Insurance Commissioner Andrew N. Mais wants to remind every front-line worker and volunteer who cares for COVID-19 patients and their families about two very important programs, Healthbridge and the Brave of Heart Fund.
Healthbridge from Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) offers eligible front-line health care workers and volunteers up to $25,000 of life insurance at no cost. Cigna and New York Life established the Brave of Heart Fund to provide monetary grants of up to $75,000 to survivors of front-line U.S. healthcare workers who give their lives in the fight against COVID-19.
“MassMutual filed Healthbridge to help front-line health care workers, volunteers and their families and this was quickly approved by this Department. Cigna and New York Life similarly stepped in to support those on the front lines of this battle with the Brave of Heart Fund,” said Commissioner Mais. “Fear of financial insecurity should a loved one working with coronavirus patients get sick and succumb to the disease is an additional burden in need of relief. Grieving families need so much support.”
For Healthbridge, uploading proof of employment or volunteerism and filling out a short application online will provide eligible healthcare workers and volunteers with this free financial protection. Volunteers must be actively working with COVID-19 patients at least 10 hours per month. More details and enrollment information are on the MassMutual HealthBridge web page
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The Brave of Heart Fund provides monetary grants to eligible family members of front-line health care workers and health care volunteers who lose their lives because of COVID-19. The cash grants will provide basic and continuing financial support for common needs, such as funeral costs, medical care, counseling, food, educational expenses of children and other dependents currently in school, mortgage or rent payments, and immediate living expenses.
Consumers, insurers and brokers with questions can contact the department directly by email at insurance@ct.gov, online, or by calling the Department at 800-203-3447 or 860-297-3900.
WETHERSFIELD, CT – The Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles resumed road testing services for driver’s licenses as well as new vehicle registration services on June 30, 2020 at select DMV locations.
Knowledge testing for motorcycle learner’s permits is slated to resume on July 7, 2020 at DMV’s Bridgeport and Waterbury locations.
“We will continue to slowly reopen our doors and expand our service options,” said DMV’s Deputy Commissioner Tony Guerrera. “Safety remains our primary focus.”
The DMV began collaborating with driving schools on June 23, 2020 in an effort to reduce its backlog, and was able to schedule nearly 1,000 road tests through June 30, 2020. Customers whose appointments were canceled due to the COVID-19 global health pandemic are encouraged to reschedule their appointment. The decision to expand service options comes on the heels of the DMV’s re-opening on June 23, 2020.
“The DMV is undergoing a major transformation,” said DMV’s Commissioner Sibongile Magubane. “The pandemic presented several obstacles, which fast-tracked the DMV’s modernization plans. Our new appointment system is just the beginning. Ultimately, we would like move customers from in-line to online.” Providing customers with the option to complete their transactions online is at the core of the agency’s modernization plans. Digitizing the agency is a tremendous undertaking that will ultimately have a positive impact on Connecticut residents.
WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), and Jon Tester (D-MT) introduced legislation today that would mandate the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reimburse veterans’ emergency health care expenses from non-VA facilities that are not covered by the veteran’s private insurance. This legislation follows the 2016 Staab v. McDonald and 2019 Wolfe v. Wilkie decisions, both ruling that the VA must reimburse veterans for emergency medical expenses. The Wolfe decision also found that more than 600,000 veterans may have been affected by the VA’s denial of these claims, with anywhere from $1.8 to $6.5 billion owed to veterans. The VA appealed this decision last month to avoid paying these claims.
“This bill will tremendously help hundreds of thousands of veterans harmed by the VA’s inexcusable emergency care claim denials,” said Blumenthal. “The VA is acting illegally, as found by two separate courts, and immorally. Instead of righting these wrongs, the VA is now reprehensibly appealing the Wolfe decision and continuing to subvert Congressional intent while hurting the veterans it has a duty to protect. Congress must put an end to the VA’s indefensible actions and pass this legislation.”
“Our veterans should never have to worry whether emergency room visits will be covered by the VA,” said Baldwin. “Our veterans have bravely served and sacrificed for the freedoms we all cherish, so we need to do right by them and their families by ensuring they receive reimbursement for the care they have earned and deserve, especially during an emergency.”
“The last thing veterans should have to worry about during a health emergency is whether they will be stuck with the bill for their medical expenses,” said Brown. “Ohio veterans should not be shouldering the burden when they’ve earned benefits that should cover them.”
