State News Archives - Page 62 of 114

State News

Access to Absentee Ballots

Jul 27, 2020 Stephen Krauchick

Currently, Connecticut law only allows citizens to obtain an absentee ballot under very specific circumstances, such as a voter being on active duty or having an illness or disability that prevents them from voting in person. Since public health officials have warned that COVID-19 is likely to spread through crowded, indoor public gatherings, many voters who would not normally qualify for an absentee ballot are concerned about voting in person on Election Day. HB 6002, "An Act Concerning Absentee Voting and Reporting of Results at the 2020 State Election and Election Day Registration," would amend Connecticut law only for the 2020 Election to allow for absentee voting due to "the sickness of COVID-19," ensuring that no one is forced to…

State News

Great American Outdoors Act Passes

Jul 24, 2020 Stephen Krauchick

Washington, DC – Yesterday, The House of Representatives passed the Great American Outdoors Act by a vote of 310-107. This act fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and establishes the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund. “Southwest Connecticut is a place of great natural beauty,” said Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04). “Our identity and economy are tied to the land, especially the Sound, and we have an obligation to conserve and improve the spaces around us.” The $900 million dollars dedicated to the LWCF support the $887 billion outdoor recreation industry, one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy, and protects natural areas from development, an important element of climate stewardship. In the past, the LWCF has provided…

State News

CT Travel Advisory

Jul 23, 2020 Stephen Krauchick

Domestic Travel As you may have heard, there are new requirements and enforcement actions for the mandatory self-quarantine for domestic travel from states with high COVID-19 infection levels. “Affected State” The benchmark for identifying these states is a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents or a state with a 10% or higher positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average to self-quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of last contact within the identified state. The current list of states that meet the above criteria is at 31. The list will be updated on a weekly basis. The list and a map of the states as well as additional relevant information such as the Executive Order, Travel…

State News

AG TONG CALLS ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO ABANDON RULES RESTRICTING STUDENT ACCESS TO CARES ACT FUNDS

Jul 23, 2020 Stephen Krauchick

Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 18 attorneys general from around the nation in urging the U.S Department of Education (DoE) to abandon a proposed rule that severely restricts the use of federal funds earmarked for students suffering from the devastating economic impact of COVID-19. The CARES Act, passed in March to help boost the economy in response to COVID-19, appropriated more than $30 billion to DoE to assist students and schools facing unprecedented financial, logistical, and educational challenges. Congress placed no eligibility restrictions on the billions of dollars aimed at aid for students, but last month the DoE proposed a new rule that prohibits millions of students – including Dreamers and international students…

State News

National Defense Authorization Act Passes

Jul 22, 2020 Stephen Krauchick

#Washington, DC – Today, The House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a vote of 295-125. The bill funds defense and related programs and is one of the largest pieces of legislation that Congress passes each year. “When we authorize funds for our national defense, we must ensure we’re prioritizing the right things,” said Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04). “This means maintaining our fighting capability, investing in technologies that are going to keep us a step ahead of our geopolitical rivals, taking care of our troops, and supporting American industry. This bill achieves those goals and more.” The NDAA contains significant funds for Connecticut-based companies that employ thousands of workers. This includes: $6.8 billion for the Virginia…

State News

Amtrak Funding

Jul 21, 2020 Stephen Krauchick

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Tom Udall (D-NM) and U.S. Representative Danny Davis (D-IL) introduced the Intercity Passenger Rail Trust Fund Act to permanently fund Amtrak. The bicameral legislation would create a dedicated fund to help Amtrak invest in major improvement projects, increase passenger rail’s efficiency, and help provide safer, more reliable service. Intercity passenger rail currently relies on the often unpredictable and limited annual appropriations process for funding, making it difficult to plan long-term, comprehensive investments needed to improve the system. “This measure envisions a milestone, major commitment to rail transit in real money, for now and future generations,” said Blumenthal. “We must make a long-term, steady commitment to our nation’s intercity passenger rail system to…

State News

Electric Companies Illegal Robo Calls

Jul 20, 2020 Stephen Krauchick

Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong and Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull announced that they have agreed to a settlement that would provide for full restitution for at least 559 residential electric consumers who enrolled in overpriced contracts with Spark Energy as a result of an illegal robocall campaign. “Spark Energy used illegal robocalls to trick consumers into overpaying for electricity. All overpayments they reaped from that reprehensible campaign must now be rightfully returned to consumers. This restitution, on top of the significant fine already levied by PURA, should send a strong message to any third-party suppliers that Connecticut stands ready to aggressively enforce its consumer protection laws in defense of ratepayers,” said Attorney General Tong. "Overpayment schemes are even more…

State News

Governor Statenment on Worker’s Comp

Jul 20, 2020 Stephen Krauchick

HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont released the following statement regarding workers’ compensation: “Connecticut owes a debt to the health care professionals, grocery store clerks, and other essential workers who stood at their posts during the darkest days of this pandemic. We can pay a part of that debt by providing workers who contracted COVID-19 on the job during those days with a timely, straightforward opportunity to claim any benefits they are due through the workers’ compensation system. I am committed to providing that opportunity through a forthcoming executive order. I appreciate those employers who have done the right thing by their employees, Connecticut’s Workers’ Compensation Commission for operating continually throughout this pandemic, and most of all, the workers…

State News

Special Session For Legislators

Jul 18, 2020 Stephen Krauchick

HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont issued a proclamation calling the Connecticut General Assembly to meet in special session beginning Tuesday, July 21, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. to: 1. Enact legislation to (a) temporarily expand absentee balloting for the August 2020 primary and November 2020 general election in response to the COVID-19 pandemic so that voters may lawfully cast absentee ballots because of the sickness of COVID-19; (b) temporarily alter statutes governing the administration of elections to ensure local officials may administer such absentee balloting in a secure and orderly manner; and (c) permit voters to register and vote on election day at more than one place per town and to do so as long as they are in line to…

State News

MULTI-CITY AUTO THEFT AND URBAN VIOLENCE TASK FORCE STATISTICS

Jul 17, 2020 Stephen Krauchick

A task force created last winter and charged with fighting the theft of motor vehicles in Connecticut has recovered more than 150 stolen cars and arrested more than 20 juveniles. Members of the Multi-City Auto Theft and Urban Violence Task Force have been working tirelessly to fight the rising trend of vehicles taken from the state's suburban and rural communities. The task force is composed of detectives from the following agencies: Connecticut State Police, Bridgeport Police, Hartford Police, and Waterbury Police. The task force is also charged with combatting the surge of violence related to the stolen vehicles in Connecticut's largest cities. From the establishment of the task force on February 1, 2020, through July 12, 2020, the…

Access to Absentee Ballots

Great American Outdoors Act Passes

CT Travel Advisory

AG TONG CALLS ON TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO ABANDON RULES RESTRICTING STUDENT ACCESS TO CARES ACT FUNDS

National Defense Authorization Act Passes

Amtrak Funding

Electric Companies Illegal Robo Calls

Governor Statenment on Worker’s Comp

Special Session For Legislators

MULTI-CITY AUTO THEFT AND URBAN VIOLENCE TASK FORCE STATISTICS

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