Under the budget passed last week by the General Assembly, six state legislative commissions will consolidate under two umbrellas.
The Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, Children’s Commission, and Aging Commission will be part of one commission.
The second will include the African-American Affairs Commission, Latino and Puerto Rican Affairs Commission, and the Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission.
Mui Mui Hin-McCormick, Executive Director of the state’s Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission, told WNPR’s Where We Live that the move is "disheartening."
"This is very unfortunate," she said. "Connecticut has really been seen as one of the leading states to be able to welcome and accept and provide those resources. Now I think this really puts us backwards."
She said the consolidation will affect projects underway in the state.
"From [our] problem gambling initiative -- where we're partnering with DMHAS -- problem gambling services, and the Connecticut Council on Problem Gambling," she said. "We've had the ISD cards, which raise awareness about language rights. There's business initiatives that we've started and continued; mental health needs; medical needs."
Connecticut’s Asian population has grown 65 percent since 2010.
Nationally, the White House expects Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to account for nearly ten percent of all U.S. residents by the year 2050.
