Legislature to Examine Why Zero Convictions for Human Trafficking, Even As Incidents Increase in CT

Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery. This crime occurs when a trafficker uses force, fraud or coercion to control another person for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts or soliciting labor or services against his/her will.  It is happening in Connecticut. Connecticut’s Permanent Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) is convening a Joint Informational Forum with the state legislature’s Judiciary, Public Safety and Security, and Children’s Committees on Thursday, March 31 at the Legislative Office Building to examine the issue, the response of law enforcement and other agencies in Connecticut, and where changes in state law need to be made.

A decade ago, in 2006, Connecticut enacted Public Act 06-43, which created the felony charge of trafficking in persons.

“And yet, since then, only 10 arrests have been made and there have been no convictions,” according to PCSW, which noted that during that same time, the Department of Children and Families has received more than 400 referrals of individuals with high-risk indicators for human trafficking that demanded a collaborative response, including the participation of law enforcement.  Those numbers have climbed each year, with 133 referrals in 2015, according to the Governor’s office. 

“We decided to convene trafficking experts because, as we learn more about human trafficking, in particular sex trafficking of adults and minors, we need to ensure that victims are supported and that law enforcement and prosecutors have the tools to adequately punish traffickers, those buying sex, and those permitting and facilitating the sale of sex in Connecticut,” said Jillian Gilchrest, senior policy analyst for the PCSW, and chair of the state's Trafficking in Persons Council.

“Although the legislature has made great strides to increase awareness and enhance training programs against human trafficking, and especially the sex trafficking of minors – the truth is that this modern-day slavery is a national issue,” said State Rep. Noreen Kokoruda, the ranking member of the General Assembly’s Committee on Children. “Connecticut must take the critical steps necessary to combat human trafficking and to make sure that the legislation we passed is enforced. In order to proactively address this issue, we need a collaborative effort from all agencies; this issue is simply too important to ignore.”

Data from the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) indicates that in 2015 there were 120 calls made and 39 human trafficking cases reported in Connecticut – the highest numbers in the past three years. The statistics are based on phone calls, emails, and webforms received by the NHTRC that reference Connecticut. The NHTRC works with service providers, law enforcement, and other professionals in Connecticut to serve victims and survivors of trafficking, respond to human trafficking cases, and share information and resources.

Since 2007, the NHTRC has received more than 600 calls to their hotline that reference Connecticut.  As Connecticut’s felony crime of trafficking in persons, Connecticut Statute §53a-192a approaches its 10-year- anniversary, members of the Judiciary, Public Safety, and Children’s Committees are interested in understanding why no one has been convicted under §53a-192a and what policy or legislative changes can help remove current barriers to prosecution in these cases, officials said.

In Connecticut, a person is guilty of trafficking in persons when such person compels or induces another person to engage in sexual contact or provide labor or services by means of force, threat of force, fraud or coercion. Anyone under the age of 18 engaged in commercial sexual exploitation is deemed a victim of domestic minor sex trafficking irrespective of the use of force, threat of force, fraud or coercion.

In a January report to the state legislature, the Trafficking in Persons Council pointed out that “Connecticut is not unique; there are many states that have yet to prosecute a trafficking case. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of State, as of 2011 only 18 states brought forward human trafficking cases under state human trafficking statutes.”

A series of proposals are now being considered by the state legislature.  In recent testimony, the PCSW pointed out that “the demand side of human trafficking and prostitution has all but been ignored in Connecticut. Arrests have been concentrated first on prostitutes, and secondarily on those buying sex. In fact, in the last 10 years in Connecticut, prostitutes were convicted at a rate of 7 times that of those charged with patronizing a prostitute It’s a basic premise of supply and demand: if you reduce the demand, you reduce the supply, which in this case, is the purchase of women and children for sex.”

In legislative testimony last month, the PCSW pointed out that “more and more trafficking and prostitution are being arranged online and taking place at hotels and motels throughout Connecticut. According to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC), Hotels and Motels are among the top venues for sex trafficking in Connecticut.”  PCSW stressed that “as we learn more about human trafficking, and what the crime looks like in Connecticut, we must ensure that our policies keep pace with that reality.”  Among the proposals is one designed to “give more tools to investigators,” Gov. Malloy and Lt. Gov. Wyman recently told a legislative committee.

The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Council is chaired and convened by the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women and consists of representatives from State agencies, the Judicial Branch, law enforcement, motor transport and community-based organizations that work with victims of sexual and domestic violence, immigrants, and refugees, and address behavioral health needs, social justice, and human rights.

