As part of HB 6762, Connecticut schools are required to provide quality interpretation services to English learners and detailed information on a variety of educational topics and bilingual education to parents and ELL students.
Connecticut, USA – Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont and community organizations Make the Road Connecticut (MRCT), the Center for Children’s Advocacy (CCA), CONCan and United Parents and Students announced the signing of the Connecticut Parents Bill of Rights (HB 6762) . ), unprecedented legislation that empowers parents, including those of English language learners. The Husky Coalition and the governor also attended. Lamont highlights Husky’s work to expand it to undocumented children in Connecticut.
Leaders and members of the Husky Coalition expressed their commitment to keep fighting until everyone has access to health care, regardless of immigration status or age.
The ELL Student and Parent Success Coalition (SPSC) and the Husky Coalition have been fighting for the rights of ELL students and parents since 2017.
The coalition includes members of affected communities, advocates and immigrant parents and has been instrumental in advocating for this important legislation.
“Parent General Assemblies rarely have an explanation for families, resulting in parents not attending these essential meetings. With this Bill of Rights, parents will get an interpretation of the law and feel an active role in their children’s education.” said Yorelis Cardenas, a Native attorney for Make the Road Connecticut.
Rossana Ferraro, CT Universal Health Care Foundation, program leader for health justice policy advocacy, said: “We applaud the Governor’s support for undocumented individuals today and hope he will join us in supporting coverage for all who are income-eligible, regardless of immigration status, while we Proud of the victories of the past three legislative sessions, no other states have expanded health care access to their Medicaid and CHIP programs in this incremental way. The original bill from this past session (HB 6616) would have increased eligibility to 26 Extending it to age 26 would cost only 1% of the Medicaid budget and would cover the nearly 5,000 youth currently living without health insurance. It’s not a controversial issue: A survey showed that Connecticut’s 57% of voters support expanding Husky to all undocumented immigrants, including 84% of Democrats, 83% of black voters, and 76% of Latino voters. We have the ability to take care of health for all. Next The expansion is overdue and we look forward to working with Governor Lamont to achieve better access to health and health equality for all, regardless of immigration status.
Make the Road Connecticut helps immigrants become active in their communities and lift themselves out of poverty through community organizing, legal and survivorship services, civic engagement, transformational leadership and political innovation.
