Klarides-Ditria posts new state laws effective Jan. 1

Friends and neighbors, I just wanted you to know that several new laws took effect on January 1st that could have an impact on you, your business, or our community. I have highlighted some of them below. An expanded list, along with summaries, can be accessed here. A summary of some new laws include: COERCED DEBT I supported this bill, which seeks to end control tactics used by abusers to keep victims of domestic violence tied to them. I hope this legislation will help victims gain financial security for their long-term safety by providing them with critical consumer protections. ELECTION SECURITY AND TRANSPARENCY Portions of this legislation take effect in the new year, specifically a provision about absentee ballots. One requires a clear and conspicuous notation of the year for which an absentee ballot application’s use is authorized. Also in the new year, the Secretary of the State may annually authorize a search of voter registration records to identify electors registered in more than one town or more than once in the same town. That list may be compiled and transmitted to the registrars in those towns. STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE Portions of this bill took effect over the summer, but the rest becomes active in the new year. This bill expands the student loan payment tax credit for qualified employers that make eligible student loan payments on a qualified employee’s behalf, not just on loans the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority (CHESLA) issued. It also establishes requirements an employer must follow when filing for a credit refund or exchange with the Department of Revenue Services (DRS).

Sincerely,

Klarides-Ditria shares info about disaster assistance in response to flooding

Friends and neighbors,

A major disaster declaration has been approved in response to the August 18 extreme flooding in our area. 

Residents and business owners who sustained losses in the designated areas can begin applying for assistance by clicking the button below, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA app. 

Disaster Assistance Federal assistance could include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners. The state, FEMA and SBA are currently identifying locations in the impacted counties to open disaster recovery & business recovery centers that will provide in-person support to help affected individuals apply for assistance. SBA Opens Business Recovery Centers The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has opened Business Recovery Centers (BRC) in Oxford, at the Oxford Town Hall, and in Monroe, at the Monroe Police Department, to assist businesses with losses due to severe storm, flooding, landslides and mudslides. The disaster declaration covers Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven counties which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA.  SBA’s Customer Service Representatives can assist business owners complete their disaster loan application, accept documents, and provide updates on an application’s status. Walk-ins are accepted, but you can schedule an in-person appointment at an SBA Business Recovery Center in advance.   Application Filing Deadlines: Physical Damage: November 19, 2024 Economic Injury: June 20, 2025 What Types of Disaster Loans are Available? Business Physical Disaster Loans – Loans to businesses to repair or replace disaster-damaged property owned by the business, including real estate, inventories, supplies, machinery and equipment. Businesses of any size are eligible. Private, non-profit organizations such as charities, churches, private universities, etc., are also eligible. Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) – Working capital loans to help small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes meet their ordinary and necessary financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. These loans are intended to assist through the disaster recovery period. Home Disaster Loans – Loans to homeowners or renters to repair or replace disaster-damaged real estate and personal property, including automobiles. What are the Credit Requirements? • Credit History – Applicants must have a credit history acceptable to SBA. • Repayment – Applicants must show the ability to repay all loans.

Sincerely,

Klarides-Ditria: Tax Free Week runs from Sunday-Aug. 24

Dear friends and neighbors, It feels like prices keep rising and we are paying more for everything we purchase, including food, clothing, and fuel. Saving money is more important than ever, and with school only a few weeks away for some students, I want to remind you to take advantage of the upcoming “Tax Free Week,” which runs from Sunday, August 18 through Saturday, August 24. Now is a great time to save on all of your kids’ back-to-school wear, both in stores and online. This one-week event eliminates Connecticut’s 6.35 percent sales tax on clothing and footwear costing less than $100 per item. Since sales tax is calculated after the use of any coupons or discounts, if the final price per item is less than $100, the sale is exempt from taxes. Clothing or footwear under $100 put on layaway during this week are also tax-free. Tax Free Week was first enacted in 2000 and applies to most clothing and footwear purchases intended for everyday use. Goods not covered under the program include, but are not limited to: clothing or footwear specifically designed for athletic activities: football cleats, specialty boots for fishing, hiking, skiing and other activities, as well as wet suits, helmets and headbands, etc., and accessories like jewelry, handbags, luggage, umbrellas, wallets, watches, etc. Please consult with your local retailer, or contact the Department of Revenue Services for a list of qualifying and non-qualifying items. I hope you find this information helpful. BACK TO SCHOOL SAFETY With school starting and thousands of children soon waiting at the end of their driveways or on the side of a road for the bus, I wanted to remind everyone to be careful on our public roadways. When school is in session, drivers should use extra caution, especially near bus stops, schools, playgrounds, and athletic fields. Safety tips for drivers: State law prohibits passing a school bus with its lights flashing. Some school buses are equipped with cameras to record passing drivers. Observe the no-passing law and expect the unexpected when traveling near school buses in school driveways. Watch for children, especially when driving in neighborhoods with school zones. Drive slowly. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in the neighborhood. Watch for children playing and gathering near school bus stops. Safety tips for parents and children: Be waiting at your bus stop 5 minutes ahead of the scheduled pick up. Wait 10 feet back from the road and wear visible clothing. Always wait for the bus driver's head nod before boarding the bus or crossing the street. They're watching out for you! If you can’t see the driver, then the driver can’t see you. Make visual contact! If you drop something in the road, leave it. If it's important, make sure the bus driver knows you're about to bend down and possibly disappear from his/her sight. If an important item ends up under the bus, do not retrieve it unless the driver gives you permission to do so. Board the bus and quickly find a seat. Avoid distracting the bus driver for anything other than an emergency. I hope this information is helpful and I wish you all a safe and successful school year!