The report recommended that “Connecticut must ensure the creation of laws that address the continuum of exploitation, the implementation of laws, and the pursuit of criminal punishments for such cases. Sentences should take into account the severity of an individual’s involvement in trafficking, imposed sentences for related crimes, and the judiciary’s right to impose punishments consistent with its laws.”

Regarding victims of trafficking in Connecticut, the report recommended that “Key victim protection efforts include 3 "Rs" - rescue, rehabilitation, and reintegration. It is important that human trafficking victims are provided access to health care, counseling, legal and shelter services in ways that are not prejudicial to victims’ rights, dignity, or psychological well-being. Effective partnerships between law enforcement and service providers mean victims feel protected and such partnerships help to facilitate participation in criminal justice and civil proceedings.”

According to Rep. Rosa C. Rebimbas, ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, “Connecticut has made great strides to protect vulnerable women and children with strong laws against human trafficking, and resources to help them escape from the horrors of human trafficking, yet we are still behind when it comes to prosecution of the criminals who perpetrate such heinous offenses. We will continue to press for stronger laws to protect Connecticut residents, and to bring justice on their behalf.”

Combatting Childhood Obesity Starts From Day One; Wide-Ranging Policies Proposed

Less “screen time,” more physical activity, more nutritional foods and fewer sugary beverages – that’s the formula to prevent obesity from taking root in infants and toddlers in the formative years of childhood, according to new recommendations by the Child Health Development Institute (CHDI) of Connecticut.  A series of “science-based policy opportunities” for Connecticut, outlined this week, also include support for breastfeeding in hospitals and child care centers. The need for stronger action is underscored by recent statistics.  In Connecticut, one of every three kindergartners is overweight or obese, as is one of every three low-income children. Children who are overweight or obese are more likely, according to the policy brief, to have:

• risk factors for future heart disease, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure
• a warning sign for type 2 diabetes called “abnormal glucose tolerance,” although many children are being diagnosed with the full-blown disease in increasing numbers
• breathing problems such as asthma
• gallstones, fatty liver disease, and gastroesophageal reflux (acid reflux and heartburn)
• problems with their joints

“Recent research shows that obesity may be very difficult to reverse if children are not at a healthy weight by 5 years of age,” the policy brief indicated. “Investing early in preventing childhood obesity yields benefits for all of us down the line by fostering healthier children, a healthier population overall and greatly reducing obesity-related health care costs over time.”

The policy brief recommends five ways Connecticut’s child care settings and hospitals can help our youngest children grow up at a healthy weight:

1. Support breastfeeding in hospitals and in child care centers and group child care homes.
2. Serve only healthy beverages in all child care settings.
3. Help child care centers and group child care homes follow good nutrition guidelines.
4. Increase physical activity time for infants and toddlers in all child care settings.
5. Protect infants and toddlers in all child care settings from “screen time.”

The recommendations stress that “talking, playing, singing and interacting with people promotes brain development and encourages physical activity,” and urges that healthy infant and toddler development be encouraged by:

• Never placing them in front of televisions, computers, or tablets to occupy them
• Never allowing infants and toddlers to passively watch a television, computer, mobile phone or other screen that older children in the same room are watching

“Healthy lifelong weight begins at birth,” said Judith Meyers, President and CEO of CHDI and its parent organization the Children’s Fund of Connecticut. “Investing in obesity prevention policies makes sense for Connecticut.”  Meyers added that “the numbers are staggering,” and it has become clear that “to really address this problem we need to prevent it in the first place.”

If Connecticut were to implement the five recommendations highlighted in the policy brief, it would be the first state in the nation to do so, officials said.  A number of the proposals have been successfully implemented in other jurisdictions, including states and cities.  Marlene Schwartz, Director of UConn's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, noted that Connecticut has long been a leader in providing nutritional lunches in schools, and said that now the state’s attention needs to move to the earlier years of childhood.  “The field has realized that we need to start even earlier,” she said.  Rudd also indicated that determining "policy changes that might help reduce the disparities" in Connecticut, which are apparent in race, ethnicity and socioeconomic data, is also essential.

Legislation now pending at the State Capitol, which is not as comprehensive as the policy brief recommendations, is designed to "increase the physical health of children by prohibiting or limiting the serving of sweetened beverages in child care settings, prohibiting children's access to certain electronic devices in child care settings, and increasing children's participation in daily exercise."  The proposed legislation, HB 5303, was recently approved by a 10-3 vote in the Committee on Children, but has an uncertain future before the full legislature.

