March 30, 2021

Rep. Haines Praises Work of Higher Education & Employment Advancement Committee

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HARTFORD – Last week marked the end of regular business for the legislature’s Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee. State Representative Irene Haines (R-34), the Republican Ranking Member of this committee, praised the committee’s work and noted several bills voted out of committee that she was especially proud of, including:

HB 6374, which would protect students who report being a victim or witness of sexual assault, stalking or violence from disciplinary action by an institution of higher education;
SB 954, which would require institutions of higher education to report accidental deaths and serious injuries caused by accidents that occur on campus;
HB 5467, which would establish a “Fee-Free Day,” a day on which students who have applied for FAFSA will not be charged an application fee when applying to public institutions of higher education in Connecticut; and
HB 5468, which would require the governing body of each institution of higher education in the state to review and update its policies regarding the award of college credit for a student’s military training, coursework and education every five years.

“When thinking about higher education and where it can be improved, our focus must be on the safety of students, access, affordability and transparency,” Rep. Haines said. “These bills are bipartisan efforts to address these important issues and create more options for potential students, current students and parents in the state.”

This was Rep. Haines’s first legislative session as a Ranking Member of a committee, and while it was demanding at times, she says she has learned a lot and is looking forward to starting up again next session.

“It was such an honor to work closely with fellow leaders and members of this committee to come together on legislation that will move our state forward in higher education. But the work isn’t over; now we start advocating for our proposals to the rest of the legislature.”

All the bills listed could potentially be voted into law by the full General Assembly before the conclusion of the legislative session. To track these bills and read more about them, visit www.cga.ct.gov or email Rep. Haines at Irene.Haines@cga.ct.gov.