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01/11/2016 11:30 AMJan. 11, 2016: This morning, State Representative Sean Scanlon (D-District 98; Guilford and Branford) filed the necessary paperwork to seek a second term in the Connecticut General Assembly.
"It has been the honor of my life to serve the people of Guilford and Branford in Hartford for the last twelve months. Whether it's been leading the effort to fight against our prescription drug abuse epidemic or working across party lines on legislation important to this district, I'm proud of the work I've been able to do for our community in my first year in office and I look forward to working hard between now and November to earn the chance to serve the citizens of the 98th District for another term," said Scanlon.
-- Making Fighting Prescription Drug Abuse A Priority:
Scanlon, a member of the Public Health, Environment, and Transportation committees, has made prescription drug abuse a central focus of his first term. He co-sponsored and led the effort to pass Public Act 15-198, a landmark law that requires prescription drug abuse education for doctors and other prescribers, cracks down on "doctor shopping" for prescription drugs, and allows pharmacists to provide life-saving anti-overdose drugs like Narcan over the counter. Scanlon also worked with Guilford DAY and the Guilford Police Department last fall to organize a "Drug Take Back Day" that collected over 60 pounds of unused and expired drugs.
"People sometimes ask me why I spend so much time on addiction and the answer is that even if they don't think it's a major issue to suburban communities, it absolutely is," said Scanlon. "Because we stigmatize mental health and addiction, people are afraid to speak publicly about their struggles or struggles within their family. I'm determined to use whatever platform I have as an elected official to try and break down that stigma and get people the help they deserve."
-- Doing What's Right For This District Regardless of Party:
Throughout his first year in office, Scanlon hasn't been afraid to do what he thinks is right for his district. "Whether it was on the state budget or the recent proposal to scrap our state's clean election law, I haven't been afraid to cast my vote or speak up against proposals I think are wrong for this district and state no matter who puts them forward," Scanlon said.
-- Listening To You: Then, Now, Always:
After knocking on just over 5,000 doors in his 2014 campaign, Scanlon has continued to make listening and accessibility a priority by holding 10 different "Coffee and Conversation" office hours in Guilford and Branford during his first 12 months in office so people can have a cup of coffee with him and share what's on their mind. "I love the 'Coffee and Conversation' sessions because it's casual and really a great chance for me to catch up with folks, get a sense of how they feel about an issue, or help them with a problem they're dealing with" said Scanlon.
-- Working Across The Aisle To Get Things Done:
"When I ran for office, I told people I wanted to go to Hartford to work with Republicans, not just fight them all the time and I'm proud to say I've done that," said Scanlon. In his first term, 12 of the 15 (80%) bills Scanlon either sponsored or co-sponsored had at least one Republican co-sponsor. He was also elected co-chair of the bipartisan Young Legislators Caucus, a group of 25 members of the General Assembly who are under the age of 40.
-- Delivering For Our Towns:
In addition to working on legislation, Scanlon had made fighting to get Guilford and Branford the funding it needs for important projects and working with local government leaders and civic organizations from both towns a priority:
Last summer, working with [Guilford] First Selectman Joe Mazza and local business owners, Scanlon secured $446,000.00 in state funding to upgrade the municipal parking lot behind the shops along the Guilford Green. The project - which will start this spring - will ensure residents and visitors have a safe, well-lit, and pothole-free place to park when visiting our great shops and restaurants.
Last fall, Scanlon worked with Senator Ted Kennedy, Jr. to secure $85,000.00 in funding for the Guilford Land Conservation Trust to preserve 17 acres of open space in the treasured Westwoods.
Shortly after taking office, Scanlon helped the Guilford Senior Center secure a handicapped parking pass for their senior van so that seniors being driven to appointments wouldn't have to be inconvenienced by far walks.
He is currently working with First Selectman Mazza and the rest of the state delegation to secure state funding to address the invasive weed issue plaguing Lake Quonnipaug in North Guilford and will work with [Branford] First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove and other Branford leaders to secure funding for an improved Walsh Intermediate School once they settle on a final plan.
-- Ensuring Guilford and Branford Families Get The Help They Deserve:
Throughout the year, Scanlon has helped dozens of constituents from Guilford and Branford with issues ranging from problems with health insurance, disputes with cable and electric companies, and state agencies like the Department of Motor Vehicles or tax department. "By far the best part of this job is helping constituents with problems or issues they are facing and I've been honored to help many people and families throughout my first term," said Scanlon.
-- Supporting Legislation That Matters For Our Community:
Some of the bills that Scanlon co-sponsored or supported in his first term include:
A first-in-the-nation Student Loan Bill of Rights to help young people and their families impacted by astronomical student loan debt
A Long Island Sound "Blue Plan" that will inventory all resources in the Sound and develop a plan to protect this great resource in the future
A law called the CARE Act which requires hospitals to give a patient recently discharged from the hospital the ability to designate a caregiver who must be trained by hospital staff in the proper way to care for their loved one so they don't end up back in the hospital
A law to prohibit people from using E-cigarettes in public places like restaurants and movie theaters where smoking is currently banned
A law that banned tiny plastic microbeads found in personal care products that cause severe damage to our environment when washed down the drain
A law that created common sense regulations for popular ride-share companies like Uber to ensure passenger safety
A landmark law known as SB 811 that seeks to regulate large health care systems like Yale New Haven to give patients access to procedure costs upfront, increase transparency, and cap "facility fees" that are sprung on patients without notice
An abolishment of the propane generator tax that was unfairly taxing shoreline residents who use propane to power their generators.
Reporter's Note: Sean Scanlon serves the town of Guilford and a portion of Branford (Pine Orchard and Stony Creek) as State Representative for District 98.