Dealing with childhood obesity has been a challenge because of the “many different systems and programs that impact childhood development – which can also provide “many different places for opportunities to influence what happens.”  Officials said that some of the policy proposals can be realized through legislative action, others by regulatory changes, and others through voluntary initiatives.  They indicated that since Connecticut established the Office of Early Childhood in recent years, coordination of oversight and services has improved, which is an encouraging development.  Child care settings provide an opportunity to impact a large proportion of the state’s pre-kindergarten children, but plans to disseminate the message more broadly, including through pediatrician’s offices, are being considered. 

The recommendations call for “allowing toddlers 60-90 minutes during an 8-hour day for moderate to vigorous physical activity, including running, and “adherence to federal nutrition guidelines” including more whole grains and low-sugar cereals, no sugary drinks, and fewer fried foods and high-sodium foods.  Through 11 months, infants should be served “no beverages other than breast milk or infant formula, and those 12 months through 2 years old should be served no beverages other than breast milk, unflavored full-fat milk water, and no more than 4 ounces of 100% fruit juice.”

The CHDI policy brief indicates that “childhood obesity can contribute to poor social and emotional health because overweight and obese children are often bullied and rejected by their peers as a result of their weight. That stress can affect every part of their development, interfering with their learning (cognitive), health (physical and mental), and social well-being.”

The recommendations, described as “affordable, achievable, common sense measures,” were prepared for CHDI as part of a grant to the UConn Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, funded by the Children’s Fund of Connecticut.  The author was public health policy consultant Roberta R. Friedman, ScM.

CHDI began focusing on strategies to promote healthy weight in children from birth to age two after publishing the IMPACT “Preventing Childhood Obesity: Maternal-Child Life Course Approach” in 2014. The report reviewed scientific research on the causes of obesity and explored implications for prevention and early intervention. In 2015, the Children’s Fund of Connecticut funded four obesity prevention projects in Connecticut that addressed health messaging, data development, policy development and baby-friendly hospitals.

Raising Revenue Getting Tougher for Towns, Cities in Connecticut; Property Tax Drives Disparities

The Connecticut Data Collaborative has launched a series of reports that will examine the fiscal situation of Connecticut’s 169 municipalities making the data compiled in several recent statewide initiatives that examined fiscal challenges facing the state and its towns more readily accessible to the public. The goal is to “highlight the major findings from these initiatives and reports; expand on the research that was done; present it through a new medium; and inform a broader audience on the work being done in the state.”

The first data story, published this month, highlights the findings from a report to the General Assembly’s Program Review and Investigations Committee prepared by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston’s New England Public Policy Center (NEPPC), “Measuring Municipal Fiscal Disparities in Connecticut.”

The conclusion: the capacity to raise revenue from property taxes is the main driver of fiscal disparities in Connecticut.

• 78 of 169 towns have a deficit, with revenue capacity below the cost of providing services. These 78 towns represent almost 60 percent of state’s population.
• 91 of 169 towns have sufficient capacity to raise revenue capacity to cover the cost of services.
• Municipal cost differences exist but are not as dramatic as the differences in the ability to raise revenue
• Current state non-school grants made to towns have a limited effect in reducing non-school fiscal disparities in Connecticut.
• Five cost factors were identified as driving non-school municipal costs: unemployment, population density, private sector wages, town road maintenance, and jobs per capita.
• Statistical analysis shows that the following factors do not impact costs: poverty, population, the share of foreign-born population, and the share of older rental housing units

The website points out that “a municipal gap exists when the costs are higher than the revenue raising capacity,” and provides an interactive town-by-town listing of the “gaps.”  The highlighted findings:

• The largest gaps are in Hartford (-$1,330), Bridgeport (-$1,168), New Haven (-$1,101), New Britain (-$1,056) and New London (-$896). The largest surpluses are in Westport, New Canaan, Darien, and Greenwich.  The data is FY 2007-2011, averaged.
• 78 towns in the state have a deficit - the capacity is below the cost of providing services. These towns cover almost 60 percent of state’s population.
• 91 towns have sufficient capacity to raise revenue greater than the cost of services. These towns cover 40 percent of the state’s population, primarily in Fairfield County, Litchfield and the shoreline.

