Submitted by State Sen. Norm Needleman
(December 20, 2022) —With a new year comes new laws going into effect after work completed in recent years by legislators at the State Capitol. Among the new state laws to go into effect in 2023 are several policies to support children’s health and wellness:
- The state’s “Bottle Bill” receives its first significant update in decades, with redemptions expanded to include teas, hard seltzers, ciders, energy drinks and coffee. This comes as, at the start of 2024, bottles and cans will see their redemption value double from 5 cents to 10 cents per can and bottle.
- Testing for lead poisoning will increase, part of an effort to reduce the presence of lead in children, which can harm their development. In 2020, just over 1,000 children in Connecticut had lead concentration in their blood, but only 178 of them would have had their homes inspected to find sources of lead; this new law will help protect children’s health.
- Certain health insurance carriers will be required to provide explanations of benefits to members.
- Children’s mental health will be supported through the use of screening tools to diagnose mental, behavioral and potential substance use disorders in children.
- Certain health care providers will be required to expand coverage requirements for specified procedures to treat or prevent breast or ovarian cancer.
Job Growth in November
In welcome news, Connecticut saw job growth in November. Connecticut picked up 6,200 jobs in November while the state’s unemployment rate dropped by one-tenth to 4.2%. Connecticut has added 36,500 jobs since November 2021 and has recovered about 91% of jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, with the unemployment rate dropping 1% from 5.2% a year ago. Professional and business services, construction and mining, and education and health services all saw notable industry workforce growth in the month of November.
Grant to Aid Eradication of Invasive Plants
The Friends of Machimoodus and Sunrise State Parks in East Haddam recently received a $15,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Middlesex County, with funds used to implement an invasive plant eradication project beginning in the spring. The program will work toward non-toxic control of unwanted plant species in a pollinator garden at the park, with the hope of expanding and sharing this program with other interested local groups.
