Author: Devin James

Senators Looney, Duff, Maroney, & Needleman Urge PURA to Strengthen Cybersecurity and AI Protections

Posted on by Devin James

Senators Looney, Duff, Maroney, & Needleman Urge PURA to Strengthen Cybersecurity and AI Protections

Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney (D-New Haven), Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk), state Senator James Maroney (D-Milford), and state Senator Norm Needleman(D-Essex), are urging the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) to address the growing vulnerabilities of the state’s critical infrastructure to cyberattacks and malicious use of artificial intelligence.

Senators Looney, Duff, Maroney, and Needleman wrote a letter to PURA on February 18 highlighting the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber threats targeting essential services beyond electricity, gas, and water. They stressed the need for heightened vigilance and proactive defense across hospitals, schools, transportation systems, communications, financial institutions, and civic organizations. The senators called for PURA to assess and report by the end of 2025 on measures to enhance Connecticut’s preparedness, security, and resilience.

Senators Looney, Duff, Maroney, and Needleman are requesting that PURA provide a detailed plan by the end of the year for strengthening cybersecurity efforts and defending against potential disruptions.

 

The letter they wrote to PURA is below:

February 18, 2025

 

Commissioners

Connecticut Public Utility Regulatory Authority

10 Franklin Square

New Britain, Connecticut 06051

 

Dear Commissioners:

We write with regard to Connecticut’s growing vulnerability to disruption from cyberattack and malicious use of artificial intelligence. We share the concern of many colleagues and Connecticut residents as to how PURA maintains vigilance, supports defense, and prepares to participate in recovery efforts subsequent to cyber compromise or disruption by use of artificial intelligence.

Given the increasing frequency, sophistication and breadth of probes and interference in our critical infrastructure in the broadest sense, we face significant harm from more numerous and powerful sources of threat. Connecticut needs to be aware of and prepared to thwart or manage cyber and artificial compromise to our essential government and private sector services.

Our interest goes beyond the scope of what we frequently discuss as “critical infrastructure” – the distribution and available use of electricity, natural gas and water – to critical infrastructure in the broadest sense. We need to focus on these normal areas of concern, but also on a range of other potential targets such as hospitals, schools, transportation systems, communications systems, financial structures and operations and civic organizations whose disruption would cause significant damage to Connecticut’s security, safety and wellbeing.

We rely on the reliability and safe functioning of our social fabric more than ever, making us dependent on institutions for the necessities of life. We need to expand our concept of “critical infrastructure” to consider how we can best identify and detect potential threats, prevent their execution and defend against possible attacks, and recover from potential damage. We need to create, manage and rehearse programs in all of these areas. Connecticut requires both ongoing vigilance to ensure reliability as well as practiced contingency plans to manage actual damage.

Specifically, we request from PURA an assessment and report by the end of 2025 assessing the points in this letter and setting forth plans for PURA to work with Connecticut’s utilities, relevant government authorities including federal, state and local agencies and private business to identify what constructive steps PURA can take to add regulatory strength to our urgent need for security and integrity in the continued functioning of our critical infrastructure.

We welcome the opportunity to discuss this request with you and urge you to work with the urgency our vulnerabilities require to protect Connecticut from cyber and artificial intelligence threats.

Senators Looney, Duff, Maroney, & Needleman Urge PURA to Strengthen Cybersecurity and AI Protections

Posted on by Devin James

Senators Looney, Duff, Maroney, & Needleman Urge PURA to Strengthen Cybersecurity and AI Protections

Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney (D-New Haven), Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk), state Senator James Maroney (D-Milford), and state Senator Norm Needleman(D-Essex), are urging the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) to address the growing vulnerabilities of the state’s critical infrastructure to cyberattacks and malicious use of artificial intelligence.

Senators Looney, Duff, Maroney, and Needleman wrote a letter to PURA on February 18 highlighting the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber threats targeting essential services beyond electricity, gas, and water. They stressed the need for heightened vigilance and proactive defense across hospitals, schools, transportation systems, communications, financial institutions, and civic organizations. The senators called for PURA to assess and report by the end of 2025 on measures to enhance Connecticut’s preparedness, security, and resilience.

