Governor Dannel P. Malloy is reminding Connecticut residents that as the state is experiencing its first heat wave of the summer, cooling centers are open in towns and cities throughout the state and can be located by calling 2-1-1.
“Today is expected to be humid and the hottest day of the heat wave with a heat index in the upper 90s. A few simple steps can greatly reduce heat-related issues, especially for the elderly, the very young, and people with respiratory ailments who are more susceptible to the effects of high temperatures,” Governor Malloy said. “Many towns have opened cooling centers across the state. Any resident looking for a place to cool off should call 2-1-1 to find out where their closest cooling center is located.”
Tips for what residents should do to protect themselves during periods of extreme heat can be found online atwww.ready.gov/heat
Did you notice an increase at the pump? It wasn’t the holiday driving causing it but the petroleum gross receipts tax, which is a percentage of the wholesale price of gasoline and is charged to companies distributing petroleum products in Connecticut, increases from 7 percent to 8.1 percent. Also, the state’s diesel tax increases by 3.5 cents per gallon.
#New Haven CT–#HARTFORD, CT – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge in New Haven – informally known as the Q Bridge – will be lit in red, white, and blue this weekend in observation of Independence Day. This will be the first time the recently renovated bridge will receive a full lighting, which will include the towers, anchor piers, and cable stays. This is the first bridge in Connecticut with this type of versatile, commemorative lighting.
“This newly constructed bridge is a major landmark in Connecticut. We got it done on time and on budget – and now we’re lighting it up as a new enhancement for residents. We’re thrilled to be illuminating the bridge for the first time in red, white, and blue to celebrate Independence Day and the birth of our nation,” Governor Malloy said. “I want to thank the work of the Connecticut Department of Transportation on this bridge project and all of the workers whose service on the corridor over the last several years helped deliver one of the biggest infrastructure projects in our state’s history efficiently and effectively.”
Red, white, and blue lights will illuminate the bridge beginning at dusk during the nights of Sunday, July 3 and Monday, July 4, 2016. Light beacons capable of projecting light nearly six miles into the clear night sky will be lit until 1AM during those nights.
“This signature bridge is a new source of pride for New Haven and our state, and the tens of thousands of people who drive across it every day,” Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) Commissioner James P. Redeker said. “I am delighted that we will be able to unveil this lighting for the Fourth of July.”
Going forward, the bridge will continue to be illuminated in special colors for certain holidays. Under current plans, the default lighting from September 1 through the end of February will be a clean white light, while from March 1 through August 31 it will be illuminated with a light green and light blue light.
The light beacons will be shut off periodically for short durations in conformance with bird protection protocols approved by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
The Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge carries I-95 over the mouth of the Quinnipiac River and is among the most heavily traveled segments of the northeast corridor between New York and Boston, accommodating traffic volumes in excess of 120,000 vehicles per day. Completed in September 2015 under budget and eight months ahead of schedule, the reopened bridge underwent a major, $2 billion renovation project – by far the largest and most comprehensive program ever undertaken by the CTDOT. In addition to the new bridge, the program included the complete reconstruction of the I-95/I-91/Route 34 interchange, and additional lanes along 7.2 miles of I-95 northbound and southbound between Exit 46 in New Haven and Exit 54 in Branford.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA—The United States Supreme Court declined on Monday to review a lower court’s ruling refusing to strike down on Second Amendment grounds Connecticut’s ban on certain semi-automatic firearms including the most popular rifles in the Nation. The Connecticut Citizens’ Defense League (CCDL) and other plaintiffs challenged Connecticut’s ban in 2013, arguing that the ban openly flouts the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in District of Columbia v. Heller, which held that law-abiding citizens have an individual right to keep commonly-owned firearms in their homes for self-defense.
According to Scott Wilson, President of the CCDL, the banned firearms are very rarely used by criminals, and the only things that distinguish them from non-banned firearms are external features such as thumbhole stocks and pistol grips that promote safe and accurate use. While criminals typically do not use the banned firearms, law-abiding citizens do. Mr. Wilson stated that “the firearms the State has chosen to ban are very frequently used by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes such as home-defense, hunting, and target shooting. In fact, one of the banned firearms, the AR-15, is the best-selling rifle in the United States.”
