State of Connecticut secondary Archives: on Families & Children

Dan Malloy: Permanently establish the Office of Early Childhood

With the help of some great teachers, he's already caught up to his peers. His experience has put him on equal footing, and given him the tools he needs to learn. Let's help more kids like Andrew by moving our state to universal pre-K.

It will be a long and thoughtful process, but if you believe as I do that education is the civil rights issue of our time, then I ask you to join me today in taking the first steps toward making sure every child has access to a pre-K experience.

This would build on our important work begun last year to create the Office of Early Childhood. We need to finish that work by codifying this Office in statute. I am ready to sign that legislation.

Dan Malloy: 21-year-old son arrested in robbery, suffering depression

"By the way," he said, pausing for a long beat, "One of my own sons suffers from mental health challenges. I have some expertise in this area personally." He quickly retreated back to the more comfortable terrain of government policy. Malloy has never been big on Oprah-style expressions of emotion.

In 2009, when Malloy was still mayor of Stamford, his then-21-year-old son Ben was arrested in connection with an attempted robbery. At the time, Malloy and his wife, Cathy, released a statement saying their son suffered from an "emotional illness." The Malloys recounted their middle son's struggle with what they said was a form of depression.

Jahana Hayes: Supports gay marriage & equal constitutional rights

"I am personally not in favor of gay marriage," said Santos. "But I'm against any legislation that violates a person's right to work or carry out their lives regardless whether they're gay or not."

Matthew Corey: Investigate Hollywood's systematic sexual abuse

Corey, who is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, said of both [his Democratic opponent Sen. Chris] Murphy and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, "I am extremely disappointed that our two U.S. Senators from Connecticut have been silent on this issue."

Corey sent a letter to Sens. Mitch McConnell & Charles Schumer asking for a hearing on the Weinstein allegations--"and the widespread complicity of insiders and leaders in this billion-dollar industry in condoning the abusive and criminal behavior."

Ned Lamont: Paid time off to new parents and caregivers

The state house passed the bill Friday, 79-69, with all but eight Democrats voting in favor. The Democratically controlled Senate passed the bill more than a week ago.

If signed, then starting in 2021, workers in Connecticut would get 12 weeks off to care for a new baby, a seriously ill family member or loved one or to deal with their own illness. The benefit will be funded by a payroll tax on workers of 0.5 percent. Benefits will cover 95 percent of low-wage workers' pay up to $900 a week, the most generous level of wage replacement in the country.

"We all agreed on the need to pass this landmark support for working families so they don't have to choose between the job they need and the family they love, or their own health," Lamont said in a statement Friday.

Ned Lamont: Proposed 12 weeks paid family leave from 1/2% payroll tax

"What I have said is I don't want to rule anything out," he said. "I like to do progressive things in a conservative way that you can count on."

Chris Murphy: Affordable child care in the richest country in the world

When you are living on a more modest salary, your entire world could fall apart if you lose access to a quality child care environment. People have to quit their jobs. They have to move back in with their parents. Because you will upend your entire life for your child.

Murphy laid out just how dire affording child care can be: "Let's say a family makes $42,000, doesn't qualify for our subsidy, is spending $22,000 a year on rent, $15,000 a year on childcare, that's $5,000 left. $100 a week for everything else. For food, for your cell phone, for your clothes for your kid. In the richest, most affluent country in the world, how can we justify leaving families who are doing the right thing, who are working in that position?"

Murphy concluded: "Do the right thing and support the President's proposed plan to support affordable, quality child care in this country."

Robert Hyde: Toys for Tots: a powerful force for good