Local Legislators Played Key Roles In Supporting Bills That Became Laws

By John Voket

Both of Newtown’s elected legislators introduced or supported a number of initiatives that became law this year. On July 1, in excess of 60 new laws took effect, one or more of which touch upon virtually every segment of the state’s population.

Slick, tri-folded mailers were circulated recently to residents in the 106th District, which until December will be represented by Julia Wasserman, and the 112th District, which encompasses about 1,000 homes in southwest Newtown and is represented by DebraLee Hovey of Monroe.

Those flyers featured almost verbatim promotion of general points about the two lawmakers’ support for bills tied to the budget, education, security, seniors, and veterans. But a look at their respective websites, in conjunction with the new round of bills recently becoming law here in Connecticut, reveals some specific causes each legislator has championed and brought to fruition with the support of legislative and senate colleagues, as well as Governor M. Jodi Rell.

Among the bills Rep Wasserman introduced, which were signed into law and went into effect July 1 was HB 5438, which sought to make permanent the exemption from separation from employment of a military spouse to accompany a spouse who is on active duty with the armed forces of the United States, and is required to relocate by the armed forces. The act enables qualifying spouses to receive permanent unemployment benefits within the stipulations of the law.

As the ranking official on the Program Review and Investigations Committee, Ms Wasserman saw a complex package of revisions and new directives signed into law replacing an existing statute on regional planning organizations. The new law covers matters related to the administration of these planning agencies, as well items including the creation of public greenways and river corridor management.

In support of educational excellence, Ms Wasserman supported HB 5871, which now requires school boards and unions to bargain over the compensation, hours, and duties of teachers who train and evaluate student teachers, or serve as mentors and assessors of beginning teachers under the Beginning Educator Support and Training program (BEST). The legislation suspends the BEST program for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, and initiates the creation of a task force to develop a plan to replace the BEST program with a mentor assistance program.

The final bill Rep Wasserman carried from its inception through enactment was HB 561. It directs the commissioner of Social Services to develop a plan to establish and administer a demonstration project to provide home and community-based long-term care services for persons who are 18 years of age or older, who are institutionalized or at risk of institutionalization, and who meet the financial and level of care eligibility criteria established in regulations adopted for the Connecticut home-care program for the elderly.

Services provided under the demonstration project shall be modeled after services provided under the Money Follows the Person demonstration project. The law will establish within the General Fund a separate, nonlapsing account that shall be known as the “Long-Term Care Reinvestment Account,” which will:

*Provide funds for programs and services that provide cost-effective home and community-based alternatives to institutional care in nursing home facilities, including, but not limited to, occupational therapy, homemaker services, companion services, meals on wheels, adult day care, personal care services, transportation, mental health counseling, care management, elderly foster care, minor home modifications, and assisted living services.

*Provide funds for rate increases for home health agencies and other providers of home care services that are in addition to any rate increases to meet the actual costs of care; and for increased wages for transition coordinators under the Money Follows the Person demonstration project.

*Provide funds to develop, improve, and increase the long-term care services workforce, including, but not limited to, training, education, and other incentives.

*Provide funds to improve information technology and systems used to track costs and savings associated with the provision of home and community-based services and to improve access to information on long-term care programs and services for the elderly and disabled.

*Encourage the purchase of precertified long-term care insurance through the Connecticut Partnership for Long-Term Care by covering the costs of the premiums of individuals for six months.

*Pay the cost of relocating nursing home residents to other facilities if necessary to protect the health and safety of such residents, maintaining and operating a facility pending correction of deficiencies or closure, and reimbursing residents for the loss of funds in personal fund accounts.

*Provide grants to existing nursing home facilities to make facility changes, improvements and modifications to support home and community-based services and programs.

*Provide grants to promote the adoption of building designs and principles of alternative nursing homes, such as Eden Alternative, Green House, or Small House nursing homes, to improve the quality of life for long-term care facility residents.

Among the bills Ms Hovey saw signed into law were HB 5033 — also supported by Senator John McKinney — which will prevent individuals who are convicted sexual offenders from legally changing their names. She also introduced HB 5127, which goes into effect October 1, and allows elderly persons who are admitted to government-assisted housing to terminate their current lease so as to be able to accept the subsidized unit.

Rep Hovey supported HB 5449, which took effect upon signing. This law now permits licensed clinical social workers and advanced practice registered nurses who have received either specialized crisis intervention team training or advanced supervision and intervention support team training to issue emergency certificates directing that a person be taken to a general hospital for purposes of a medical examination.

Among the other bills Ms Hovey also supported which became law are:

*HB 5590, which requires the development and use of instructional methods for children with autism and other developmental disabilities.

*HB 5666, which increases access to the autism spectrum disorders pilot project and ensures that such pilot project remains in effect through June 30, 2009.

*HB 5646, which prohibits municipalities from banning their paid firefighter personnel and emergency personnel from serving as volunteer firefighters in another municipality during personal time.

*HB 5873, which creates the Face of Connecticut Account Steering Committee to administer capital funds for various state programs, to authorize additional bonds of the state for such programs, to modify the provisions of the farmland preservation program, and to create new grant programs for municipal and regional planning, small farms and locally significant farms.

*HB 559, which establishes a pilot program to provide grants-in-aid for the development of small house nursing homes in the state.

A full listing of each legislator’s proposals and bills passed appears on their individual House GOP websites.

Rep Hovey is seeking reelection to her seat this November, and is being challenged by Democrat Michele Mount. Rep Wasserman has announced she will not be seeking another term.

Republican Legislative Council Chairman Will Rodgers and fellow first-term Democratic councilman Christopher Lyddy are both seeking the 106th District seat.