“It is unacceptable that the Department of Veterans Affairs has repeatedly ignored court rulings and Congressional direction to cover emergency medical care for veterans,” said Hirono. “This legislation would require the VA to do what it should have done from the beginning: cover emergency treatment for veterans, regardless of where they receive care.”
“Veterans should never be punished when VA screws up,” said Tester, Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “Our legislation holds the Department accountable by requiring reimbursements for hundreds of thousands of veterans who were wrongly charged for emergency health care services. Now more than ever, we must work to ensure our nation’s veterans receive the care they need and earned.”
The legislation is endorsed by the National Veterans Legal Services Program and the Disabled American Veterans.
“We greatly appreciate Senator Blumenthal and other members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee for their dedicated efforts on behalf of hundreds of thousands of veterans who have been suffering extraordinary financial hardships, some for many years, due to the VA’s illegal mishandling of their reimbursement claims,” said National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP) Executive Director Bart Stichman.
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WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of Inspector General issued its first report on the Boeing 737 MAX development and certification:
“The Inspector General’s report makes crystal clear that the 737 MAX plane crashes were the direct result of a pattern of Boeing’s deliberate concealment. The crewmembers and loved ones lost in these crashes never had a chance because Boeing decided to conceal MCAS from pilots and federal regulators. The report lays bare the company’s reprehensible actions and the Federal Aviation Administration’s deficient oversight. It is long past due for Boeing to be held accountable – and for the FAA to improve its certification process. As the FAA begins certification flights to unground the 737 MAX, I will continue to fight for justice for the victims and to ensure the aircraft is kept out of the sky until it is found completely safe for the traveling public.”
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), bothmembers of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) on Tuesday introduced legislation that would increase funding for children with disabilities. The Supporting Children with Disabilities During COVID-19 Act appropriates $11 billion for state grants under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), $1.2 billion for early childhood education programs, $55 million under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, and requires recipients of funds to report to Congress how this money is spent.
“COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on our education system—forcing millions of Americans into distance learning. This has been uniquely challenging and harmful for students with disabilities. Now is not the time to backtrack on our commitment to provide a quality education to all; instead, we must strengthen that commitment when students and their families need it most. That’s why we are introducing legislation that provides additional funding to schools to ensure our educators have the resources they need to continue compliance with federal disability education laws despite the circumstances. We must get this legislation included in the next stimulus package Congress considers so children with disabilities have every opportunity to get back and stay on track with their education,” said Murphy.
“Students who experience disabilities have always been among the most vulnerable in our education system, but now with the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting our system of learning, the risk of these students falling behind is even greater. This legislation will help support educators who are doing everything they can so that students with disabilities receive the same educational opportunities as their peers, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to include this important legislation in the next COVID-19 relief package,” said Hassan.
“For too long Congress has not held up its end of the bargain in providing full funding to ensure a quality education for all students with disabilities. COVID-19 has only exacerbated school funding shortages across the country, and will make this gap even more severe. We must provide the resources to fully fund IDEA long-term, and we must act now to provide for these immediate needs in response to COVID-19,” said Van Hollen.
Earlier this month, Murphy and Hassan published an op-ed with 74million on the importance of increasing funding for children with disabilities, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, Murphy also released bipartisan principles to support students with disabilities, calling for additional funding in the next COVID-19 stimulus package. Additionally, Senator Hassan led her colleagues, including Senators Murphy and Van Hollen, in calling for greater support for students who experience disabilities in upcoming COVID-19 response legislation.
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HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Lamont announced today a comprehensive plan to put more than $33 million in state and federal resources to work providing emergency assistance to renters, homeowners, and residential landlords impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Elements of this plan include:
$10 million rental assistance program for Connecticut residents impacted by COVID-19, administered through the Department of Housing, which will provide payments to landlords on behalf of approved tenant applicants, with a priority on lower-income households who have been denied unemployment insurance;
$5 million for eviction prevention to help renters who were in the process of eviction before the declaration of the COVID-19 public health emergency;
$10 million to provide mortgage relief to homeowners who have suffered impacts from COVID-19 and whose mortgages are not federally insured, administered by the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA);
$4 million in rapid rehousing funds to help people pay costs like security deposits and initial rent to exit homelessness to housing, administered by the Department of Housing;
$2.5 million rental assistance program for those who are ineligible for emergency assistance through the federal CARES Act, including those who are undocumented, administered by the Department of Housing;
$1.8 million in funding for reentry and rehousing assistance for people exiting incarceration, administered by the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness;
Extending the residential eviction moratorium to August 25, bringing Connecticut’s measures in line with federal measures (the CARES Act prevents evictions from most properties until late summer); and
Extending the opportunity to apply a portion of any security deposit worth more than one month’s rent toward rental payments.
