Month: April 2026

CT Senate Democrats Condemn Trump’s Cancellation of Catholic Charities as an Attack on All Religions

Posted on by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

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Connecticut Senate Democrats Condemn Trump’s Cancellation of Catholic Charities as an Attack on All Religions

HARTFORD — Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven), Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk), and members of the Connecticut Senate Democratic Caucus today condemned the Trump administration’s decision to cancel an $11 million federal contract with Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Miami, abruptly ending more than 60 years of partnership caring for unaccompanied migrant children. The senators released the following statement:

“The Connecticut Senate Democratic Caucus is the most religiously diverse Senate majority in state history, with members spanning Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish, and Hindu traditions. Today, we speak with one voice: an attack on one religion is an attack on all religions.

“The Miami Archdiocese’s Catholic Charities program was recognized for six decades as a national model for caring for children who have no one. Faith communities across traditions have always recognized the moral imperative to care for vulnerable children. Now, Trump is using children as pawns in a personal feud with the Pope. Trump’s petulance, meanness, and willingness to punish a religious institution for its Church’s moral witness is a warning to every faith community in America. No faith institution is safe from political retaliation if its religious leadership dares to speak truth to power.

“We call on Connecticut Republicans to find the courage to condemn this act of retaliation against a faith community for no reason other than the fact that its leadership refused to stay silent.”

Senate President Martin M. Looney
Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff
Senator Saud Anwar
Senator MD Rahman
Senator Derek Slap
Senator Rick Lopes
Senator Matt Lesser
Senator Christine Cohen
Senator Jan Hochadel
Senator James Maroney
Senator Joan Hartley
Senator Jorge Cabrera
Senator Cathy Osten
Senator Martha Marx
Senator Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox
Senator Herron Keyon Gaston
Senator Julie Kushner
Senator Ceci Maher
Senator Norm Needleman

SENATOR LESSSER VOTES TO PASS BILL REINING IN ICE ABUSES IN CONNECTICUT

Posted on by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

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SENATOR LESSSER VOTES TO PASS BILL REINING IN ICE ABUSES IN CONNECTICUT

Sue ICE agents in state court, ban masks, give AG and IG broad new powers; Bill also addresses responsible use of license plate readers
 

HARTFORD – State Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown) today joined his Democratic state Senate colleagues in debating and passing Senate Bill 397, “AN ACT CONCERNING DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY,” that could help reduce in Connecticut some of the horrific human rights and Constitutional abuses already committed by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in multiple cities and towns across America.

The bill passed on a purely partisan 24-10 vote and now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.  Most all of its provisions take effect immediately.

Sen. Lesser helped write the foundational portion of the ICE bill that creates a pathway – often referred to as a ‘converse-1983 action’ – for Connecticut citizens to sue ICE agents in state court if their Constitutional rights have been violated.

“With this vote, we are closing a glaring loophole – federal agents under this administration have been allowed to violate the Constitutional rights of Americans with absolutely no repercussions in places like Minneapolis, but also right here in Connecticut. This bill allows residents to sue ICE agents and others if their U.S. Constitutional rights are violated,” Sen. Lesser said today. “For 39 years, national legal experts have called on states to pass laws like this, and many have done so. It’s high time Connecticut joins them. Many years from now – long after this current administration has passed into the dustbin of history – Connecticut residents will look back on this bill as one of the most important pieces of legislation advanced in this state in modern history. Today’s vote is one of the more consequential votes I’ve taken in my time here in the legislature, because this bill really goes beyond a few sections dealing with masks and nametags and investigatory powers. It really goes to who we are as a people, and as a democracy, and what we value and the lengths that we are willing to go through to protect what we hold dear. The issue of ICE violations of human and Constitutional rights has become a nationwide flashpoint, and today Connecticut planted its flag in the ground saying, “No more.’”

In May 2025, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ordered ICE to arrest up to 3,000 immigrants every day. Since then, rogue federal ICE agents have mounted an unprecedented national fear campaign of attacks on American citizens – including murder, kidnappings, assaults, violations of Constitutional rights, the vilification of all immigrants, and the politicized enforcement of the law.

