S.B. NO. 207 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING FUNDING FOR A LYME DISEASE PREVENTION AND EDUCATION PROGRAM.

Tips on Testifying

Sign Up: Anyone wishing to testify must sign up the morning of the hearing. Sign up begins at 10:30 a.m. (The line begins forming early in the morning. The building is open 24 hours a day.) Speakers generally follow the order you sign in. Multiple bills are raised each day. The first hour is reserved for legislators and agency heads or invited guests. Session Begins: 11:30 a.m.

Bring 30 copies of your testimony for the committee staff. They would appreciate also receiving testimony by email in advance. Email written testimony in Word or PDF format to KIDtestimony@cga.ct.gov and indicate whether or not you will be attending.

Testimony should clearly state testifier name and bill. Speakers will be limited to three minutes. The Committee encourages witnesses to submit a written statement and to condense oral testimony to a summary of that statement. All testimony is public information.
When you are called, sit at the speaker's desk. You may begin with "Madam Chair, Mr. Chairman" (as appropriate) "and members of the committee." Introduce yourself very distinctly so the transcriber can understand, and mention your town and the number and title of the bill you'll be speaking on. In addition, most hearings and meetings are covered by Connecticut Network (CT-N) for broadcast over local cable access stations.

Indicate right away whether you support the bill, oppose it, or are offering suggestions to improve it. Then explain your reasoning. Keep your remarks short; 3-5 minutes is usually enough, but be sure not to exceed any announced time limits. If other speakers have already made your point, you can say that you agree with, or want to associate yourself with the remarks of previous speakers. Your views and your name will then be clearly on record.

If you can't attend, email written testimony prior to the hearing in Word or PDF format to KIDtestimony@cga.ct.gov. and specify that you will not be attending.

SAMPLE LETTER (Personalize as appropriate. Please include name and town.)

To: Chairs and Members of the Committee on Children

I am writing in support of Raised Bill No. 207, AN ACT CONCERNING FUNDING FOR A LYME DISEASE PREVENTION AND EDUCATION PROGRAM. I believe the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH) should be awarded $450,000 to implement and sustain a statewide Lyme disease prevention effort combining mass media marketing and community-based education based on the BLAST Lyme prevention model.

Selecting an existing evidence-based program is both efficient and cost effective. The BLAST Program has built name recognition as well as valuable private, corporate and public health partnerships over the past six years. Its recommendations are ones all Connecticut citizens will benefit from. Supporting regional BLAST educators with advertising, public relations and social media marketing is an excellent strategy to reinforce the key prevention points especially during peak infection months.

BLAST stands for the five most important measures that people can take to prevent tick-borne diseases by reducing tick bites.
• B stands for bathing soon after spending time outdoors,
• L reminds people to look their bodies over for ticks and to remove them properly,
• A encourages people to apply repellents appropriately when outdoors,
• S stands for spraying the perimeter of yards at the most effective time of the year,
• T reminds people to treat pets.

This request for funding comes at a time when citizens are increasingly concerned that forty years after the illness was discovered in our state, Connecticut continues to have one of the highest rates of Lyme disease in the country. The problem is even more serious now that we know the same tick species that transmits the agent that causes Lyme also transmits anaplasmosis, ehrlichiosis and babesiosis to people. Research has shown, if employed sufficiently, personal protection measures, and environmental tick-control measures around the home can reduce the number of cases.

While Lyme disease is generally a mild illness when diagnosed and treated quickly, the disease may cause serious or chronic illness involving multiple body systems, and this underscores the importance of using prevention measures. People at the highest risk for tick-transmitted diseases, including Lyme disease, are children under 10 and adults over 55 years of age.

A commitment of state funds is needed to implement and sustain a statewide prevention program focused on raising awareness of tick-borne disease prevention in 2015.

Sincerely,

Name
Town and state
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Questions about the hearing contact: Committee on Children Clerk, Alessandra Burgett 860-240-8396.