Senators Looney, Duff, Maroney, and Needleman are requesting that PURA provide a detailed plan by the end of the year for strengthening cybersecurity efforts and defending against potential disruptions.

 

The letter they wrote to PURA is below:

February 18, 2025

 

Commissioners

Connecticut Public Utility Regulatory Authority

10 Franklin Square

New Britain, Connecticut 06051

 

Dear Commissioners:

We write with regard to Connecticut’s growing vulnerability to disruption from cyberattack and malicious use of artificial intelligence. We share the concern of many colleagues and Connecticut residents as to how PURA maintains vigilance, supports defense, and prepares to participate in recovery efforts subsequent to cyber compromise or disruption by use of artificial intelligence.

Given the increasing frequency, sophistication and breadth of probes and interference in our critical infrastructure in the broadest sense, we face significant harm from more numerous and powerful sources of threat. Connecticut needs to be aware of and prepared to thwart or manage cyber and artificial compromise to our essential government and private sector services.

Our interest goes beyond the scope of what we frequently discuss as “critical infrastructure” – the distribution and available use of electricity, natural gas and water – to critical infrastructure in the broadest sense. We need to focus on these normal areas of concern, but also on a range of other potential targets such as hospitals, schools, transportation systems, communications systems, financial structures and operations and civic organizations whose disruption would cause significant damage to Connecticut’s security, safety and wellbeing.

We rely on the reliability and safe functioning of our social fabric more than ever, making us dependent on institutions for the necessities of life. We need to expand our concept of “critical infrastructure” to consider how we can best identify and detect potential threats, prevent their execution and defend against possible attacks, and recover from potential damage. We need to create, manage and rehearse programs in all of these areas. Connecticut requires both ongoing vigilance to ensure reliability as well as practiced contingency plans to manage actual damage.

Specifically, we request from PURA an assessment and report by the end of 2025 assessing the points in this letter and setting forth plans for PURA to work with Connecticut’s utilities, relevant government authorities including federal, state and local agencies and private business to identify what constructive steps PURA can take to add regulatory strength to our urgent need for security and integrity in the continued functioning of our critical infrastructure.

We welcome the opportunity to discuss this request with you and urge you to work with the urgency our vulnerabilities require to protect Connecticut from cyber and artificial intelligence threats.

Labor Committee Advances Bill from Senator Hochadel on Breastfeeding Accommodations

Posted on by Devin James

Labor Committee Advances Bill from Senator Hochadel on Breastfeeding Accommodations

Sen. Jan Hochadel, D-Meriden, applauded the legislature’s Labor and Public Employees Committee for its Thursday vote to advance her bill to ensure that Connecticut employers provide breastfeeding parents adequate time to express milk or feed their children.

Current state law includes language permitting employees to express breastmilk at their workplace during that person’s meal or break period. Senator Hochadel proposed Senate Bill 1030 to broaden that language so breastfeeding parents are allowed opportunities whenever those employees have the need to express breastmilk or breastfeed.

The Labor and Public Employees Committee voted Thursday to advance the proposal to the Senate floor for consideration.

“Returning to work after giving birth is challenging enough without the added discomfort of needing to express milk when your work schedule does not provide the opportunity,” Senator Hochadel said. “Breastfeeding parents have needs that don’t always align with scheduled lunch breaks, especially in jobs like nursing or teaching, where those breaks are often determined by the needs of patients and students. This bill provides those parents some basic dignity, and I’m grateful to the Labor Committee for moving it one step closer to becoming law.”

LOONEY, DUFF, MAHER OUTRAGED AS FEDERAL AGRICULTURE FOOD PURCHASING PROGRAMS CANCELED

Posted on by Devin James

LOONEY, DUFF, MAHER OUTRAGED AS FEDERAL AGRICULTURE FOOD PURCHASING PROGRAMS CANCELED

“Harming American students, food banks and farmers at the same time”

Senate President Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven), Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) and State Senator Ceci Maher (D-Wilton) were outraged this week as the United States Department of Agriculture announced its cancellation of a program supporting schools, food banks and farmers in Connecticut and nationally.