Senate Bill 397 was first introduced in the Judiciary Committee on March 3, and had its public hearing on March 9, generating nearly 350 pieces of written testimony and 166 speakers during the 12.5-hour public hearing. The bill was widely supported, particularly by religious institutions. 

S.B. 397:

  • Creates a private right of action in state court to sue federal, state, and local government actors when a person’s Constitutional rights are violated. This so-called “Converse-1983” provision is a term coined in 1987 that will allow court actions not currently available today against federal agents.
  • Allows the state Attorney General to take swift action to seek an injunction or declaratory relief, and damages, when federal, state, or local government agents are violating a person’s constitutional right. With court approval, the state Attorney General could acquire a temporary injunction in five days or less for ongoing violations or a policy that would violate a person’s Constitutional rights.
  • Clarifies that the state Inspector General can investigate and prosecute state, local, and some federal agents for the unauthorized use of deadly force. The bill also gives the IG clear and unrestricted access to a crime scene when law enforcement uses deadly force, or when a person dies from the use of force, and allows for a temporary injunction allowing the IG access to investigate and collect evidence. 
  • Prohibits all law enforcement officers — federal, state, local — from covering their faces, albeit with some exceptions. The bill also requires them to wear a badge or name tag.
  • Prohibits law enforcement — federal, state, or local — from arresting someone for a civil offense in a protected area, unless there is a judicial warrant. This section takes effect October 1, 2026.
  • Eliminates a law enforcement officer’s immunity if they violate a person’s right to record law enforcement while committing assault, battery, false imprisonment, false arrest, abuse of process, or malicious prosecution. 
  • Prevents law enforcement officers with less than 480 hours of training from becoming police officers in Connecticut (federal ICE officers receive about 376 hours of training).

S.B. 397 also tackles the growth of government use (not just by law enforcement) of automated license plate reader systems (ALPR) to ensure that driver data is being handled in a responsible way and not abused by those with bad intent. The bill allows ALPRs to be used for license plates on a “hot list,” but data cannot be held for more than 21 days without an active criminal investigation. License plate data cannot be used to determine race/ethnicity; any activity protected under the First Amendment; suspected immigration status; reproductive health care or gender affirming care; and it protects facilities that provide the above from having a fixed ALPR near them so that patients cannot be tracked for receiving care.

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SENS. LOONEY, DUFF, CABRERA & LESSER WELCOME NEW INSURANCE REPORT ON PENALTIES FOR CT COMPANIES THAT DENY, DELAY MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR POLICYHOLDERS

Posted on by Devin James

SENS. LOONEY, DUFF, CABRERA & LESSER WELCOME NEW INSURANCE REPORT ON PENALTIES FOR CT COMPANIES THAT DENY, DELAY MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR POLICYHOLDERS

HARTFORD – Less than 10 months after Democrats passed a new law requiring state insurance companies to provide mental health parity to their policyholders or face steep fines, the first report on their compliance is out – and all five of the major Connecticut health carriers have been fined.

And the Senate Democrats who helped make this eye-opening report a reality are dismayed that their concerns and suspicions have been justified.

The Insurance Department’s new report finds that all five Connecticut insurance carriers – Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Connecticare and UnitedHealthcare – failed to adequately connect policyholders with mental health treatment in the same way they do for medical and surgical treatment.

The Insurance Department also determined that:

  • Several insurance companies submitted reports that lacked details about case management, clinical auditing, and drug screening/testing;
  • There were “material operational disparities” affecting policyholder access to mental health and substance use disorder networks across all five insurance companies;
  • All five insurance companies maintained “non-comparative reimbursement rate methodologies” when compared to their medical and surgical reimbursement rates;
  • All five carriers need to strengthen their evaluation of unequal outcome data and identify corrective actions.

In 2019, the General Assembly passed a bill requiring more mental health parity from insurance companies. Last year, in 2025, Democrats passed Senate Bill 10, which requires health carriers to annually file a mental health parity compliance certification with the state Insurance Department, which then makes public a carrier’s compliance – or lack of compliance with Connecticut’s mental health parity laws. The 2025 bill also allows the Insurance Department to fine insurance companies up to a maximum of $625,000 if they fail to file these annual mental health compliance certifications.

