Jaime Foster

On March 3, the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee will hold a public hearing on a number of bills, including a bill that would help create a pathway to military and veteran employment, HB 5409, referred to as the "Troops to Trades" bill.

The Veterans' Committee seeks to help facilitate a pathway from military service to the trades to address shortages in the trade fields and to fill high-paying positions. The committee has been working closely with the National Guard Association of Connecticut, non-profits, employers, and labor, who have all helped in developing this concept.

The proposal includes:

• Supporting career counseling opportunities for veterans through the CT Department of Labor or the CT Department of Veteran Affairs
• Creating a tax credit for industries that have a career pathway for veterans
• Creating a Central Depository of Services, such as a CT Veteran Portal, to centralize services available to veterans and their families post-service
• Ensuring the Air National Guard has the same benefits as other military services
• Potentially creating a statewide transition assistance program (TAP) that goes beyond the federal TAP program, including Discharge Service / Education for CT residents, and following up with that veteran post-employment, post-schooling
• Adding additional “Career Coaches” who know what positions are available
• Creating a program for National Guard members when they're not on active duty to start careers in manufacturing or trades
• Holding a Veteran's Job Fair run by the CT Department of Veteran Affairs

Employers: Would you like to employ members of the military leaving the service? Employees: Have you transitioned out of the military and into a new career, and have suggestions to share with the committee?

Consider testifying or submitting written testimony if you can't attend in person or by Zoom. More information on that below.

A second bill that I want to bring to your attention is HB 5413 to support free dental care for eligible Connecticut veterans.

Oral health is critical to one's overall health; however, many veterans, particularly those who don't qualify for federal VA dental benefits, face significant barriers to accessing dental care. That's due in part because they don't fit into one of several federal categories to obtain it, such as being 100% service-connected disabled, having a service-connected dental issue, or recently discharged with an untreated dental issue.

We know that untreated dental disease can lead to several health issues, including: 

• Heart disease
• Diabetes complications
• Infections requiring immediate intervention

The bill proposes the creation of a Connecticut Veterans Dental Care Access Program, designed to provide free dental services to qualifying veterans through collaborations with nonprofit dental outreach programs, volunteer clinicians, community health centers, and participating private providers. It would prioritize preventative care, including cleanings, exams, X-rays, and education, while covering essential restorative services, including fillings, crowns, extractions, and dentures. 
The program would: 

• Improve overall health outcomes and quality of life for veterans.
• Reduce emergency room visits for unmanaged dental conditions.
• Strengthen community partnerships between state agencies, nonprofits, and dental professionals.
• Align with Connecticut’s ongoing commitment to providing comprehensive support services for veterans.

If this legislation passes, Connecticut would join states including Maine, Vermont, Oregon, Nevada, and Florida in providing dental services to state military veteran communities. 

How to Testify:

The full agenda for the Veterans Committee public hearing can be found HERE. If you'd like to testify on these bills or any other bill being heard during the public hearing, here's how:

In-person: Click HERE to register to speak. You can submit your testimony HERE. 

By Zoom: Click HERE to register to speak. You can submit your testimony HERE.

Can't attend, but want your voice heard? Submit testimony online HERE. 

Here's a guide to testifying at public hearings and reaching state legislators.