Submitted by State Sen. Norm Needleman
(December 15, 2023) — The State Bond Commission has approved $1.445 million in state funding to support several projects in our communities. Among them:
- Brainerd Memorial Library in Haddam will receive $380,000 to support repairs and restoration of the library, including a redesigned Children’s Room and new meeting rooms.
- $565,000 in funding will support dam repairs at Pickerel Lake and Gillette Castle Lower Pond in East Haddam.
- New Laws Going Into Effect On New Year’s DayEvery year, as new laws are passed, many take effect at the start of the following year. That means on New Year’s Day, as we celebrate the end of 2023 and head forward into 2024, there will be new laws changing our state. They include:
- For the first time in decades, middle-class income tax rates for Connecticut residents will fall, saving taxpayers hundreds of dollars when they file in tax season. Rate cuts in the bottom two rates for all filers will drop by 1% and 0.5 %, respectively.
- Children from ages birth to six will receive annual lead risk assessments.
- Income tax exemptions for pension, annuity and individual retirement account income will see eligibility increase for those with incomes of up to $100,000 for single filers and $150,000 for joint filers.
- A new state firefighters cancer relief account will support wage replacement for paid and volunteer firefighters diagnosed with cancer.
- Online dating companies will be required to open safety centers to help service users report unwanted behaviors, provide them with safety advice and provide the ability to report sexual harassment and/or domestic violence.
- A new opioid antagonist bulk purchase fund will provide towns, cities, health departments, police and EMS, among other local organizations, with opportunities to purchase opioid antagonists in bulk to reduce costs, making the lifesaving overdose reversal drugs more widely accessible.
- Post-traumatic stress injury on the job will allow workers to receive workers’ compensation benefits for treatment, expanding access beyond first responders.To read more about new laws going into effect, click here and select January 1, 2024 as the “effective date.”
Bottle Recycling To Change January 1, 2024On New Year’s Day, as 2024 begins, Connecticut’s bottle deposit law will change, most prominently in seeing cans and bottles double in their redemption value from five to ten cents each. Additionally, new containers will be eligible for the deposit including hard seltzers, hard ciders and mineral waters; waters, juices, teas, coffees, sports and energy drinks. Wine, liquor, milk, dairy and paper, pouch and miniature containers will not be accepted. The new law will charge ten cents per container, and the redemption value also doubles to ten cents. This is intended to increase recycling and reduce litter throughout our communities.
- The above items were contained in a legislative update sent from the office of State Sen. Norm Needleman (D-33rd District).