Since property taxes are the primary way that municipalities raise revenue, the website examined the trends in the Equalized Net Grand List (ENGL) since 2011.  Overall, property tax revenue has been on the decline, the data indicated. An interactive table on the site shows - by town- the average annual growth rate (or decline) in the grand list from 2011 to 2014, and also shows the Municipal Gap calculated by the report. In total, ENGL has declined for 145 of the 169 towns since 2011 – “thus the revenue raising capacity for towns has only become more difficult.”

73 Local Health Departments Serve CT's 169 Municipalities

Connecticut has 73 local health departments serving the state’s entire population – individuals residing in the state’s 169 cities and towns. Data compiled by the state Office of Legislative Research breaks down the health departments by full-time and part time, as well as their geographic coverage. Of the 73 local health departments across the state, 53 are full-time departments, while the remaining 20 are part-time. The full-time departments include 33 individual municipal health departments and 20 health district departments (multi-town departments serving from two to 20 towns).

By law in Connecticut, a town may have a part-time health department if: (1) it did not have a full-time department or was not part of a full-time district before January 1, 1998, (2) it has the equivalent of one full-time employee, and (3) the Department of Public Health commissioner annually approves its public health program and budget.

According to the Department of Public Health (DPH), based on the state’s 2013 estimated population, full-time health departments (both municipal and district) serve about 95 percent of the state’s population, while part-time departments serve the remaining 5% percent, OLR reports.

Connecticut’s local public health system is decentralized and a local health department falls under the jurisdiction of its respective municipality or district. Staff are hired and employed by the municipal or district health department.

The law requires towns, cities, and boroughs to nominate a municipal health director, who must be approved by their respective legislative bodies and DPH. The DPH commissioner may remove the director for cause. The town, city, or borough may also take such action with the commissioner’s approval.

Municipal and district health departments enforce the state’s public health laws, rules, and regulations, including the Public Health Code. Responsibilities include jurisdiction to:

• examine and remediate public health hazards, nuisances, and sources of filth;
• levy fines and penalties for Public Health Code violations;
• grant and rescind license permits (e.g., for food service establishments or septic systems);
• establish fees for health department services;
• submit to DPH reports on reportable diseases from health care providers and clinical laboratories; and
• provide for sanitation services (district directors may serve as sanitarians as practical).

Full-time municipal and district health departments receive state funding. The legislature eliminated funding for part-time health departments in 2009, according to OLR.

State Residents Express Confidence in Public Schools; CT Ranks 12th in Poll

North Dakota residents (89%) are more likely than those living in any other U.S. state to rate the K-12 education provided in their state as excellent or good, followed closely by those living in Minnesota and Nebraska (82%). Connecticut ranked at number 12 in the nation, for residents’ assessment of their state’s public schools, with 71 percent viewing the caliber of education provided as good or excellent. In stark contrast to the top states, about half as many Nevada and New Mexico residents, 42% in each state, rate their public education systems positively, the lowest percentages in the country, in a new poll released by Gallup.  Joining the two southwest states at the bottom of the list are Hawaii (47%), Louisiana (49%), Arizona (50%), California and Alabama (52%), Mississippi (53%) and  Oregon and Rhode Island (54%).

State residents were asked “how would you rate the quality of public education provided in grades K-12” on a scale including excellent, good, fair and poor.  The top 10 states after North Dakota, Minnesota and Nebraska are Iowa, New Hampshire and Massachusetts (80%), Wyoming (79%), South Dakota (78%) and Vermont and Virginia (75%).

These results are based on a Gallup poll conducted from March through December 2015, and released this week, with approximately 500 interviews in every state.

Residents in states where a large share of residents rate the quality of education as excellent or good are also more likely to believe their public school system prepares students for success in the workplace, according to Gallup.

When asked “Do you believe your state public school system prepares students for success in the workplace?” North Dakota and Nebraska again topped the list, at 89 percent and 81 percent, respectively.  Connecticut ranked 18^th at 68 percent.

Focus Shifts from Veterans to Children in Efforts to Combat Homelessness

As progress is being made in Connecticut and across the country to end homelessness among veterans, greater attention appears to be turning next to homelessness among families with children. Families with children under age 6 are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population in the United States, Myra Jones-Taylor, Commissioner of Connecticut’s Office of Early Childhood, told state legislators recently.

In Connecticut, an estimated 3,000 to 9,000 families with young children are homeless, Jones-Taylor said. Of that estimate, approximately 1,125 families experienced homelessness in 2015 with 2,022 children impacted. Of those children, 43 percent were under the age of 5 and 42 percent were between the ages of 5 and 12.

