By Norm Needleman, State Senator.
Following Tropical Storm Henri – which was thankfully less damaging than initial expectations, yet still caused significant power outages, flooding and other damage – the governor’s request for an emergency declaration was granted by President Joe Biden. This declaration allows Connecticut access to federal direct assistance and allowing state agencies and municipalities to file for FEMA reimbursement at 75% for eligible emergency protective measures regarding storm preparedness and immediate response. The state faces continued risk of flash flooding in some areas today as thunderstorms will continue to bring rain to the already-saturated groundwater. The State Emergency Operations Center will remain active to respond to any requests for commodities or resources.
I’m pleased by the strong partnership we’ve had between state, local, and utility partners in responding to Tropical Storm Henri. It shows that lessons have been learned following Tropical Storm Isaias, while underscoring the value of pre-staging assets within towns prior to a storm so as to mitigate the impact of the severe weather.
I also want to thank our first responders and the line workers supporting the storm recovery for their efforts. They are integral to the storm response and they have been at the ready to assist people as needs arise.
Now, please take a couple of minutes to read additional developments relating to COVID-19 and our state.
Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Receives Full Approval From FDA
After an eight-month process, the Food and Drug Administration today announced that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has received full approval. This license allows the company to market its vaccine, allows vaccination to be required by many major entities and allows doctors to prescribe additional shots to individuals if deemed necessary or helpful. This full approval expanded on initial studies used to grant an emergency use authorization in the winter of 2020 and followed more than 44,000 people for a period of six months. Polls have shown that FDA approval of the vaccine will encourage more individuals to receive doses and should increase public confidence, with one by the Kaiser Family Foundation finding 30 percent of unvaccinated people would be more willing to get vaccinated following full authorization. More than 204 million vaccines doses have been received across the country to this point.
Connecticut Earned Income Tax Credit Rising To 30.5% –
Larger State Tax Refunds for Families
Thousands of low-to-moderate income workers and working families in Connecticut will receive significantly larger state tax refunds as the Connecticut Earned Income Tax Credit is scheduled to increase from its most recent rate of 23% to 30.5% this year. This increase was part of the 2022-23 biennial budget developed by the General Assembly, which I joined in voting for, and signed into law earlier this summer. The 195,000 households eligible for the tax credit will receive an additional $40 million, with as much as $158 million in total planned for distribution. Governor Lamont credited Senate President Martin M. Looney for advocating for and adopting the rate increase as part of its budget.
Filers earning less than $51,464 with three or more qualifying children, $47,915 with two or more qualifying children, $42,158 with one qualifying child or $15,980 with no qualifying children will be eligible. In 2020, approximately 175,000 households in Connecticut, including more than 220,000 children and other dependents, benefitted from the credit.
Student Loan Subsidies for Educators in Highest-Need School Districts
Signed into Law
Legislation that provides subsidies on certain student loans for educators who commit to serving in Connecticut’s highest-need school districts was recently signed into law. Teachers who commit to teaching in one of the state’s 33 highest-need districts can receive an interest rate subsidy on loans from the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority Alliance. The Alliance District Teacher Loan Subsidy Program is the latest in a series of initiatives designed to address persistent teaching shortages and support teachers in their careers by addressing challenges with recruiting and retaining teachers in high-turnover districts.
State leaders will continue focusing on increasing pathways to certification by providing support to traditional and alternate route educator preparation programs; assisting districts with recruiting, hiring and retaining diverse workforces; and supporting candidates to attract and recruit the next generation of educators in the state.
