Looney, Duff: Trump Head Start Rollback Puts 5,000 Connecticut Kids at Risk

Posted on October 1, 2026 by SDO Automation

Looney, Duff: Trump Head Start Rollback Puts 5,000 Connecticut Kids at Risk

“The Trump regime wants to strip away more than 90 percent of the standards that make Head Start work, from limits on class size to the requirement that young children be supervised at all times. Its own analysis shows the ‘savings’ come from fewer teachers, bigger classes, and fewer health screenings for the poorest kids in the country. In Connecticut, 22 programs serving nearly 5,000 children are at risk. This is inhumane, and it’s how you kill a program without having the courage to vote on it.

“We call on Connecticut Republicans to join us in demanding that this rule be withdrawn before public comment closes on October 6.”

-Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) responding to the Trump administration’s proposal to rescind more than 1,000 Head Start regulatory provisions, including staff-to-child ratios, group sizes, health screenings and child supervision requirements.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Looney, Duff Respond to Ruling Blocking Connecticut’s Convertible Pistol Law

Posted on September 30, 2026 by SDO Automation

Looney, Duff Respond to Ruling Blocking Connecticut’s Convertible Pistol Law

“A switch turns a handgun into a machine gun. That’s not a Second Amendment right. We’ll keep fighting in court to keep our communities and police officers safe from dangerous and deadly overpowered firearms. A Trump-appointed judge’s tortured interpretation of the Second Amendment won’t deter us from our sworn constitutional responsibility to protect our citizens.”

-Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) responding to Judge Kari Dooley’s preliminary injunction blocking Public Act 26-41.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

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Looney, Duff Respond to Ruling Blocking Connecticut’s Convertible Pistol Law

Posted on September 30, 2026 by SDO Automation

Looney, Duff Respond to Ruling Blocking Connecticut’s Convertible Pistol Law

-Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) responding responding to Judge Kari Dooley’s preliminary injunction blocking Public Act 26-41.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

SEN. CABRERA WELCOMES $517,000 IN STATE GRANTS TO HELP REDUCE ABSENTEEISM IN HAMDEN, NAUGATUCK AND DERBY

Posted on September 30, 2026September 30, 2026 by SDO Automation

SEN. CABRERA WELCOMES $517,000 IN STATE GRANTS TO HELP REDUCE ABSENTEEISM IN HAMDEN, NAUGATUCK AND DERBY

HAMDEN — State Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden) today welcomed $517,179 in state grants to improve student attendance in Hamden, Naugatuck and Derby. Hamden and Naugatuck will each receive $200,000, and Derby $117,179.

“There’s a lot of reasons why kids don’t make it to school – it could be a family issue, or transportation, maybe there’s a physical handicap, an illness, or a language barrier. LEAP addresses all of that and has made huge strides in the past few years to bring more kids back to school and keep them there,” Sen. Cabrera said. “I’m really happy to have this funding for Hamden, Naugatuck and Derby.”

The grants are being made through Connecticut’s Learner Engagement and Attendance Program, or LEAP. Since the Lamont administration established LEAP in 2021, chronic absenteeism has declined for four consecutive years, from 23.7% in 2021-2022 to 16.4% in 2025-2026, meaning nearly 35,000 more students are attending school regularly compared with 2021-2022.

SENATOR HONIG WELCOMES $150,000 IN EDUCATION GRANTS TO HELP REDUCE ABSENTEEISM IN TORRINGTON

Posted on September 30, 2026September 30, 2026 by SDO Automation

SENATOR HONIG WELCOMES $150,000 IN EDUCATION GRANTS TO HELP REDUCE ABSENTEEISM IN TORRINGTON

September 30, 2026

Today, State Senator Paul Honig (D-Torrington) welcomed an announced $150,000 in state grants supporting Torrington schools through the Learner Engagement and Attendance Program, or LEAP, with a specific focus on improving student attendance and engagement.

Since LEAP was founded in 2021, chronic absenteeism rates in Connecticut have fallen more than 30 percent, reconnecting tens of thousands of students with education. After researching absenteeism and its causes, state officials developed a home visiting program meeting students and families in the community, connecting them with resources and supports that can help get students back in the classroom.

According to the Center for Connecticut Education Research Collaboration, student attendance grew and disciplinary incidents fell after LEAP engaged with families.

“The LEAP program’s success in bringing disconnected youth back into classrooms to help them learn and thrive is admirable, and I’m strongly encouraged to see Torrington receive this grant to support local students,” said Sen. Honig. “These funds will provide direct support to improve local attendance and student performance.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SENATOR RAHMAN WELCOMES $180,000 IN EDUCATION GRANTS TO HELP REDUCE ABSENTEEISM IN MANCHESTER

Posted on September 30, 2026 by SDO Automation

SENATOR RAHMAN WELCOMES $180,000 IN EDUCATION GRANTS TO HELP REDUCE ABSENTEEISM IN MANCHESTER

September 30, 2026

Today, State Senator MD Rahman (D-Manchester) welcomed an announced $180,000 in state grants supporting Manchester schools through the Learner Engagement and Attendance Program, or LEAP, with a specific focus on improving student attendance and engagement.