Governor Malloy announced last month that the federal government has certified Connecticut as having effectively ended homelessness among veterans.  Just the second state in the nation to accomplish the milestone, Connecticut has implemented a comprehensive, unprecedented system to target homelessness among veterans.  Connecticut was one of the first states to join a national initiative that sought to secure commitments from communities across the country to end veteran homelessness by the end of 2015.

Nationally, between 2009 and 2015, there has been a 35 percent reduction in the number of homeless veterans, according to a Governing magazine’s review of data from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, published this month.  In addition to Connecticut, major cities including New Orleans, Houston and Las Vegas have indicated that “they’ve effectively eliminated homelessness among veterans.”

“But most people who are homeless are not veterans.  And in many of the nation’s large cities, homelessness among the general population appears to be getting worse,” the magazine points out.  Between 2014 and 2015, overall homelessness in the nation’s 50 largest urban areas increased by 3 percent.  The number of unsheltered individuals in those cities went up 10.5 percent and the number of unsheltered people in homeless families grew by 18.8 percent, Governing revealed.

Many attribute the success in reducing the veteran homeless population to an aggressive well-planned effort initiated at the federal level, and are looking for similar efforts focused on homeless youth.

In President Obama’s budget plan submitted to Congress this year, he requested $10.967 billion for the purpose of reaching and maintaining the goal of ending family homelessness by 2020. The National Alliance to End Homelessness emphasizes that “should this request be enacted by Congress, it would give communities what they need to end homelessness for families with children.”

Connecticut Child Advocate Sarah Healy Eagan has said that “research has shown that homelessness puts children at increased risk of health problems, developmental delays, academic underachievement, and mental health problems.”

According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is asking Congress to provide sufficient funding for 10,000 new housing choice vouchers for homeless families with children, funding for 25,000 new permanent supportive housing units, and funds to provide 8,000 families with rapid rehousing assistance.

In addition, HUD announced a legislative proposal where it will seek $11 billion in mandatory spending over the next 10 years to serve a total of 550,000 families with additional vouchers, permanent supportive housing, and rapid rehousing assistance.

At a February public hearing at the State Capitol focused on proposed Senate Bill 10, which focuses on child care for homeless families with children.  It would create a “protective services” category for children experiencing homelessness, making them “categorically eligible” for child care subsidies regardless of the parent’s work status; and, ensure immediate access to child care for all children by creating a 90-day grace period for providing documentation of health and immunization records when enrolling in a child care center, group children care home, or family child care home.

The executive director of the Partnership for Strong Communities, Alicia Woodsby, testifying in support of the legislation, expressed the hope that its passage would “assist providers in resolving each case of family homelessness more quickly,” noting that families experiencing homelessness lack employment and are struggling with extreme instability.  The lack of child care makes it even more challenging for them to participate in worker training or secure new employment.”

The coalition of organizations and agencies led 2016 Homelessness & Housing Advocacy Days on March 2 and 3 at the State Capitol, drawing attention to the issue of homelessness, including homelessness among children and families.

There are wide estimates of just how many young people are homeless nationwide, according to the Child Welfare League of America, ranging from half a million to 1.6 million with estimates that up to 40 percent are gay, lesbian, questioning or transgender. Many of these young people have been kicked out of their own homes and are responsible for their own survival and are frequent targets of exploitation, trafficking and abuse while living on the streets CWLA points out.

The White House has pointed out that three years ago, in February 2013, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) issued a  Framework to End Youth Homelessness detailing the steps necessary to achieve the goal of ending youth homelessness by 2020, and strategies to improve outcomes for children and youth experiencing homelessness.

Officials noted that “the framework articulates the need for government, non-profit, civic, and faith community partners to focus together on the overall well-being of youth experiencing homelessness — addressing not just their need for stable housing, but also their educational and employment goals, and the importance of permanent adult connections in their lives.”

The conclusion of that report stated flatly that “we can end youth homelessness in America by 2020.”  The report emphasized that “Reaching this goal will require more resources at all levels and sectors, but resources are not enough. At all levels of policy and programming, we have to continuously challenge ourselves to gather and use better data, to leverage existing resources available to us, to implement more deliberate service strategies informed by good data and stakeholder input, and to coordinate systems and services around those strategies.”

