State Senator Tony Hwang (R-28) has always endeavored to bring a sense of joy and commitment to serving his constituents over his terms as a senator, and as a state representative before that.

Noting that Connecticut’s government is one of the “longest-running democracies” in history, with the state’s original Constitution signed in 1639 (and why Connecticut is called the Constitution State), Hwang said that it was “larger than any one of us.”

“I’m a kid who grew up on a different side of the world,” Hwang said. “I’m happy to have been the first Asian American elected to the great institution of the Connecticut Senate.”

During a recent visit with The Newtown Bee to look back on his work during the 2021 session, Hwang, as the co-ranking leader of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Public Health Committee, offered his congratulations and support to the newly nominated Department of Public Health Commissioner, Dr Manisha Juthani.

Juthani is an infectious diseases physician at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, where she specializes in the diagnosis, management, and prevention of infections in older adults.

“Dr Manisha Juthani brings an impressive background of research and science-based study to the forefront of Connecticut’s Public Health Department, particularly in the area of infectious diseases such as COVID-19,” Hwang said. “I look forward to working collaboratively with Dr Juthani as the ranking leader on the Connecticut General Assembly’s Public Health Committee as the state develops and implements future public health policies based on science and medical data to best serve all residents of Connecticut. I am especially encouraged that Dr Juthani shares my concerns in addressing mental health, health equity, health disparities, and health care cost containment and access.”

“I want to acknowledge Dr Deidre Gifford for her effective interim leadership in the Department of Public Health through the onset of the challenging COVID-19 pandemic. I look forward to continuing to work with her as the newly designated senior advisor to the governor for Health and Human Services, tasked with coordinating a multi-agency approach among the state’s nine health and human services agencies to improve health and health care in Connecticut.”

Hwang hopes to work with Juthani going forward, especially as the COVID-19 delta variant causes another surge of the virus in Connecticut. Masks are a big challenge, according to Hwang. He referred to schools deciding whether to mask students in kindergarten through Grade 12 as a “bit of a microcosm.”

Hwang said it is an important conversation with parents, teachers, and staff to determine how schools should handle it, and that the governor was allowing local school systems to decide. He said that people had to take initiative on the issue, noting that last year the CIAC waited for guidance on fall sports and didn’t receive support until the last minute.

“None of the towns or schools wanted to undertake the risk without some kind of guidance from the Connecticut Department of Health,” Hwang said.

He said that “guided leadership” from the governor and Department of Health, as well as the federal government, will help to critically manage decisions.

He did vote against extending Governor Ned Lamont’s pandemic-related emergency powers, however, which have been in effect for more than 16 months.

“Connecticut should be proud of the COVID-19 health safety progress we have made. Our vaccination rate is one of the best in the nation,” said Hwang. “Our infection rate has been under control for several months, and we are closely monitoring variant cases. We are moving to a ‘new normal’ environment where businesses, restaurants, and people are gathering, but Democrats are conveniently sounding the alarm to justify further extending the governor’s emergency powers.”

Meeting Connecticut’s Challenges

Hwang said extending the emergency authority strengthens one-party rule and enables decision-making without medical facts or data, and possibly based on a mercurial whim.

“We, instead, should be readying our state to move forward and meet the economic, health, and social challenges of today instead of furthering this limbo holding pattern,” he said. “It is time to return Connecticut to ‘we the people’ and restore equal branches of government: Executive, Legislative and Judicial to restore the operation of proper checks and balances.”

Hwang said that policy should be made by weighing all the facets of information in risk versus cost.

“I am not so sure in August 2021 that we are weighing things against what happened in March 2020,” said Hwang. “We may need a new mix of checks and balances. The most important thing we need to do is base our decisions on medical facts and data, and weigh the costs against the benefits of a policy. We should have learned from last year. We did a very good job but should have learned the lesson of the implications on the rest of the state.”