The cancellation involves programs that provided schools and food banks with funds to purchase locally-grown food from local farms and ranchers, representing $1 billion in federal spending. According to the School Nutrition Association, roughly $660 million supporting the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program has been canceled nationwide after being previously allocated. The Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program has also been cut.

According to the state Department of Education, that will represent the loss of about $5.6 million in future funding for fresh food in Connecticut schools and child care facilities, with about $1.8 million in existing funds still usable. In addition, the Department of Agriculture expects to lose $3.7 million in funding. The direct financial impact on food banks is not yet known.

“Cutting funds supporting hardworking Connecticut farmers is bad enough. Cutting funding for meals in schools and child care centers is even worse,” said Sen. Looney. “Like many decisions coming out of Washington since January 20, this is a short-sighted decision with real suffering inflicted on the American people. Farmers are already facing rapidly changing conditions, only to see another important source of funding now disappear. Students won’t be able to enjoy fresh, healthy foods in school. I’m puzzled at what sense this decision makes, if any, as I am appalled at the cruelty evident in such a policy.”

“It’s almost impressive, in a horrifying way, that the Trump Administration is harming American students, food banks and farmers, all at the same time,” said Sen. Duff. “These funds were already approved for use, making their cancellation simply cruel. People in our communities – young students and their teachers, local farmers, those in need – will struggle without this support. And all this for negligible savings at best; this program, which helped countless people, has a cost representing a rounding error in the federal budget. Is harming children and farmers making America great?”

“After years of discussing children’s nutrition, and extensive efforts to connect Connecticut children with healthy, fresh foods, it’s astonishing to discover the federal government actively working against those goals,” said Sen. Maher, Senate Chair of the Committee on Children. “Programs like Local Food for Schools are a lifeline for youth in communities across the state and provide financial opportunities for Connecticut farmers. To see them unceremoniously cut, with agriculture and children’s health and nutrition no longer a federal priority, is a travesty.”

USDA spokespersons said funding announced in October 2024 is no longer available, with previous agreements to be canceled after a 60-day notification period. They claimed the programs “no longer effectuate the goals of the agency.”

More than 40 states utilized the LFS program before its cancellation.

LOONEY, DUFF, MAHER OUTRAGED AS FEDERAL AGRICULTURE FOOD PURCHASING PROGRAMS CANCELED

Posted on by Devin James

LOONEY, DUFF, MAHER OUTRAGED AS FEDERAL AGRICULTURE FOOD PURCHASING PROGRAMS CANCELED

“Harming American students, food banks and farmers at the same time”

Senate President Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven), Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) and State Senator Ceci Maher (D-Wilton) were outraged this week as the United States Department of Agriculture announced its cancellation of a program supporting schools, food banks and farmers in Connecticut and nationally.

The cancellation involves programs that provided schools and food banks with funds to purchase locally-grown food from local farms and ranchers, representing $1 billion in federal spending. According to the School Nutrition Association, roughly $660 million supporting the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program has been canceled nationwide after being previously allocated. The Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program has also been cut.

According to the state Department of Education, that will represent the loss of about $5.6 million in future funding for fresh food in Connecticut schools and child care facilities, with about $1.8 million in existing funds still usable. In addition, the Department of Agriculture expects to lose $3.7 million in funding. The direct financial impact on food banks is not yet known.

“Cutting funds supporting hardworking Connecticut farmers is bad enough. Cutting funding for meals in schools and child care centers is even worse,” said Sen. Looney. “Like many decisions coming out of Washington since January 20, this is a short-sighted decision with real suffering inflicted on the American people. Farmers are already facing rapidly changing conditions, only to see another important source of funding now disappear. Students won’t be able to enjoy fresh, healthy foods in school. I’m puzzled at what sense this decision makes, if any, as I am appalled at the cruelty evident in such a policy.”

