HARTFORD – Throughout Eastern Connecticut, many parents struggle to afford the day-to-day expenses of raising a family on limited means. Thanks to programs like Tommy Toy Fund, local donations, and volunteers like State Representative Anne Dauphinais (R-Killingly), many of these children will now receive a Christmas that wasn’t otherwise possible.

“For so many of us the Christmas season is such a magical time of the year, but then there are some that it’s not so magical for. For the last several years I have been volunteering with the Tommy Toy Fund and it’s a real pleasure to be a part of something that adds a little bit of magic to those that wouldn’t have any,” said Rep. Dauphinais.

The Tommy Toy Fund uses a vacant building located in the Killingly Commons in order to facilitate the donations collected through various ‘stuff a cruiser’ events held throughout the 44th District and other Eastern Connecticut locations. Toys are then sorted and organized based off of age and gender with lists being filled by various day and weekend volunteers.

All pertinent information for the children such as; name, age, and gender of children is logged to ensure everyone receives the same amount of age appropriate toys. The items are then sorted and organized based off of age and gender with lists being filled by various day and weekend volunteers.

Due to the high volume of donations, Tommy Toy Fund has expanded to include a pick-up raffle where families can enter their names for a chance to win others larger toys and kids bikes.

Families who want to participate in the program must sign up through a registration application posted in the Norwich Bulletin in early November.

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PLAINFIELD – State Representatives Anne Dauphinais (R-Killingly), Kevin Skulczyck (R-Griswold), and Senator Heather Somers (R-Groton) have recently welcomed Morgan Truck Body LLC, the largest manufacturer of light and medium-duty truck bodies in North America to Eastern Connecticut.

According to Morgan Truck Body LLC, the manufacturing plant will accommodate cargo of every configuration — from parcel delivery to furniture movers and heavy-equipment hauling, insulated and refrigerated units, bottled gas transport, and flatbed/stake & platform bodies.

“There is nothing better than a large manufacturing firm showing confidence in Connecticut’s economy by not only choosing our state for their new facility, but also bringing with it almost 200 jobs for Connecticut’s families,” Rep. Skulczyck said.

“It was an honor to attend the ribbon cutting for Morgan Truck Body,” Rep. Dauphinais said. With so many challenges facing the state, having the opportunity to witness a new manufacturing business coming to our local community was a great pleasure.”

“We are united as a community in welcoming Morgan Truck Body to Plainfield,” Sen. Somers said. “As lawmakers, we will continue working tirelessly to pass policies at the State Capitol which allow manufacturers like Morgan Truck Body to grow and thrive in Plainfield and throughout our state.”

The 175,000 square-foot facility will be located in Plainfield at the former site of the American Manufacturing Plant on Moosup Pond Road. This will be the manufacturers 13th location in the United States and Canada, but first in New England.

The lawmakers presented the company with a legislative citation to commemorate their grand opening.

HARTFORD – State Representative Anne Dauphinais (R-Killingly) will be hosting office hours for Killingly and Plainfield residents who want to discuss the upcoming legislative session.

The legislative updates will be held from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 4th and Thursday, December 6th at the Plainfield Recreational Center Library and Killingly Town Hall.

Rep. Dauphinais will be hosting several other legislative updates throughout the session but wanted to give residents an opportunity to discuss issues prior to convening on January 9th, 2019 .

Anyone with questions prior to the event are encouraged to call her State Capitol office at 800-842-1423 or email her at Anne.Dauphinais@housegop.ct.gov.

PLAINFIELD – State Representatives Anne Dauphinais, Kevin Skulczyck, and Senator Heather Somers are pleased to announce that after meeting with the Northeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (NECOGG) and the Department of Transportation (DOT), the lawmakers were able to get a commitment from the state to put Plainfield Transit back into action. DOT was able to make this possible without adding any new costs to the taxpayers by revising and eliminating runs that had become stagnant.

The legislators have successful secured bus service to the citizens of Plainfield after years of not having any transit. Implementation can begin once the Town of Plainfield has fulfilled their required 17% contribution of funding for the project with the state and federal government contributing the remaining 83%.

The lawmakers said “We’d like thank the Department of Transportation for going above and beyond to provide this much needed service to the residents of Plainfield and especially for their success in absorbing the cost efficiently without additional costs to the State Budget.”

