Sen. Crisco's Senior Fair Happening Oct. 20

Valley Veterans Receive Wartime Medals

ANSONIA - A ceremony hosted by state Sen. Joseph Crisco, D-Woodbridge, was recently held to honor the service of 40 military veterans who served in various conflicts.

The ceremony, held June 7 at the Ansonia Armory, featured Crisco and Sean Connolly, the state’s Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, presenting the Connecticut Wartime Service Medals to the men and women of the military. Also on hand were Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti and state Rep. Linda Gentile, D-Ansonia/Derby.

“I am from a family that lost a parent during the Second World War,” Crisco said. “We appreciate the sacrifices that families make. You never forget. It is a debt that we can never repay. We thank you so much for what you’ve all done for our country and ourselves.”

The event also featured a Color Guard unit from the Connecticut National Guard, who presented the U.S. and state flags. Korean War veteran Robert Marganski led the gathering in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Members of the Ansonia High School chorus sang the national anthem.

 “We salute all our veterans, of every era, those who donned the uniform so we could live free as a nation,” Connolly said. “We appreciate all of your service, without which we wouldn’t enjoy the freedoms we do today.”

The veterans who received medals hail from Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby and Woodbridge, and are listed below:   fry

Joseph Alberti, Anthony Anastasio, John Antrum, Martin Beattie, Howard Bradshaw, Edward Bustin, Henry Castiello, Robert Cavallaro, James Chiaraluce, Richard Chudoba, Lawrence Dawes, Louis DeFilippo, Dominick DeRosa, Richard Didente, Jerome Fainer, Thomas Fassbender, Mario Garofalo, Paul Head, Michael Heise, Patrick Henri, Andrew Hornak, Paul Kurbikoff, Robert Marganski, Ernest Marino, Michael Mazzola, Deryck Millan, 
Robert Moore, Rebecca Odens, Joseph Roberts Jr, George Schroeter, Edward Sharkey, Pollyann Spring, Joseph Stobierski, John Stoner, John Tiano, John Walania and Alexander Weiler.

A statement below released from Derby tax board member, Sam Pollastro, thanked fellow Derby tax board member Howard Bradshaw for his service.  
“On Tuesday June 7^th, 2016 Veterans Affairs Commissioner Sean Connolly (seen here) has awarded the Connecticut’s Wartime Service Medal to Derby’s own Howard Bradshaw at the Ansonia Armory awards ceremony. Mr. Bradshaw is also on Derby’s Tax Board and a member of the DRTC. The DRTC and its members would like to congratulate not only Mr. Bradshaw and the 30-plus members who were honored in receiving this accommodation; but also thank all the men and women who have served our country.”

Valley Lawmakers Hail Passage of Bill to Combat Opioid Crisis

State Representative Theresa Conroy (D-Seymour, Beacon Falls, Derby), Rep. Linda M. Gentile (D-Ansonia, Derby) and Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr.  (D-Woodbridge) praised passage of legislation that will impact the state’s opioid crisis. The House of Representatives today approved HB 5053, An Act Increasing Access To Overdose Reversal Drugs.

 

The legislation will improve access to Naloxone, often known as Narcan, a medication that is used to treat opioid overdose; cap first-time painkiller prescriptions to a 7-day supply; strengthen the prescription monitoring program; and release health care professionals and good Samaritans from liability when they administer an opioid antagonist, such as Narcan, to treat an overdose.

 

“Heroin and prescription drug overdoses are claiming more lives in Connecticut every year,” Rep. Conroy, an APRN, said. “Expanding access to Narcan is an important step in this public health crisis. Allowing more first responders to carry Narcan will save lives.”

 

The 7-day cap on painkillers applies to first-time adult prescriptions and all prescriptions for minors, with exceptions for certain medical conditions.

 

“There are very few families who have not been touched in some way by the devastating impact of an opioid overdose,” Rep. Gentile said. “It is a public health epidemic that affects every socio-economic class, every ethnic background and every age.” 

 

The bill requires that local emergency medical services are equipped with and trained in the use of Narcan. It also allows doctors to write prescriptions for the overdose reversal drug without first getting permission from a patient’s health insurer.