All housing assistance programs administered through the state and through CHFA will include housing counseling to help renters and homeowners problem solve and develop plans to pay housing costs going forward.
In addition to this assistance through the state, large Connecticut cities received $10 million under the CARES Act Emergency Solution Grants program to prevent homelessness and support homeless populations. The Connecticut Department of Housing is encouraging those municipalities to allocate some of that funding to provide rent arrearage assistance for low and very low-income families that are struggling to make ends meet.
Governor Lamont previously allowed and encouraged municipalities to provide homeowners a 90-day grace period on any property taxes due through July 1. His administration also partnered with local financial institutions to provide mortgagors financially impacted by COVID-19 more time to make their payments.
Governor Lamont said, “The COVID crisis has taken a toll on many Connecticut families. We know that some renters and homeowners are having a hard time paying the costs of their housing. It’s critical that we provide emergency help so that they can stay housed, and to support residential landlords, many of who are mom-and-pop small businesses themselves.”
Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz said, “During the COVID-19 public health emergency, housing hardships have reached unprecedented heights. Too many families across our state have had difficulty paying their rent or mortgage due to job loss or decreases in wages. We need to do all that we can to ensure families have the assistance they need to stay in their homes. By working with multiple partners to launch this emergency housing assistance package, we can help relieve some of the financial burden our families have faced during this pandemic.”
Housing Commissioner Seila Mosquera-Bruno said, “Housing stability is critical to the health and wellbeing of Connecticut residents, and COVID has had a significant impact on the ability of many of our families to pay the costs of their housing and maintain that stability. These initiatives, working in coordination with our partners across the housing industry, including legal services, developers, landlords, lenders and our social service providers, will provide a great opportunity to promote stability, and help our families to weather this epidemic.”
Nandini Natarajan, CEO of CHFA, said, “There are many low and moderate-income homeowners with mortgages not covered by CARES Act protections, who need some assistance to meet their mortgage payments. This emergency funding will provide vital assistance, helping them to remain in their homes as they work to regain their financial stability.”
Social Services Commissioner and Acting Public Health Commissioner Deidre Gifford said, “When people lose their housing, they may be forced to resort to living in doubled-up situations or to enter homeless shelters. Science is clear that denser housing conditions and less ability to socially distance mean a greater risk to these individuals and families, and to their communities, of catching and spreading the COVID virus. Helping Connecticut residents stay housed is an important part of our public health response.”
Kiley Gosselin, Executive Director of the Partnership for Strong Communities, said, “We welcome the governor’s action to extend the eviction moratorium and put in place this package of housing assistance. Housing is a necessity under any circumstances and helping the estimated 230,000 Connecticut renter households at risk of losing their housing to remain housed during this public health emergency is a particularly urgent issue.”
Cecil J. Thomas, an attorney at Greater Hartford Legal Aid, Inc., speaking on behalf of Connecticut’s three legal services programs (Connecticut Legal Services, New Haven Legal Assistance Association, and Greater Hartford Legal Aid) said, “We are very pleased that the governor has ordered extension of the eviction moratorium in tandem with the introduction of these new programs to offer rental assistance to low-income tenants. In light of the enormity of the pandemic crisis for both landlords and tenants, we hope that the governor will take additional steps as the need arises.”
Richard Cho, CEO of the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, said, “We’ve long known that a stable home is critical to success in reentry. We now know how critical it is to health and to life. We are grateful to the Connecticut state government for ensuring that vulnerable people are not discharged from prison to the streets during this public health emergency, but to a safe and stable home.”
For more information on the resources, please see the following websites:
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) along with U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and a number of House members introduced the Rebuilding Main Street Act, legislation to help small businesses, nonprofits, and workers weather the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and support safe reopening. The legislation expands existing work share programs to allow employers to share their payroll costs with the federal government while receiving grants help to cover other fixed costs such as rent and needs for reopening safely like cleaning and protective equipment. After 14 straight weeks in which more than one million workers filed for unemployment benefits, the legislation would help laid off workers safety return to their jobs at reduced hours while continuing to receive a pro-rated unemployment benefit to compensate for their lost wages.
A fact sheet on the Rebuilding Main Street Act is available here and bill text is available here.
