Did you ever think you would see a time when childcare costs twice as much as a mortgage?” Me either.
Student Voice
Why mental health should be taught in Connecticut schools
Students every day are dealing with the conflicts in their mind, and little knowledge on how to deal with them.
The polarization of COVID news is dividing our nation
Over the past two years, this country has not only been at war with COVID-19, but also with itself.
HB 6551: Connecticut’s take on environmental justice: A step in the right direction
Throughout the years, the value and importance of public review have diminished, notably in the realm of environmental policy. Public input in environmental matters is essential, and I believe that House Bill: 6551 will enhance the ability of the public to participate in the process.
Violence Against Women’s Act: Why it needs to pass in the Senate
#MeToo, Harvey Weinstein, Donald Trump. These very words have become synonymous with violations of women’s rights and safety. Women’s voices have been silenced and berated for revealing their experiences, and our elected officials have failed to adequately protect them from abuse.
H.B. No. 6657: Connecticut’s remedy to human trafficking
Ending human trafficking and protecting endangered children must become a policy priority in Connecticut. This year the judiciary committee introduced H.B. No. 6657: An act concerning human trafficking. This bill raises some important and necessary statutory remedies to issues regarding human trafficking in Connecticut.
For The People Act: More than just a remedy against restrictive voter laws
It can be hard to vote, even in “blue state” Connecticut. Connecticut does not have early voting or no-excuse absentee voting. The only option for voting on a day other than election day is to vote absentee with a qualifying excuse.
Act now to stem harmful ‘investment addiction’ among young adults
The number of retail, or non-professional, investors has grown exponentially in the U.S. throughout the pandemic. Large retail trading sites such as E*TRADE, TD Ameritrade, and Charles Schwab saw their number of new users increase by 103% compared to last year. At the same time, Robinhood had 3 million new accounts opened in the first quarter of 2020, almost double the first quarter of 2019. The transition from betting to investing is very concerning as it suggests that there is now a large number of investors who treat investing like gambling.
Connecticut needs House Joint Resolution 58 — universal absentee voting
Even though Connecticut is a blue state with a Democratically controlled house, senate and governor, it is just one of seven states in the nation does not allow universal absentee voting prior to election day.
The religious exemption must go
For many Americans, receiving the COVID-19 vaccine has inspired feelings of relief, excitement, and pride. The vaccine both protects against a rampant disease and represents the beginning of a return to normalcy following a devastating 13 months of isolation, working from home, and Zoom birthday parties. While excitement regarding the long-awaited vaccine is shared by millions of Americans, cries of opposition and anti-vaccine rhetoric have resurfaced along with it.
College students in Connecticut should be vaccinated now
If the state of Connecticut wants its institutions of higher learning to return to normal in the fall, it’s going to have to get shots into the arms of the students.
SB 1018: Connecticut’s effort to increase prosecutorial accountability and why it will not work
Senate Bill 1018 does not solve Connecticut’s largest criminal justice problem: outcomes for crime victims and defendants vary based on zip codes because judicial districts operate independently of one another.
Private companies should not profit from inmates’ telephone calls
Despite the state of the world due to COVID-19 restrictions, neither phone fees for inmates nor fees for commissary items have been decreased in the state of Connecticut, even though these fees have been decreased in other states such as Arkansas due to the pandemic. There is no excuse as to why Connecticut is unable to compromise these fees for inmates and their families during these difficult times.
No-bid contracts: Insight to outsourcing oversights
It is no secret that the current COVID-19 pandemic has turned the world upside down. Among one of the greatest concerns of this new global reality is rising unemployment rates. In Connecticut, the dramatic increase in unemployment has left the state’s Department of Labor overburdened with requests for unemployment benefits. In response, Gov. Ned Lamont invoked his emergency powers in late September to contract with two private companies, Protiviti and Maximus, to help manage the increased number of requests.
Can the big yellow school bus make it out of the pandemic alive?
As someone who grew up in Connecticut and someone who rode the big yellow school bus for years, I can’t imagine those big yellow buses out of business. When students were transitioned to remote learning, buses remained idle for months. Even though the virus created a budget deficit, state and local governments should have required all Connecticut public schools to pay private bus companies.