By Mary Welander
State Rep., D-114
Mary Welander
This legislative session is already in full swing. With such a short time to get things done, we are moving quickly to prepare for each bill that comes through our committees and to be aware of important legislation from other committees.
At the same time many legislators, including myself, are tracking our individual proposals. All bills are required to be directly related to the budget in the even-year “short” session; this brings in an additional challenge.
The unanimously approved continuation of the “fiscal guardrails” requires that any funds above the rainy day fund cap are directly used on paying down debt, which limits the amount able to be spent outside that. I understand and agree that it is important to continue to reduce state debt and have emergency/contingency funds, but will confess it is frustrating to not be able to access those funds to do the work that needs to happen to support middle class families or support our schools, or many other worthy concerns.
Understanding that right now we have to take small steps, I have three modest proposals that are making their way through the committee process.
The first has been sent directly to appropriations. HB 5136, AAC Funding for the Office of the Child Advocate, proposes increased funding for additional personnel to ensure greater safety of the children in the care of the Department of Children and Families. Increased oversight may also be helpful in identifying ways to better support DCF staff in hopes of preventing any repeat of the recently reported tragedies and lapses in safety and management.
The second, HB 5093, AA Increasing Funding for the Artist Fellowship Program, just had a public hearing in the Commerce Committee. This program run by the state Office of the Arts provides small-dollar grants for artists across the state who are not supported by established organizations. Art-based events, such as the Arts & Ideas festival, support not just the artists, but the whole community. The 12-day event in 2023 brought $2.66 million in economic impact to New Haven with increased foot traffic to local shops and restaurants as well as the festival itself. When we support the arts, we support the state.
Finally, I have once again put forward the proposal to recognize skills gained during military service when someone wants to enter the trades. HB 5184, AAC Reimbursement Of Certain Fees For Veterans Or Sponsors Of Veterans In Apprenticeship Programs, is slightly different this year to fit the required bill parameters.
This is the fourth time I have proposed this legislation, and I will continue to until we can make some progress. To me this is a win-win situation. The trades offer immediate and lucrative careers (with little to no student debt), and there is a dire need for skilled tradespeople across all industries. Veterans are often highly trained in specific, but transferable, skillsets. We should make it easier for veterans to enter these careers, not harder.
If you have thoughts about these concepts you would like to share, please reach out to me at mary.welander@cga.ct.gov.