The federal courts have split over the correct way to analyze Second Amendment challenges after Heller, with most courts applying a fairly weak form of review ordinarily reserved for less-important rights. The Plaintiffs, Mr. Wilson said, had hoped the High Court would step in and reaffirm that the Second Amendment is not a “second-class” right. The lower court’s decision in this case was particularly indefensible, as the unconstitutionality of Connecticut’s ban follows directly from the Supreme Court’s reasoning in Heller. Mr. Wilson suggested that the Court’s decision to decline review may have been influenced by the recent, unfortunate death of Justice Antonin Scalia, the author if the Heller decision.
“We fully intend to renew our challenge to Connecticut’s blatantly unconstitutional ban as soon as there are five Justices sitting on the Supreme Court committed to the proper understanding of the Second Amendment.”
#WINDSOR LOCKS, CT – With the summer travel season kicking into high gear over the next several weeks, Governor Dannel P. Malloy, Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, and other state officials today announced that a Zika education and warning campaign will soon be underway at Bradley International Airport. The campaign, a joint effort between the state Department of Public Health (DPH), Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA), federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and JetBlue, will focus on passengers traveling to and from San Juan, Puerto Rico on JetBlue’s two daily flights, but will also be seen by other travelers who may be connecting through other airports on their way to areas in the Caribbean, or Central/South America currently affected by Zika virus.
Starting tomorrow, posters in both English and Spanish will be placed on the jet bridges for the flights to San Juan. The posters warn travelers to the American Tropics of the risk for mosquito-borne diseases, including Zika, and advise steps to avoid mosquito bites. Other posters focus on travelers returning from the American Tropics, providing information on symptoms to watch for and advise seeking treatment if symptoms arise. Posters will also be displayed on the JetBlue baggage carousel with advice for returning travelers. DPH has also produced a wallet-sized, fold out pamphlet with Zika information that will be handed out to passengers boarding the JetBlue flights to San Juan. The TSA will begin showing a series of public service announcements (PSAs) on Zika virus featuring Lt. Governor Wyman and DPH Commissioner Dr. Raul Pino on the video monitors
#HARTFORD, CT– Governor Dannel P. Malloy and the members of Connecticut’s Congressional delegation today announced that the Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) is receiving a $200,000 federal grant from the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) to increase and expand participation in the state’s apprenticeship training program.
The award, part of the ApprenticeshipUSA State Accelerator Grant, will help integrate the apprenticeship model into Connecticut’s education and workforce system by working with industry and related partners to bring apprenticeship to new industries and populations.
“We’re continuing to align workforce training with the needs of our employers. This grant helps us to continue and expand a vital workforce program that has helped thousands of our residents earn while they learn,” Governor Malloy said. “By combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction, the apprenticeship system excels in developing an experienced workforce for high-skilled careers in manufacturing, construction, business and healthcare.”
“Apprenticeship training is key to unlocking the vital skills needed for the high-paying, in-demand jobs of the 21stCentury. These federal dollars – aimed at expanding an incredibly important program in our state – will go a long way in boosting our workforce and meeting the demands of employers,” the Congressional delegation said in a joint statement.
There are currently 6,125 individuals and nearly 1,700 employer sponsored enrolled in Connecticut’s Apprenticeship Training Program, which is administered by CTDOL. Recent data shows that 87 percent of all apprentices are employed after completing their programs, with an average starting wage above $50,000 a year.
“Apprenticeship has proven itself to be a successful way to build a career that can last a lifetime, leading to well-paying jobs and increasing opportunities,” CTDOL Commissioner Scott D. Jackson said. “This grant will assist us in building upon its success, and help employers expand and diversify their workforce, and contribute to the economy.”
The state’s apprenticeship program offers wage subsidies, tuition reimbursement, employer tax credits and scholarships. Employers or individuals interested in finding out how they can get involved in apprenticeship training can contact CTDOL’s Office of Apprenticeship Training www.ctapprenticeship.com or 860-263-6085.
#HARTFORD, CT – Governor Dannel P. Malloy announced that he has signed into law legislation that he introduced earlier this year updating the anti-discrimination statutes for the Connecticut Military Department to align them with recent policy changes in the United States military.
“These are straightforward changes – and they are the right thing to do. That’s why they received near unanimous support in the General Assembly,” Governor Malloy said. “Those who protect and serve our nation shouldn’t face discrimination, and these changes are overdue. I applaud the federal government for taking this step toward equality, and am proud to sign this law on behalf of our state to bring them into alignment.”
Unlike other state agencies, anti-discrimination laws for the Connecticut Military Department only included race, religion, and creed. The new law expands the guidelines to include:
Religion
National origin
Color
Race
Sex
Gender identity or expression
Sexual orientation
“These updates highlight our commitment to equality and fairness,” Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman said. “Just as the military has modernized technology and training, updating the policies protecting human capital are just common sense.”