“It has long been a fact that insurance companies are delaying and denying care for people who are paying for, and who need, mental health treatment. The problem grew so alarming that last year we passed S.B.10, a state Senate priority bill, because insurance companies had acted in bad faith since the passage of the 2019 bill,” said Senate President Martin Looney (D-New Haven). “Now we have documentation in a damning report that proves insurance companies are still not fully compliant with state law, and that they are being fined for their recalcitrance. I hope next year’s report is just as illuminating, but with a more positive outcome for those policyholders who need mental health or substance abuse treatment.”

“Mental health and substance abuse disorders should be treated no differently than a broken arm or an inflamed appendix. We worked long and hard in Connecticut to create parity between mental health and medical/surgical treatments, but insurance companies were always dragging their feet on implementing these very necessary changes,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk). “Thanks to the hard work of Senator Cabrera, Senator Lesser, and others, we’ve finally turned the corner and are shining a light on insurance company failures and holding them accountable financially and to the policyholders they serve. This is a long-overdue wake-up call for the industry.”

“In 2019 we had a good start. Senate Bill 10, passed last year, added monetary fines and ensured that we named names,” said state Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden), who as Senate Chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee oversaw passage of S.B. 10. “It was the right thing to do and, quite frankly, insurance companies should be ashamed of themselves for their actions. People are hurting. They need mental health care, and insurance companies are delaying and denying. Now we know who they are, and they are paying the price for their indifference.”

Mental health and substance abuse coverage is serious business. In 2019, I co-wrote Connecticut’s Mental Health Parity Law,” said state Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown). “Outrageously, insurance companies failed to follow the law. We amended the law last year to add fines and name names, and I am glad that Connecticut’s Insurance Department is enforcing the law. Connecticut residents and businesses pay a fortune for health insurance; insurance companies need to follow that law and provide the coverage that people are paying for.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kevin Coughlin | kevin.coughlin@cga.ct.gov | 203-710-0193

SENS. LOONEY, DUFF, CABRERA & LESSER WELCOME NEW INSURANCE REPORT ON PENALTIES FOR CT COMPANIES THAT DENY, DELAY MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR POLICYHOLDERS

Posted on by Devin James

SENS. LOONEY, DUFF, CABRERA & LESSER WELCOME NEW INSURANCE REPORT ON PENALTIES FOR CT COMPANIES THAT DENY, DELAY MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR POLICYHOLDERS

HARTFORD – Less than 10 months after Democrats passed a new law requiring state insurance companies to provide mental health parity to their policyholders or face steep fines, the first report on their compliance is out – and all five of the major Connecticut health carriers have been fined.

And the Senate Democrats who helped make this eye-opening report a reality are dismayed that their concerns and suspicions have been justified.

The Insurance Department’s new report finds that all five Connecticut insurance carriers – Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Connecticare and UnitedHealthcare – failed to adequately connect policyholders with mental health treatment in the same way they do for medical and surgical treatment.

The Insurance Department also determined that:

  • Several insurance companies submitted reports that lacked details about case management, clinical auditing, and drug screening/testing;
  • There were “material operational disparities” affecting policyholder access to mental health and substance use disorder networks across all five insurance companies;
  • All five insurance companies maintained “non-comparative reimbursement rate methodologies” when compared to their medical and surgical reimbursement rates;
  • All five carriers need to strengthen their evaluation of unequal outcome data and identify corrective actions.

In 2019, the General Assembly passed a bill requiring more mental health parity from insurance companies. Last year, in 2025, Democrats passed Senate Bill 10, which requires health carriers to annually file a mental health parity compliance certification with the state Insurance Department, which then makes public a carrier’s compliance – or lack of compliance with Connecticut’s mental health parity laws. The 2025 bill also allows the Insurance Department to fine insurance companies up to a maximum of $625,000 if they fail to file these annual mental health compliance certifications.