“It’s almost impressive, in a horrifying way, that the Trump Administration is harming American students, food banks and farmers, all at the same time,” said Sen. Duff. “These funds were already approved for use, making their cancellation simply cruel. People in our communities – young students and their teachers, local farmers, those in need – will struggle without this support. And all this for negligible savings at best; this program, which helped countless people, has a cost representing a rounding error in the federal budget. Is harming children and farmers making America great?”

“After years of discussing children’s nutrition, and extensive efforts to connect Connecticut children with healthy, fresh foods, it’s astonishing to discover the federal government actively working against those goals,” said Sen. Maher, Senate Chair of the Committee on Children. “Programs like Local Food for Schools are a lifeline for youth in communities across the state and provide financial opportunities for Connecticut farmers. To see them unceremoniously cut, with agriculture and children’s health and nutrition no longer a federal priority, is a travesty.”

USDA spokespersons said funding announced in October 2024 is no longer available, with previous agreements to be canceled after a 60-day notification period. They claimed the programs “no longer effectuate the goals of the agency.”

More than 40 states utilized the LFS program before its cancellation.

LOONEY, DUFF, MAHER OUTRAGED AS FEDERAL AGRICULTURE FOOD PURCHASING PROGRAMS CANCELED

Posted on by Devin James

LOONEY, DUFF, MAHER OUTRAGED AS FEDERAL AGRICULTURE FOOD PURCHASING PROGRAMS CANCELED

“Harming American students, food banks and farmers at the same time”

Senate President Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven), Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) and State Senator Ceci Maher (D-Wilton) were outraged this week as the United States Department of Agriculture announced its cancellation of a program supporting schools, food banks and farmers in Connecticut and nationally.

The cancellation involves programs that provided schools and food banks with funds to purchase locally-grown food from local farms and ranchers, representing $1 billion in federal spending. According to the School Nutrition Association, roughly $660 million supporting the Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program has been canceled nationwide after being previously allocated. The Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program has also been cut.

According to the state Department of Education, that will represent the loss of about $5.6 million in future funding for fresh food in Connecticut schools and child care facilities, with about $1.8 million in existing funds still usable. In addition, the Department of Agriculture expects to lose $3.7 million in funding. The direct financial impact on food banks is not yet known.

“Cutting funds supporting hardworking Connecticut farmers is bad enough. Cutting funding for meals in schools and child care centers is even worse,” said Sen. Looney. “Like many decisions coming out of Washington since January 20, this is a short-sighted decision with real suffering inflicted on the American people. Farmers are already facing rapidly changing conditions, only to see another important source of funding now disappear. Students won’t be able to enjoy fresh, healthy foods in school. I’m puzzled at what sense this decision makes, if any, as I am appalled at the cruelty evident in such a policy.”

“It’s almost impressive, in a horrifying way, that the Trump Administration is harming American students, food banks and farmers, all at the same time,” said Sen. Duff. “These funds were already approved for use, making their cancellation simply cruel. People in our communities – young students and their teachers, local farmers, those in need – will struggle without this support. And all this for negligible savings at best; this program, which helped countless people, has a cost representing a rounding error in the federal budget. Is harming children and farmers making America great?”

“After years of discussing children’s nutrition, and extensive efforts to connect Connecticut children with healthy, fresh foods, it’s astonishing to discover the federal government actively working against those goals,” said Sen. Maher, Senate Chair of the Committee on Children. “Programs like Local Food for Schools are a lifeline for youth in communities across the state and provide financial opportunities for Connecticut farmers. To see them unceremoniously cut, with agriculture and children’s health and nutrition no longer a federal priority, is a travesty.”

USDA spokespersons said funding announced in October 2024 is no longer available, with previous agreements to be canceled after a 60-day notification period. They claimed the programs “no longer effectuate the goals of the agency.”

More than 40 states utilized the LFS program before its cancellation.

