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Dear Neighbor,
This week at the Capitol, I had the opportunity to join my colleagues in support of a number of policies impacting members of our communities who are in dire need of resources and supports during this precarious moment bracing for the federal cuts of funding to CT and economic uncertainty.
As a member of the Tax Equity Caucus, I joined my colleagues in demanding the state adjust fiscal guardrails, create a strong, permanent refundable child tax credit, and adjust our state tax system to be more equitable to fund the public services, roads, schools, open spaces, dams, bridges, and the supports for our most vulnerable.
As a person with family members who live with and care for people living with profound autism, I demanded the state pass HB 7108 - a policy expanding our understanding of how pervasive the condition is.
And as someone who believes in basic human rights, I stood with youth advocates to call for the expansion of HUSKY healthcare for undocumented youth up to age 26 and the strengthening of our state's Trust Act.
Federal policies designed to inflate the wealth of the richest people in our country, target immigrants and spread fear, and abandon the medical care and research that has made CT a leader in research and biotech innovation, will hurt our state. In this week's update - I'll go into detail on some of the policies proposed this session that could help mitigate the impacts and expand services for those most in need. |
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This week, as a member of the Tax Equity Caucus, I proudly voiced my support for tax fairness and proposals to raise equitable revenue to plug the holes in CT’s essential services and our public good left by federal funding cuts.
We need to do whatever we can to support the working families that struggle the most, especially in an economic recession brought on by abrupt tariff wars. Our state should not have people who are working full time jobs, but cannot afford to put food on the table and keep a roof over their head. The status quo is not working, and we need to act this session to ensure our tax policies mitigate the harm and help insulate against the compound impact of federal volatility through our tax policies.
That means supporting a permanent, refundable child tax credit, adjusting the state's fiscal guardrails to keep our essential services going, our non-profit service providers functioning, and providing tax relief for the middle and working class across Connecticut.
Coming from Fairfield County, my constituency is comprised of people who want to invest in the state, and chose to live here, often from other surrounding states. I know many of you were drawn to our community because of our impressive public services, schools, roadways, universities, open spaces, public parks, access to quality healthcare, hospitals, and so much more. These (public goods) are only possible if we have a willingness to invest strategically in our state through tax fairness, a proportional effective tax rate that’s more equitable across income and wealth brackets.
Let's invest in tax fairness for all going forward. With our country seemingly headed for recession - we need to make sure our communities are insulated from the looming economic threats and impacts on our essential services. |
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| Profound Autism Awareness |
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April is Autism Awareness Month and on Tuesday I stood with many of my fellow lawmakers to acknowledge Profound Autism Day and call for the passage of HB 7108.
Profound autism is the most severe form of the condition. Those living with it are unusually non-verbal and have significant intellectual disabilities. With our current understanding of the condition, getting treatment is extremely difficult. People with profound autism cannot take care of themselves and require 24/7 care.
Too few resources are being put towards improvement for profound autism care. Many of the medical studies exploring autism treatment exclude those with profound autism.
This leaves families on their own, without adequate means to care for their loved ones.
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This is a personal issue for me. My cousin was born with profound autism. When he was a toddler, doctors told my family to put him in an institution and forget about him. They treated him like he was a lost cause.
My aunt and uncle refused and raised him themselves at home with my other cousins. The treatment my family received from medical professionals at the time did not provide any alternative to institutionalization.
While the community-based services movement was mobilized by family leaders like my aunt, too many families across our state now are wondering who will take care of their loved one when they die?
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| That's why I am proud to support HB 7108. Right now, the state does not know how many people in Connecticut are living with this condition. This bill will facilitate the gathering of key data that will help support people living with autism and their caregivers. We cannot leave people behind in Connecticut. And we need to raise revenue equitably to ensure the most vulnerable of our residents have the care and support services they need. |
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| Click above to hear more about my family's story and my commitment to helping those with autism in Connecticut. |
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More than 50 students from high schools across Connecticut came to the Capitol this week to advocate for undocumented people in their communities. It was amazing to see so many kids from CT Students for a Dream come together to fight for our community in a time of pervasive fear.
These young advocates came to support HUSKY for immigrants and the strengthening of the Trust act. These are policies that protect basic human rights. Regardless of immigration status, all people deserve access to healthcare and all people deserve to live without the fear of being ripped away from their families.
We must expand HUSKY coverage to all income-eligible young people up to age 26 years old, and we must strengthen the Trust Act to further limit what information can be shared with federal immigration officers who are targeting people in our state.
As the co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus, I fully support the policies these young and brave community members are fighting for. We need to take courageous action at a time when the federal government is attacking our neighbors. When you see ICE in our community, I welcome you to contact my office and tell me where they are operating and what they are doing so I can bear witness and we can push back together against these terrifying encroachments on our constitutional rights and safety.
We all have to take a stand against unjust federal policies that are putting families and people's lives in jeopardy. |
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Lachat Town Farm is hosting this year's ECOFEST! It's a fun-filled day celebrating sustainability in our community.
Enjoy activities for the whole family, including:
- The Energize CT Mobile Activity Van
- Eco-Games, Crafts, Face Painting & more!
- Fly Casting Demos, Christine's Critters, & Nature Scavenger Hunt
- Live Music from Local Student Musicians
- Eco-Talks: Learn about electric lawn care, invasive species, sustainable gardening, and more!
- Explore local eco-vendors, enjoy delicious food, and celebrate sustainability with your community. Don’t miss it!
- Cost: FREE
- A bottle & can drive + raffle, celebrating Weston’s collection of its Millionth Bottle/Can. Every 25 redeemable containers you bring = a chance to win $250
It's all happening May 4th starting at 11 a.m.
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As always, please feel free to contact my office at 800-842-8267 or by email at anne.hughes@cga.ct.gov. And "Like" and follow my Facebook page for regular legislative updates.
Peace,
Anne Hughes
State Representative |
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