HARTFORD – State Rep. Lezlye Zupkus said the majority party not overturning Governor Dan Malloy’s vetoes to bipartisan legislation shows that they would rather put their party over the people of Connecticut.

Since the end of the legislative session in May, Governor Malloy vetoed seven bills that received overwhelming support from Democrats and Republicans.

Rep. Zupkus said, “Republicans were prepared to override vetoes on important bills to protect education funding and create more manufacturing jobs. It is a shame to see the majority party resort to election-year politics, focusing on national related topics instead of taking action on important legislation right here in our state. We had a chance to continue our bipartisan efforts from the session and stand up to Governor Dan Malloy but it seems the majority party is only concerned about November.”

Here is the full list of bills the majority party failed to override:

PA 18-35 An Act Prohibiting the Executive Branch From Making Rescissions Or Other Reductions To The Education Cost Sharing Grant During The Fiscal Year
Prohibits the governor from cutting education cost sharing (ECS) aid grants to towns by (1) using his rescission authority to reduce allotment requisitions or allotments in force or (2) making reductions in allotments in any budgeted agency to achieve General Fund budget savings.

PA 18-80 – An Act Extending the Manufacturing Apprenticeship Tax Credit to Pass-Through Entities
This act extends the manufacturing apprenticeship tax credit to the personal income tax, thus
allowing the owners and partners of qualifying companies organized as partnerships, limited liability
companies, and other pass-through entities to claim the credit against that tax.

PA 18-89 – An Act Concerning Classroom Safety and Disruptive Behavior
This act requires boards of education, as well as the State Department of Education, to address
daily classroom safety as an additional part of the law requiring them to address bullying and teen
dating violence.

PA 18-119 – An Act Concerning Election Day Registration Locations
Prior law required registrars of voters to designate a location within each municipality for
completing and processing Election Day registration applications. This act requires town clerks to
designate a location if the registrars of voters fail to agree on one at least 31 days before the
election.

PA 18-140 – An Act Establishing the State Oversight Council on Children and Families
This act renames the State Advisory Council on Children and Families as the State Oversight
Council on Children and Families and increases its membership from 19 to 25. It replaces 13
members appointed by the governor with 12 members appointed by legislative leaders and one
member appointed by the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee chairpersons. It also
adds (1) the Children’s Committee chairpersons and ranking members, the child advocate, and the
chief public defender, or their designees, to the council and (2) certain required qualifications for
the six members who represent regional advisory councils.

The act also expands and modifies the council’s duties, including requiring it to monitor, track, and
evaluate the Department of Children and Families’ (DCF) policies and practices related to child and
youth safety, permanency, and well-being.

PA 18-156 – An Act Concerning an Animal Abuse Registry
This act requires the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to create and
maintain, within available appropriations, a publicly-available registry of individuals who are
convicted, or found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect, of certain animal abuse
crimes.

PA 18-157 – An Act Concerning State Contract Assistance Provided To Certain Municipalities
This act imposes several new conditions and requirements on state financial assistance to repay
bonds and other debt for designated tier III and IV municipalities (i.e., those with higher degrees of financial distress and state oversight and control).

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HARTFORD – During the 2018 legislative session, State Rep. Lezlye Zupkus has celebrated the role women play in a wide range of fields, from being a student or teacher to owning a business or being an elected leader.

In March, Rep. Zupkus celebrated Women’s History Month with local leaders, students, and business owners.

Pictured with Rep. Zupkus – Micayla Barrows (Miss Southbury), Rep. Lezlye Zupkus, Aizlyn Zupkus (Tulane University Navy National ROTC Scholarship), Anaga Dinesh (WRHS Valedictorian), Anna Witkowski (WRHS student body present/BOE Rep), and Kaylee Walsh (WRHS Salutatorian).

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Dear Neighbors,

Let’s send a message to the majority party that we don’t need tolls!

Sign my petition now!

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HARTFORD – State Rep. Lezlye Zupkus voted no on legislation last week that would give institutional aid funds to undocumented students and give a 2 percent salary increase to graduate teachers and research assistants. Both bills passed the House by narrow margins.

The first bill, S.B. 4 – An Act Assisting Students without Legal Immigration Status with the Cost of College – extends eligibility for institutional financial aid to attend a state public higher education institution to certain students, including those who lack legal immigration status. The bill extends eligibility for aid to these students, to the extent allowed by federal law, if they meet certain residency, age, and criminal history requirements and file an affidavit about their intent to legalize their immigration status with the institution they are attending.

“College is unaffordable and the state of Connecticut isn’t making it easy for hardworking taxpayers to pay for college,” said Rep. Zupkus. “This legislation will result in legal students having more debt and less aid, and for that reason, I couldn’t support this bill.”

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HARTFORD – State Rep. Lezlye Zupkus welcomed athletes with Special Olympics Connecticut (SOCT) on Wednesday, April 25th. Pictured – Soccer Player Angie D’Amico from Cheshire with State Rep. Lezlye Zupkus.

SOCT’s visiting representatives, work as Global Messengers, advocating for the needs of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities who wish to compete in sporting events. During their time at the Capitol they spoke with members of both the House and Senate.

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PROSPECT – State Rep. Lezlye Zupkus represented the Beacon Falls and Prospect state delegations on Tuesday morning at Long River Middle School to honor the winners of their Annual Women’s History Month Essay Contest.

“I always learn something new about important women in Connecticut’s history from reading these wonderful essays,” said Rep. Zupkus. “Maria C. Sanchez and Ella T. Grasso are women role models who paved the way for women not just in Connecticut but around the world. Women have proven we can do anything if we put our minds to it.”

The young ladies said they learned a lot about Connecticut women.

Charlie Hughes said, “Maria Sanchez inspires me to not think of what you can lose when you take a risk, but instead what you can gain.

Yasmeen Galal mentioned Ella Grasso has taught her valuable life lessons that you can achieve anything despite gender barriers.

All Long River Middle School, 6th-grade students, were invited to participate in the National Women’s History Month contest by writing a 300-word essay on the topic, “Important Women in Connecticut’s History and How Their Contributions to the State and Nation Affect Me.”

Each student was asked to focus on one notable Connecticut woman, detailing her life and accomplishments and what those accomplishments mean to them. The students received an official state citation and a state seal of Connecticut pin from the Connecticut General Assembly. The winner received a flag flown over the State Capitol.

Winner – Charli Hughes – Maria C. Sanchez
Runner-up – Yasmeen Galal – Ella T. Grasso.

State Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria, State Senators George Logan and Joe Markley were unable to attend due legislative commitments.

Pictured – State Rep. Lezlye Zupkus, Charli Hughes – Maria C. Sanchez (Middle) and Yasmeen Galal – Ella T. Grasso. (2nd from the right)