Hwang also noted the inconsistency in enforcement when it comes to mask rules. He stated that masks are required for rail commuters but that there has “not been a single citation for people not wearing masks on mass transit since day one.”

Feeling that one of his most important roles as a senator is as an advocate for his constituents, especially during these “unprecedented economic times,” Hwang noted that he and his staff have been acting as a conduit to help provide solutions for unemployment benefits, especially with independent contractors and the self-employed.

He and his staff have brought cases to their liaison in the Department of Labor to help residents in need “not get bogged down in bureaucracy.”

“People are not calling my office to say hello,” Hwang said. “They are calling my office because they need help. The idea of government bureaucracy is far from what they have in mind when they need solutions. In that moment of fear and uncertainty, to have a voice, a human element that can act as a megaphone for them is important. I am proud to be able to help people. Maybe I’m a hopeless romantic, but I feel that’s our role.”

Another area of concern to Hwang is the moratorium on evictions, as President Biden has extended it until the end of September.

“It’s setting up the system for a significant spike in homelessness and eviction,” said Hwang.

He said that those in danger of eviction are not merely a month behind; some have over a year of non-payment of rent.

“We’re working on that right now,” said Hwang, who stated that some money has been set aside for eviction concerns, as well as some money could be set aside for landlords who may be struggling financially without payment, but the process to apply is “so onerous that there are few takers.”

Hwang said he’s been discussing the problem with advocates, as that “safety and security of a roof over our heads” is important.

Supporting Newtown’s Memorial

Noting that Newtown is a unique town, one that is “special and resilient,” Hwang was part of a group of legislators who helped bring money to the town to pay for the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial.

Hwang, who serves as the ranking senator on the bonding subcommittee, said, “With the action by the State Bond Commission, we are another step closer to this important memorial coming to fruition. The Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial will serve Newtown, Sandy Hook, and all those affected by that tragic day, helping us keep the students and staff in our hearts and minds. I want to thank the good people of our community who stepped forward to serve on the commission to organize the effort to design and construct the memorial. Additionally, I would like to share my appreciation for all those who came together to advocate for this funding: my fellow legislators and Newtown’s local leaders. This supplemental funding from the state was a team success.”

The news of the national settlement with the country’s largest pharmaceutical distributors and drug maker provides an opportunity to expand upon bipartisan efforts to tackle the opioid crisis, he said. An estimated $300 million for Connecticut programs over the next 18 years has the potential to support a long-term strategy to make a significant difference and save lives, according to Hwang.

“We were pleased to hear state leaders pledge that these funds will be used to respond to the opioid crisis and not for other purposes,” said Hwang. “We must ensure that these dollars are used to continue this fight. We must not repeat the infamous misuse of the state’s tobacco settlement funds. In Connecticut, funds promised to curb smoking have far too often been relied upon as a budgetary escape hatch. We must learn from the past and do better, because people’s lives are in the balance.”

According to Hwang, “less than ten percent” of the tobacco settlement was used for secession of use of tobacco in the state. He said the “ill-begotten money” for both settlements “came at a tremendous cost” and should be used to help fight the opioid crisis, not “raided” for other uses.

“Sometimes common sense goes lacking,” said Hwang.

Hwang supported Newtown’s decision to ban all cannabis establishments, including medicinal dispensaries, after Gov Lamont signed the law legalizing marijuana use and distribution in Connecticut.

“The amount of courage and care that Newtown’s leadership has shown is commendable. In times where local control is being threatened on all fronts, this town has stepped up and exercised their right to act in their community and their resident’s best interest,” said Hwang. “Just as Connecticut chose to break from federal law and decriminalize marijuana, the representative leaders of Newtown were brave enough to exercise their power in saying ‘no’ to having to be rushed into managing this drug and the impact on the lives of residents and visitors. I stand with Newtown and any other community in Connecticut who refuse to let state law supersede their responsibility to protect the people they represent.”

=====

Reporter Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.