“It has long been a fact that insurance companies are delaying and denying care for people who are paying for, and who need, mental health treatment. The problem grew so alarming that last year we passed S.B.10, a state Senate priority bill, because insurance companies had acted in bad faith since the passage of the 2019 bill,” said Senate President Martin Looney (D-New Haven). “Now we have documentation in a damning report that proves insurance companies are still not fully compliant with state law, and that they are being fined for their recalcitrance. I hope next year’s report is just as illuminating, but with a more positive outcome for those policyholders who need mental health or substance abuse treatment.”

“Mental health and substance abuse disorders should be treated no differently than a broken arm or an inflamed appendix. We worked long and hard in Connecticut to create parity between mental health and medical/surgical treatments, but insurance companies were always dragging their feet on implementing these very necessary changes,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk). “Thanks to the hard work of Senator Cabrera, Senator Lesser, and others, we’ve finally turned the corner and are shining a light on insurance company failures and holding them accountable financially and to the policyholders they serve. This is a long-overdue wake-up call for the industry.”

“In 2019 we had a good start. Senate Bill 10, passed last year, added monetary fines and ensured that we named names,” said state Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden), who as Senate Chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee oversaw passage of S.B. 10. “It was the right thing to do and, quite frankly, insurance companies should be ashamed of themselves for their actions. People are hurting. They need mental health care, and insurance companies are delaying and denying. Now we know who they are, and they are paying the price for their indifference.”

Mental health and substance abuse coverage is serious business. In 2019, I co-wrote Connecticut’s Mental Health Parity Law,” said state Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown). “Outrageously, insurance companies failed to follow the law. We amended the law last year to add fines and name names, and I am glad that Connecticut’s Insurance Department is enforcing the law. Connecticut residents and businesses pay a fortune for health insurance; insurance companies need to follow that law and provide the coverage that people are paying for.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kevin Coughlin | kevin.coughlin@cga.ct.gov | 203-710-0193

Looney, Duff Commend Judicial Branch for Protecting Court Access from Trump’s ICE Forces

Posted on by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

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Looney, Duff Commend Judicial Branch for Protecting Court Access from Trump’s ICE Forces

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hugh McQuaid | hugh.mcquaid@cga.ct.gov

HARTFORD — Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) today praised the Connecticut Judicial Branch for launching a new Remote Events page at jud.ct.gov/join, giving residents a way to participate in court hearings virtually, including those looking to minimize their risk of exposure to ICE raids at courthouses.

The Judicial Branch developed the page following conversations with the senators earlier this session about concrete steps the courts could take to protect Connecticut residents. The page will be available in multiple languages, and the Judicial Branch is actively working to make that a reality.

“Government gets criticized for bureaucratic delay, but in this case, the Connecticut Judicial Branch listened to our concerns about people missing court appearances because they are terrified of ICE and they didn’t wait for the General Assembly to pass a law to make its proceedings more accessible for all Connecticut residents, including those living in fear of the Trump regime’s lawless immigration forces,” Senators Looney and Duff said. “We think we should be proud of the Judicial Branch’s responsiveness and applaud our Judiciary’s use of technology to solve problems as they arise.”

The new resource offers guidance for each court discipline and will soon be accessible via a dedicated button on the Judicial Branch’s most-visited webpages. By expanding remote access to court proceedings, the Judicial Branch is removing a significant barrier for immigrants and mixed-status families who might otherwise avoid courthouse appearances out of fear of ICE.

Looney, Duff Commend Judicial Branch for Protecting Court Access from Trump’s ICE Forces

Posted on by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

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Looney, Duff Commend Judicial Branch for Protecting Court Access from Trump’s ICE Forces

HARTFORD — Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) today praised the Connecticut Judicial Branch for launching a new Remote Events page at jud.ct.gov/join, giving residents a way to participate in court hearings virtually, including those looking to minimize their risk of exposure to ICE raids at courthouses.

The Judicial Branch developed the page following conversations with the senators earlier this session about concrete steps the courts could take to protect Connecticut residents. The page will be available in multiple languages, and the Judicial Branch is actively working to make that a reality.

