Klarides-Ditria outlines new laws effective Jan. 1

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

With 2022 coming to an end, I wanted to make you aware of new policies affecting Connecticut taxpayers and businesses taking effect Jan. 1, 2023.

Some of these new laws will take more money out of your pocket, including an expansion and increase to the “bottle bill,” and a new “highway use tax” assessed on delivery trucks carrying goods into and out of our state that will inevitably lead to higher prices when the cost of the tax is passed down to consumers. 

One piece of legislation allows previously convicted individuals to apply to have their criminal records erased, another will automatically erase past criminal convictions for certain misdemeanors including drug possession after seven years, and certain felonies after 10 years. I opposed these measures.

The new laws, and portions of previously enacted legislation that become active, include: AN ACT CONCERNING A HIGHWAY USE FEE. Public Act No. 21-177 imposes a highway use tax (HUT) on every “carrier” for the privilege of operating, or causing to be operated, certain heavy, multi-unit motor vehicles on any highway (i.e., public road) in the state.
AN ACT CONCERNING SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT. Public Act No. 21-58 (Sec. 1) expands the list of eligible containers and increases the bottle deposit rate from $.05 to $.10.
AN ACT CONCERNING REQUIRED HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR BREAST AND OVARIAN CANCER SUSCEPTIBILITY SCREENING. Public Act No. 22-90 expands coverage requirements under certain commercial health insurance policies for specified procedures used to treat or prevent breast or ovarian cancer.
AN ACT CONCERNING RESPONSIBLE AND EQUITABLE REGULATION OF ADULT-USE CANNABIS. (Criminal Record Erasure) Public Act No. 21-1 (Sec. 9-10) establishes a process to erase records of certain criminal convictions after a specified period following the person’s most recent conviction. It provides for automatic erasure of convictions within a certain period for possessing less than four ounces of cannabis or any quantity of non-narcotic or non-hallucinogenic drugs. Certain Misdemeanors are subject to erasure seven years after the person’s most recent conviction and certain felonies are subject to erasure 10 years after the most recent conviction. PA 21- 32 excludes from erasure (1) family violence crimes and (2) nonviolent or violent sexual offenses requiring sex offender registration.
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A HATE CRIMES INVESTIGATIVE UNIT WITHIN THE DIVISION OF STATE POLICE AND REQUIRING DEVELOPMENT OF A REPORTING SYSTEM, BEST PRACTICES AND A MODEL INVESTIGATION POLICY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT UNITS REGARDING HATE CRIMES. Public Act No. 22-9 (Sec. 4) requires all law enforcement units to use POST’s standardized form or other reporting system to submit a notice and report to the Hate Crimes Investigative Unit within 14 days after receiving a notice, information, or a complaint of certain crimes involving intimidation based on bigotry or bias.
AN ACT REDUCING LEAD POISONING. Public Act No. 22-49 (Sec. 1-4) generally lowers the threshold for blood lead levels in individuals at which the Department of Public Health (DPH) and local health departments must take certain actions.

New legislation effective dates are typically Jan. 1, July 1, and Oct. 1 throughout the calendar year. These new laws may have an impact on you, your business, or our community. I encourage you to take a look at the full list, which can be accessed by clicking here.

Please pass this information along to those who may benefit from knowing what to expect in the New Year.

Sincerely,

Griffin Health offers free 'That's It - Learn to Quit' smoking cessation program

Contributed photo

Griffin Health is helping individuals looking to quit smoking in 2023 with its free smoking cessation program starting Jan. 18 in Shelton.

“That’s It – Learn to Quit” teaches a variety of methods to help individuals quit smoking over the course of four weekly sessions. 

The program consists of Wednesday meetings at 6 p.m. from Jan. 18-Feb. 8 at the Griffin Health Family Health Center, 110 Commerce Drive, Shelton.

Through group discussion and interactive activities, participants learn how to develop a quit plan that addresses their personal behaviors and habits. Strategies to manage nicotine withdrawal, behaviors, triggers, and urges are discussed as well as weight control and stress management.

Participants must be prepared to attend all four sessions.

To register for “That’s It – Learn to Quit,” call 203-732-1369.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

Huntington Branch Library in Shelton to launch book bingo for adults

 

Oxford Public Library to host candle-making craft fun

 

The Library is at 49 Great Oak Road, Oxford.

My Sister's Place Thrift Store in Ansonia posts weekly sales

My Sister's Place Thrift Store is located at 380 Main St., Ansonia.

All profits support BHcare's The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services.

This is shared from the store's Facebook page.

'Turnback Tuesday' features story of Pork Hollow in present-day Ansonia

Today's Turnback Tuesday story takes place during the Revolutionary War.

Much tension and fear were affecting all the families in the colonies. There was uncertainty over when homes would be burned, livestock taken, and stores of food stolen.

Such is the case with the story of Pork Hollow. British soldiers were roaming around looking for food.

Capt. John Tomlinson from Derby happened to be in New Haven and heard of the plan to take the stores of pork located in Derby. Getting on his horse and riding as fast as he could, he rode to Derby to warn the residents to save the pork!

The residents quickly responded by removing the pork and hiding it in a hollow area. The British arrived to discover there was no pork to be found and left Derby empty handed. The location is in what we now call Ansonia on Wakelee Avenue. A monument was erected there by the Elizabeth Clarke Hull Chapter D.A.R. in 1901.

This postcard shows the monument.

Thanks goes to the Derby Public Library staff for sharing local history each week.