scrutinize every charge and assumption in search of savings,” said Attorney General Tong. This press release was made possible by:

State News

CTDOT Submits National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan

Aug 2, 2022 Stephen Krauchick

The Connecticut Department of Transportation today announced its submission of Connecticut's Charging Ahead Plan: A Strategy to Expand Public Electric Vehicle Charging to the U.S. Department of Transportation, establishing the state’s National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program. The NEVI program aims to build out a national system of electric vehicle (EV) chargers to enhance EV driver confidence while traveling long distances, including across state lines. Established by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the NEVI formula program will provide $5 billion over five years for states to deploy direct current (DC) fast EV chargers along highway corridors. The funds can be used within one mile of federally approved designated corridors, with less than a 50-mile gap between chargers. “Connecticut’s NEVI plan will provide our state with…

State News

GOVERNOR LAMONT DIRECTS $3.5M IN REGIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS INITIATIVE FUNDS TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS FOR LOW-INCOME CUSTOMERS THAT WILL REACH AN ADDITIONAL 1,000 HOMES

Aug 1, 2022 Stephen Krauchick

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is directing $3.5 million in funds from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to be allocated to Connecticut’s utility-administered energy efficiency programs for low-income customers. This support will increase the delivery of energy efficiency programs that save residents money on their utility bills while reducing energy use and carbon emissions. The funding augments an approximate annual budget of $37 million dedicated to low-income energy efficiency programs statewide and will be used to support the Home Energy Solutions-Income Eligible (HES-IE) program, allowing the program to reach approximately 1,000 additional homes in 2022. HES-IE provides home energy audits and core weatherization measures, such as air and duct sealing, for an average savings…

State News

HELP STOP SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN STEM

Jul 28, 2022 Stephen Krauchick

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) applauded the Senate’s bipartisan passage of the CHIPS plus legislation today with several provisions he championed to help address sexual harassment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and to support researchers from historically underrepresented populations early in their career: “This momentous measure is the most impactful technology step in recent history for high-tech job creation and economic growth in our state and others. It will spur innovation, fight inflation, and increase high-tech manufacturing and jobs—in Connecticut and around the country. At my urging, it includes provisions to fight sexual harassment in STEM fields and to support young scientists whose careers have been impacted by the pandemic. This legislation will make…

State News

4.25 BILLION AGREEMENT WITH TEVA PHARMACEUTICALS FOR ROLE IN OPIOID EPIDEMIC

Jul 27, 2022 Stephen Krauchick

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong released the following statement regarding a $4.25 billion agreement framework with Teva Pharmaceuticals and states regarding the generic drug manufacturer’s role in the opioid epidemic. Specific details of the settlement are still being finalized. Precise state allocations have yet to be disclosed, although the agreement would follow the same basic allocation structure as previous opioid settlements, including the landmark $26 billion agreement with opioid distributors and Johnson & Johnson. “This $4.25 billion agreement with Teva is a significant breakthrough in our fight to hold the entire addiction industry accountable for the devastation of the opioid epidemic. While we are still negotiating final details with Teva over precise terms, this agreement would provide yet…

State News

LEGISLATION TO COMBAT INCREASED USE OF DANGEROUS GUN CONVERSION DEVICES

Jul 26, 2022 Stephen Krauchick

Legislation would help address gun violence epidemic by tackling proliferation of automatic gun conversion devices and seizing profits from illegal trafficking WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined eight of their Senate colleagues in introducing legislation to combat the increased use and proliferation of dangerous gun conversion devices. The Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act would help tackle the ongoing gun violence epidemic by requiring federal law enforcement to coordinate efforts to prevent the importation and trafficking of “auto-sears” — and other illegal gun modification devices that can convert semi-automatic weapons into fully-automatic weapons — and seize all profits that come from the illegal trafficking of these devices. “Gun conversion devices like auto-sears take a deadly weapon and make it even deadlier. After…

SUV Safety

Inflation Reduction Act

LEGISLATION SIGNED STRENGTHENING CHILDHOOD LEAD POISONING STANDARDS

Attorney General Tong Urges the Biden Administration to Provide More Time and Opportunity for Borrowers to Achieve Loan Forgiveness

ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STATEMENT ON UNITED ILLUMINATING RATE REQUEST

CTDOT Submits National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan

GOVERNOR LAMONT DIRECTS $3.5M IN REGIONAL GREENHOUSE GAS INITIATIVE FUNDS TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS FOR LOW-INCOME CUSTOMERS THAT WILL REACH AN ADDITIONAL 1,000 HOMES

HELP STOP SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN STEM

4.25 BILLION AGREEMENT WITH TEVA PHARMACEUTICALS FOR ROLE IN OPIOID EPIDEMIC

LEGISLATION TO COMBAT INCREASED USE OF DANGEROUS GUN CONVERSION DEVICES

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