New Laws Effective July 1st

June 28, 2024


 
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Dear Neighbor,

Several new laws that address many issues aimed at improving our great state will become effective on Monday, July 1st. New laws include mandatory video cameras at absentee drop boxes as part of sweeping legislation to ensure election security, allowing firearm sellers access to the arrest records of potential buyers under 21, prohibiting the selling of a person's health data without their consent, and requiring the departments of Social Services and Public Health to post a reporting tool on their websites that use a five-star system to compare nursing homes.
 
Additional laws include requiring social media companies to comply following a request to unpublish and delete accounts held by minors. The Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) will have a mobile crisis-response vehicle available 24-7.

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your calls, emails, and testimony at public hearings. They had a direct influence on these new laws. I encourage you to continue sharing your views and make your voice heard during the legislative process.
 
 
Attention students - the 2024 Governor’s Summer Reading Challenge — an annual, statewide program encouraging kindergarten through Grade 12 students to read books during the summer months, kicked off earlier this week. 

Coordinated by the Connecticut State Department of Education in cooperation with the Connecticut State Library, the challenge started in 1996 as a statewide competition for schools based on student population and grade level.

Click here to learn more about the program. 
Summer reading programs for all ages are underway through the Norwalk Public Library:

Summer Reading: Saturday, 6/16 - Sunday, 8/31
For students entering grades 6-12. Log your reading and write reviews to earn raffle tickets. Read 1 book or 10, but remember, the more you read, the better your chances of winning! We're raffling three prizes - a bluetooth speaker, popcorn maker, and mini-fridge - and you can choose where your tickets go. The game is online, and there's an app, too! If you have any questions, please email Lisa at estory@norwalkpl.org. Click here to register. 

Adult Summer Reading Challenge 
 
The Norwalk Redevelopment Agency will receive a $14,000,000 Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant for the MLK Corridor Equitable Mobility Enhancement Project. The RAISE grant will fund the construction of the 33-acre area surrounding the South Norwalk Train Station, including a two-mile stretch of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The roadway reconfiguration will include accommodations for bicycles and pedestrians, improved signage updated with real-time transit data, and advanced drainage and landscaping.

This funding will help transform the South Norwalk Train Station and the area that surrounds it. The changes will make the station safer, more accessible, and easier to navigate. I am thrilled that our city will receive this funding and am thankful for those who worked tirelessly to secure it.
 
The  Norwalk Health Department held their annual July Summer Meals Month Blitz at the South Norwalk Neighborhood School.

The Summer Meals Program provides children 18 years of age and under with free, nutritious summer meals, no questions asked. This year, Norwalk has nine open meal sites serving free breakfast and lunch during the week starting Monday, July 1st and through mid-August. 
 
The nine open meal sites include:

  • Brien McMahon High School, 300 Highland Avenue
  • Kendall Elementary, 54 Fillow Street
  • Ponus Middle School/Concord Magnet School, 21 Hunters Lane
  • Jefferson Elementary, 75 Van Buren Avenue
  • Marvin Elementary, 15 Calf Pasture Beach Road
  • Roton Middle School, 201 Highland Avenue
  • West Rocks Middle School, 81 West Rocks Road
  • Naramake Elementary, 16 King Street
  • South Norwalk School, 46 Concord Street

 Families looking for more information can visit www.ctsummermeals.org or www.norwalkct.gov/1834/Food-Access.
 
The schedules for the nine open meal sites in Spanish and Haitian Creole are below. 
 
The Connecticut State Department of Education is pleased to announce the third annual PK-12 School Staff Appreciation Digital Backpack Program, which runs through August.
 
As in prior years, this program will provide special discounts to all PK-12 public and private school staff, including Adult Education program staff, over the summer months. This year, school staff from across the state can take advantage of discounts at sporting events – from the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox to Hartford Athletic and Hartford Yard Goats, museums, breweries, and much more! To view a complete list of participating businesses and how to access each discount, please refer to portal.ct.gov/digitalbackpack.
 
Eligible public and private school staff include bus drivers, paraeducators, administrators, school nurses, teachers, school nutrition staff, school counselors, school psychologists, custodians, and everyone who plays a part in the school ecosystem.
 
Businesses still interested in offering discounts through this program may sign up at portal.ct.gov/digitalbackpack until July 31.
If you have questions, or ever need any help please don't hesitate to call me at (800) 842-8267 or email me directly.

Sincerely,

Kadeem Roberts
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