SEN. CABRERA WELCOMES $789,000 STATE GRANT FOR SAFER TRANSPORTATION IN ANSONIA

ANSONIA – State Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden) today welcomed a $789,000 state grant for Ansonia that will create a safer route for students, pedestrians and bicyclists near Ansonia Middle School and along the newest segment of the Ansonia Riverwalk.

“Ansonia Middle School is smack dab in the middle of a residential area that is right between Griffin Hospital and all the retail on Bridge Street and Clifton Avenue, so there’s a need for safer streets in that area, as there is with Riverwalk, which is several blocks away,” said Sen. Cabrera. “This is another example of all the great investments that Connecticut is making in its cities and towns to help them move forward, make them more livable, and keep the burden off of local taxpayers.”

Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto announced the Ansonia grant today as part of nearly $12 million in grants to 17 towns and cities to improve transportation safety and mobility that are being awarded through the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Community Connectivity Grant Program.

Now in its seventh round of awards, this state-funded program provides financial support for local infrastructure initiatives that make conditions safer and more accommodating for pedestrians and bicyclists in urban, suburban, and rural centers.

SEN.  CABRERA, SENATE DEMOCRATS GIVE FINAL APPROVAL FOR STATE FUNDS TO COUNTERACT TRUMP CUTS, CREATE MORE HOUSING, FIGHT ICE ABUSE, ALLOW UCONN TO PURCHASE WATERBURY HOSPITAL, AND IMPROVE CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH

HARTFORD – State Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden) and Connecticut Senate Democrats today gave final approval to a series of bills that will ensure state residents are financially protected from the financial chaos of Republicans in Washington, D C., are protected from ICE arrests in courthouse parking lots, support children’s mental health, rescue Waterbury Hospital from its bankruptcy under private ownership, and build more housing all across the state.

“Today, Connecticut stepped-up to fight for its people,” Sen. Cabrera said. “This series of bills answers the call and protects our residents from the immoral and devastating attacks on the people of Connecticut. There will be more work to do in the future, but today Connecticut took an important step in fighting for its residents.”

Today’s Senate action comes one day after Connecticut House Democrats approved the same series of bills; they now go to Governor Ned Lamont for his signature into law.

The highlight of the day was $500 million set aside in the state’s budget reserve – better known as “The Rainy Day Fund”  – to make up for hundreds of millions of dollars in state funding that have already been cut, or could be cut even further in the coming months  – by Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress.

The State of Connecticut will use the state funds to make up for federal shortfalls and policy changes that would financially harm hundreds of thousands of Connecticut residents in every city and town with the loss of funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps), the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP, which provides low-cost heating fuel over the winter), health care, school meals, child care assistance, and housing assistance.

Senate Democrats today approved new housing legislation that will see towns and regional councils of government (COGs) adopt policies to create more housing – including market-rate and affordable housing. School construction grants from the state would increase by 5% in towns that implement housing growth plans, qualify as rapid transit or transit-adjacent communities, or adopt development districts.

In order to prevent aggressive federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from arresting people on state property, Senate Democrats today defined “courthouse” to mean not only the interior of any facility, but also the “courthouse grounds” to include the courthouse and any garage or parking lot owned by the Judicial Branch, or under contract with the branch, for the purpose of serving the courthouse – along with any walkways or sidewalks on the grounds of the courthouse or connecting a garage to the courthouse. The bill provides a private right of action so aggrieved parties can sue ICE for any such violations, and it prohibits state agencies and towns from sharing non-public information with ICE about individuals.

Senate Democrats today passed legislation amending the bonding authority of the University of Connecticut 2000 Act (“UConn 2000”) to allow the university and its hospital to purchase and operate Waterbury Hospital, thereby saving the hospital, its 1,000 employees and 360,000 patients from Prospect Medical Holdings, the California-based private-sector operator that filed for bankruptcy protection in January.

Senate Democrats today passed legislation amending the bonding authority of the University of Connecticut 2000 Act (“UConn 2000”) to allow the university and its hospital to purchase and operate Waterbury Hospital, thereby saving the hospital, its 1,000 employees and 360,000 patients from Prospect Medical Holdings, the California-based private-sector operator that filed for bankruptcy protection in January.

Senate Democrats today also passed a bill calling for a study of existing behavioral health services for children in the state, and how much demand there may be for such services in the near future. The study will examine how often children interact with The United Way of Connecticut 2-1-1 Infoline program, the 9-8-8 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, mobile crisis intervention services and urgent crisis centers, subacute crisis stabilization centers, and hospital emergency departments, and will examine state resources to these providers and what demands for children’s behavioral health services they might face in the future. The bill also raises the age, from under 21 to under 26, that applies to required coverage for behavioral therapy for people with autism spectrum disorder under private insurance plans.

All of the bills are effective from the date of passage, except for the housing provisions, which begin January 1, 2026.