Published April 26. 2021 11:46PM
HARTFORD (AP) The Connecticut House of Representatives on Monday overwhelmingly passed legislation that will let residents of nursing homes install cameras in their rooms, allowing them to be monitored virtually by their families.
While the issue had been raised in previous legislative sessions, it took on new life this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a visitation ban at nursing homes across the state to prevent the spread of disease.
“The pandemic really shined a spotlight on the need for technology in our long-term care facilities,” said Rep. Kathleen McCarty, R-Waterford, noting there are more than 20,000 nursing home residents in the state. “During the pandemic they were left without really any true connection to their families members and their loved ones and technology came to the rescue.”
House passes bill allowing cameras in nursing home rooms
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The Day - Local legislators differ, cross party lines on ending religious exemption for mandatory school vaccines
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Published April 20. 2021 5:50PM By
The time is now. The Senate should not let this moment slip by. The state House of Representatives in the early hours of Tuesday made the difficult but right choice in voting to remove Connecticut’s religious exemption from mandatory school vaccinations. The Senate should do likewise.
Gov. Ned Lamont has said he would sign the bill. It would still allow an exemption for medical reasons, if approved by a physician, physician assistant or advanced practice registered nurse.
The vote was 90-53, Democrats overwhelmingly in support, Republicans largely opposed, but not unanimously, with some House Republicans from this area among those making the correct vote to end the religious exemption. The religious exemption would end on Sept. 1, 2022.
Published April 06. 2021 4:25PM
A bill that would prohibit the selling of flavored cigarettes, tobacco products, e-cigarettes, and vapor products appears to have momentum in the General Assembly. But could a report by the Office of Fiscal Analysis that warns of a substantial loss in tax revenue derail legislation? We certainly hope not.
Manufacturers produce flavored tobacco and e-cigarette products to make smoking and vaping more attractive, particularly to young people. Once addicted, they become reliable customers. Quitting is possible, of course, but it is not easy.
That is why these products should be banned.
From 2017-2019, e-cigarette use among high school students more than doubled to 1 in 4, and 83% of them are using flavored products, according to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. These products come in a wide variety of youth-friendly flavors, such as cotton candy, strawberry shortcake, peanut butter, etc. Likewise, cigars targeted at teens and young adults come in