February 23rd Newsletter

February 23, 2024
Dear Friends,

When the Connecticut General Assembly was in session on February 14, the House and Senate unanimously approved $17 million in additional cold weather heating assistance funds so many residents and families, who receive assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) or Operation Fuel, will have access to funds to ensure they can heat their homes through the cold weather season.
As your legislator, it is my responsibility to stand up for my constituents. This funding ensures that none of our neighbors must choose between paying their bills or freezing.

I am committed to enhancing the safety and quality of life for all residents, and I will continue to do so throughout this legislative session.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and the news and notes below! 
 
Banking Committee Holds First Public Hearing of Session
The Banking Committee held its first public hearing of the 2024 legislative session on Tuesday with several hours of testimony on the topic of “earned wage access.” As always, our primary focus on the Banking Committee is consumer protection, and it’s because of this that Connecticut historically has been a leader in cracking down on high-cost predatory loans and junk fees.

You can read more about “earned wage access” here.
 
Joining The Pulse
I was happy to join Manchester High School junior Anthony Osella recently to talk about the updated Bottle Bill, which saw the deposit for most metal, glass, and plastic beverage containers double starting January 1 of this year from 5 cents to 10 cents.

The Pulse is Manchester High School's premier television news magazine program produced by the students in Broadcast Journalism classes using new state-of-the-art equipment. Click on the photo below to watch the Bottle Bill story.
Please check out more of The Pulse's well-done stories at mhstelevision.com/thepulse2023-24.
 
Veterans Coffee House
Stopped by the Manchester Veteran's Advisory Committee coffee house last week. These occur every third Thursday of the month down at the Army & Navy Club. Great group and event!
 
Monitoring the Situation
I am closely monitoring a proposed solar energy facility on Carter Street in Manchester and have concerns, as I know many neighbors in this area do, with this project.

There are two articles from CT Insider that report on the potential installation:

https://bit.ly/49Cf6mC
https://bit.ly/49LCqOJ

To get involved and submit comments please go to the Connecticut Siting Council website at portal.ct.gov/CSC.