Dauphinais, Skulczyck, and Somers held a Legislative Town Hall last month to address the transportation issue Plainfield has been facing. Last night, the lawmakers attended a Board of Finance meeting in Plainfield to confirm this report given during the Town Hall.

Reps Dauphinais, Skulczyck and Sen. Somers are hopeful this will pass at a special finance meeting being held next Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. For anyone interested in attending, the meeting is open to the public.

With the increase in Killingly and Plainfield children walking, crossing the street and exiting their buses during this school year, it is extremely important that anyone driving within these areas obey all safety rules/regulations in order to ensure that they arrive there and home safely.

Below are a few tips motorists should obey while traveling along our local streets:

• Watch for children traveling to school when driving through local neighborhoods with school zones. Drive SLOWLY.
• Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in the neighborhood. In addition, be on the lookout for children playing and gathering near school bus stops. State law prohibits vehicles from passing a school bus while its lights are flashing.
• Many busses are now equipped with cameras to record those individuals who fail to comply with this law.
• Always observe the no-passing law and expect the unexpected while traveling near school buses in school driveways.

Here are a few tips you can share with your children:

• Be waiting at your bus stop at least 5 minutes ahead of the scheduled pick up time.
• Wait approximately 10 feet back from the road. Try and wear clothing with colors that can easily be spotted by motorists. Always wait until the bus driver tells you to cross the street before you actually do. That way you can be sure that he/she has safely verified that no motorists are coming.
• If you drop something in the road leave it. If it is important, make sure the bus driver knows you are about to bend down and possibly disappear from his/her sight. If an important item ends up underneath the bus leave it alone.
  ** Do not retrieve it unless the bus driver gives you permission to do so**
• When it’s time to board the bus, do so quickly and safely

PLAINFIELD – State Representatives Kevin Skulczyck (R-45), Anne Dauphinais (R-44), and State Sen. Heather Somers (R-18) announced they will be hosting a sit down meeting with area residents to discuss state Transportation challenges.

The event will be held on Wednesday, August 15th at the Plainfield Town Hall and is open to the public and residents are encouraged to attend.

WHERE: Plainfield Town Hall, 8 Community Ave, Plainfield

WHEN: Wednesday, August 15th from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The legislators ask that any constituents with questions ahead of the event call Rep. Skulczyck or Rep. Dauphinais at their State Capitol offices at 800-842-1423 or email, Kevin.Skulczyck@housegop.ct.gov, Anne.Dauphinais@housegop.ct.gov. For Sen. Somers please email her at Heather.Somers@cga.ct.gov or call 800-842-1421.

HARTFORD – Earlier this year, an insurance bill was brought forth on the House floor which now added pregnancy as a “qualifying event for special enrollment periods for certain individuals.”

“Instead of purchasing insurance during open enrollment periods and pooling the risk among those insured, the passage of Public Act 18-43 will now require all private insurance companies to allow an uninsured woman who becomes pregnant enrollment up to 30 days after commencement,” Rep. Dauphinais said.

Representative Dauphinais was one of ten state representatives in the general assembly to vote against this bill, despite hers and others’ opposition, the bill passed. Rep. Dauphinais said there were a few reasons as to why she voted “no”.

1. It will increase annual heath care premiums for everyone in the state that has private health insurance by $75-100 or more. This will make it harder for many to afford their health insurance…not easier.
2. Connecticut tax payers already subsidize and/or pay for healthcare for pregnant woman if uninsured through Medicaid or Husky A. Dauphinais said just recently an individual told her that she was uninsured, became pregnant and her pregnancy was 100% covered through Husky Insurance.
3. The purpose of insurance is to provide protection against a possible eventuality not after it actually takes place. If this were the case no one would buy insurance but wait until after the incident occurred. Car insurance after an accident, House insurance after your house burns down, health insurance after one is diagnosed with cancer or finally a ….pregnancy. Mandating Insurance companies for this coverage “after the fact” raises the risk pool and therefore results in higher premiums for everyone.

Rep. Dauphinais said many of her legislative colleagues had various concerns with this bill, but unfortunately due to its catchy title they felt voting against it would be seen as though they were against helping uninsured pregnant women acquire healthcare.