“Access to high quality early care and education is extremely important for all children, but especially for children in vulnerable circumstances,” Rachel Leventhal-Weiner, Education Policy Fellow at Connecticut Voices for Children, told legislators.  “We consider homeless children to be among the most vulnerable.”

Plans for Expanded State Civic Network Gains Support of Open Government Advocates

Advocates for government transparency are lining up in support of legislation that would establish a “state civic network” for Connecticut, similar in structure to the national C‐SPAN model. The independently financed, non-profit network would expand access to the workings of the three branches of state government by building on the present CT-N system, which has been funded directly by the General Assembly since 1999. The new network would dramatically extend televised and online coverage and “on-demand access” to all legislative hearings and debates, as well as public policy conferences, regulatory hearings, executive agency meetings, and state Supreme Court and Appellate judicial proceedings.

The result would be searchable, shareable library of state government deliberations, decisions and activities – and the tools to make it understandable and useful – available to every citizen through cable TV, online and mobile devices.

“Access to government information is the key way for the public to know what its government is doing,” according to the Connecticut Commission on Freedom of Information. Calling the proposal “pro‐ transparency and cost‐saving,” Executive Director Colleen Murphy underscored the Commission’s commitment to encouraging citizen engagement. The State Civic Network “will bring the workings of government into people’s homes...in a most productive, timely, and professional manner.”

The Board Chair of the Connecticut Public Affairs Network, which operates CT-N under contract to the state legislature, indicated that the network “was never intended to be a service OF government, but rather ABOUT government – as are the national and municipal services that welcome citizens to unbiased channels that provide access and context," said veteran Connecticut television news anchor Pat Sheehan. "Technology now allows the coverage of all government activities, archived and searchable files, and presentations that appeal not-only to government insiders, but to the general public as well.”

The public’s expectation of coverage has changed over the past seventeen years,” said Paul Giguere, the founder of the network and CEO of the independent non‐profit Connecticut Public Affairs Network (CPAN). “Technological innovations have changed how and when citizens access information, and a state civic network will use emerging technologies to allow greater public engagement with the development of policies and legislation that affect us all.”

Giguere pointed out that “there are 10 hearing rooms, but CT¬N’s physical plant limits us to covering only two events concurrently. That means up to 80% of the Legislative committee process at any given time goes unseen. Our capacity to cover the Executive and Judicial Branches is even more limited.”

The Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information, the Society of Professional Journalists, and the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) have endorsed the proposed legislation to expand coverage throughout state government, as have advocacy groups such as the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), CT Community Non‐Profit Alliance, the League of Women Voters, the Connecticut Education Association, Common Cause, and the Connecticut Citizens Action Group (CCAG).

The proposed State Civic Network is now being considered by the legislature’s Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections. Under the plan, management and operational funding would be provided through a process that already exists for local community access stations, regulated by PURA, the state’s Public Utility Regulatory Authority. PURA has an extensive history of selecting non‐profit managers for government‐use channels that provide local public, educational, and government programs within cable television franchise areas. These channels are likewise supported through programming fees charged by cable companies, rather than by taxpayer funds, CT-N officials pointed out.

The plan drew opposition from AT&T, with the cable provider warning in legislative testimony that it would "have a real impact on consumers’ ability and willingness to continue to buy video service."   CT-N "should be required to annually justify its budget to the General Assembly like any other proposed expenditure,"AT&T said in a prepared statement.

CFOG, the Connecticut Foundation for Open Government, noted dramatic changes in the way citizens access news, with increased reliance on social media and mobile devices. Funded by a subscriber fee similar to how C‐SPAN and community access stations are currently funded, CFOG notes, “the new entity would be monitored and accountable to the public, but independent from government itself.”

The State’s Office of Consumer Counsel, created in 1975 by the legislature to act as the advocate for consumer interests in all matters and “fight for the most reasonable rates,” endorsed the State Civic Network proposal after “carefully analyzing” a monthly fee of less than $0.50 per subscriber. Consumer Counsel Elin Katz said “a thriving democracy requires citizen access to information relating to their government, access that is ideally broad and unfettered.”

“Best of all,” she added, “this proposal will create a permanent and searchable online library of public documents and visual recordings of state government events that would be of great use both to the public and to the elected officials who serve them.”

CPAN launched the CT-N network for the Connecticut General Assembly in 1999 as a 24‐hour media service providing gavel‐to‐gavel coverage of state government and public policy on both television and internet platforms. In the intervening years, CPAN has extended the scope of its CT-N programming, adding coverage of electoral politics, news conferences, and a weekly review program, Capitol Report.