“COVID-19 is a health pandemic that has created an economic crisis, and small businesses have been especially hard hit. As local governments and states across the country implement plans to safely reopen, Congress must keep workers and small businesses in mind. Since the beginning, I’ve worked to come up with smart ways to keep small businesses afloat and workers on payroll, and I’m proud to join my friend Senator Van Hollen in introducing the Rebuilding Main Street Act, which builds upon our previous Main Street work. Our legislation provides relief to workers and small businesses as we try to come out on the other side of this pandemic,” said Senator Murphy.
“COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on American workers, small businesses, and non-profits. And as our economy starts to reboot, it’s clear that many of the challenges they face aren’t immediately going away. Businesses and non-profits have to make tough decisions on payroll and mounting operating costs, while workers grapple with reduced hours and staying safe once they return. The Rebuilding Main Street Act provides relief that tackles these challenges head-on. It gives businesses and workers the immediate support they need for our economy to safely and successfully reopen, and we’ll be pushing for its inclusion in the upcoming relief package,” said Senator Van Hollen.
“We owe it to the people of this country to build solutions that keep workers paid, curb widespread layoffs and support small businesses all at the same time,” said Congressman Pocan. “Work sharing programs hold the key to guiding states through recovery while protecting workers against an economic recession and a public health crisis. Workers should never live in fear of losing their next paycheck, and small businesses should have the tools they need to operate safely. The Rebuilding Main Street Act would do just that. We must expand work share programs nationwide, make it easier for states to implement, and provide federal support to workers and small businesses across this country.”
“Since the coronavirus hit, I’ve heard from business owners and workers in every corner of my state that our communities need more help to get through this precedent-shattering crisis,” said Senator Merkley. “The path to the other side for small businesses and working families isn’t lining the pockets of the wealthiest and most powerful executives of huge corporations. We need to rebuild our economy from Main Street up. This urgently needed legislation provides a blueprint for small businesses and their employees to drive our recovery.”
“The ongoing public health and economic crisis in America demands solutions from Washington and Congressional action. Small businesses, non-profits, and workers need support and it’s our job to provide it. Work share programs like the updated one we have in Wisconsin need to be supported so employers can avoid worker layoffs. Our Rebuilding Main Street Act will provide small businesses and non-profits the tools they need to keep workers on the payroll and move our economy forward,” said Senator Baldwin.
In addition, this legislation is cosponsored by Representatives Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL), Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Ro Khanna (D-CA), Andy Levin (D-MI), Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI).
Employers and workers across the country are reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic shutdown. While Congress worked to pass four bipartisan legislative packages, large segments of the workforce and business sectors have not benefitted from the economic relief programs.The Senators’ proposalencourages and expandswork sharing – an existing program supported by the CARES Act that still has far too much untapped potential– and provides additional supportfor employers and employees struggling during this time.
This legislation is supported by a broad coalition of organizations, including: AFL-CIO, Main Street Alliance, National Employment Law Project, Economic Policy Institute, National Women’s Law Center, Common Defense, Center for American Progress, American Sustainable Business Council, MomsRising, Communication Workers of America, United Steelworkers, and American Federation of Teachers.
“I applaud Senators Van Hollen, Merkley, Murphy, and Baldwin for taking much-needed action to help those reeling economically from this devastating pandemic,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. “We need to find more ways to keep workers attached to their jobs because too many working people, nonprofits and small businesses have been left behind in the previously-passed relief packages. Building on the HEROES Act, the Rebuilding Main Street Act is another important step in supporting those who are the backbone of America’s economy.”
“The Rebuilding Main St. Act solves the riddle of how to both preserve payrolls and businesses, and in so doing, it paves the way for a gradual, phased-in opening followed by a more robust recovery,” said Jared Bernstein, Senior Fellow, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
“The Rebuilding Main Street Act is a smart and flexible program that gives employers the flexibility they need to respond to the COVID-19 crisis, while keeping their workforces in place and ensuring their workers maintain their salaries and benefits. This is an approach to building resilience and creating the certainty that business owners and their employees need to pivot and sustain during these uncertain times,” said Amanda Ballantyne, Executive Director, Main Street Alliance.
“Big businesses shouldn’t be the only ones survive this Covid 19 depression. That’s why Maryland small businesses – and their workers – need the Rebuilding Main Street Act,” said Maryland State Senator Jim Rosapepe (D-College Park), Budget and Tax Committee Vice Chair and Member of COVID-19 Legislative Oversight Workgroup.
