Help for Firefighters & Local Pizza Shop Recognized

May 9, 2025


 
 

My colleagues and I are spending many hours debating and passing bills in the House chamber. I'll break down how we're holding gun manufacturers accountable and how we're supporting firefighters with an expanded cancer relief program.

Windham's town manager and a councilwoman joined my radio show to talk about sustainability. Read below to learn who our community is tackling that issue head on.

The state recognized a local pizzeria for its awesome slices! You have to read below to see which local business made it on the Pizza Capital Trail.

Here are the sections in today's email:

  • Let's Talk About It: Windham's Sustainability
  • Strengthening Gun Safety & Accountability
  • Firefighters Cancer Relief Program Expansion
  • Local Pizza Shop Recognized for Excellence
 

Let's Talk About It: Windham's Sustainability

Windham Town Manager Robert Zarnetske and Councilwoman Dawn Niles joined me on “Let’s Talk About It” to discuss our efforts to improve sustainability in our community. Our conversation tackled the importance of using geo-thermal energy sources to lower energy costs and receiving funding to address our local food waste crisis.
 
Robert Zarnetske started his new role at Windham Town Manager in February. He held a community discussion on Thursday at Jillson Square to meet residents, receive input, and answer any questions. He is eager to use your feedback to improve our town!

Zarnetske and Councilwoman Dawn Niles also came on the show to celebrate a $426,000 grant our community received to address our local waste crisis. Niles played a key role in securing those funds. It will allow Eastern Connecticut to participate in organic waste recycling.
 
This week, we explain why how developing waste management infrastructure will improve our economy, protect the environment, and even provide an opportunity to help teach kids about sustainability. The grant will also serve as a pilot program, shining a light on our community to serve as an example of what effective organic waste recycling can do for a town.
 
You can listen to our full conversation by clicking on the video below.
Talking sustainability on "Let's Talk About It."
 

Strengthening Gun Safety & Accountability

I am pleased we passed House Bill 7042, an important piece of legislation that strengthens accountability within the firearm industry and addresses critical gaps in our existing gun safety laws. We passed it out of the House last week.
 
This legislation provides a civil remedy for individuals harmed by the irresponsible actions of gun manufacturers, dealers, and sellers. For too long, victims and their families have faced steep legal obstacles in seeking justice. This legislation begins to right that wrong. 
 
The statute was developed after the high-profile case against conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. He spread lies about the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, calling the mass shooting a hoax and claiming it was staged in an effort to tighten gun laws. Relatives of the victims testified that Jones’ believers harassed and threatened them online and some confronted grieving families in person.

This language of House Bill 7042 is based on the Connecticut Supreme Court case that found that gun manufacturers can be found liable when their weapons are used in a crime. In one lawsuit, Sandy Hook families focused upon the marketing for the AR-15-style Bushmaster used in the 2012 attack, which invoked the violence of combat and used slogans like “Consider your man card reissued.”
 
House Bill 7042 also closes a significant loophole in our firearm permitting process. Under the new law, individuals who move to Connecticut with out-of-state convictions for crimes that would have disqualified them from obtaining a firearm permit here will now be deemed ineligible. This applies to disqualifying convictions within the past eight years and helps maintain the integrity of our permitting system, regardless of where someone previously lived.
 
Additionally, the bill clarifies our statutes regarding the unlawful discharge of a firearm, a Class C misdemeanor, by making it explicitly clear that this law does not apply to individuals who discharge a firearm in lawful self-defense or in defense of another person. This clarification upholds both public safety and the right to protect oneself and others under the law.

Connecticut has long been a national leader in gun safety, and I’m proud that this legislation continues that legacy. House Bill 7042 represents a meaningful step forward—promoting responsibility within the industry, closing dangerous loopholes, and reinforcing our commitment to keeping communities safe.
 

Firefighters Cancer Relief Program Expansion

The House voted Wednesday to make important changes to the Firefighters Cancer Relief Program including:

  • the expansion of the types of cancers covered to include skin cancer
  • the authorization of workers’ compensation administrative law judges to handle appeals of any denial of benefits
 

Local Pizza Shop Recognized for Excellence

The state of Connecticut created The Pizza Capital Trail, a celebration of the state’s top 100 independent pizzerias. It turns out you don’t have to go too far to get an amazing slice as Tony's Pizza in Willimantic finished seventh on the list! 

The full list of the top 100 pizzerias, along with the Connecticut Pizza Capital Trail map, will launch this fall, just in time for National Pizza Month in October. There will be a statewide bus tour that will spotlight stops across the trail.