The Speaker's Task Force on
Children in the Recession
On June 16, 2009 House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan announced the formation of a legislative task force to find ways of meeting the needs of Connecticut's youngest and most vulnerable citizens in this economic crisis. In May 2009, Connecticut lawmakers overwhelmingly approved the chief product of the task force: House Bill 5360, An Act Concerning Children in the Recession. You'll find more on the bill and the task force below.
When there's news, we're blogging about it
We're on the lookout for news articles on the recession's impact on children—particularly Connecticut children. Go to the blog
'Losing Three Decades of Progress: Federal Budget Cuts and Children'
Bruce Lesley of Washington, D.C.-based First Focus discussed the possible impact of the recently negotiated federal budget cuts at the September 15 meeting of House Speaker Christopher Donovan's Task Force on Children in the Recession. Watch video, download documents, and more
May 2, 2011
Speaker's Task Force on Children in the Recession hears about '99ers'
Last year, the work of the task force led to legislation for protecting Connecticut's most vulnerable families. On May 2, the panel reconvened to get status reports on the legislation and to gather information on the latest crisis for families devastated by the recession: the looming expiration of their unemployment benefits. Video, documents, and more
July 14, 2010
Gov. Rell signs An Act Concerning Children in the Recession
With members of the Speaker's Task Force on Children in the Recession looking on, Governor M. Jodi Rell today signed the bill
containing the task force's recommendations,
An Act Concerning Children in the Recession. A brief
video of the signing ceremony, held in the governor's
office, is below.
May 5, 2010
Lawmakers overwhelmingly approve House Bill 5360, An Act Concerning Children in the Recession
The legislation, based on the findings of the
Speaker's Task Force, cleared the House of
Representatives 137-7 on April 27 and unanimously in the
Senate on May 5. If Governor M. Jodi Rell signs it,
Connecticut will become the first state in the nation to
take a comprehensive approach to addressing the needs of
children harmed by the recession.
Text of the bill and its legislative history |
Summary of the bill
April 30, 2010
Marian Wright Edelman,
founder of the Children's Defense Fund, comes to
Hartford to celebrate the work of the Task Force
Ms. Edelman, whose work as a
child advocate and civil-rights leader has won her the
Presidential Medal of Freedom and many other honors,
came to the state Capitol to speak on "Children in the
Economic Downturn" and to praise the nation-leading work
of the Task Force.
News release and Wright biography (PDF)
April 9, 2010
Task Force holds public hearing in Ledyard, seventh in four months
The hearing, held at the offices of the
United Way of Southeastern Connecticut, follows hearings
in Torrington, Bridgeport, Hamden, Killingly, Enfield,
and Hartford. At each hearing, the Task Force heard from
parents and young people whose lives have been turned
upside down, from the Waterbury mother working three
jobs because of her husband's job loss to the
Glastonbury teen-ager who tearfully told of having to
put her college dreams on hold because both parents had
been laid off. Video,
documents, and news coverage of the hearings
January 21, 2010
Task Force submits
interim findings and recommendations
The Task Force unanimously approved an
interim report for House Speaker Christopher Donovan
that includes findings and recommendations in the
following areas: hunger and nutrition, housing and
homelessness, employment, early care and education,
higher education, family health care, family and
community violence, teens and after-school programs, and
coordination and system. Read
the report (13 pages, PDF) |
CT-N video of the Jan. 21 Task Force meeting
December 5, 2009
Task Force holds its
first public hearing; more to come across the state
Employment, higher
education, youth programs, and other topics discussed at
Task Force meeting
At its third meeting, the Speaker's Task
Force on Children in the Recession took testimony from
state and national experts on the following topics: "The
State of Working Connecticut," "Unemployment and Welfare
in a Recession," "The American Dream and Hopes for
College," and "Youth: Gaps and Opportunities."
Video and documents from the November 19 meeting
October 28, 2009
'Narrowing the Lens
from the Nation to Connecticut'
After getting a national context at its
inaugural meeting on September 29, the Task Force
devoted its second meeting to hearing from experts on
what the recession is doing to Connecticut children.
Speakers included officials of End Hunger Connecticut!,
Foodshare, the Partnership for Strong Communities, the
Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, the state
Child Advocate's office, the Connecticut Coalition
Against Domestic Violence, and the state Department of
Public Health. Video and
documents from the October 28 meeting
October 12, 2009
Jarmoc writes on children and the recession in HBJ
The Hartford Business Journal has published an op-ed article by Representative Karen Jarmoc of Enfield on the recession's effects on Connecticut children and on the Children in the Recession Task Force, which she co-chairs. "We cannot turn back the realities thrust upon so many Connecticut families by the collapse of our economy," she writes. "What we can do is take action and work to turn the tide to decrease the number of children and families who fall into a lifetime of poverty." Read the article on the HBJ website or download a PDF copy
September 29, 2009
Task Force gets under way
At its first meeting, held at the Legislative Office Building
in Hartford, the Task Force heard some startling data
from two national experts: Ralph Forsht, senior vice-president
of First Focus in Washington, D.C., and Fasaha Traylor, senior
program officer for the Foundation for Child Development in New
York. Meeting
video and documents
Members named to the Children in the Recession Task Force
The panel is co-chaired by state Representatives Karen Jarmoc of Enfield and Diana S. Urban of North Stonington. In addition to lawmakers of both parties, the membership includes representatives from business, philanthropy, the various nonprofit agencies that assist children and families, researchers, and parent advocates along with the staffs of Connecticut's congressional delegation. View the roster
July 9, 2009
Keep up on the latest news
concerning children in the recession
New York Times columnist Bob Herbert put it best:
"With so much attention focused on the banking system
and arguments over bailouts, the plight of America's
children in this severe economic downturn is getting
short shrift." That's why the Commission on Children,
acting in conjunction with the task force, started a
blog called Connecticut Children in the Recession, at
childrenintherecession.blogspot.com. There, you'll
find links to news articles and other information on how
children are faring in this crisis.
June 16, 2009
Children in the Recession Task Force launched
Connecticut Speaker of the House of Representatives Chris Donovan announced the formation of a legislative task force that will help plan Connecticut's response to the economic crisis for its youngest citizens. "There is no greater risk to Connecticut's future than the adverse effects of this recession on our children," Donovan said. Read more here
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