“This is a brilliant expansion of Maryland’s existing work sharing program which will support local business from Annapolis to Ellicott City, Sykesville and Mount Airy. Working with Sen Van Hollen’s team has been an extremely rewarding — true teamwork for the people of Maryland! I applaud the authors for listening to local voices and offering this plan to reopen Main Street,” said Maryland State Senator Katie Fry Hester (D-Ellicott City), who is on the Education, Health & Environmental Affairs Committee and leads the Senate’s Bipartisan Small Business Work Group.
“The nation continues to face a public health crisis that has spurred an economic crisis unlike anything we’ve seen since the Great Depression. To help stanch the economic bleeding, Congress must think creatively and act boldly; the risks of doing too little far outweigh the risks of doing too much. We must prioritize policies aimed at keeping workers and small businesses afloat right now. Policies like the Rebuilding Main Street Act, which would use the large-scale deployment of an existing but underutilized part of the Unemployment Insurance program called Short-Time Compensation or Work-Sharing alongside a new grant program for firms to cover fixed costs, would help put us on a path to a stronger economic recovery. I commend Senators Van Hollen, Merkley, and Murphy for their leadership on this issue, and I urge Congress to make ongoing relief to workers and small businesses a top priority in the next legislative package,” said Heather Boushey, President & CEO and Co-founder of the Washington Center for Equitable Growth.
“Many countries have shown that work sharing can be an effective tool to protect workers from unemployment in a downturn. While work sharing has been part of many states unemployment insurance systems for decades, it is seriously under-utilized. The Van Hollen bill provides companies with a strong incentive to use work sharing rather than layoffs as a response to weak demand. It will also help to make employers aware of this option,” said Dean Baker, Senior Economist and Co-founder of the Center for Economic and Policy Research and Visiting Professor at the University of Utah.
HARTFORD—U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and U.S. Representatives John Larson (CT-1), Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) and Jahana Hayes (CT-5) announced $13,485,100 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to Head Start programs in the Greater Hartford and New Britain area.
“This federal funding will help grow Head Start early education programs, helping hundreds of our youngest learners thrive during these critical early years,” said Murphy, Blumenthal, Larson, DeLauro and Hayes. “We know that kids who participate in Head Start are served by that experience for decades to come – helping them to succeed in school and into adulthood. We’re proud to advocate for increased funding for these programs so they can continue to support Connecticut families for years to come.”
The breakdown of funding is below:
Human Resources Agency of New Britain, Inc., New Britain
· $2,762,972 for Head Start & Early Head Start Projects
· $2,161,744 for Bristol Early Head Start & Head Start Projects
Capitol Region Education Council (CREC), Hartford
· $9,161,612 for Head Start & Early Head Start Projects
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HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont, in partnership with the Connecticut Community Nonprofit Alliance and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, today announced the launch of ConnectiCorps, a new community service program set to launch in August that will help address the growing demand on essential services provided by Connecticut’s nonprofits in the areas of food security, housing, and antipoverty assistance.
An AmeriCorps program, it will offer an opportunity for high-impact service in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency and will provide a modest income and a stipend for higher-education costs for young adults in Connecticut. ConnectiCorps is funded by a significant grant from the Hartford Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund and an AmeriCorps state and federal grant approved by Serve Connecticut (the Connecticut Commission on Community Service, which is part of the Connecticut Office of Higher Education).
ConnectiCorps members will serve at nonprofits across the state with a focus on the greater Hartford region. In particular, the program will seek to recruit members who live in the community they wish to serve. This approach will strengthen the bond between the community and its residents, while helping to address one of the most catastrophic public health events in history.
Governor Lamont said, “I’m grateful to the Connecticut Community Nonprofit Alliance and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving for their leadership and creativity in developing and launching this critical program. Nonprofits across the state are on the frontlines of the COVID emergency, providing critically needed services to vulnerable people across Connecticut. The ConnectiCorps program is a great way to provide support to those nonprofits and to offer to our young people the opportunity for public service in these times of great challenge to our communities.”
Gian-Carl Casa, President and CEO of the Alliance, said, “The Alliance is excited to lead this important program. Community nonprofits play a critically important role in meeting the needs of Connecticut residents most severely hit by this public health emergency. As many of us sheltered-in-place they have been on the front lines. We are grateful to AmeriCorps, the Hartford Foundation, Serve Connecticut and the Office of the Governor for their support of this innovative way to help nonprofits during this challenging time.”
