State News

$8 MILLION TO CONTINUE CONNECTICUT’S SUCCESSFUL SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAM IN 2022

HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker today announced that the Connecticut State Department of Education is dedicating $8 million of federal American Rescue Plan funding to continue the state’s highly successful Summer Enrichment Program in 2022. Launched last year in response to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the grant program was created to help connect students during the summer months to high-quality enrichment opportunities, including at summer camps, childcare centers, and other similar programs, with a priority for those in towns and communities that were most disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. It is funded using a portion of the state’s share of the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund. “The pandemic has created…

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GOVERNOR LAMONT SIGNS LEGISLATION EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY FOR ABSENTEE BALLOTS (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed legislation (Public Act 22-2) expanding two of the six statutory reasons under which voters in Connecticut can qualify for an absentee ballot during an election, primary, or referendum by allowing out-of-town commuters and caretakers of those who are ill or have a disability to vote by absentee ballot. The legislation removes more restrictive language on these qualifications from state statutes and better aligns state laws with the standard that is set in the state constitution. “This slight change better aligns our state laws with that allowed under the constitution,” Governor Lamont said. “We should be doing everything we can to…

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ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG RELEASES GUIDANCE ON GAS TAX HOLIDAY COMPLAINTS

Attorney General William Tong today released consumer guidance on reporting suspected violations of the state gas tax holiday.Starting today, April 1, and ending on June 30, 2022, the 25 cent state tax on gasoline is suspended under Special Act 22-2. The law requires that retailers reduce their price per-gallon by the amount of the excise tax, $0.25. Any gas station suspected of charging that tax, or a portion of that tax, during this gas tax holiday will be subject to investigation by the Office of the Attorney General pursuant to the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act. Acting in coordination with the Department of Consumer Protection, the Office of the Attorney General may file suit against retailers found to be in…

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NEW LICENSE PLATE OPTIONS HONORING VETERANS WHO SERVED DURING SPECIFIC PERIODS OF WAR

Governor Ned Lamont announced that the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles is now offering 10 new license plate options for veterans that commemorate specific wartime periods, including the Afghanistan War, Grenada, the Iraq War, the Korean War, Lebanon, Operation Ernest Will, Panama, the Persian Gulf War, the Vietnam War, and World War II. These plates are offered in addition to the standard Connecticut license plate for veterans and are available exclusively for veterans who served during these specific periods of war and those who received campaign medals.“Expanding the license plate options offered to veterans is a wonderful opportunity to honor their service,” Governor Lamont said. “Not only will it enable our state to recognize those who served during specific periods…

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GOVERNOR LAMONT APPOINTS CLAIRE COLEMAN AS CONSUMER COUNSEL

Governor Ned Lamont announced that he is nominating Claire Coleman of Woodbridge to serve as consumer counsel for the State of Connecticut. In the position, which is a five-year term, Coleman will lead the Office of Consumer Counsel in its mission of advocating on behalf of Connecticut consumers on issues relating to electricity, natural gas, telecommunications, and water. The office is an independent state agency authorized to participate on behalf of consumer interests in all administrative and judicial forums and in any matters in which the interests of consumers with respect to public utility matters may be involved. “Claire’s expertise in energy law, investigations, and regulatory reform makes her a great fit to effectively advocate for the interests of all…

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DMV’s Web Portal Can Be Accessed at ct.gov/DMV

HARTFORD, CT– Governor Ned Lamont announced that the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has launched a revitalized web portal for the agency that also increases the number of transactions customers are able to complete online. New online services added during this launch include the ability to request a duplicate driver’s license, a duplicate non-driver ID, and driving history. The DMV’s web portal can be accessed by visiting ct.gov/dmv. These new online services are in addition to the announcement made last month that Connecticut residents now have the ability to renew their driver’s licenses and non-driver IDs online. Renewing credentials online can take as little as seven minutes.The addition of more online services is part of the Lamont administration’s ongoing…

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CONNECTICUT BECOMES FIRST STATE IN NATION TO REQUIRE HIGH SCHOOLS PROVIDE COURSES ON BLACK AND LATINO STUDIES

HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that Connecticut has become the first state in the nation to require all high schools in the state offer courses on African-American, Black, Puerto Rican, and Latino studies. The requirement is the result of a law Governor Lamont signed last year – Public Act 19-12 – that directs all regional and local boards of education to include an elective course of studies at the high school level that provides students with a better understanding of the African-American, Black, Puerto Rican, and Latino contributions to United States history, society, economy, and culture. Last week, the Connecticut State Board of Education unanimously approved the curriculum for the course, which was a final step needed to implement…

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CONNECTICUT NATIONAL GUARD’S COVID-19 SUPPORT THROUGH MARCH

HARTFORD, CT)– Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has received notification from the White House that his request to extend the federal authorization of the Connecticut National Guard’s support to the State of Connecticut for its ongoing response to the COVID-19 public health emergency has been approved through March 31, 2021. The federal government will provide the state with a 75 percent cost-share for this period. Previously, the state was authorized to use the National Guard with a 100 percent federal cost share from April 2 through September 30. That authorization was renewed on October 1 at a reduced cost share of 75 percent and had been set to expire on December 31. “From constructing mobile field hospitals, delivering…

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141,000 LAPTOPS TO PK-12 STUDENTS

HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that Connecticut is the first state in the nation to provide a learning device to every PK-12 student in need, achieving a major milestone in the fight to close the K-12 digital divide in Connecticut, particularly as many schools move toward remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The governor committed to closing the state’s PK-12 digital divide by purchasing every student who indicated a need with a learning device and a reliable, at-home internet connection. Since the outset of the pandemic earlier this year, every local school district has been sharing data with the State Department of Education on the number of students who indicated that they were without a learning device…

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Student Testing Concerns

WASHINGTON, D.C.– U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) led a group of six senators in pressing three of the largest virtual testing companies used by schools and testing administrators amid the COVID-19 pandemic– ExamSoft, Proctorio, and ProctorU—to address alarming equity, accessibility, and privacy issues faced by students using the platforms. Recent reports indicate students, particularly students of color and those with disabilities, have had severe issues using the software, been locked out of tests, or wrongly accused of cheating. For example, students of color and students wearing religious clothing like headscarves reported the software failed to recognize their facial features and they were temporarily barred from access. “Students have run head on into the shortcomings of these technologies—shortcomings that fall heavily on…

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