“Government gets criticized for bureaucratic delay, but in this case, the Connecticut Judicial Branch listened to our concerns about people missing court appearances because they are terrified of ICE and they didn’t wait for the General Assembly to pass a law to make its proceedings more accessible for all Connecticut residents, including those living in fear of the Trump regime’s lawless immigration forces,” Senators Looney and Duff said. “We think we should be proud of the Judicial Branch’s responsiveness and applaud our Judiciary’s use of technology to solve problems as they arise.”

The new resource offers guidance for each court discipline and will soon be accessible via a dedicated button on the Judicial Branch’s most-visited webpages. By expanding remote access to court proceedings, the Judicial Branch is removing a significant barrier for immigrants and mixed-status families who might otherwise avoid courthouse appearances out of fear of ICE.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hugh McQuaid | hugh.mcquaid@cga.ct.gov

Senator Gadkar-Wilcox Votes to Crack Down on Contractor Theft in Connecticut

Posted on by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

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Senator Gadkar-Wilcox Votes to Crack Down on Contractor Theft in Connecticut

HARTFORD – This week Senator Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox joined several of her Senate colleagues in passing a bill that allows the state to withhold payments to contractors and subcontractors who won’t pay their employees working on state projects.

Senate Bill 268, “An Act Authorizing the Comptroller to Withhold Payment for Violations of the Prevailing Wage Statutes,” passed the state Senate on a bipartisan 31-5 vote and now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.

“When contractors break the law and cheat workers out of their wages, they’re not just hurting the men and women of the building trades, they’re undermining every responsible employer who follows the law,” said Senator Gadkar-Wilcox. This bill gives the state a real enforcement tool to back up our prevailing wage laws, and sends a clear message that Connecticut will not cut checks to contractors who steal from their workers. Our building trades workers deserve to be paid what they’ve earned.”

Joseph P. Toner, Executive Director of the Connecticut State Building Trades Council, testified in support of the bill at its public hearing in February.

“Prevailing wage laws are not abstract policy. They directly impact whether working people are paid what they are legally owed for their labor. Senate Bill 268 addresses those difficult cases by providing an additional, targeted compliance mechanism,” Toner testified. “Senate Bill 268 also reinforces fair competition in the construction industry. Law-abiding contractors who pay proper wages and follow the rules should not be placed at a disadvantage by competitors who gain an edge through illegal practices. Ensuring that state payments are tied to compliance helps protect the integrity of the public contracting process and the responsible employers who operate within it.”

S.B. 268 sets a process for the state comptroller to withhold payment to a contractor or subcontractor who has violated the state’s prevailing wage law. More specifically, it allows the labor commissioner to notify the comptroller when she issues a stop-work order against a contractor or subcontractor for knowingly or willfully failing to pay an employee the prevailing wage required on a public works project.

The bill requires the comptroller, within 10 business days after getting the notice, to notify the contractor or subcontractor that he received the notice and that the contractor or subcontractor must comply with the prevailing wage requirement within 10 business days.

If the contractor or subcontractor remains noncompliant after this 10-day period, the bill allows the comptroller to withhold payment to the contractor or subcontractor until the labor commissioner releases the stop work order, the contractor or subcontractor pays any penalties imposed under the prevailing wage law, or parties finalize a settlement agreement.

Connecticut’s prevailing wage law generally requires contractors and subcontractors on certain public works projects to pay their construction workers wages and benefits equal to those that are customary or prevailing for the same work, in the same occupation, in the same town. The requirement applies to new construction projects costing at least $1 million and renovation projects costing at least $100,000.

SENS. LOONEY, DUFF, CABRERA & LESSER WELCOME NEW INSURANCE REPORT ON PENALTIES FOR CT COMPANIES THAT DENY, DELAY MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR POLICYHOLDERS

Posted on by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

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SENS. LOONEY, DUFF, CABRERA & LESSER WELCOME NEW INSURANCE REPORT ON PENALTIES FOR CT COMPANIES THAT DENY, DELAY MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR POLICYHOLDERS

HARTFORD – Less than 10 months after Democrats passed a new law requiring state insurance companies to provide mental health parity to their policyholders or face steep fines, the first report on their compliance is out – and all five of the major Connecticut health carriers have been fined.

And the Senate Democrats who helped make this eye-opening report a reality are dismayed that their concerns and suspicions have been justified.