 

“The world has awoken to the public health emergency that is prescription opioid addiction and the havoc it is wreaking on our friends and families,” Sen. Crisco said today. “This bill contains multiple provisions to help alleviate some of the pain and suffering caused by these addictions.”  

 

Public Health Committee House Chair, Rep. Matt Ritter (D-Hartford) said, “This bipartisan legislation acts on two fronts by making it easier for those currently struggling with opioid addiction to access Narcan and preventing new cases of addiction by capping first-time pain killer prescriptions. We have a responsibility to all those who have lost a loved one to this deadly addiction to address Connecticut’s opioid epidemic, and today we took an important step forward.”

Valley Legislators hold Forum on Opioid Epidemic

State Rep. Theresa Conroy

DERBY- State Rep. Theresa Conroy (D-Seymour, Beacon Falls, Derby), state Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr (D-Woodbridge) and state Rep. Linda Gentile (D-Ansonia, Derby) held a community forum on the prescription drug and heroin epidemic that is decimating communities across the nation and here in our backyard.

 

About 100 members of the community attended the forum March 29 at Griffin Hospital in Derby.

 

“Heroin overdoses are claiming more lives in Connecticut every year,” Rep. Conroy said. “Last year we had over 400 heroin-related deaths; in 2012 we had fewer than 90.”

 

Over the past two years, the Connecticut legislature has increased tools to address the state’s heroin crisis.  Connecticut has increased access to lifesaving opioid antagonists. Naloxone, or Narcan, is an opioid antagonist that works to reverse the effects of opioids. Nalaxone is not addictive and has little side effects, as compared to other self-administered drugs such as an epi pen – It simply saves the lives of people who have overdosed on an opioid.

 

The legislature is currently reviewing  SB 352, An Act Concerning Prescriptions for and the Dispensing of Opioid Antagonists, which would limit first time adult opioid prescriptions for non-chronic pain to a seven day supply and limit all prescriptions for minors.

 

“Connecticut has recognized that the opioid epidemic is a public health crisis,” Rep. Conroy added. “Prescription painkillers are often the first step on a path to devastating addiction.”

 

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention advised doctors to refrain from giving opioid prescriptions to patients suffering from non-chronic pain, stating that the risks for such patients include addiction and death. The CDC also reported that from 2000 to 2014, the numbers of overdose deaths involving opioids, which include prescription opioids as well as heroin, increased by 200 percent. 

 

Last year, the CDC reported that people who use prescription drugs are 40 times more likely to try heroin. 

 

(This is a press release from Conroy's office)

 

Sens. Crisco and Kane testify in favor of fire safety legislation

Sen. Joseph Crisco, D-Woodbridge, and Sen. Rob Kane, R-Watertown, on Feb. 3 testified in favor of legislation which would require landlords to notify tenants whether there is an operative sprinkler system in their housing units.

The idea for the proposal originated from former Woodbridge resident Jeffrey Block, whose daughter, Eva, was a student at Marist College when she tragically died in an off-campus house fire in 2012.

 Left to right: Sen. Joseph Crisco, D-Woodbridge, Sen. Rob Kane, R-Watertown,
and former Woodbridge resident Jeffrey Block on Feb. 3 testified in favor
of legislation which would require landlords to notify tenants whether there
 is an operative sprinkler system in their housing units. 

“Too often we see news reports of fires in dwellings which result in the loss of life,” Crisco said. “As legislators, we must take every step we can to prevent such tragedies. Requiring that landlords notify their tenants about whether there is an operative sprinkler system in their unit is one such step.”

“In any dwelling, we can all agree that fire prevention safety and fire prevention safety methods are paramount,” Kane said. “This bill would require landlords to do something which many of us would consider to be a common sense act. Requiring this simple notification could mean the difference between life and death.”

Crisco and Kane, who are co-sponsoring the legislation, thanked Block for bringing the issue to their attention. Block currently lives in Watertown.

The bill now awaits legislative action by the General Assembly’s Housing Committee.

