Aimee Berger-Girvalo

This week, our long session days kept me from getting to my son’s last Ridgefield High School Art Show, but my daughter caught him and sent me some pics, and gave him an extra hug from his mama. So proud of you, Austin, and am always moved by your beautiful and expressive pieces!

• Transparency
• Road Safety
• Modernization

One of the section of the bills of which I was most proud was our effort to make Workzones safer for the folks who work on the roads we travel every day. The installation of Workzone speed cameras will do just that. First offenses will be issued a warning, with fines for subsequent infractions.

Between 2020-2022, here in CT there were 2,566 crashes in Workzones and 10 fatalities. Speed is the most common factor in these crashes.

Additionally, this bill addresses:

• Road safety audits for municipalities
• Bicycle control signals
• Capital project transparency
• Local Traffic and Parking Authority options
• Bus shelters
• And lots more

Off to the Senate it goes! Click on the image below to listen to me introduce the bill to the House Floor.

Connecticut is committed to mitigating the climate crisis. The first step is acknowledging there is a crisis.

This week, I joined my Democratic colleagues and voted to pass one of our top legislative priorities this session, a bill I was proud to co-sponsor. HB 5004, also referred to as the 2024 Connecticut Climate Protection Act, works to combat the effects of climate change through multiple measures, including:

• Updating the state's Global Warming Solutions Act to make our greenhouse gas emissions targets more in line with other states in the region;
• Creating incentives for businesses and municipalities that engage in clean economy sectors or engage in environmentally sustainable projects;
• Planning for transition to clean economy, workforce training and long-term policy implementation; and
• Supporting and expanding nature-based solutions, such as preserving marshlands and forests

HB 5491, another bill I was happy to co-sponsor, establishes a property tax exemption for Veterans who have a service-connected, permanent and total disability rating, as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The exemption will be used for a home that is a primary residence, but if a qualified Veteran does not own a home, the exemption will apply to a single motor vehicle that they own.

Veterans put their lives on the line for our country. This bill is a small way to demonstrate to them how we value their sacrifice. The bi-partisan bill was unanimously passed out of the House.

In CT, we have 1,209 Veterans who are totally and permanently disabled as a result of their service. These brave men and women have spent their lives fighting to protect our freedoms. It is our turn to support them when they come home with disabilities to ensure they live with dignity and without fear of losing their home.

The bill will now go to the Senate for consideration.

I'm committed to the health and well-being of our community’s families and children, and was proud to co-sponsor and vote for HB 5003, another bill that passed unanimously out of the House. This comprehensive legislation ensures mothers and children who are eligible for federal benefits, such as WIC, are easily enrolled in these programs.

WIC (Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, Children) enrollment in Connecticut is among the lowest enrollment rates in the country at 46%. Maximizing participation in this will improve outcomes related to the health and nutrition of young children.

This bill:

• Keeps Connecticut families healthy: It allows Connecticut agencies to more easily enroll children and parents who qualify into federal nutrition assistance programs to keep our families healthy.
• Promotes outreach and information to access these federal programs that Connecticut under-utilizes.
• Promotes Connecticut farmers by supporting them to participate in these programs at farmers markets. 

As the senior population is steadily growing and there is an urgency to provide resources and assistance to this community. During Monday's session, we took a significant step to achieving that goal by passing HB 5001, a top priority for House Democrats this session, and yet another bill I was proud to co-sponsor.

HB 5001, which passed with bipartisan support, protects and prioritizes senior residents in our state. This bill: 

• Makes it easier for seniors to age in place
• Creates a nursing home database, providing consumers with an easy and reliable way to compare locations around the state
• Establishes incentives to encourage nursing homes to improve care

I am glad to support a bill that gives seniors the attention and resources that they deserve. The bill now moves to the Senate for its consideration.