Jay Williams, CEO of the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, said, “The Hartford Foundation is pleased to provide funding for this important program – both to support nonprofits that provide critically needed assistance to our most vulnerable neighbors, and because ConnectiCorps offers an important opportunity for Connecticut residents to engage in service to their community, and to be part of our state’s response to the COVID crisis.”
Jason Jakubowski, President of Foodshare, said, “Foodshare is thrilled at the prospect of participating in the ConnectiCorps program. We’ve had a significant increase in the need for the support we provide to address food security issues related to COVID, at the very time that many of our volunteers are unable to serve as they did before. The extra support provided by the ConnectiCorps members will be a big help to us in meeting the needs of the clients we serve.”
Jacqueline Johnson, Executive Director of Serve Connecticut, said, “ConnectiCorps is an exciting initiative that can mobilize up to 80 AmeriCorps members to enhance the capacity of nonprofits through strategic volunteer generation activities as Connecticut responds to and recovers from COVID-19. The model proposed by the Alliance has the makings of becoming a national ‘how-to’ manual on building and sustaining volunteer capacity through any unexpected crisis. Serve Connecticut is thrilled to be at the forefront of this effort.”
ConnectiCorps quick facts:
ConnectiCorps will place 60 to 80 part-time members, who will provide between 70,000 and 90,000 total hours of service at up to 20 nonprofit sites.
Members will receive a modest stipend and mileage reimbursement, and will be eligible for a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award upon completion of their service year, which can be used to repay qualified student loans or offset current tuition costs at eligible institutions of higher education and training programs.
Members will be provided with uniforms, hand sanitizer, COVID-safety training and PPE to ensure safe and consistent service.
Duties of members will include: reviewing/updating host-site COVID-19 safety protocols, deploying creative approaches to safely recruit and retain volunteers, and providing temporary direct service relief for operations at host site.
The governor welcomes the participation of additional philanthropic organizations in the ConnectiCorps program to increase the reach of this critical program, as more funding would mean additional service hours and more communities served.
For more information about ConnectiCorps, please visit the Alliance’s website at ctnonprofitalliance.org
About Serve Connecticut and AmeriCorps
Serve Connecticut, the Connecticut Commission on Community Service, is a department of the Connecticut Office of Higher Education. Its mission is to strengthen Connecticut communities through national service resources, community engagement, and volunteerism. Serve Connecticut administers AmeriCorps state funding in the State of Connecticut. Each year, Serve Connecticut AmeriCorps members provide more than 400,000 hours of national service to programs that tackle issues that matter in Connecticut. For more information about Serve Connecticut, visit www.serveCT.org. AmeriCorps is a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service through its AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs and leads the nation’s volunteering and service efforts. For more information, visit www.NationalService.gov
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#Washington DC–The Justice in Policing Act which passed the House of Representatives of 236-181. This comprehensive legislative package would drastically reform policing, hold bad actors accountable, and help mend the relationship between law enforcement agencies and local communities. It sends a clear message that Black lives matter, are important, and must be protected.
“The House of Representatives has done its job today and acted on behalf of the people,” said Himes. “The Justice in Policing Act will bring reforms to police departments across the country, increasing accountability and showing a commitment to change and improvement.”
The Justice in Policing Act will:
Make lynching a federal crime
Limit and regulate the federal transfer of military weapons and equipment to state and local law enforcement agencies
Increase accountability by:
Making it easier to prosecute police misconduct;
Reforming qualified immunity so that victims can recover damages when police violate their constitutional rights;
Providing grants to states that adopt laws that mandate external and independent criminal investigations and prosecutions in cases of police misconduct;
Granting subpoena authority to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division to investigate law enforcement agencies with a “pattern or practice” of violating constitutional rights and incentivizing states to adopt similar investigations.
Promote best practices and improve officer training by:
Outlawing racial, religious and discriminatory profiling;
Requiring training on racial and implicit biases, procedural justice, and the duty to intervene;
Banning no-knock warrants in drug cases;
Prohibiting the use of chokeholds and carotid holds;
Raising the standards for when force can be used and requiring that all reasonable alternatives, including de-escalation techniques, are used before deadly force;
Mandating the use of dashboard and body cameras.
Improve our understanding of police misconduct and use-of-force by:
Requiring states to submit disciplinary, termination, and legal records against law enforcement officers to a National Police Misconduct Registry;
Mandating that state and local law enforcement agencies report comprehensive use of force data to the federal government, including information about the victim and officer involved, the circumstance surrounding the incident, the reason force was used, etc.
