Senator Fazio Thanks Governor Lamont for Recognizing his Policy Proposals as Priorities for the 2024 Legislative Session | PHOTO

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February 7, 2024

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Senator Fazio Thanks Governor Lamont for Recognizing his Policy Proposals as Priorities for the 2024 Legislative Session

HARTFORD, CT – Senator Ryan Fazio (R- Greenwich) extends his appreciation to Governor Ned Lamont for prioritizing the policy proposals he authored during the previous legislative session in his “State of the State” address. These proposals – aimed at stimulating economic growth, promoting active learning in classrooms and student mental health, and protecting state government data – have been recognized as key priorities for the administration in the 2024 session.

One of the proposals by Senator Fazio is the reduction of worker licensing fees by hundreds of dollars per year for some workers, which will facilitate the retention and recruitment of teachers, healthcare workers, and other vital workers across the state. Last year, Senator Fazio’s Senate Bill 135 passed through two committees unanimously. This year, he aims to pass it fully into law.

Senator Fazio said, “By cutting licensing fees and red tape unfairly imposed on qualified workers, we can create opportunity for residents and reduce the cost of living for the entire middle class.”
Governor Lamont has also recognized the importance of another proposal championed by Senator Fazio in prior sessions, which is the directive to prohibit cell phones in middle schools. In his first term, Senator Fazio passed a law to create pilot interventions regarding smartphones in schools, including removing smartphones from classrooms during the school day and creating educational programming on the risks for students.

“Our primary focus should be providing our students with the best possible education. By limiting the distractions caused by cell phones, we can ensure that our classrooms are dedicated spaces for learning and personal growth,” Senator Fazio continued. “As importantly, by reducing the toxic influence of social media on mental health, we can ease the rise of depression and anxiety among our nation’s adolescents. We cannot tolerate a lost generation, and by reducing the influence of social media and smartphones, we can improve mental health and achievement for all our kids in Connecticut.”

Lastly, Senator Fazio applauds Governor Lamont for his critique of TikTok. Senator Fazio has submitted legislation to disallow TikTok on state-issued phones and devices to reduce distractions and protect the privacy of individuals’ and the state’s data.

“I’d like to thank Governor Lamont for recognizing the policies I have been working to pass the last two sessions. I look forward to working closely with him to ensure that these proposals successfully cross the finish line for the benefit of all our constituents,” Senator Fazio concluded.

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