Senator Hartley Hosts Swedish Ambassador H.E. Urban Ahlin, Discusses Relationship Between U.S. & Sweden

Posted on by Devin James

Senator Hartley Hosts Swedish Ambassador H.E. Urban Ahlin, Discusses Relationship Between U.S. & Sweden

Tuesday, state Senator Joan Hartley (D-Waterbury) hosted Swedish Ambassador H.E. Urban Ahlin and his wife Jenni Ahlin. Senator Hartley was also joined by state Senators Saud Anwar and Henri Martin, State Representative Steve Meskers and Representative Chris Aniskovich, CEO of World Affairs Council of CT Megan Torrey, and the President of CT World Affairs council Arthur House.

The Ambassador is in Connecticut during CT Democracy Center’s Civic Learning Week as he will join the World Affairs Council of CT for a fika and conversation on the future of democracy.

“It was an honor to welcome the Swedish Ambassador to my office,” said Sen. Hartley. “Our discussion highlighted the deep and enduring ties between Sweden and the United States, particularly in areas like trade, innovation, and education. It was inspiring to hear about Sweden’s forward-thinking approach to early childhood education, fiscal responsibility, and sustainability. I look forward to continuing our collaboration and strengthening the relationship between our two nations for years to come.”

In the meeting Senator Hartley and His Excellency Urban Ahlin discussed the longstanding relationship between Sweden and the U.S. The conversation focused on Sweden’s status as an industrialized nation known for its free trade principles, strong trade unions, and a service sector that is adaptive to change. The Ambassador highlighted Sweden’s progressive approach to early childhood education, where the system ensures a maximum fee paid by parents, making quality education accessible to all.

The discussion also touched upon Sweden’s fiscal policies, noting the country’s commitment to maintaining a mandated surplus in every government project. The Ambassador emphasized Sweden’s pension system, which is linked to life expectancy, providing long-term sustainability. Additionally, the meeting underscored Sweden’s role as an investor in the U.S., with Swedish companies directly employing a significant number of American workers, reinforcing the vital economic ties between the two nations.

His Excellency Urban Ahlin has served as the Ambassador of Sweden to the United States since September 2023. Ambassador Ahlin has also recently served as Sweden’s Ambassador to Canada from 2019-2023.

Prior to his appointment as Ambassador, he was a member of the Swedish Parliament, representing the Social Democratic Party. Following the 2014 parliamentary election, Ambassador Ahlin was elected Speaker of the Swedish Parliament, Sveriges Riksdag, until 2018.

Ambassador Ahlin first became a member of Parliament in 1994. Since then, he has worked on foreign policy in numerous capacities. He was Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs between 2002 and 2006, and later Deputy Chair from 2006 to 2014.

He has also been a member of the War Delegation, the Swedish Defence Commission, and a member of the Committee on European Affairs. As part of his work for the Social Democratic Party, Ambassador Ahlin served as the party’s Foreign Policy Spokesperson and has also been a member of the party’s Executive Board.

In addition, Ambassador Ahlin is one of the founding members of the first pan-European think-tank, the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), which was established in 2007. Ambassador Ahlin is a teacher and graduated from the University of Karlstad with a Master of Science. He is married and has two daughters.

Senators Looney and Duff Applaud Efforts by Other States to Hire Fired Federal Workers

Posted on by Devin James

Senators Looney and Duff Applaud Efforts by Other States to Hire Fired Federal Workers

HARTFORD – Senate President Martin Looney and Majority Leader Bob Duff on Wednesday applauded governors in states like Hawaii, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, New York, and Virginia for their leadership in hiring federal workers recently fired by the Trump administration.

Governors in states across the country have moved quickly to recruit former federal employees as the Trump administration has fired tens of thousands of workers from the federal workforce, according to reporting by Stateline.

“It’s not every day that a chief executive foolishly guts his own workforce and leaves thousands of talented employees suddenly looking for new jobs. We applaud the good business sense of every governor who has seized the opportunity presented by this once-in-a-generation blunder to fill state vacancies with these qualified candidates,” Senators Looney and Duff said. “We hope our own Executive Branch will join all the forward-looking states benefiting from Donald Trump’s incompetence.”

