Anabel Figueroa

We have successfully passed several priority measures this week, and now the Senate must act on them in the coming days. One of those bills supports our veterans who put their lives on the line for our freedom. I'll break down how new legislation would bring aid to our disabled heroes.

We also approved a proposal that would protect our environment. Please keep scrolling to learn how the bill encourages businesses to go green as our state works on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

Crews will soon work on Route 104 in Stamford. Please read below to find out when and where to expect delays on that busy street.

The state is inviting you to learn about a multimillion-dollar plan to build an electric bus building in Stamford to charge the fleet. Keep scrolling to learn how to register and when that meeting will take place via Zoom.

Here are the sections of today's email:

• Supporting Our Disabled Veterans
• Help for Our Seniors
• House Passes Comprehensive Climate Bill 
• Child & Family Nutrition Bill Clears House Unanimously 
• Supporting Childcare Affordability and Early Education Access 
• Avoid I-95 in Norwalk After Fiery Crash
• Expect Delays on Route 104
• Public Meeting on CTtransit Electric Bus Garage
• Memorial Day Parade

HB 5001, which passed with bipartisan support, protects and prioritizes elderly 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 co-sponsor a bill that gives seniors the attention and resources that they deserve. The bill now moves to the Senate.

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, House Bill 5004, also referred to as the 2024 Connecticut Climate Protection Act. Protecting the environment and working to combat the effects of climate change should be a shared priority because the act of doing nothing is far-reaching and touches every aspect of life on Earth.

This bill:

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

We can make a difference in the quality of life for future generations of Connecticut residents. The time to start making necessary changes is now.

The bill now moves to the Senate, which must act before the end of the legislative session.

The House demonstrated its commitment to the health and well-being of our families and children by unanimously passing House Bill 5003. This comprehensive legislation ensures mothers and children, who are eligible for federal benefits, are enrolled in nutrition programs with ease and confidence.

This bill aims to reduce barriers to participating in WIC (Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, Children). WIC enrollment in Connecticut is among the lowest in the country at only 46%. We need to maximize participation to improve the health and nutrition of young children. 

This bill has several goals including:

• keeping local families healthy by making it easier for Connecticut agencies to enroll children and parents who qualify into federal nutrition assistance programs.
• promoting outreach and information to access these federal programs that Connecticut underutilizes.
• supporting local farmers by encouraging their participation in these programs at farmers’ markets

Healthy children are less likely to develop nutrition-related chronic diseases, at a lower risk of cavities/tooth decay, have improved mental health, and improved participation in other social service programs.

The bill is now in the hands of the Senate.

House Bill 5002 supports working parents by:

• creating the “Early Childhood Care and Education Fund,” that may only be utilized for childcare and early childhood education programs
• establishing the Early Childhood Care and Education Fund Advisory Commission that will report on the health of the Fund and annually update recommendations on how to best expend the resources of the Fund to the General Assembly
• investing in teachers and assistant teachers in state-funded school readiness programs and state-funded childcare programs
• requiring a study on the availability of space in state-owned properties that may be used for early childhood care and education programs

These are sound investments in our state’s future and will go a long way toward helping parents earn a living and provide for their children’s education.

The bill now goes to the Senate for its consideration. 

The northbound lanes of the highway are closed at exit 14 and the southbound lanes are shut down at exit 15. I urge you to avoid this area and use public transportation until further notice.

Metro-North Railroad will provide additional weekend service and increased capacity on trains along the New Haven Line. The Connecticut Department of Transportation hopes to reopen I-95 by the morning rush hour commute on Monday, May 6.

I would like to thank every emergency responder who was involved for their heroic and quick-thinking action, which ensured that no one was seriously hurt.

Drivers will need to slow down for road work on a half-mile stretch of Route 104 in Stamford. Crews will mill and resurface the road from the evening of Sunday, May 5 through the morning of Friday, May 10.

You can expect lane closures on Route 104 from just south of Maltbie Avenue to just north of Webbs Hill Road. The night work will take place from 7:00 P.M. – 5:30 A.M.