Breast Cancer Awareness Month & New Laws in Effect

October 11, 2024


October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we're doing all we can to support families who have been touched by this disease. Please keep scrolling to find out how doctors say you can be proactive to help yourself and loved ones.

Dozens of new laws affecting healthcare, seniors, election security, animals, and so much more are now in effect across the state. Please keep scrolling to learn more about this new legislation.
 
How would your high school student like to study abroad on a fully funded scholarship? That dream could become a reality through a special exchange program. Read below to learn how to apply and what makes the program so great.

Here are the sections in today's email:

  • Let's Talk About It: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
  • New Laws Effective October 1
  • Apply Now for Scholarship to Learn in Germany
 
Let's Talk About It: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
We are honoring the strength of survivors, supporting those currently fighting, and remembering those we’ve lost during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Dr. Stephen Hauser, a radiology oncology specialist at Hartford Healthcare, spoke with me on “Let’s Talk About It” to discuss breast cancer awareness.
Click here to listen to the show
As your representative, I’m committed to advocating for access to early detection, treatment, research funding, and community support for those fighting breast cancer.

I’m thinking of all the families in our community who have been affected by this disease. This month and all year long, I pledge to fight for those affected by breast cancer here in Connecticut. We will never stop working to find cures, address the needs of patients and their families, and make treatments affordable.

Remember, doctors urge women 40 and older to make sure to schedule a mammogram. Doctors use them to look for early signs of breast cancer. Women with a family history of breast cancer are more risk. Thankfully, advanced technology has improved a doctor’s ability to detect cancer. If a doctor identifies cancer early, the survival rate increases dramatically.

CLICK HERE to learn more and donate to research.
 
New Laws Effective October 1

A number of new laws that were passed during the 2024 legislative session went into effect on Tuesday, October 1st.

New laws include:

  • establishing a property tax exemption for veterans who have a service-connected permanent and total disability rating (Public Act 24-46)
  • establishing a Fallen Officer Fund to provide payments to the surviving family of a police officer killed in the line of duty (Public Act 24-27)
  • increasing safety for home health care aides who are on the front lines of direct contact with clients (Public Act 24-19)
We also passed legislation to increase protections on the internet for everyone from thieves, bullies, predators, scam artists, and other criminals. To protect privacy, online services will be prohibited from collecting personal data without approval from those under 18, and those 13 years of age and younger only with parental consent.

Animal rights were on the radar with the banning of dog races and gifting of live animals at fairs. We also increased penalties for hurting or killing a police dog. And on October 1, the Siberian Husky will officially be the state dog!
Moving to election security, we extended the time for which violations of state election laws can be referred to the State Elections Enforcement Commission for investigation. This change will help safeguard voter trust and participation in elections.

There are several new laws in addition to the above. Please follow the link below for the full list, and do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions
New laws starting in October 1, 2024
Thank you for your calls, emails, and testimony at public hearings. Public input and feedback had a direct influence on these new laws. I encourage you to continue sharing your views and make your voice heard.
 
Apply Now for Scholarship to Learn in Germany
Your child has less than a month to apply for a fully funded scholarship to study in Germany. The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) program is accepting applications for the 2025-2026 academic year through November 1.

The CBYX scholarship is for motivated high school students who want to experience a culture and learn a language through a full immersion experience. Learn about German culture first-hand by living with a host family and attending a German high school. No previous German language experience is required!

Click on the image below to apply.
CLICK HERE to learn more about the benefits, individual stories, and different locations in Germany associated with the program.