Senators Looney and Duff Applaud Efforts by Other States to Hire Fired Federal Workers

Posted on by Devin James

Senators Looney and Duff Applaud Efforts by Other States to Hire Fired Federal Workers

HARTFORD – Senate President Martin Looney and Majority Leader Bob Duff on Wednesday applauded governors in states like Hawaii, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, New York, and Virginia for their leadership in hiring federal workers recently fired by the Trump administration.

Governors in states across the country have moved quickly to recruit former federal employees as the Trump administration has fired tens of thousands of workers from the federal workforce, according to reporting by Stateline.

“It’s not every day that a chief executive foolishly guts his own workforce and leaves thousands of talented employees suddenly looking for new jobs. We applaud the good business sense of every governor who has seized the opportunity presented by this once-in-a-generation blunder to fill state vacancies with these qualified candidates,” Senators Looney and Duff said. “We hope our own Executive Branch will join all the forward-looking states benefiting from Donald Trump’s incompetence.”

SENATORS LOONEY & CABRERA WELCOME STATE GRANT TO RE-MAKE EMPTY ART SCHOOL INTO AN ARTS HUB 

Posted on by Devin James

SENATORS LOONEY & CABRERA WELCOME STATE GRANT TO RE-MAKE EMPTY ART SCHOOL INTO AN ARTS HUB 

HAMDEN – Senate President Martin Looney (D-New Haven) and state Senator Jorge Cabrera (D-Hamden) today welcomed a vote by the bipartisan Community Investment Fund (CIF) 2030 board that will bring $250,000 to Hamden to begin the process of renovating the former Paier College of Art campus into “HALO” – the Hamden Arts and Learning Oasis, an arts and culture hub.

It is envisioned that HALO will feature remodeled visual and performing arts studios equipped for painting, sculpture, dance, music, writing, performance, multimedia arts, and interdisciplinary fields such as wellness, culinary arts, and sustainability. A community gallery will showcase works by local artists and students, while workshops and classes will engage individuals of all ages in learning and artistic exploration. Additionally, a residency program will provide studio space and resources for emerging and established artists.

The CIF vote is a key step toward final approval of the projects by the State Bond Commission, which must come in the next 60 days.

“Like law and literature, art, music and dance are just as significant a part of the fabric of our society. The desire to re-make a shuttered art school into a hub of art and culture in Hamden is a wonderful re-use of the facility that will benefit the community and expand the local arts scene,” Sen. Looney said.

“We have to put Paier behind us and find a way to move forward for the benefit of the community and of local artists. I think the HALO project has merit and I look forward to the community discussions and design plan to make it a reality,” said Sen. Cabrera.

The $250,000 grant has been awarded to Transcend The Trend, whose mission is to achieve equity in the local education system in and through the arts. Since its founding in 2021, TTT has focused on providing youth programs, fostering educational partnerships, and supporting the development of resources for underserved artists in Hamden and Stamford.

The architectural and design plans for HALO will be created after a community engagement meeting and a feasibility study. The project also includes the development of fundraising materials to pay for the cost of renovating the space. The goal of the arts and culture hub is to increase the number of youth and adults engaged in arts education programs annually to about 300 participants, and to provide at least 50 local artists with professional development and exhibition opportunities.

The Community Investment Fund 2030 (CIF) was created by a bipartisan vote of the General Assembly in 2021 and is funded through state bonding. The CIF fosters economic development in historically underserved communities across the state. The CIF will provide hundreds of millions of dollars to eligible municipalities as well as not-for-profit organizations and community development corporations that operate within them.

CIF grants are available for:

Capital improvement programs, such as brownfield remediation, affordable housing, infrastructure, clean energy development, and home or public facility rehabilitation.

Small business capital programs, including revolving or micro loan programs, gap financing, and start-up funds to establish small businesses.

Planning for capital projects including activities such as community engagement processes, feasibility studies, development of project plan and construction budget.