By Rachel Khanna
One of the most exciting parts of being your representative is the ability to submit bills for consideration.
I was thrilled to submit legislation to grow employment in education and health; to rebuild our transportation infrastructure; to protect our environment; and to care for our first responders.
Growing jobs:
CT suffers from a severe shortage of teaching and healthcare professionals. To address this need, I submitted HB 5441, a proposal to increase retention of college graduates in teaching and healthcare professions. The act would provide incentives to encourage young graduates to become teachers and/or healthcare professionals and to stay in the State to work in those fields once they graduate.
Transportation infrastructure:
To help accelerate the state’s investment in our aging highways, bridges, ports, railroads, water systems and renewable energy, I submitted HB 5390, a proposal to establish a Connecticut Infrastructure Bank. The Bank would leverage public funds with private capital to create a platform for investing in sustainable infrastructure, thereby attracting businesses, creating jobs and improving our quality of life.
Public health and environment:
To prevent air pollution and protect public health, I submitted HB 5862 which addresses the lack of enforcement of idling laws. Current CT law prevents idling of motor vehicles for more than three minutes. Enforcement is often lacking however because it is the responsibility of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. My bill would allow municipalities to enforce idling laws in order to improve compliance with the law.
In recognition of the risks that our firefighters take in the course of their work, I submitted HB 5857, an act for default presumption for line of duty coverage for cancer for firefighters. Recognizing that cancer is an occupational hazard of firefighting, the act would include occupational cancer under worker’s compensation.
In order to limit human and wildlife exposure to one of the most harmful classes of pesticides, I introduced HB 5220, which would restrict the use of neonicotinoids for non-agricultural purposes and restrict the use of certain seeds treated with pesticides that affect the environment and human health and pollinators.
I look forward to working to bring these bills to fruition.
Rachel Khanna is the state representative for the 149th district.
