2nd Annual Women's Policy Day
Over 100 people participated in the 2nd Annual Women’s Policy Day held on November 27th at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. The focus of the initiative is to inform and motivate women to engage in the legislative process and acquire the tools to understand and articulate policy change.
Participants were greeted by Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman and Secretary of the State Denise Merrill. Both women spoke about their path to elected office, which grew out of a passion to solve problems at a local level that were impacting their children. They noted the importance of women getting involved in policy and speaking up about the issues that matter most to them.
The day also included remarks from Connecticut’s Healthcare Advocate, Vicki Veltri, regarding the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) and its impact on women’s health. The ACA, parts of which have already been implemented in CT, goes into effect on January 1, 2014. One major change to health policy included in the ACA is the prohibition of gender rating, which currently allows insurers to charge women a higher premium simply for being female. Click HERE to read Ms. Veltri’s presentation.
Women’s Policy Day also included a panel of female legislators including State Senators Terry Gerratana and Toni Boucher, as well as State Representatives Penny Bacchiochi, Kim Fawcett and Linda Gentile. The panel was moderated by CTNewsJunkie's Melissa Ozols and provided participants with a chance to hear about the challenges facing women elected to office and the pressing policy issues they believe have support on both sides of the aisle. Panelists discussed ways in which attendees can become more involved in the process and encouraged them to make their voices heard before the General Assembly.
Included in the day’s activities were a “legislative basics” training and a mock public hearing. Participants heard from veteran advocates Natasha Pierre, who serves as the Policy & Legislative Director for the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, and Kim Harrison, who owns a government relations firm and lobbies on several social justice issues including domestic violence. The training provided an overview of how the CT General Assembly works and provided tips for testifying and reaching out to legislators. Both activities left the audience strategically positioned to be effective change leaders on the issues that matter most to them.
The event was co-sponsored by CCADV, CT Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, CT Sexual Assault Crisis Services, General Federation of Women's Clubs of CT, Junior League of Hartford and CT Women's Education and Legal Fund.
This is event was co-sponsored by the following statewide leaders on policy measures aimed at supporting and empowering women:
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