Bill info: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2015/TOB/S/2015SB-00103-R00-SB.htm

Crisco: DOT representatives to answer questions

HARTFORD - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, D-Woodbridge, announced today that representatives from the state Department of Transportation will once again travel to Woodbridge to answer  citizens' questions about the ongoing upgrades to the intersection of Routes 63 and 67.

The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. Sept. 15 in the Board Room of Woodbridge Town Hall, 11 Meetinghouse Lane, Woodbridge.

“DOT was here in the spring, now they’re back to answer another round of questions,” Crisco said.
‘I’ve been in regular contact with a group of local citizens who have some ongoing questions about the redesign, and I’d like to get their concerns addressed once and for all.”


This is a press release from Crisco's office.

Crisco hails $400K HUD grant for Derby

HARTFORD - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, D-Woodbridge, announced Monday that Derby will receive $400,000 in federal HUD grants for the rehabilitation of a dozen low- and moderate-income housing units in town.

Crisco

Derby will receive $400,000 to rehabilitate 12 units of low- and moderate-income housing, including roof replacement, heating systems, window replacement, lead paint and asbestos removal, electrical and code upgrades.

“So much of who we are and what we do in our daily lives begins and ends with a safe, well-maintained home,” Crisco said. 

“It doesn’t make any difference if you’re young and single, middle-aged with kids or a senior citizen living alone, having decent housing is a basic necessity, and I’m glad to welcome these federal funds -administered by Connecticut’s Housing Department-to Derby.”

The grants are part of a total $12.8 in federal funds awarded to two dozen Connecticut cities and towns for affordable and senior housing, economic development and other revitalization projects.

The funds come from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Program, which provides grants to eligible municipalities for economic development, affordable housing, community facilities and other revitalization projects.  The program is administered by Connecticut’s Department of Housing.

“These grants will fund projects that are integral to increasing affordable housing in our state and improving the quality of life for residents,” said Gov. Dannel P. Malloy.
 “Right now we are making the most significant commitment in affordable housing that our state has seen in decades because we know that when we invest in housing, we invest in people, communities and our economic future.”


This is a press release from Crisco's office.  

Crisco earns perfect score on environment

HARTFORD - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, D-Woodbridge, has received a perfect “100” score from The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters on its 2014 Environmental Scorecard, which rates Connecticut’s state legislators by the votes they have cast on key environmental bills.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that the quality of Connecticut’s environment is one of the overwhelming reasons for our quality of life here in the state," Crisco said.
"We in the legislature take protecting our environment very seriously, because it is something that is enjoyed by all and which affects each and every one of us. I believe that commitment shows in the health of our water, our air, and our open spaces,” Crisco said. 

“I want to thank the CTLCV for its ongoing attention to the needs and protection of Connecticut’s natural surroundings.”

The major issues tracked by CTLCV in 2014 were: open space protection, state parks stewardship, tree trimming, water planning, Long Island Sound protection, genetically modified grass seed, children’s exposure to pesticides, toxins in the environment (in addition to pesticides), chemicals of high concern for children.

Also, fracking waste, methane gas leaks from natural gas delivery systems, outdoor wood-burning furnaces, the public’s right to comment on subdivision applications, repeal of environmental regulations, and exemption from penalties for first-time violators of environmental regulations.

The full report can be found at: http://www.ctlcv.org/.

The Connecticut League of Conservation Voters is a non-profit organization encompassing a lobbying arm, an educational wing, and a political action program.


This is a press release from Crisco's office.

Crisco asks DOT to meet with Woodbridge residents

Realignment of Routes 63, 67 spurs concerns

WOODBRIDGE - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, D-Woodbridge, Thursday called on the state Department of Transportation to meet once again with Woodbridge residents who have repeatedly raised concerns over the scope and necessity of the ongoing realignment of Routes 63 and 67.

Crisco

“I have had regular and ongoing communications with a small group of local residents who are quite vocal and informed regarding this project, and who have raised a number of questions about it, some of which have been addressed by the DOT and some of which have not,” Crisco said.

