State News

Senator Murphy Looks For College Accountability

Jun 15, 2019 Stephen Krauchick

WASHINGTON – As the U.S. Congress begins considering a reauthorization of the Higher Education Act,U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released a policy paper on Tuesday outlining new accountability proposals on how students and taxpayers can get a better return on their investment by expecting outcomes around completion, value, and access. “I’m a revolutionary when it comes to reforming higher education. I just don’t believe that we can afford the system we have today, especially when so many kids start degrees and never finish them. We’re facing a cost and completion crisis in higher education that threatens to bankrupt students, families, and the American treasury if we don’t get serious about expecting…

State News

LGBTQ Pride Month in Connecticut

Jun 14, 2019 Stephen Krauchick

State of Connecticut By His Excellency Ned Lamont, Governor: An Official Statement WHEREAS, the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) communities are an integral part of Connecticut’s population; and WHEREAS, the fight for dignity and equality for LGBTQ people is reflected in the tireless dedication of advocates and allies who strive to make this a more inclusive society; and WHEREAS, the State of Connecticut celebrates the diversity of its people and their right to live their lives out loud, free of discrimination, fear, and prejudice; and WHEREAS, the month of June is recognized internationally as Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of June 1969, when people in the LGBTQ community in New York City…

State News

Governor’s Statement On United Technologies Corporation

Jun 10, 2019 Stephen Krauchick

HARTFORD, CT – Governor Ned Lamont Sunday released the following statement regarding United Technologies Corporation (UTC): “UTC and its subsidiaries, including Pratt & Whitney, Otis Elevator, and Collins Aerospace, continue to be an important part of Connecticut’s fabric. It’s important to note that nearly all of UTC’s 19,000 employees will remain in Connecticut, with roughly 100 moving to the new headquarters. “I’ve spoken directly with Greg Hayes and made it clear that Connecticut will always be open should things change, as they often do. This serves as reminder that we live in an increasingly competitive economy, domestically and internationally. As such, it’s critical we invest in education, workforce development, and our transportation infrastructure to stay competitive. “Our…

State News

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie,Explains The Mission Act.

Jun 7, 2019 Stephen Krauchick

Imagine if Republicans and Democrats worked together to pass reforms that improve the lives of millions of people. And imagine if those reforms put America’s Veterans at the center of their healthcare decisions, leading to better customer service for our Nation’s heroes. This isn’t hypothetical. It happened last year when Congress passed the MISSION Act. Through state-of-the-art facilities, cutting-edge technology, and increased clinician recruiting and retention incentives, VA continues to enhance its coordinated care system through high-quality VA health care and community care provider networks. The legislation sailed through Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support and the strong backing of Veterans’ service organizations. President Donald J. Trump’s signature put us on a path to implementing these reforms. On June 6, the MISSION…

State News

Governor To Sign ICE Bill

May 31, 2019 Stephen Krauchick

HARTFORD, CT – Governor Ned Lamont is applauding both chambers of the Connecticut General Assembly for adopting legislation that makes updates to the Trust Act of 2013 and plans to sign the bills into law when they are transmitted to his desk in the coming days. The Trust Act sets conditions for state and local law enforcement authorities for voluntarily cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials seeking to detain and deport undocumented immigrants. It was created in an effort to strike a balance between assisting ICE agents when it serves the interests of public safety, and maintaining effective relationships between state and local law enforcement officials and those who live in the community. Legislation that…

State News

Connecticut Tries To Woo Businesses Over Abortion

May 20, 2019 Stephen Krauchick

Dear Alabama, Georgia and Missouri Women-Owned Businesses, Your state legislature’s recent decision to severely curb women’s reproductive rights is sending shockwaves across the country, including in the business world. Condemnation of this extreme measure has been swift and calls for corporate boycotts grow stronger by the day. This is clearly an issue that won't be going away any time soon. As a staunch supporter of women’s rights, we are appalled at these actions that erode the ability of women to make informed decisions about their health and bodies. If you are as concerned as we are about this issue, we would urge you to relocate your operations to a state that supports the rights of women and whose actions and…

State News

Governor On Stop And Shop Strike

Apr 22, 2019 Stephen Krauchick

Governor Ned Lamont and Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz today released the following joint statement regarding the tentative agreement between Stop & Shop’s management and its employees: “We are proud of the women and men of the United Food and Commercial Workers who fought for what they deserve. These are good jobs that provide fair wages, good benefits, and a secure retirement that are critical to the success of Connecticut’s families. It was great to see so much backing from the community in support of the workers who are simply trying to support their families and earn an honest living. Now, the 31,000 hardworking store clerks, associates, and meat cutters can get back to doing what they love – serving…

State News

GOVERNOR LAMONT: “STATE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO BE FASTER AND MORE EFFICIENT”

Apr 9, 2019 Stephen Krauchick

HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Commissioner Josh Geballe today announced a series of items to reduce bureaucracy, streamline procurement, and ultimately make it easier for businesses to work with the state. Included in the items is a bill currently pending in the legislature that will eliminate thousands of unnecessary forms processed by DAS annually. The announcement was made during a tour of Infoshred, a document shredding facility in East Windsor. Currently, every business that wants to sell to the state has to fill out at least seven forms in the procurement process. House Bill 7385 , developed by DAS, will reduce that to one, thereby eliminating unnecessary forms that businesses need to complete…

State News

Safe to Tell Act Promotes Creation of School Threat Reporting Programs

Apr 7, 2019 Stephen Krauchick

Washington, DC— Today, Representative Jim Himes (CT-04), along with Representatives Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25) and Anthony Gonzalez (OH-16), introduced the Safe to Tell Act. The bill creates a grant program for states to develop systems, such as telephone hotlines, mobile applications, or websites that allow people to anonymously report potential threats to schools. “Too often, in the wake of a school shooting, we look back at the behavior of the killer and see that there were warning signs that went unreported,” said Himes. “People notice things that don’t seem quite right, or that put them on edge, but don’t know how or where to report it. The Safe to Tell Act creates ways for people to share their concerns of potential…

State News

Assisted Suicide Defeated

Apr 5, 2019 Stephen Krauchick

Family Institute of Connecticut is pleased to inform our members that the assisted suicide bill has "died in Committee" for the fifth time since 2013. Assisted Suicide was on the Public Health Committee's agenda last Friday, March 29th, but was "held" for lack of votes. Then it was put back on the agenda for Monday, April 1st, and again "held" for lack of votes! It was at this point that Rep. Jonathan Steinberg, the Committee Chairman, declared defeat, an announcement covered by the press. Nevertheless, the bill was not officially dead until Wednesday, April 3rd, at 5 pm, the Committee's deadline. In an abundance of caution, FIC deliberately waited until now to bring you news of this victory. Rep. Steinberg and "Compassion and Choices," the national pro-assisted suicide group,…

Senator Murphy Looks For College Accountability

LGBTQ Pride Month in Connecticut

Governor’s Statement On United Technologies Corporation

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert Wilkie,Explains The Mission Act.

Governor To Sign ICE Bill

Connecticut Tries To Woo Businesses Over Abortion

Governor On Stop And Shop Strike

GOVERNOR LAMONT: “STATE GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO BE FASTER AND MORE EFFICIENT”

Safe to Tell Act Promotes Creation of School Threat Reporting Programs

Assisted Suicide Defeated

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