Jennifer Leeper

This week is 10 years since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. So many lives were affected that day and many continue to struggle with the trauma that followed.

I hope you've been well. As the holiday season progresses, if you are able, please consider helping those in need by donating to a local charity. With the large increase in refugees to our state, our resettlement agencies are conducting winter toy and coat drives. This past legislative session we were able to, for the first time ever, secure $1 million in funding to help our resettlement agencies support refugees during the period between the Federal funding drying up and before they are economically independent. If you are looking for a worthy cause to contribute toward, I’ve included information below.

I hope you had a great holiday with friends and family. This past week we were at the Capitol for a Special Session to extend the gas tax holiday, allocate additional funds to home heating assistance, allocate additional funds and tweak the formula for pandemic hero pay, and make some technical changes to the Bottle Bill. Please find more details below. We know that families are getting hit hard by rising energy costs and inflation generally and are working to expand supports to our families who need it the most. This work will continue in earnest all session.

With many families in Connecticut facing added financial strain due to rising prices, the legislature went into special session earlier this week to provide some relief. A bipartisan bill passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Lamont extends the current suspension of the gasoline tax, provides additional funding for energy assistance programs, and continues premium pay for frontline workers.

A recent report detailed that throughout Connecticut there was an increase of 13% in overall homelessness from 2021 to 2022.

I am sure we share the same concerns about Eversource and United Illuminating, the state's two main electric distribution companies, which both filed for new standard service supply rates with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) that will increase rates by approximately 40%. Once approved by PURA, these new rates will go into effect from January 1, 2023, through the first six months of the year.

In its first full year, Connecticut's "nickel-per-nip" program has generated over $4.2 million for municipalities throughout the state. The program, which places a 5-cent surcharge on every 50 mL container of alcohol, commonly called a "nip", was passed in 2021 as part of updates to our state's Bottle Bill.

Thousands of Connecticut residents have dedicated their careers to public service. The federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program recognizes this choice with complete student loan cancellation after 10 years of public service work and loan payments. Teachers, nurses, government and nonprofit employees, veterans and others are among those eligible for this program.