“I would invite the DOT to come to Woodbridge once again, as they did in April, and to hear these citizens out, and to adopt any changes that they think are necessary based on the public input. I know not everyone will be satisfied with the final outcome, but the act of listening and explaining is a very fundamental component of the relationship between the public and its government, and I want there to be a very clear understanding on both sides of the potential pluses and minuses of this project.”

Crisco last met on July 9 with the DOT regarding the Route 63/67 realignment, which is already underway and which is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2015.
At that time, he raised several local concerns about the project, many of which had been raised at the April DOT public meeting in Woodbridge.

Since then, additional public concerns have been raised, including idling cars, cutting trees, light pollution and possible speeding on a newly re-leveled roadway.



This is a press release from Crisco's office.

Crisco welcomes new law to help horse owners, stables

State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, D-Woodbridge, talks Tuesday with 'Cheyenne' and Fiona Hynes, 12, of Woodbridge at Locket's Meadow Farm in Bethany just before the ceremonial signing of a new state law designed to help reduce insurance costs for horse owners and horse stables. Hynes testified earlier this year before the General Assembly in favor of the new law./ Contributed photo

BETHANY - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, D-Woodbridge, Tuesday joined horse owners and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy for the ceremonial signing of a new state law that will protect horse owners and equestrian businesses from paying significantly higher insurance premiums for owning or boarding horses and other, related animals. 

Crisco, Malloy and others were on hand at Locket's Meadow Farm for the re-signing of Public Act 14-54, which requires that in any civil action brought against the owner or keeper of any horse, pony, donkey or mule to recover damages for any alleged personal injury, the animal shall not be found to belong to a species that possesses a naturally mischievous or ‘vicious’ propensity. 

The bill passed the General Assembly in early May on a unanimous and bipartisan vote.

“I was alerted to this issue earlier this year by calls from my constituents in Bethany, many of whom own horses or board their horses at places like Locket's Meadow,” Crisco said, who co-sponsored the legislation. 

“From a personal perspective, insurance coverage for these animals would have become unaffordable if they were automatically deemed to be vicious in nature. And from an economic standpoint, horse farms, stables and training centers – which contribute quite a lot to Connecticut’s economy – could have been put out of business. So I think this new law gives everyone a little peace of mind.”

The new state law was passed in reaction to a state Supreme Court ruling earlier this year which found that an owner of a domesticated animal has a duty, under a two-part test, to use reasonable care to restrain the animal so as to prevent it from doing injury. 

“Connecticut has a large population of horse owners and handlers, and as such, I’m happy to sign this legislation so that we can ensure their operations can continue without possible negative consequences,” Malloy said.  

“I am proud of Connecticut’s growing agricultural sector, and I remain committed to the growth of this industry and to the hard working farm families of Connecticut.”

This is a press release from Crisco's office.

Crisco, Conroy: Improvements planned for Rte. 8 corridor

Project to focus on Derby, Ansonia
State Rep. Theresa Conroy, D-Seymour, and state Sen. Joseph Crisco, D-Woodbridge, Thursday attended an informational meeting on the project (State Project #36-179) to improve safety and access along the Route 8 corridor in Derby and Ansonia. 

The meeting, hosted by the Valley Council of Governments, invited key stakeholders, such as businesses, property owners and police, to discuss issues surrounding the project.

“This project will help alleviate the traffic congestion in the area and will be an improvement for the area businesses and the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital,”  Conroy said.
“In addition, the state and local agencies will be working with homeowners to improve the communication process as the project moves forward.” 

The work will overhaul exits 16, 17, and 18 as they provide access to and from Route 8, including traffic flow and safety improvements to local streets.

“Route 8 is an economic lifeline between the largest city in Connecticut – Bridgeport – and the fifth-largest city in the state, Waterbury,” Crisco said. 
“Any project of this magnitude that involves state and federal funds, the reconstruction of four bridges and nearly four miles of new ramp and roadway construction should receive input from state and local officials and the public. I was happy to attend today's meeting.”  

The project is expected to cost $10-12 million and be split 80/20 between federal and state funding. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2015 and with a target date of fall 2016 for completion.

 

This is a press release from the office of Connecticut House Democrats.