The Insurance Department’s new report finds that all five Connecticut insurance carriers – Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Connecticare and UnitedHealthcare – failed to adequately connect policyholders with mental health treatment in the same way they do for medical and surgical treatment.

The Insurance Department also determined that:

  • Several insurance companies submitted reports that lacked details about case management, clinical auditing, and drug screening/testing;
  • There were “material operational disparities” affecting policyholder access to mental health and substance use disorder networks across all five insurance companies;
  • All five insurance companies maintained “non-comparative reimbursement rate methodologies” when compared to their medical and surgical reimbursement rates;
  • All five carriers need to strengthen their evaluation of unequal outcome data and identify corrective actions.

In 2019, the General Assembly passed a bill requiring more mental health parity from insurance companies. Last year, in 2025, Democrats passed Senate Bill 10, which requires health carriers to annually file a mental health parity compliance certification with the state Insurance Department, which then makes public a carrier’s compliance – or lack of compliance with Connecticut’s mental health parity laws. The 2025 bill also allows the Insurance Department to fine insurance companies up to a maximum of $625,000 if they fail to file these annual mental health compliance certifications.

“It has long been a fact that insurance companies are delaying and denying care for people who are paying for, and who need, mental health treatment. The problem grew so alarming that last year we passed S.B.10, a state Senate priority bill, because insurance companies had acted in bad faith since the passage of the 2019 bill,” said Senate President Martin Looney (D-New Haven). “Now we have documentation in a damning report that proves insurance companies are still not fully compliant with state law, and that they are being fined for their recalcitrance. I hope next year’s report is just as illuminating, but with a more positive outcome for those policyholders who need mental health or substance abuse treatment.”

“Mental health and substance abuse disorders should be treated no differently than a broken arm or an inflamed appendix. We worked long and hard in Connecticut to create parity between mental health and medical/surgical treatments, but insurance companies were always dragging their feet on implementing these very necessary changes,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk). “Thanks to the hard work of Senator Cabrera, Senator Lesser, and others, we’ve finally turned the corner and are shining a light on insurance company failures and holding them accountable financially and to the policyholders they serve. This is a long-overdue wake-up call for the industry.”

“In 2019 we had a good start. Senate Bill 10, passed last year, added monetary fines and ensured that we named names,” said state Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden), who as Senate Chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee oversaw passage of S.B. 10. “It was the right thing to do and, quite frankly, insurance companies should be ashamed of themselves for their actions. People are hurting. They need mental health care, and insurance companies are delaying and denying. Now we know who they are, and they are paying the price for their indifference.”

Mental health and substance abuse coverage is serious business. In 2019, I co-wrote Connecticut’s Mental Health Parity Law,” said state Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown). “Outrageously, insurance companies failed to follow the law. We amended the law last year to add fines and name names, and I am glad that Connecticut’s Insurance Department is enforcing the law. Connecticut residents and businesses pay a fortune for health insurance; insurance companies need to follow that law and provide the coverage that people are paying for.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kevin Coughlin | kevin.coughlin@cga.ct.gov | 203-710-0193

SENS. LOONEY, DUFF, CABRERA & LESSER WELCOME NEW INSURANCE REPORT ON PENALTIES FOR CT COMPANIES THAT DENY, DELAY MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR POLICYHOLDERS

Posted on by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

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SENS. LOONEY, DUFF, CABRERA & LESSER WELCOME NEW INSURANCE REPORT ON PENALTIES FOR CT COMPANIES THAT DENY, DELAY MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR POLICYHOLDERS

HARTFORD – Less than 10 months after Democrats passed a new law requiring state insurance companies to provide mental health parity to their policyholders or face steep fines, the first report on their compliance is out – and all five of the major Connecticut health carriers have been fined.

And the Senate Democrats who helped make this eye-opening report a reality are dismayed that their concerns and suspicions have been justified.

The Insurance Department’s new report finds that all five Connecticut insurance carriers – Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Connecticare and UnitedHealthcare – failed to adequately connect policyholders with mental health treatment in the same way they do for medical and surgical treatment.