According to the Center for Connecticut Education Research Collaboration, student attendance grew and disciplinary incidents fell after LEAP engaged with families.

“In the last five years, absenteeism rates have declined significantly statewide, in part thanks to the success of LEAP’s focus on bringing students back into classrooms,” said Sen. Rahman. “I’m excited to see the positive benefits of this program benefit our community and Manchester students.”

SENATOR ANWAR WELCOMES $272,595 IN EDUCATION GRANTS SUPPORTING EAST HARTFORD, EAST WINDSOR

Posted on September 30, 2026 by SDO Automation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joe O’Leary | Joe.OLeary@cga.ct.gov | 508-479-4969

September 30, 2026

SENATOR ANWAR WELCOMES $272,595 IN EDUCATION GRANTS SUPPORTING EAST HARTFORD, EAST WINDSOR

Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) welcomed an announced $272,595 in state grants supporting East Hartford and East Windsor schools through the Learner Engagement and Attendance Program, or LEAP, with a specific focus on improving student attendance and engagement.

According to the Center for Connecticut Education Research Collaboration, student attendance grew and disciplinary incidents fell after LEAP engaged with families.

“Reducing chronic absenteeism is one of the most important ways we can support youth in our communities, helping them re-engage with education and setting them up for better futures,” said Sen. Anwar. “I am thrilled to hear our communities will benefit from LEAP and more of our students will be set up to thrive in years to come.”

East Hartford will receive $209,779 through the grants, while East Windsor will receive $62,816.

SENATOR KUSHNER URGES SCHOOLS TO SUBMIT CLEAN AIR REPORTS, APPLY FOR STATE HVAC FUNDS

Posted on September 29, 2026 by SDO Automation

SENATOR KUSHNER URGES SCHOOLS TO SUBMIT CLEAN AIR REPORTS, APPLY FOR STATE HVAC FUNDS

HARTFORD – State Senator Julie Kushner (D-Danbury), who is a member of the legislature’s School Indoor Air Quality Working Group, today urged schools to complete their annual HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) surveys and to avail themselves of UConn’s free room air filtration kits that can be used in any classroom in Connecticut.

Sen. Kushner also said cities and towns should also avail themselves of a recent change in state policy that allows for standalone HVAC project submissions (instead of being part of a larger renovation), and that the state has transitioned its school HVAC grant program into a permanent, monthly application process managed by the Department of Administrative Services Office of Grants Administration.

Sen. Kushner said Connecticut has made progress on improving school air quality and must continue the positive momentum since poor air quality and ventilation have been found to impede student learning and health, as well as the health of teachers, staff, and school visitors.

“We started researching this issue in 2022, just as the COVID pandemic was waning. We became very aware of just how much schools — without good indoor air quality — are a breeding ground for infections, the flu, for colds, and for all the things that rip through our schools on a regular basis,” said Sen. Kushner. “We’re really holding back the education process unless we invest in improving air quality in our schools. This needs to be a priority for school boards, for parents, and for the legislature.”

In 2023, Connecticut committed $56 million to projects across the state to address indoor air quality in school buildings. In 2024, Connecticut announced $122 million more in grant awards for public schools throughout the state to make upgrades to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Examples of eligible projects include replacing, upgrading, or repairing boilers and other heating and ventilation components; replacing controls and technology systems related to HVAC operations; and installing or upgrading air conditioning or ventilation systems.

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Senators Looney, Duff, Maroney Respond to Flock Data Leak

Posted on September 29, 2026September 29, 2026 by SDO Automation

Senators Looney, Duff, Maroney Respond to Flock Data Leak

“This leak is exactly the kind of harm residents have been worried about. When this information can be released by accident, it shows how much sensitive information these systems collect and how easily it can slip out of anyone’s control.

“Strong regulation is what makes sure these tools are used only for legitimate public safety purposes, that data is kept no longer than necessary, that access is limited and audited, and that there are real consequences when something goes wrong. Without clear guidelines, one mistake in a records request can expose millions of people, and residents have no say in how their information is used or shared.

“This is why we called for a pause on the use of these systems. Before this technology expands any further in Connecticut, we need to be confident that residents’ privacy is protected and that there is real accountability for how data is collected, stored, and shared.”

– Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, and Senator James Maroney in response to reports that police departments across the country released unredacted Flock Safety surveillance records, exposing more than 2.3 million license plates and sensitive details of law enforcement searches.

In the 2027 legislative session, Senator Duff and Senator Maroney plan to introduce legislation to further strengthen privacy protections for Connecticut residents and tighten how Connecticut regulates this technology.

Senators Looney, Duff, Maroney Respond to Flock Data Leak

Posted on September 29, 2026September 29, 2026 by SDO Automation

Senators Looney, Duff, Maroney Respond to Flock Data Leak

– Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, and Senator James Maroney in response to reports that police departments across the country released unredacted Flock Safety surveillance records, exposing more than 2.3 million license plates and sensitive details of law enforcement searches.

In the 2027 legislative session, Senator Duff and Senator Maroney plan to introduce legislation to further strengthen privacy protections for Connecticut residents and tighten how Connecticut regulates this technology.