Crisco hails $3.2M in bonding for Naugatuck bridge repair

NAUGATUCK - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, today welcomed $3.2 million in state bonding to repair the historic, 102-year-old Whittemore Bridge on Maple Street over the Naugatuck River.

“I know Whittemore Bridge repairs have been on Naugatuck’s priority list for some time, so I’m pleased their grant application has been approved and we are finally poised to move forward with this project,” Crisco said.

“I’m happy to have voted in the past for the state funding needed to achieve these repairs and reduce the financial burden on local residents. Connecticut budgets a lot of money for infrastructure improvements and Naugatuck is the beneficiary of that.”

Concrete on the bridge’s arches is rotting, and running water has weakened the footings. Naugatuck city officials applied for state aid to repair the180-foot bridge through Connecticut’s Local Bridge Program; just this year, Crisco co-sponsored and voted for a bill that added $10 million to Local Bridge Program applications in 2015, bringing the total budget available to cities and towns to $20 million.

This is the second time state funds have been awarded for the project: in July 2011, the State Bond Commission approved $1.3 million for bridge work (Crisco supported that bonding package as well.) This latest state grant, awarded on July 9, will pay for half of the total bridge replacement cost; Naugatuck voters have already budgeted about $2.4 million for the work.

Naugatuck built the bridge in 1912 to honor John Whittemore, who died in 1910. Whittemore was the head of one of the Naugatuck Malleable Iron Companies and he used his great wealth to benefit the community, including building two schools and a library. 

Plans for the bridge were drawn by Henry Bacon, a nationally prominent architect best known today for the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C.

In Connecticut, there are more than 3,400 bridges and culverts on municipally maintained roads, and the construction and maintenance of these is the responsibility of cities and towns. 

But recognizing the difficulty that municipalities have in meeting this responsibility, the General Assembly created the Local Bridge Program in 1984 as part of Connecticut’s Infrastructure Renewal Program. 

The program provides state grants to municipalities for the removal, replacement, reconstruction or rehabilitation of local bridges.  

This is a press release from Crisco's office. 

 

Breast cancer screening advocate lauds Crisco

HARTFORD - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, was lauded by a breast cancer screening advocate Friday at the ceremonial signing of a bill that will limit insurance co-payments for breast ultrasound screenings to $20.

The ceremonial signing included Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman and took place at the Hartford Hospital Wellness Center at Blue Back Square in West Hartford.

“We started this effort to provide women with better and more affordable mammogram services nearly 10 years ago, and since then Connecticut has become the leader in the nation in breast health, and thousands of lives have been saved,” said Crisco, who as Senate Chairman of the Insurance Committee has been the point man for changes to insurance coverage of breast mammograms over the past decade in Connecticut.

“We have been on this great odyssey of making lives better for people because that is our mission in the state legislature.” 

Nancy Cappello, the founder and executive director of Are You Dense, is dedicated to informing the public about dense breast tissue and its significance for the early detection of breast cancer. She praised Sen. Crisco today for his ongoing work on behalf of Connecticut women, beginning with her personal story back in 2006.

“Since then Joe has been working with AreYouDense.org to help improve the outcomes for every woman in Connecticut. He is known for this across the country and around the globe,” Cappello said.

Senate Bill 10, “AN ACT CONCERNING COPAYMENTS FOR BREAST ULTRASOUND SCREENINGS AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SERVICES,” was passed on a unanimous and bipartisan vote of the state legislature in early May, then signed into law on June 6 by Governor Dannel P. Malloy as Public Act 14-97.

The new law prohibits certain health insurance policies from imposing a co-payment of more than $20 for a breast ultrasound screening for which the policies are required to provide coverage.

By law, insurance policies in Connecticut must cover a comprehensive breast ultrasound screening if a mammogram shows heterogeneous or ‘dense’ breast tissue, or if a woman is at an increased risk for breast cancer because of family history, her own breast cancer history, positive genetic testing, or other indications as determined by her physician.



This is a press release from Crisco's office.

Crisco, Conroy plan office hours in Beacon Falls

State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, and state Rep. Theresa Conroy, D-Seymour, announced today they will be holding joint office hours this month at Town Hall in Beacon Falls.

