Jason Doucette

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H.B. 6580, AN ACT CONCERNING AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
Teaching our K-12 students to lead a healthy and sustainable lifestyle requires a comprehensive education covering the importance of locally grown and produced food and a better understanding of the agricultural industry. HB 6580 expands our students' opportunities to learn more about food and agriculture through education programs.

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H.B. 5307, AN ACT CONCERNING PRICE GOUGING.
HB 5307 expands and clarifies existing statutes to protect the Connecticut consumer against the predatory practice of price gauging. During the COVID-19 pandemic, prices for personal protective equipment and other critically needed medical goods and services soared, ultimately threatening the health and safety of providers and patients. Connecticut consumers deserve adequate protection everyday, and especially during a public health emergency.

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H.B. 6107, AN ACT CONCERNING THE REORGANIZATION OF THE ZONING ENABLING ACT AND THE PROMOTION OF MUNICIPAL COMPLIANCE.
Connecticut's zoning law is almost 100 years old. It's time to make an investment to grow infrastructure responsibly while advancing housing choices across the state and correcting decades of economic and racial segregation. HB 6107, just passed by the House, reorganizes, simplifies, and clarifies existing law to empower our communities to accurately and efficiently plan for their futures while maintaining local control.

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H.B. 6548, AN ACT CONCERNING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE JURY SELECTION TASK FORCE.
A truly fair trial cannot happen without a jury that accurately represents the community. HB 6548 makes data-driven changes to Connecticut's jury selection methods to ensure all defendants can access their right to a fair trial by their peers.

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H.B. 6113, AN ACT REQUIRING THE PROVISION OF INFORMATION CONCERNING CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.
Understanding the signs of abuse is a critical component to keeping our kids safe. HB 6113 will raise awareness and educate parents, guardians, coaches, and youth sports volunteers to effectively combat child sexual abuse.

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H.B. 6466, AN ACT CONCERNING PROPERTY THAT IS EXEMPT FROM A JUDGMENT CREDITOR.
Sometimes, through no fault of their own, and especially over this past year, individuals can fall on hard times and face a growing list of debt obligations. While current law makes some protections for an individual's home and cars if bankruptcy becomes the only option, HB 6466 makes a fair increase to the homestead and motor vehicle exemption that more equitably matches the property values of our region.

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S.B. 1003, AN ACT PROHIBITING CERTAIN HEALTH CARRIERS AND PHARMACY BENEFITS MANAGERS FROM EMPLOYING COPAY ACCUMULATOR PROGRAMS.
Patient copay assistance plans are designed to help access critically need prescription medication at an affordable cost, but too often pharmacy benefits managers and health insurance companies have prevented patients from taking advantage of these coupons. This practice makes necessary and potentially life-saving medications unaffordable. Therefore, SB 1003 takes steps to protect customers at the point of sale and helps manage out-of-pocket costs.

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Some specifics:

We all deserve fair and equitable access to financial products and services, however discrimination in banking and home lending has historically had a detrimental effect on communities of color. HB 6495 prohibits certain discriminatory conduct, requires the implementation of fair lending examination procedures, and requires lenders to take steps to ensure residential loan products are available in traditionally underserved communities. This bill passed 135-13.

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With increasing costs of higher education, HB 5610 aims to increase student's access to financial aid options to further their education.  In that regard, this bill does two things to expand access and affordability to student loan borrowers - First, it creates an Alliance District Teacher Loan Subsidy Program which would provide educators employed in our alliance districts (including Manchester) with access to low interest student loans, and second it establishes a study and a working group to look at expanding access to CHESLA loans to other student loan borrowers with a high degree of student loan debt and difficult accessing low interest student loan products.  CHESLA, the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority, is a quasi-public agency of the state which serves as a fantastic resource for student loan borrowers in the state of Connecticut to obtain student loans or refinance student loans at an affordable cost.  This bill passed unanimously 148-0.

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This bill concerns the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority and more specifically its Down Payment Assistance loan program.  The DAP loan program, as it is commonly known, is a residential mortgage program for first time homebuyers that provides a low interest loan that helps to cover a borrowers downpayment and closing costs.  This is a fabulous program that for many years has helped people all over Connecticut achieve the dream of homeownership, build wealth, and build stronger communities throughout our state.  The purpose of this legislation is to make that program even stronger by expanding it, making it available to more people, and further incentivizing its use.  The bill also creates a new concept within the program to establish affordability incentive zones which will expand the reach of the DAP program throughout Connecticut and into communities that are trying to build their stock of affordable housing.  This bill passed unanimously 143-0.

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Beginning Monday, May 30, 2021, the work search requirement will again be in effect and will require those receiving unemployment to document their efforts to find a job.

If you, as a claimant, have been collecting COVID-related unemployment, you must now make reasonable weekly work search efforts by:

• Contacting an employer: Claimants must contact at least one employer per week for work for which the claimant is reasonably suited based upon prior work experience, skills, knowledge, and ability. Claimants may initiate contact online, in person, by phone, or by mail. They must ensure the employer has their call back information for hiring purposes.
• Documenting your work search efforts.

Claimants must also engage in at least two of the following or other similar work search activities (either in person or virtually):

• Participate in a job interview.
• Attend a workshop at an American Job Center or a job fair.
• Participate in reemployment service activities at an American Job Center.
• Create a reemployment plan.
• Create and post a resume to www.CTHires.com.
• Create a personal user profile on a professional networking site.
• Contact another employer for a job for which the claimant is reasonably suited as outlined above.

You can record your work search efforts using this form HERE. Beginning in July, claimants will be required to report this information when you file your weekly claim. If you fail to provide this information, it could result in your being denied unemployment for that week.

For a list of frequently asked questions regarding the work search requirement, click HERE. You may also contact the Consumer Contact Center by clicking HERE or by calling 203-941-6868 Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Connecticut residents can create a personalized discount card online through the program to obtain certain forms of Novo Nordisk insulin at 50 % less than the retail cost.

To receive the discounted prices, residents must simply present their card when purchasing their insulin medication. Discounted medications available through the program include:

• Novolin R 10ml vial ($25)
• Novolin N 10ml vial ($25)
• Novolin 70/30 10ml vial ($25)
• NovoLog® 10ml vial ($120)
• NovoLog® PenFill Cartridge - 5x3ml ($180)

The discount cards will be accepted at all participating Connecticut network pharmacies.

The State has put together a list of mental resources specifically related to pandemic. You can view the full list of resources here:  https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/Pages/Public-Health-Resources/Mental-Health-Resources

For CT State Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services resources visit: https://portal.ct.gov/dmhas

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255

• Total Cases (confirmed & probable): 4,875
• Total Deaths (confirmed & probable): 151

Glastonbury Specific Updates

• Total Cases (confirmed & probable): 2,204
• Total Deaths (confirmed & probable): 105