Rep. Hughes on Zoom at Noon, a Recap
State Representative Anne Hughes joined us for a live Q&A Zoom at Noon on Sunday, January 10.
Questions from the community and answers from Rep. Hughes covered a wide range of topics.
The video recording runs 50 minutes. If you would like to see specific topics, scrub through the video to time locations summarized below. The times are in minutes and seconds. Or refer to subtitles at the top of the screen that appear as we change topics.
Times and topics
1:30 — Rep. Hughes discusses the events on Wednesday in the nation’s Capitol. On the same day, Ms. Hughes took the oath of office in Hartford, accompanied by hate speech from protestors.
7:19 — Rep. Hughes discusses topics she believes will be addressed by the legislature this term and her own priorities. She says Connecticut can be “a lab for the country” in addressing the multiple crises of climate, Covid, the economy, and democracy.
12:14 — Connecticut’s potential role in changes to the electoral college and the prospect of adopting rank-choice voting.
15:08 — Whether no-excuse absentee voting can be renewed for municipal elections in 2021.
17:12 — Phase 1B distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine.
22:40 — The prospects for a healthcare public option, now called the Connecticut Campaign for Affordable Healthcare. “The lack of affordable healthcare is a crisis,” says Ms. Hughes.
28:55 — Rep. Hughes urges Governor Ned Lamont to dip into the rainy day fund to provide relief for businesses and seek reimbursement later from the federal government when (if) the Congress acts.
30:24 — Returning to the topic of the public option, Ms. Hughes says the legislature needs to be pushed and urges her colleagues to “raise the level of expectations of the public,” which should “hold us accountable.”
31:49 — Rep. Hughes says there is considerable interest in the legislature about affordable housing but would prefer to “broaden the lens” to economic and educational opportunity. “I would love to see towns drive the urgency on that,” she says. “It’s time to face that we have, at least, economic segregation.”
37:57 — Rep. Hughes says she knows of no new proposed legislation specifically relating to guns, but notes that a bill called “Jennifer’s Law” (after Jennifer Dulos) would broaden grounds for obtaining restraining orders.
41:28 — Ms. Hughes discusses the need for community involvement so the voices of citizens are heard.
44:39 — Returning to the topic of the public option, Rep. Hughes discusses the power of insurance industry lobbyists.
45:42 — Asked about threats to reproductive choice, Rep. Hughes says Connecticut law would compensate for a reversal of Roe v. Wade but says action is needed to protect privacy.
48:22 — Rep. Hughes encourages you to sign up for her daily email updates, which you can do here.