“This legislation aligns the state law concerning nondiscrimination in Connecticut’s armed forces with federal law and policies of the United States armed forces,” Major General Thaddeus J. Martin, Adjutant General of the Connecticut National Guard, told lawmakers in testimony he gave supporting the bill. “The privilege to serve in the armed forces is an important aspect of citizenship, which should not be denied based on archaic discriminatory rationales. Enactment of this bill will be an important step in the fight against discrimination.”
The legislation is Public Act 16-153, An Act Concerning the Military Department’s Nondiscrimination Laws. It takes effect immediately.
Governor Malloy previously enacted important legislation along similar lines. In 2013, he signed legislation in response to the federal government’s elimination of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” military policy that prohibited homosexuals from openly serving in the Armed Forces. That bill restored state benefits for military veterans who had been previously denied federal benefits based solely on his or her sexual orientation.
The Connecticut Military Department has oversight over the Connecticut Army National Guard, the Connecticut Air National guard, and four companies of the state militia. It augments state and local civil authorities in case of emergencies beyond their capabilities and provides assistance to local areas through community service programs. The National Guard also performs its federal mission as the primary augmenter to the active federal military forces.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined their colleagues Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and 22 Senate Democrats in calling for an end to deportation raids targeting families and unaccompanied minors who have fled the rampant violence in Central America’s Northern Triangle. In a letter to President Obama, the senators also urged the Administration to designate Guatemala and re-designate El Salvador and Honduras for temporary protected status, allowing individuals from those countries to legally remain in the United States.
“The solution to this regional humanitarian crisis is to address its root causes. Deploying immigration raids upon this vulnerable population for the purpose of deterrence is an ineffective and unacceptable strategy,” the senators wrote.“Immigration raids create fear and insecurity among immigrant communities in the United States. They will deter students from attending school and parents from seeking medical care, but they will not deter terrified mothers and children from fleeing life-threatening violence in their homelands.”
#WASHINGTON, DC –Congressman Jim Himes (CT-04) introduced the bipartisan Cyber Act of War Act, a bill that would require the Administration and the Department of Defense to develop a policy for determining when an action carried out in cyberspace constitutes a use of force against the United States and to update the Law of War Manual accordingly. Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) has introduced a companion bill in the Senate.
Himes also proposed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would require the Secretary of Defense to create a report to Congress within 180 days comprehensively outlining military procedures in response to a malicious cyber activity carried out against the United States.
“From my seat on the Intelligence Committee, I see cyber threats both from state actors and asymmetrical threats,” said Himes. “We need to make it clear to anyone who has the very bad idea of attacking us in the cyber realm that we have the capability to defend ourselves and there will be predictable and swift reactions to provocation.”
Himes is the ranking member of the NSA and Cybersecurity Subcommittee of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He and Subcommittee Chairman Lynn Westmoreland have pushed the State Department and the military to take the lead in developing international norms to govern cyber conduct in the tradition of the Geneva Convention, an E-Neva Convention.
“My amendment to the NDAA would give us a glimpse into how the military is prepared to respond in case of cyber attack,” said Himes. “The bill goes several steps further and actually requires further development of those policies and codification of them into the Law of War Manual. This is important because both our allies and rivals should know under what conditions we will respond if attacked and exactly what kind of cyber actions we consider to be a use of force, which moves us closer to the establishment of international norms.”
HARTFORD, CT – Yesterday, 80 year old Senator Ed Gomes (D-Bridgeport) brought a bill to the floor of the Senate that aims to create fair chance employment. House Bill 5237, An Act Concerning Fair Chance Employment, is a set of hiring policies for private employers, designed to ensure that applicants with criminal records are evaluated on the merits of their qualifications, not on their criminal records. The bill received approval in the Senate and now moves to the desk of Governor Dannel P. Malloy to await his signature.
“We have too many hard-working people trying to find jobs that are being disqualified,” said Sen. Gomes. “We need to give everyone that is looking for a job a fair shot. I will continue to fight for an employment system that is fair to all our communities.”
The bill will incorporate “ban the box” policies, which remove the criminal history question from job applications and postpone the background check until a conditional offer is made by the employer. The bill will also require employers to take into account the age of the offense when making hiring decisions.
Research shows that once an employer has examined the qualifications of a job applicant, the applicant is more likely to be hired.