“My commitment to not costing the taxpayers more money remains and that this bill was another unnecessary mandate on our businesses,” Dauphinais said. “I promised to be a different type of legislator, one that doesn’t go along with the crowd and if I went along with bills that take more money out of your pocket then I am not keeping that promise.”

HARTFORD – The Special State Bonding Commission met today and approved a funding request submitted by Governor Malloy via executive order for a $10 million dollar feasibility study for the purpose of implementing tolls.

The only two Republican Bond Commission members voted against the $10 million expenditure. State Comptroller, Kevin P. Lembo, was the only other member to vote against this request.

“In spite of the legislature’s overwhelming opposition to tolls, Governor Malloy took it upon himself to utilize his executive order so that this study could go through,” Rep. Dauphinais said. “Democrats had proposed a toll study bill during this legislative session and that bill couldn’t receive a consensus to move forward, yet with today’s outcome, this frivolous study to waste more taxpayer dollars will now happen without legislative approval.”

Rep. Dauphinais and her fellow Republican representatives have signed petitions to send to the Secretary of the State in order to request the General Assembly meet for a “special session for the purpose of prohibiting the expenditure of taxpayer funds to study and evaluate the establishment of tolls in Connecticut.”

Per the Governor’s executive order for a toll study request, DOT would conduct the following:

• Prepare a comprehensive assessment for possible electronic tolling on I-95, I-91, I-84, the Wilbur Cross Parkway, the Merritt Parkway, and any other limited access highways as determined by the DOT Commissioner, which includes potential toll monitoring and specifies proposed toll charges;
• Explore potential ways to provide discounts, tax credits, or other value-pricing options to Connecticut residents while ensuring out-of-state drivers contribute their fair share;
• Explore plans that could reduce motor vehicle fuel taxes; and
• Study the environmental impacts of electronic tolling systems.

“We will continue to do whatever we physically can in order to stop this study from happening,” Dauphinais said.

As chairman of the commission, Gov. Malloy has the discretion to determine which items are included in any boding meeting. It was a forgone conclusion that this study would be one of the items included in today’s agenda.

HARTFORD – In order to get a closer look into the educational programs and specialized training being offered at Harvard H. Ellis Technical High School, State Representative Anne Dauphinais (R-44) spent the day touring the school and talking with students about how their experiences are preparing them for life after high school.

“Ellis Tech really offers its students with the best of both worlds,” Rep. Dauphinais said. “The incredible array of programs provides students who don’t want to go to college with real world experience by preparing them with a trade they can then take with them into the workforce. For those students who want to continue their education after graduation, they are able to earn college credits without spending thousands of dollars to do so.”

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HARTFORD – Tuesday night, Governor Malloy announced he will be imposing his power of executive order to request the Department of Transportation conduct a $10 million dollar feasibility study for the purpose of implementing electronic tolls.

In his statement, Gov. Malloy said “During this past legislative session, we heard time and again from legislators that they wished for more information regarding electronic tolling, including specific recommendations with respect to its possible implementation.”

“Governor Malloy’s decision to implement his power of executive order in order to bypass the legislature and the voices of Connecticut’s residents is exactly why this state is a fiscal mess,” Rep. Dauphinais said. “This past session House and Senate Democrats brought forth various toll related proposals but never received enough support to be called to the floor for a discussion or vote. This is a bullying tactic used by Gov. Malloy to push through his agenda, irresponsibly borrowing more money and adding to our debt in Connecticut.”

According to the Governor’s executive order, DOT will conduct the following:

• Prepare a comprehensive assessment for possible electronic tolling on I-95, I-91, I-84, the Wilbur Cross Parkway, the Merritt Parkway, and any other limited access highways as determined by the DOT Commissioner, which includes potential toll monitoring and specifies proposed toll charges;
• Explore potential ways to provide discounts, tax credits, or other value-pricing options to Connecticut residents while ensuring out-of-state drivers contribute their fair share;
• Explore plans that could reduce motor vehicle fuel taxes; and
• Study the environmental impacts of electronic tolling systems.

The Special State Bonding Commission is scheduled to meet at 10:30 a.m. next Wednesday, July 25th to approve funding requests submitted by Governor Malloy. As chairman of the commission, Gov. Malloy has the discretion to determine which items are included in this meeting.