“I encourage residents and business owners to join us for a chat about the issues that matter most to them,” said Crisco. “We’ll be there to listen and connect people with whatever resources they need.”

“I look forward to discussing issues big and small,” Conroy said. “Please come with your questions and concerns.”

The office hours will be from 6-7:30 p.m. June 12 at 10 Maple Ave., Beacon Falls.

 

“We hold office hours because we want to be as responsive as possible to the concerns of our constituents,” Crisco said. 

“Rather than make our constituents come to us, we’re going to them. This is what public service is about.”

This is a press release from Crisco's office.

BHcare to host luncheon at Ansonia Armory

Event marks May is Mental Health Month
ANSONIA - As part of BHcare’s May is Mental Health Month activities, a luncheon will be held at noon Thursday at the Ansonia National Guard Armory, 5 State St.

Guest speaker will be state Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, D-Woodbridge.
Crisco will talk about legislative issues affecting mental health programs and services.

There will be a light lunch followed by a question and answer period. The event is free and open to the public. 

RSVP to Phyllis Kaplan, 203-736-2601 Ext. 1232.

For more information about BHcare’s May is Mental Health Month activities and events, visit www.bhcare.org.

This post is taken from a press release from BHcare, a regional community provider of behavioral health, addiction prevention, and domestic violence services for the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Greater New Haven and Shoreline communities. 

Crisco pleased by Senate OK of bill saying horses not inherently dangerous

HARTFORD - The state Senate gave unanimous approval Tuesday morning to legislation clarifying in law that domesticated horses are not inherently dangerous. 

State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, spoke in favor of HB 5044 during a public hearing earlier this year, and shepherded the bill through the Senate in the closing days of the legislative session.

“There was great concern among my constituents in Bethany and neighboring towns that recent court decisions would make horses nearly impossible to insure,” Crisco said.

“I’m pleased that this legislation offers a positive remedy for their concerns. I particularly want to thank Senator Meyer and the members of the Environment Committee for their leadership on this issue.”

The legislation comes in response to recent court decisions deeming all horses to be wild and inherently dangerous. The rulings had the potential to cause an extreme increase in insurance premiums, putting into question the insurability of Connecticut’s farm horses, privately owned horses for riding and therapeutic horses.

HB 5044 addresses this problem by ensuring that civil disputes involving horses are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, without the presumption that the horse is inherently vicious.

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy applauded the legislation: “With final passage secured by the state legislature today, I look forward to signing this bill, which has been a top concern to many horse owners and handlers, and our state’s associated agriculture industry. The agriculture sector of Connecticut's economy has been growing significantly over the past couple of years, and we need to ensure that the laws in our state statutes encourage this growth.

"I'd specifically like to thank Environment Committee co-chair state Sen. Ed Meyer and the entire Connecticut General Assembly for their support of this bill."

This is a press release from Crisco's office.

Crisco wins Senate OK of bill protecting families from sex offenders

HARTFORD - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr. (D-Woodbridge) led the state Senate Friday evening in passing legislation that will give municipal leaders the ability to best secure the safety and well-being of their towns’ families.
The bill passed the Senate by a unanimous, bipartisan vote.

“This bill gives municipal leaders a valuable and necessary tool for ensuring the public’s safety in Connecticut’s cities and towns,” Crisco said. 

“As a parent and grandparent, it makes me feel safer knowing my town’s leader will have the ability to notify me if there is a threat to my family’s safety. This bill is good public policy, and a commonsense approach to securing our families in their homes and neighborhoods.”

Senate Bill 432 requires the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection  to notify the municipal chief executive officer when a registered sex offender is released and resides, or intends to reside, in such municipality.

DESPP must email this notice and provide the CEO with the same registry information that DESPP will post publicly on the Internet about the registrant.

This is particularly important in situations where a sexual offender is released into a neighborhood where young children reside.
The bill would give the municipal CEO discretion to inform residents of the neighborhood so that parents could take appropriate actions with respect to the safety of their children.

The bill previously passed the Judiciary and Planning and Development Committees by unanimous, bipartisan votes.

