On the agenda for the special session are bills tackling the cost of diabetes drugs and boosting access to telemedicine.
Connecticut General Assembly
Posted inPolitics
‘Zooming’ their way to a special session on police reforms
A police accountability bill is nearly finished. Plans for how the legislature will function in special session are not.
Posted inHealth
Connecticut towns are declaring racism a public health crisis. Advocates want the state to follow
Advocates are calling on Gov. Ned Lamont and the legislature to recognize racism as a public health emergency.
Posted inHealth, Politics
Connecticut lawmaker: ‘Unfortunately, I have tested positive…’
A member of the Democratic caucus in the Connecticut House of Representatives has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Posted inPolitics
CT’s unpaid legislator wants to champion push for lawmaker pay reform
Sen. Norm Needleman, who does not accept compensation from the state, wants to end nearly two decades of no pay raises for lawmakers.
Posted inHealth
Best of 2019: As plastic straw ban effort persists, advocates for disabled community fight to be heard
Although the effort to ban plastic straws in restaurants statewide ultimately failed, no one in the disabled community is feeling much relief.
Posted inHealth
Best of 2019: A not-so public commissioner of public health
RenĂ©e Coleman-Mitchell’s recent public statements about vaccine data have provoked questions about her approach to a job that demands input and accessibility.
Posted inHealth
A not-so public commissioner of public health
RenĂ©e Coleman-Mitchell’s recent public statements about vaccine data have provoked questions about her approach to a job that demands input and accessibility.
Posted inHealth
As plastic straw ban effort persists, advocates for disabled community fight to be heard
Although the effort to ban plastic straws in restaurants statewide ultimately failed, no one in the disabled community is feeling much relief.
Posted inHealth
Bill seeks to reduce the cost of prescription drugs
Under the proposal, anyone would be able to obtain a drug discount card through a program run by the comptroller, while employers would be able to contract with the state’s pharmacy benefits manager to reduce drug costs.
Posted inPolitics
Connecticut teachers joining the march to political office
WASHINGTON – This is not only the “Year of the Woman” in politics, it is also the “Year of the Teacher’ with more educators running for public office across the nation and in Connecticut, union officials say.
Posted inPolitics
It’s a ‘Year of the Woman’ in races for CT general assembly
 The number of party endorsed candidates for Connecticut’s general assembly who are women has risen since the last election cycle, paving the way for more women in the state legislature and following a national trend that has made this a “Year of the Woman” in politics.
Posted inHealth
House unanimously passes bill to shine light on drug industry
The state House of Representatives unanimously approved a comprehensive bill that aims to shed light on the murky prescription drug industry, which state officials say is a necessary first step to lowering expensive drug costs.
Posted inHealth, Money, Politics
Legislature headed for a holiday session to fix social services program
With partisan feuding providing the final push Thursday, the state legislature now will come into session between between Christmas and New Year’s Day to reverse an unpopular cut to a social services program for poor seniors and the disabled.
Posted inHealth
Medicare Savings Program cuts delayed by two months
Updated at 3:45 p.m. Wednesday
Lowered eligibility limits for the Medicare Savings Program, which uses Medicaid money to help low-income residents pay medical costs Medicare doesn’t cover, were supposed to go into effect on Jan. 1, but the Department of Social Services said Wednesday it will slow down implementation of the changes in response to concerns raised by the enrollees, advocates and legislators.