Marcus Brown

We are at the halfway point of the session, so it's become clear what our priorities for this year are. As the Vice Chair of the General Law Committee, I can clearly see which bills will benefit millions of our Connecticut residents.

Currently, we're still in the process of reviewing these bills in committee meetings and public hearings, where your voice can be heard and we legislators can listen to all of your concerns.

There are many issues that face us this session, and I aim to ensure that everyone is entitled to equally safe and prosperous lives in our wonderful state.

Happy Women's History Month. Amidst this celebration of Women's history and importance in our state, I'm taking this as a month of action to expand protections for the safety and health of women.

Some of this year's legislative priorities, such as funding for early childhood programs and Women Infant and Child nutrition programs (which I discuss below), is relevant to ensuring the protection and empowerment of the women of CT. Women's impact on this state is of the upmost importance, so let's make sure that all our powerful women know that we support them.

HB 5001 has moved one step further in the legislative process - it has been voted out of the Aging Committee.

This bill will help expand resources for seniors in Connecticut and ensure our aging population can live comfortably. Some measures towards this include:

• Requiring additional training of home care workers 
• Creating a more efficient process for accessing Medicaid
• Expanding the Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman

This is another priority of House Dems, as is our commitment to protecting seniors, and now we can get this bill even closer to the finish line.

You can read more about the bill at the CT Mirror.  

Another issue affecting not just women, but all families of Connecticut, is the need for improved nutrition assistance programs to ease the burdens of our local communities. We are currently crafting comprehensive legislation in the Democratic caucus to ensure eligible mothers and children are able to sign up for suitable programs.

WIC (Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, Children) enrollment in Connecticut is among the lowest in the country at 46%. This is a startling statistic, one that we must address and fix throughout the process of the session.

Child nutrition is important for many reasons including:

• Strengthening the child's immune system
• Providing essential vitamins and minerals
• Enhancing brain development
• Encouraging physical growth
• Preventing chronic diseases
• Improving mental health
• Building strong bones and teeth for our children