Crisco and State Rep. Themis Klarides, R-Derby, co-sponsored the legislation in response to a recent situation in the Town of Woodbridge where a Group Home is home to two sex offenders. One of the offenders was convicted of four felony sex offense crimes, two of which involved young girls ages 5 and 7. The other offender was convicted of two felony crimes involving sexual assault of a child.

Within two blocks of the Group Home live families with 28-30 children, ranging in age from 1 to 17. School-age children get on and off the bus mornings and afternoons and walk to their homes.

The bus stop for one of the children was located directly in front of the Group Home. It was relocated at the request of the parent once he learned of the residents of the Home. However, it was several years before the parents learned this information and were able to take appropriate action.

This legislation would have made a difference by giving the municipal CEO the information necessary to inform families of the situation, and better secure the safety of these children.


This is a press release from Crisco's office.

 

Crisco: Bill will help vets apply skills in civilian jobs

HARTFORD -  State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, participated Tuesday in a press conference in support of a bill that will address barriers to employment for military veterans.

H.B. 5299, An Act Concerning The Findings of The Military Occupation Specialty Task Force will require that state licensing authorities accept military training and experience,where appropriate, as a substitute for additional training, and will allow veterans to gain streamlined occupational certifications.

“There is no reason why we should be placing additional burdens on our veterans seeking employment,” Crisco said. “Many of these veterans are eminently qualified for employment thanks to their military service, and it is time that they receive the credit they deserve as a result of their profession training and experience.”

In 2013, the state had 250,000 veterans with a veteran unemployment rate of 7 percent. Crediting military training and experience in Connecticut’s licensing and educational programs will increase employment rates for Connecticut’s veterans.

This bill will require various state agencies to certify, waive, grant, or award certain licenses, registrations, examinations, training, or credit for veterans whose military occupational specialty are similar or meet the same standards as its civilian equivalent.

Within two years of being discharged from service, assuming the discharge is not dishonorable, all fees will be waived as permitted by federal law. 
It will also allow college credits to be awarded for military training as it relates to an academic program.

The bill was passed by the House of Representatives on Monday and now awaits a vote in the Senate. 


This is a press release from Crisco's office.

Crisco hails passage of UTC investment bill

HARTFORD - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., D-Woodbridge, spoke Thursday on the Senate floor in support of legislation formalizing an agreement between the State of Connecticut and United Technologies Corp.

Crisco, Doyle co-host bone marrow drive at Capitol

HARTFORD - State Sen. Joseph J. Crisco, D-Woodbridge, and state Sen. Paul Doyle, D-Wethersfield, joined advocates at the state Capitol Tuesday to help kick off a Marrow Donor Registry Drive sponsored by Be The Match^®.

“There is a lot of misinformation tossed around regarding marrow donation, and today is an opportunity to get the facts out there,” Crisco said. “The importance of marrow donation cannot be understated. Every four minutes a baby, child, or adult is diagnosed with a blood cancer like leukemia. For the many that do not have a matching marrow donor in their family, the Be The Match Registry^® is a lifesaving resource.”

“Seventy percent of patients receive bone marrow from a complete stranger,” said Doyle. “With advancements in technology the process has become less time consuming and painless. Today is about connecting those in need with potential donors. There are a lot of misconceptions about donating bone marrow and events like this are able to provide clarity.”

Be The Match^® connects patients with their donor match for a life-saving marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant. Those wishing to help the cause can be someone’s cure as a member of the Be The Match Registry^®, or be a financial contributor or volunteer. Be The Match^® provides patients and their families with one-on-one support, education, and guidance before, during and after transplant.

Be The Match is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program and for 25 years has managed the largest marrow registry in the world.

The senators were joined at the event by Jon DeCasanova, a student at Eastern Connecticut State University who shared his story of finding a donor match and receiving a bone marrow transplant.

Marrow donation can be done in one of two ways. The first option, a peripheral blood stem cell donation, consists of cells gathered using a non-surgical, outpatient procedure. 
The second option, marrow donation, is a surgical, usually outpatient, procedure using anesthesia.

This is a press release from Crisco's office.