Remarkable Tenacity, Inspiring Music Distinguish CT’s New State Troubadour

It is a singular distinction.  Singer-songwriter Kate Callahan, a native of West Hartford and current  Hartford resident, has been selected as State Troubadour, to serve a two-year term beginning this month. Connecticut is the only state in the nation that honors a singer-songwriter with a formal position. The State Troubadour serves as an ambassador of music and song and promotes cultural literacy among Connecticut citizens.

Callahan’s extensive touring, public speaking, and teaching make her a natural fit for the position. “Connecticut Roads,” her original composition, tells a story of Connecticut people and places, and is a joyous, melodious remembrance of growing up in the Nutmeg State.   “This is where I’ve gotten my start and I see friends on the road of life… we do it here in this place we call home.”

With the new statewide platform, she plans to bring therapeutic music to Connecticut inmates, perform at State and local ceremonies, start her own grassroots record label, and share her experiences with the healing power of music.

At the age of nineteen, she sustained traumatic brain injury in a skiing accident. She had to withdraw from college and rehabilitate five days a week for a year until her insurance ran out. Her doctors told her she had plateaued. Callahan knew she had more desire to heal than the doctors could see, so she took up acoustic guitar lessons.

Her short-term memory was so impaired that she couldn’t remember that she was taking lessons from week to week. Over time, however, she began to remember and saw improvements in her coordination, eyesight, and guitar playing. She began writing songs soon after that and felt compelled to share them with small audiences at open mics. Open mics turned into features, opening sets, and headlining appearances at venues throughout New England.

In the years since her tenacious recovery, the 16^th Connecticut State Troubadour has earned many accolades in her home-state, having been named Best Singer-Songwriter by the Connecticut Music Awards, Featured Artist of the Year by the Greater Hartford Arts Council, and Best Solo Performer by the Hartford Advocate. She was also awarded the Hartford Courant's "Woman of Character Award” for her involvement in schools and on stages.

Callahan began her two-year tenure as Connecticut State Troubadour at the State Capitol on Wednesday March 2.  Her performance of the original song, Connecticut Roads, concludde Connecticut Arts Day, the first of its kind in over ten years. The event brought together a broad cross section of policy makers, arts, cultural and creative industry organizations and individuals from across Connecticut.

The day-long event was sponsored by the Connecticut Office of the Arts in partnership with the Designated Regional Service Organizations, Connecticut Arts Alliance, Connecticut Arts Council, Culture & Tourism Advisory Committee and the Connecticut Arts Foundation.  The day included panel discussions, guest speakers, and a range of performances from individuals, groups and organizations from throughout the state.

The honorary position of Connecticut State Troubadour was established in 1991 by the State of Connecticut.  The Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) appoints an individual resident singer-songwriter as State Troubadour based on the recommendation of a review panel.

Recent State Troubadors include Kristen Graves, a singer/songwriter and activist from Fairfield (2013-2015), Charles (better known as Chuck) Costa of Madison (2011-2012), Lara Herscovitch of North Guilford (2009-2010), and Pierce Campbell (2007-2008).

Callahan’s music has been described as soulful, inspirational, lyrical and mystical at times, and Callahan has been described as “unapologetically optimistic” in concert. The Boston Globe calls Callahan "an award-winning singer who rose from a calamitous injury to claim her creative life.”

During April, Callahan will be performing in Manchester, Hamden and Wethersfield as her tenure as State Troubadour, the 16^th in state history, gets underway.   To learn more about Kate Callahan, visit her website www.Kate-Callahan.com

CT Residents Believe Economy, Business Conditions Have Improved, But Uncertain About Future

Connecticut residents are somewhat more upbeat about the state of the state’s economy, but less than convinced that good economic news will keep coming, according to the results of the Connecticut Consumer Confidence Survey for the fourth quarter of 2015, released this week.  The quarterly survey,  by InformCT, a public-private partnership that provides independent, non-partisan research, analysis, and public outreach to help create fact-based dialogue and action in Connecticut, is designed to generate an ongoing measure of consumer confidence in the Connecticut economy. When asked to think about overall business conditions in Connecticut versus 6 months ago, respondents – for the first time in three quarters – said conditions are better now than 6 months ago.  The margin was narrow - with 27 percent saying “better” and 25 percent saying “worse”, but that’s a reversal from the past two quarters, when more people were of the view that business conditions has worsened (22%-24% and 24%-28% in the two previous quarters).

