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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

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SD public defense duties shift from counties to state; SCOTUS appears skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies; Trump lawyers say he can't make bond; new scholarships aim to connect class of 2024 to high-demand jobs.

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The SCOTUS weighs government influence on social media, and who groups like the NRA can do business with. Biden signs an executive order to advance women's health research and the White House tells Israel it's responsible for the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

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Midwest regenerative farmers are rethinking chicken production, Medicare Advantage is squeezing the finances of rural hospitals and California's extreme swing from floods to drought has some thinking it's time to turn rural farm parcels into floodplains.

CT: Poverty Issues

The Annie E. Casey Foundation finds Connecticut's 13% child poverty rate in 2021 was 4% lower than the national average. (Adobe Stock)
CT lawmakers considering state child tax credit bill

Child tax credit legislation is being considered in Connecticut. The state is one of several without such a credit, though a child tax rebate was …

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The Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness finds, as of Jan. 15, 801 people are outside, unsheltered in cold temperatures, despite Connecticut recently implementing the Severe Cold Weather Protocol due to extremely low temperatures. (Adobe Stock)
CT takes action to keep homeless people safe in winter

Connecticut organizations are working to protect homeless people from winter's biting chill. This time of year poses severe health challenges for …

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Energy data company EnergySage finds Connecticut residents spend around $288 per month on electricity. That's around $3,456 per year, 61% higher than the national average. (Adobe Stock)
CT electric companies' rates increase in 2024

Beginning in 2024, Connecticut ratepayers can expect an increase in their electricity bills. New electricity supply rates will go into effect …

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La empresa de datos energéticos EnergySage encuentra que los residentes de Connecticut gastan alrededor de $288 por mes en electricidad. Eso es alrededor de $3,456 por año, un 61% más que el promedio nacional. (Adobe Stock)
Tarifas de las compañías eléctricas de CT aumentan en 2024

A partir de 2024, los contribuyentes de Connecticut pueden esperar un aumento en sus facturas de electricidad. El lunes entrarán en vigor nuevas …

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About 60% of adults with medical debt said they have cut back on necessities such as food or clothing, while more than half of adults from households with incomes below $40,000 reported they have used up their savings to pay for their medical debt. (Adobe Stock)
CT residents struggle with medical debt despite available financial aid

Health care advocates said too often medical patients in Connecticut who are eligible for financial aid to help cover the cost of their care are not i…

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As of 2023, there are 3,800 staff vacancies in early child care programs. Staffing shortages are preventing programs from enrolling enough kids to break even. Only 32.3% of child care centers reported positive cash flow. (Adobe Stock)
CT child advocates hope to blunt impacts of new education law

Child advocates across Connecticut are imploring Gov. Ned Lamont to increase state funding for subsidized preschool and child care slots. It would …

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A 2023 point-in-time census found the number of chronically homeless people in Connecticut remained at 117 between 2022 and 2023 but youth homelessness increased by 7.06%. (Adobe Stock)
CT group seeks solutions to homelessness

A Connecticut group is holding several roundtable discussions about ways to end homelessness. The Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness is …

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In 2023, Connecticut's General Assembly considered legislation to establish a winter eviction moratorium, making it illegal to evict anyone from December through March. However, the bill failed to come to a vote. (Adobe Stock)
CT group hosts community forum addressing housing

A Connecticut group is holding a community policy forum to discuss housing. The state is facing a severe affordable-housing shortage with soaring …

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As part of a new strategic plan, the Connecticut Health Foundation is looking to address maternal health equity for women of color. A recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report points to maternal health disparities for women of color across the United States. (Adobe Stock)
A new plan for advancing health equity in Connecticut

A Connecticut group has developed a new plan to bolster health equity in the state. The Connecticut Health Foundation's strategic plan tackles …

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A Connecticut Voices for Children report found 39% of renters in the state who were not current on rent payments felt they would be evicted in the next two months. The rate was higher for Black and Latino renters, at 54% and 56% respectively. (Adobe Stock)
Report: CT Needs Long-Term Solutions to Eviction Crisis

A new report outlines long-term solutions for what it calls Connecticut's eviction crisis. The Connecticut Fair Housing Coalition found there were 21…

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Since continuous Medicaid renewals were terminated, more than 1.6 million people have been  disenrolled from Medicaid so far, according to data from 28 states and the District of Columbia. (Adobe Stock)
CT Works on Post-Pandemic Medicaid Redeterminations

Like other states, Connecticut is in the middle of a yearlong process of re-determining people's eligibility for Medicaid. When the Covid-19 public …

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Although Connecticut's rankings in most health-related areas declined in the latest Kids Count Data Book, the state saw minor improvement in the number of children with health insurance. (Adobe Stock)
Report: CT Children Need Health, Education Investments

Investments in education and health are needed to bolster Connecticut's children, a new annual report found. In the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids …

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