Submitted by State Sen. Norm Needleman
(February 10, 2024) — The following items were included in a legislative update from the office of State Sen. Norm Needleman (D-33rd District):
Connecticut Sees Projected $166.7 Million Surplus For Fiscal YearIn Comptroller Sean Scanlon’s latest monthly financial and economic update, he found that Connecticut continues to see a projected surplus in the current fiscal year of $166.7 million, alongside a Special Transportation Fund surplus of $241 million. While surplus forecasts were down about $11.3 million from the previous month, the state saw increased income tax projections amid continued low unemployment. Comptroller Scanlon projects that a continued strong economy will help the state retain these projections and predicted that, as of now, the state can contribute nearly half-a-billion dollars toward its rainy day fund, which will allow for additional payments toward state pension debt.
Connecticut To Cancel Medical Debt For Up To 250,000 ResidentsGovernor Ned Lamont recently announced that Connecticut will become the first state to cancel medical debt for up to a quarter-million residents, using about $6.5 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to erase as much as $1 billion in debt for those individuals, doing so through a non-profit organization that buys medical debt and eliminates it at a reduced cost. State residents with household income up to 400% of the federal poverty line, or whose medical debt is at least 5% of their annual income, will be eligible for debt relief. Even better, they won’t need to apply for that relief; a contracted agency will work with the state to automatically wipe debts clear.
Connecticut To Receive Millions From Opioid Marketing FirmAttorney General William Tong recently announced that Connecticut will receive roughly $4.44 million from Publicis Health, a marketing and communications firm that worked to aid sales of drugs including Oxycontin, as part of a $350 million national settlement from the firm. The state will also receive an additional $332,000 to cover costs of leading a multistate investigation. This adds to the $600 million Connecticut has secured as part of more than $50 billion in nationwide efforts to fight the opioid epidemic and funds will help support treatment, prevention and recovery.
RiverCOG Household Hazardous Waste and Paper ShreddingRiverCOG, which includes the towns of Chester, Clinton, Deep River, East Hampton, Essex, Haddam, Lyme, Old Saybrook, Portland and Westbrook, recently announced its household hazardous waste and paper shredding events schedule, which will take place on selected Saturdays from April to October 2024.
A hazardous waste collection will take place in Haddam on October 12, 2024. Other collection events will take place on April 20 in Clinton, May 11 in East Hampton, June 15 in Old Lyme, July 20 in Cromwell, August 17 in Deep River, and in Middletown on September 14.
Paper shredding events will take place in East Hampton in May, Westbrook in June, Middlefield in September and Chester in October. For the full schedule and more details, click here.
