Action Alert
Your voice is needed to advance 4 bills to build a
more just, sustainable Connecticut!
The Collaborative Center for Justice has been actively involved in CT Renews, a coalition of environmental justice, faith, labor, and community groups working on supporting legislation to build a more just, equitable, and sustainable Connecticut. As people of faith, this work is tied to our call to care for creation, to work for justice, and to advocate for policies that will improve the lives of low-income and marginalized people. These bills seek to address issues related to the climate crisis, food and water access, and improving housing conditions, all while creating good jobs and investing in overburdened communities.
Members of the CT Renews coalition have worked with legislators to introduce four important bills this session. Now is a great time to contact your legislators to urge them to support these bills. If your legislators are on either the Housing Committee or Environment Committee, it is particularly important to contact them right now.
- SB 356: An Act Establishing an Energy Efficiency Retrofit Grant Program for Affordable Housing
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- “To require the Department of Housing to establish a housing energy efficiency retrofit program.”
- An energy efficiency retrofit program would lower energy usage and costs, reduce emissions, and improve housing conditions. This bill seeks to also address housing health and safety issues that are often a barrier to the installation of energy efficiency upgrades.
- CCFJ has been particularly involved with this bill with the CT Renews coalition. It is currently in the housing committee, and will have a public hearing on March 4 at 11am.
- You can submit written public testimony to: hsgtestimony@cga.ct.gov. If you are interested in providing verbal virtual testimony, you can see the information on how to sign up here (note that the deadline to register is 3pm on March 3).
- You can find a helpful guide to submitting written testimony and testifying virtually here.
- HB 5817: An Act Establishing Green Justice Zones
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- Would “enact Green Justice Zones that will reduce industrial pollution and foster environmental remediation projects in low-income areas of the state.”
- In the Environment Committee
- HB 5526: An Act Concerning Community Land Trusts for Food Production
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- “To create local self-sustaining food production throughout the state.”
- A food justice bill; in the Environment Committee
- HB 5451: An Act Establishing a Clean Water Infrastructure Fund and Jobs Program
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- “To invest in clean water and drinking water infrastructure and employ state residents on such projects.”
- In the Environment Committee
You can find your legislators here.
Sample script: “Hello my name is ___ and I live in ____. I’m calling/writing to urge you to support SB 356: An Act Establishing an Energy Efficiency Retrofit Grant Program for Affordable Housing, HB 5817: An Act Establishing Green Justice Zones, HB 5526: An Act Concerning Community Land Trusts for Food Production, and HB 5451: An Act Establishing a Clean Water Infrastructure Fund and Jobs Program. These bills will create pathways to a more sustainable, just, and equitable state. It is important to advance policies that will create good jobs, improve housing and infrastructure, and invest in communities who bear a disproportionate burden of pollution and the effects of climate change. As a person of faith, this is important to me because…. Thank you.”
Related federal legislation:
CT Renews is part of a regional alliance working to pass similar legislation in the other New England states. Nationally, the Thrive Agenda is closely related to what we are trying to accomplish at a state and regional level. The Thrive Agenda (Transform, Heal, and Renew by Investing in a Vibrant Economy) is a platform that recognizes that we need to address the interconnected issues of economic, racial, and environmental justice by putting people back to work in ways that will build a more just, sustainable economy. It consists of 8 pillars: creating millions of good jobs; investing in Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities; environmental justice; a just transition for workers and communities; workers’ rights; strengthening Tribal sovereignty and enforcing Indian treaty rights; averting the worst effects of the climate crisis; and reinvestment in public institutions that promote community wellbeing.
- Senator Blumenthal has signed on as a legislative sponsor, but CT’s other Members of Congress have not. Reach out to your Representative and Senator Murphy and urge them to sign-on in support of the Thrive Agenda.
Connecticut offices for US Senators and Representatives:
Senator Richard Blumenthal: 860.258.6940; https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/contact
Senator Chris Murphy: 860.549.8463; https://www.murphy.senate.gov/contact
Representative John Larson: 860.278.8888; https://larson.house.gov/contact/email
Representative Joe Courtney: 860.886.0139; https://courtney.house.gov/contact
Representative Rosa DeLauro: 203.562.3718; https://delauro.house.gov/contact
Representative Jim Himes: 866.453.0028; https://himes.house.gov/contact/email
Representative Jahana Hayes: 860.223.8412; https://hayes.house.gov/zip-code-lookup?form=/contact/email-me