The Insurance Department also determined that:

  • Several insurance companies submitted reports that lacked details about case management, clinical auditing, and drug screening/testing;
  • There were “material operational disparities” affecting policyholder access to mental health and substance use disorder networks across all five insurance companies;
  • All five insurance companies maintained “non-comparative reimbursement rate methodologies” when compared to their medical and surgical reimbursement rates;
  • All five carriers need to strengthen their evaluation of unequal outcome data and identify corrective actions.

In 2019, the General Assembly passed a bill requiring more mental health parity from insurance companies. Last year, in 2025, Democrats passed Senate Bill 10, which requires health carriers to annually file a mental health parity compliance certification with the state Insurance Department, which then makes public a carrier’s compliance – or lack of compliance with Connecticut’s mental health parity laws. The 2025 bill also allows the Insurance Department to fine insurance companies up to a maximum of $625,000 if they fail to file these annual mental health compliance certifications.

“It has long been a fact that insurance companies are delaying and denying care for people who are paying for, and who need, mental health treatment. The problem grew so alarming that last year we passed S.B.10, a state Senate priority bill, because insurance companies had acted in bad faith since the passage of the 2019 bill,” said Senate President Martin Looney (D-New Haven). “Now we have documentation in a damning report that proves insurance companies are still not fully compliant with state law, and that they are being fined for their recalcitrance. I hope next year’s report is just as illuminating, but with a more positive outcome for those policyholders who need mental health or substance abuse treatment.”

“Mental health and substance abuse disorders should be treated no differently than a broken arm or an inflamed appendix. We worked long and hard in Connecticut to create parity between mental health and medical/surgical treatments, but insurance companies were always dragging their feet on implementing these very necessary changes,” said Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk). “Thanks to the hard work of Senator Cabrera, Senator Lesser, and others, we’ve finally turned the corner and are shining a light on insurance company failures and holding them accountable financially and to the policyholders they serve. This is a long-overdue wake-up call for the industry.”

“In 2019 we had a good start. Senate Bill 10, passed last year, added monetary fines and ensured that we named names,” said state Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden), who as Senate Chair of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee oversaw passage of S.B. 10. “It was the right thing to do and, quite frankly, insurance companies should be ashamed of themselves for their actions. People are hurting. They need mental health care, and insurance companies are delaying and denying. Now we know who they are, and they are paying the price for their indifference.”

Mental health and substance abuse coverage is serious business. In 2019, I co-wrote Connecticut’s Mental Health Parity Law,” said state Senator Matt Lesser (D-Middletown). “Outrageously, insurance companies failed to follow the law. We amended the law last year to add fines and name names, and I am glad that Connecticut’s Insurance Department is enforcing the law. Connecticut residents and businesses pay a fortune for health insurance; insurance companies need to follow that law and provide the coverage that people are paying for.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kevin Coughlin | kevin.coughlin@cga.ct.gov | 203-710-0193

Looney, Duff Welcome Commission on Education Funding, Commit to Near-Term Investment in Every Student

Posted on by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

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Looney, Duff Welcome Commission on Education Funding, Commit to Near-Term Investment in Every Student

HARTFORD — Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) today welcomed Governor Lamont’s establishment of the Blue-Ribbon Commission on K-12 Education Funding and Accountability. The Senate leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to delivering meaningful short-term relief through Senate Bill 7, the chamber’s priority legislation to strengthen education funding this legislative session. Senators Looney and Duff issued the following statement:

“We commend Governor Lamont for taking on the much-needed work of modernizing how Connecticut funds its public schools. Nearly a decade ago, we helped lead important changes to the state’s formula for local education funding, but it is time to get under the hood to ensure we are meeting the needs of today’s students. Connecticut’s students deserve a funding structure that is fair, current, and built around their needs. At the same time, school districts cannot wait for relief, which is why the Senate is committed to acting this session on our priority legislation to raise the ECS foundation grant and increase base funding for every student in Connecticut. Long-term reform and short-term investment are both essential, and the Senate looks forward to working with Governor Lamont and the House to deliver on both.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Kevin Coughlin | kevin.coughlin@cga.ct.gov | 203-710-0193