Michelle L. Cook

We were called into a special session yesterday to address several issues, including a fix to prevent tax increases on commercial vehicles this fall. You can read more about the session below. Monday also marks the start of some new laws in the state, and I'll share more about those laws in this e-newsletter.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

• Special Session
• New Laws Effective July 1
• Slow Down & Move Over: It's the Law
• Summer EBT Delay & Resources Available in Torrington
• Torrington to Receive Summer Mental Health Grant
• New Opportunities Volunteer Recognition Event
• Celebration of Success Chamber Awards
• Old THS Demolition
• Torrington PAL Car Show TONIGHT!
• New Opportunities CareVan Coming to Torrington Monday
• July 4th Festivities
• Torrington Parks & Rec Summer Concert Series
• And More!

Yesterday, the House of Representatives had a special session to pass legislation on several matters that required timely action, particularly statutory changes scheduled to take effect over the coming months that needed adjustment to protect the public from tax increases.

The bill we passed:

• Prevents a tax increase that would otherwise take effect this fall by continuing to classify commercial vehicles as motor vehicles, and clarifying current law, which allows municipalities to establish mill rates on motor vehicles that are lower than mill rates on real property and personal property other than motor vehicles
• Promotes transparency and competition in municipally administered school construction projects by restoring a ban on construction managers' self-performing subcontracting work
• Makes Connecticut a more attractive place for innovative financial services companies to establish a significant presence by expressly allowing banks holding a certain charter to accept and hold non-retail deposits and secure deposit insurance from the FDIC and by updating the name of that charter
• Provides more certainty to the state’s vibrant insurance industry by establishing that the annual assessment on domestic insurance companies to fund certain insurance-related state offices and programs should be calculated based on those companies’ total taxes, prior to any adjustment for tax credits, from the year immediately preceding the prior calendar year instead of the prior calendar year itself
• Relieves employers, including tax-exempt organizations, that kept employees on payroll throughout the pandemic and received the federal Employee Retention Credit from the burden of interest payments attributable to the timing and complexities of a new federal program rather than any willful underpayment by the taxpayer
• Supports the preservation and redevelopment of historic properties by streamlining the process by which the State Historic Preservation Office reviews those properties
• Amends the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority to permit the Authority to acquire water companies outside its current service area

By passing this bill in special session now, we prevented a tax increase this fall and got other minor and timely adjustments signed into law. 

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.
 
You can access the new laws that will go into effect on July 1 by clicking the button below.

Connecticut's Move Over law (Sec. 14-283b) requires all drivers on a highway of two lanes or more in one direction to slow down to a reasonable level below the speed limit and, if safe to do so, move over one lane not only for emergency responders and tow drivers, but for any vehicle along the side of the road. If a driver is unable to move over a lane, they are required to slow down and proceed with caution.

S-EBT is a permanent, nationwide program beginning this summer. It is a result of a federal law called the Consolidated Appropriations Act passed in December 2022. It gives families with children extra benefits, like SNAP, to help pay for food in the summer. But S-EBT is not new to Connecticut - the state was one of the pioneers of this program, piloting it in 2011. S-EBT helps to lower food insecurity and increases access to healthy food. Each child who qualifies will get a one-time S-EBT benefit of $120. 

For more information on the S-EBT program in Connecticut, click HERE. 

Below, you'll find resources available in Torrington to help bridge the gap until the funding is released. 

WHO: All children 18 and under, special needs up to age 21
WHAT: Weekly pack of seven breakfast & seven lunch meals for each child!

WHEN & WHERE:  Every Wednesday at the times listed below:
Vogel Wetmore School 68 Church St. Torrington 9 - 9:30 a.m. & 4 - 5 p.m.
Northside Terrace 4 Terrace Dr. Torrington 12:15 - 12:45 p.m.
Friendly Hands Food Bank 50 King St. Torrington 1 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Woodland Hills 330 Highland Ave. Torrington 1:45 - 2:15 p.m.
Berry & Cherry St. Corner Cherry & Berry Torrington 2:30 - 3 p.m.
Torrington Library 12 Daycoeton Pl. Torrington 3:15 - 3:45 p.m.

For more information, click HERE. 

Governor Ned Lamont and Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker announced more than $2 million in grants for 36 school districts and summer camp programs across Connecticut that will be used to support the delivery of mental health programming for students during the summer months over the next two years.
 
Awarded under the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Summer Mental Health Supports Grant program, the grants for each district and summer camp program range from $17,000 to $85,000. This competitive grant program utilizes funding the state received from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). This is the third of three rounds of grants the department has issued with ARPA funding that are aimed at increasing access to mental health support services for Connecticut’s youths. Eligible costs incurred beginning in summer 2024 through summer 2025 are reimbursable under this grant program.

The grants awarded under this funding round are as follows:

• Northwest CT YMCA - $19,380
• Torrington School District - $85,000

The funding will support mental health services for students during the summer by partnering with Connecticut local and regional school districts, youth camp operators, and other summer programs through summer 2025. This grant is an extension of the Summer Mental Health Grant Program issued in 2023 for three years, which provided $4.5 million to 48 school districts and summer camp programs.

RSVP is designed to engage seniors 55 and older to volunteer in various activities to make a positive impact in our community by utilizing their skills and talents, while keeping them socially engaged.

Volunteer opportunities include the America Reads program where volunteers are placed in school to assist in tutoring for literacy in grades K-3. Money Management volunteers visit elder vulnerable clients to assist with bill payments, Meals on Wheels, food banks, and other community activities.

The Business Leader Award was presented to Ted Murphy of EJ Murphy Realty and the Quality of Life Award was presented to Northwest CT Community Foundation. Congratulations to all!

There is also a Tuesday market starting July 9 from 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Both markets are located in the same location: St. Paul’s Church parking lot: 837 Charles St, Torrington.

The cost of $45 per 1 adult and 1 child includes: assorted drinks, snacks, make-your-own-sundaes, freeze dance, crafts to take home, and more!

Additional adults or children attending are $22.50 per person.

Advanced reservations required. For more information, click HERE.