Jason Doucette

Dear Friends, 

Happy Tuesday!

From my family to yours, I want to take a moment to send my best wishes for the holiday season. May it bring you and your loved ones peace, happiness and time well spent together. Remember that no matter how we celebrate, we also share many blessings. So, in the spirit of the season, please spread the joy that makes this time of the year truly special.

Looking ahead to the new year, I am excited for all that we will accomplish together. It is my sincere honor to represent you and work on issues that matter to our community and Connecticut.

Happy Holidays and happy New Year!

News Laws Effective January 1
 

A number of new laws that were passed during the 2024 legislative session will go into effect Wednesday, January 1.

One law will expand Connecticut's paid sick leave policy to all companies with at least 25 employees. This new law lets employees take care of their families without adding any additional stress or financial strain.

It will soon become easier than ever for companies to help employees pay off their student loan debt. Through one law, the tax credit for employers making payments for an employee will be expanded - helping Connecticut residents and businesses alike.

We are also protecting those affected by coerced debt, which is created as a result of a domestic violence victim being forced by an abuser into incurring credit card debt. Credit card companies must now review the details of cases to determine if the debt is coerced debt, and abusers will be held liable for the debt.

Other laws going into effect Jan. 1 include a bill improving the health and safety of Connecticut residents, measures to make our elections more secure, and more.

You can click the link below for the full list of laws going into effect, and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

As always, your calls, emails, and testimony at our public hearings directly influenced these new laws. Please continue to share your views and have your voice heard at the Capitol!

Starting January 1, Connecticut college students will be able to benefit from a bill we passed to alleviate student loan debt. The reimbursement program, led by House Democrats and the first of its kind in the nation, provides up to $5,000/year for up to four years (up to $20,000) in loan forgiveness. Six million dollars has been allocated in the current budget cycle and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. 

The Office of Higher Education (OHE) may approve the participation of any person in the student loan reimbursement program who meets the following requirements:

1. Must have graduated from a Connecticut state public or private college or university with a bachelor’s or associate degree or have an occupational/professional license or certificate or left such college in good standing and was granted a hardship waiver by the Office of Higher Education.
2. Must be a CT resident for at least five years.
3. Must have a Connecticut adjusted gross income of not more than $125,000 for single applicants and file a federal tax return as unmarried or have a Connecticut adjusted gross income of not more than $175,000 for married applicants and file a federal tax return as head of household, married filing jointly or a surviving spouse.
4. Must have an outstanding student loan balance and have made payments in 2024 toward federal direct loans, federal direct PLUS loans, federal Perkins loans, CHESLA loans, other state’s sponsored student loans, or a private student loan.
5. Must have volunteered for at least 50 hours at a Connecticut nonprofit organization that is registered with the Department of Consumer Protection, municipal government, served on the Board of Directors for a nonprofit organization, or has military service after January 1, 2024.

Student Loan Ombudsperson

• Analyzing and resolving complaints from student loan borrowers
• Informing student loan borrowers on their rights and responsibilities
• Providing the public, state agencies, legislators, and others information on the problems and concerns student loan borrowers have and recommendations to resolve those issues

Connecticut has made significant progress in strengthening its pension funds for retired state workers and addressing legacy debt, which isn’t just good news for pension holders, but for all taxpayers.

The improvements in the State Employees’ Retirement System (SERS) and Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) are detailed in reports released this week. Our latest independent valuations found both systems to be at their highest funding levels in decades.

As the funding levels rise and the debt goes down, that frees up money – $492 million in the next fiscal year alone – that can support tax cuts for working families and key investments in our communities.

We’ve got a lot of work left to do, but this continued fiscal progress will have direct benefits for all Connecticut residents.

Recent incidents in New Haven and Fairfield County show anyone can be the victim of an online scam. However, millions of our elderly neighbors are targeted for some type of financial fraud every year. With the holiday season upon us, it's an important reminder that not everyone is acting from a benevolent place in their heart. With the elderly population growing and seniors racking up more than $3 billion in losses annually, elder fraud has remained a growing problem.
 
Common elder fraud schemes include the Romance scam (Criminals pose as interested romantic partners on social media or dating websites); Tech support scam (Criminals pose as technology support representatives and offer to fix non-existent computer issues); Grandparent scam (Criminals pose as a relative — usually a child or grandchild — claiming to be in immediate financial need); Government impersonation scam (Criminals pose as government employees and threaten to arrest or prosecute victims unless they agree to provide funds or other payments); and Sweepstakes/charity/lottery scam (Criminals claim to work for legitimate charitable organizations or they claim their targets have won a foreign lottery or sweepstake, which they can collect for a fee).
 
There are ways to protect yourself and your loved ones, including the following (courtesy of the FBI and 2-1-1):

• If you believe there is a scam attempt, end all communication with that individual. Create a shared verbal family password or phrase that only you and your loved ones know. Also, disconnect from the internet and shut down your device if you see a pop-up message or locked screen.
• Search online for the contact information (name, email, phone number, addresses) and the proposed offer. Other people have likely posted information online about individuals and businesses trying to run scams.
• Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers create a sense of urgency to produce fear and lure victims into immediate action.
• Call the police immediately if you feel there is a danger to yourself or a loved one. Take precautions to protect your identity if a criminal gains access to your device or account. Immediately contact your financial institutions to place protections on your accounts and monitor your accounts and personal information for suspicious activity.
• Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, mailings, and door-to-door services offers.
• Never give or send any personally identifiable information, money, gold or other precious metals, jewelry, gift cards, checks, or wire information to unverified people or businesses.
• Be careful what you download. Never open an email attachment from someone you don't know.

Contacts and more information

Office of the Attorney General – Senior Fraud Hotline
The State of Connecticut Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Assistance Unit runs an Elder Justice Senior Fraud Hotline at 860-808-5420. The office also has a website here. 

Department of Aging and Disability Services
The Connecticut Department of Aging and Disability Services posts recent examples of frauds and scams on their website here:

To Find Services in Connecticut’s Community Resources Database:
Search by Provider Name: Better Business Bureau of Connecticut by Service Name: Fraud Prevention