The percentage of respondents who feel that the Connecticut economy is improving increased from 23 percent in the 3^rd quarter to 27 percent in the most recent survey, and the percentage expressing concern that their job, or their spouses’ job, is in jeopardy, has declined in each of the four quarterly surveys, from 38 percent in the first quarter of 2015, to 36 percent, 35 percent and now 33 percent.

Administered for InformCT by the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc. and Smith & Company, the analysis is based on the responses of residents across Connecticut and addresses key economic issues.  The most recent consumer confidence survey also saw an uptick in key indicators, as the percentage who believe:

• there are “plenty of jobs for anyone who wants to work (as compared with 6 months ago)” increased from 10 percent to 13 percent
• the employment situation will be better still in 6 months increased from 15 percent in the 3^rd quarter to 17 percent in the 4^th quarter
• their personal financial situation is better now than 6 months ago increased from 63 percent in the third quarter to 65 percent in the 4^th quarter survey.

Even though Connecticut residents feel conditions are improved, they are increasingly divided when asked if they expect that will continue.

When asked to look ahead six months, respondents have consistently believed business conditions will improve, but by a narrowing margin in each of the past four quarters.  In the beginning of the year, 30 percent thought business conditions would improve, as compared with 19 percent who thought conditions would worsen – an 11 point differential.  In the following three quarters, that differential narrowed to 9 points, then 5, and now 4.

There were other positive outcomes in the final quarterly survey of 2015, as the percentage who anticipate:

• making a major consumer expenditure for furniture or some other product in the next 6 months jumped from 26 percent to 34 percent, reversing a slide from 36 percent in the year’s first quarterly survey.
• buying a new car also increased, from 22 percent in Q3 to 25 percent in Q4, the highest percentage of any of the quarterly surveys on that question.
• taking a vacation outside Connecticut in the next 6 months also rebounded, from 51 percent to 56 percent, reversing a diminishing percentage in each of the past two quarters.

There remain some troubling signs amidst the generally upbeat news.

The percentage who agree that Connecticut is a good place to live and raise a family and dropped slightly, and is under 50 percent for the first time in the quarterly surveys, at 47 percent.   The percentage of respondents who say they are likely to move out of the state in the next five years has increased in three consecutive quarters, from 32 percent to 34 percent to 37 percent, but remains lower than in the first quarterly survey, when it stood at 39 percent.

InformCT is a public-private partnership that currently includes staff from the Connecticut Economic Resource Center and the Connecticut Data Collaborative.  More information about subscribing can be found at informct.org.  Based in Rocky Hill, the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation and public-private partnership that provides economic development services consistent with state strategies, leveraging Connecticut’s unique advantages as a premier business location.  Smith & Company LLC, is a Shelton, Connecticut-based market research firm.

Confidence in State Government Plummets in CT; Third Lowest in USA

In 2013, a majority of Connecticut residents expressed confidence in their state government.  Two years later, 6 in 10 residents, when asked if they had confidence in their state’s government, said no. In a survey of states nationwide, Illinois was at the bottom of the list, with only one in four Illinois residents indicating confidence in their state government, the lowest among the 50 states by a significant margin. Rhode Island (33%) and Connecticut (39%) join Illinois as states with less than 40 percent government confidence, according to data compiled by Gallup. North Dakota residents are the most trusting; 81 percent say they are confident in their state government.

Connecticut is joined among the states where residents expressed the least confidence in their government by New Jersey, Louisiana, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and New York.  Along with residents of North Dakota, people living in Wyoming, Nebraska, Montana, South Dakota, Utah and Minnesota expressed the most confidence in their state government.

In the Gallup survey in Connecticut, 39 percent of residents expressed confidence in state government, while 60 percent said they did not have confidence in state government.  The "no confidence" percentage has increased by 14 percentage points in two years.  The Gallup analysis noted that there is a strong relationship between residents' ratings of their state's economy and their confidence in state government. In addition to Illinois, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey and Kansas all rank among the states in which residents are the least positive about their state's economy.

The results are based on Gallup's 50-state poll, conducted March through December 2015. Gallup asked respondents whether they do or do not have confidence in their state's "government in general."

A similar poll by Gallup in 2013 brought very different results for Connecticut.  In that survey, a majority (52%) expressed a great deal or fair amount of confidence in state government.  That year, 46 percent expressed not very much confidence or none at all.