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The Governor has until Wednesday to sign, veto or let the SustiNet bill pass into law without her action. Organizers have been holding a vigil outside her office every day at 3pm. On Tuesday, a large rally/vigil will be held from 3 to 5pm on the north steps of the Capitol – rain or shine.…

The pictures on the walls of the underground walkway between the Capitol and the Legislative Office Building in Hartford are stunning. The pictures of various scenes in Taiwan stopped traffic in the hall this morning. Definitely worth checking out. The Capitol is closed tomorrow and Monday, reopening Tuesday.Ellen Andrews

I may have spoken too soon earlier today when I said the Governor’s July allotments reflect a maintenance budget. Further drilling down into the allotment amounts announced by the Governor to bridge essential services until there is a budget agreement finds that some large line items are funded significantly below what was spent last July.…

As the Governor and General Assembly have not agreed on a budget, the Governor has released July allotments for state expenditures. It is important to note that while some line items, including important health care services, have been zeroed out, that does not mean they will be cut in the new fiscal year budget. Our…

Patient-centered medical homes have been featured in health care reform proposals at both the federal and state levels. Medical homes have enormous potential to both improve the quality of health care and reduce costs. Join us for a briefing today on what the concept is and what it could mean for Connecticut. Hear from medical…

The CT Health Foundation is offering a paid internship for a graduate or professional student. The job includes research, policy tracking and attending hearings/ press conferences. For more information and to apply go to http://cthealth.org/matriarch/MultiPiecePage.asp_Q_PageID_E_359_A_PageName_E_healthpolicyintern. The deadline is August 14th.

Monday there will be a special briefing for legislators, open to the public, on Health Care in 2009: Challenge and Opportunity. Speakers include Sen. Chris Dodd, Congressman Chris Murphy, Enrique Martinez-Vidal of Academy Health’s State Coverage Initiative, and Joy Johnson Wilson from the National Council of State Legislatures. The briefing will be in Room 2C…

Jill Bolte Taylor, a Harvard-trained brain scientist, wrote a book describing her experience of surviving a stroke. For a very entertaining video of the author relating the morning she woke up to find that a blood vessel had burst in her brain click here and scroll down. She describes, with great humor, how she processed…

This legislative session I have been to several Public Health Committee hearings and the Appropriations Committee hearing at which I testified. I noticed many interest groups and most of them are asking for money. They either want an increase in funding or they don’t want their funding to be cut. The issues being brought to…

CT’s League of Women Voters’ 2009-2010 elected officials guide is on-line. It includes how to find your legislators – state and federal – and executive branch elected officials. It includes contact information and guidance to address letters, including titles. (I always have to look that up). Other useful information includes dates of the sessions, legislative…