State Capitol Update For The Week Of August 18

August 18, 2023


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Dear Friend,

This is my State Capitol update for the week of August 18.

If you prefer to watch rather than read, click on the play button to hear about the issues contained in this newsletter.
 
On and off this week I’ve been reviewing my packing list for a short backpacking trip with my daughter Abby this weekend.  We’re hiking the CT section of the Appalachian Trail, which is almost entirely in the 64th District, and she’s a seasoned outdoorswoman, so she’s handling all the technical equipment.  I’m  left to balance my desire to be prepared for every possibility, with my desire to pack light: it’s physical balance I need to strike.
 
I am seeing reflections of the need for balance everywhere. Yesterday I joined a meeting of the Litchfield Opiate Task Force, a group where balance is a spiritual undertaking.  Every day, they provide support and treatment to people at the most painful moments of their lives, and they do it with warmth, skill, positivity, and humor.  They balance data and emotion, tears and laughter, pain and beauty. 
 
When you focus too narrowly on a single issue, it’s impossible to strike balance. Another call yesterday focused on the discovery of a particularly vicious invasive plant in one of our lakes.  Because that lake is (potentially) home to an endangered native species, the initial response from the state was to effectively ban any action to eradicate the invasive plant that wasn’t foolproof, but if we don’t take action, the invasive plant has the potential to strangle a broad swath of native plants and fish.  We need a balanced approach to protect the whole ecosystem.
 
I will be part of a “Conservation Conversation” at the beautiful Von Ahn Preserve in Sharon tonight at 4pm.  It’s an event to celebrate land conservation in the region made possible in part by the state’s Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program (OSWA) and Community Investment Act, and I’m certain all kinds of balance will be on the agenda!
 
Finally, congratulations to the Sharon Hotchkiss Library on its reopening after a renovation!  The space is beautiful, and, yes, strikes a balance between the historic building and its beautiful woodwork, and the need for more space and modern updates.  
Here’s a list of today’s topics:
  • CT Sales Tax Free Week Begins Next Week. Click here.
  • Summer Mental Health Grants for Schools and Camps. Click here.
  • In District Events. Click Here.
  • Investments in Public Education in the 2023 Session. Click here. 
  • Insurance Rate Public Hearing. Click here.
  • DSS Back-To-School Payment. Click here. 
  • Operation Fuel Applications are Now Open. Click here. 
CT Sales Tax Free Week Reminder 
Connecticut's 23rd Sales Tax Free Week will begin Sunday, August 20 and run through Saturday, August 26, 2023. Clothing, footwear, and accessories under $100 will be free from tax this week with some exceptions. For a thorough list of items included and exempt from the tax free week visit the state's website here.
Summer Mental Health Grants for Schools and Camps

This past week more than $4.5 million in funding was released for 48 school districts and summer camp programs across the state to be used to support the delivery of mental health services for students during the summer months over a three-year period. The competitive grant program is utilizing funding the state received from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). This is the third of three rounds of grants the department is releasing with ARPA funding that are aimed at increasing access to mental health support services for youths in schools. Eligible costs incurred beginning in summer 2023 through summer 2025 are reimbursable under this grant program.
In District Events
Investments in public education in the 2023 session
We have made significant strides in supporting higher education and ensuring a brighter future with opportunities, support, and financial relief for our students.

During the 2023 legislative session, we allocated over $135 million more for higher education in our biennial state budget than initially proposed. We did this in order to support initiatives that reflect our commitment to addressing the challenges faced by students and graduates. 

Some of this year's priorities include PA 23-204, which expanded our debt-free community college program to incorporate subsidies for returning students and established a student loan forgiveness program that offers up to $20,000 in debt forgiveness for individuals who meet certain criteria and volunteer at a local nonprofit.
Insurance Rate Public Hearing
📣 LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

The State Insurance Department will hold a public Monday for people to give input on proposed rate hikes for health plans in 2024. Insurance companies have asked for average rate hikes of 12.4% on individual health plans and 14.8% on small group plans, which have been criticized as unaffordable for many families.
Anyone wishing to testify virtually can sign up by sending their name and written remarks in an email to cid.RateFilings@ct.gov by 5 p.m. TODAY (8/18). People wanting to testify in person can sign up at the Legislative Office Building Monday beginning at 8:30AM.; oral remarks will be limited to three minutes per person.

The public can also submit written comments on the department’s website any time during the rate review process. catalog.state.ct.us/cid/portalApps/HCfiling2024.aspx (To submit comments, click the “select” button below each filing.)
DSS Back-To-School Payment
Have you heard?

The Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) will deliver a one-time, back-to-school cash benefit to 7,500 children across the state using federal Pandemic Emergency Assistance Funds (PEAF). This benefit will go to children aged 5 to 17 who were enrolled in the Temporary Family Assistance (TFA) program in May 2023.

Connecticut previously distributed approximately $7 million in PEAF assistance in August 2022; the funding for this round of benefits came from a supplemental federal PEAF distribution.

Specific information about the August 19 distribution:

🎒 DSS is issuing the additional benefit to the households of 7,500 kids, between the ages of 5 and 17, who received a TFA benefit in May 2023.

🎒 Includes 4-year-olds who turned 5 by May 31

🎒 Includes 17-year-olds who turned 18 by May 2

🎒 The one-time cash benefit is $55 per eligible child.

🎒 Families do not need to apply for the additional funds, all eligible households will automatically receive this benefit on their existing electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards.

DSS is correlating the distribution of the benefit with the start of Connecticut’s Tax-Free Week, which runs from August 20 – August 26, to help families maximize back-to-school purchases or other essential needs.
Operation Fuel Applications are Now Open 
Do you need help paying utility bills? Operation Fuel provides emergency energy and utility assistance to households in Connecticut that are facing financial crisis. Applications for energy assistance are now open through November 10th, 2023!💡

🔌You can learn more at operationfuel.org/gethelp
 
It is my honor to represent our district. I look forward to hearing from you about the issues raised in this newsletter, or any other topics you think I should know about. You can email me at maria.horn@cga.ct.gov or call me at (860)-240-8585. Thanks for reading, and I wish you a safe weekend.

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Sincerely,


Maria Horn
State Representative
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