Sincerely,

Klarides-Ditria offers resources during National Stalking Awareness Month

 

January is National Stalking Awareness Month

Stalking is a prevalent victimization across the United States with growing numbers rivaling those of intimate partner and sexual violence. It is its own form of violence, with its own risks, support and safety planning needs, and legal responses.

All too often stalking is a precursor to unwanted physical contact. Many stalkers are persistent offenders who utilize a wide range of tactics to contact, surveil, control, isolate, sabotage, and otherwise scare their victims.

In movies or on tv, stalkers are often portrayed as shadowy strangers or mysterious secret admirers, when in reality the vast majority of offenders know their victims, and are primarily intimate partners or acquaintances.

If you believe that you are a victim of stalking, it is most likely best to preserve all communications / evidence of the stalking and contact your local police directly as it is possible for a knowledgeable stalker to intercept or remotely monitor some electronic communications.

More information and resources can be found at: https://www.stalkingawareness.org/

Sincerely,

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,

Klarides-Ditria: Honoring heroes during Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 9-15

This is the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week and the perfect time to update your personal home safety plan.  According the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), this year’s campaign is titled “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape™”, and is designed to educate everyone about simple but important actions they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe from home fires. NFPA says today’s homes burn faster than ever and you may have only seconds to safely escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Your ability to get out of a home during a fire depends on early warning from smoke alarms and advance planning. It’s important to have working smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers and an escape plan planned and practiced by the whole family. For more information and tips on how to create a safety plan, please go to the NFPA website.

I hope you’ll also join me in pausing to recognize the brave and selfless men and women of the fire services who put their lives on the line to protect our community. In recognition of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service, an observance honoring the sacrifices of firefighters who have died in the line of duty, Gov. Lamont directed U.S. and state flags in Connecticut be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Sunday, Oct. 9. Accordingly, since no flag should fly higher than the U.S. flag, all other flags – including state, municipal, corporate, or otherwise – should also be lowered during this same duration of time. Sincerely,

Regulatory authority slates hearing on Eversource delivery rate hike request

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Dear Friends and Neighbors, The state's Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) has scheduled a public hearing for Monday, August 24, beginning at 10 a.m.  This hearing is in response to PURA's recent approval of Eversource's request to increase its delivery rate. Between work-from-home orders and hot summer weather, customer rates were bound to be high. Raising rates on top of all this was not the right thing to do. The hearing will take place over Zoom. PURA officials will be questioning Eversource representatives to determine whether or not the electric distribution company had been over-collecting revenues in the short term at the expense of their customers. Public officials will be allowed to speak at the beginning of the hearing followed by the evidentiary portion of the proceedings. Members of the public will be invited to speak at the end. You may also submit testimony to PURA at any time by emailing pura.information@ct.gov.  To register for the meeting, click here. Meeting ID# 927 7463 1605 The hearing will also be streamed on Connecticut Network (CT-N). Although many of us have been frustrated with Eversource these past few weeks, it is important to acknowledge and thank their hardworking employees who have spent countless hours repairing the lines and restoring power to hundreds of thousands of residents. They perform a dangerous, but essential job, and I am grateful for their help. If you have any additional questions on this or any other issues, please reach out to me by email or call my office. Sincerely,