Author: sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

***NEWS ADVISORY *** TOMORROW: SENATORS OSTEN & BERTHEL HONOR MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN

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**NEWS ADVISORY **

TOMORROW: SENATORS OSTEN & BERTHEL HONOR MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN

HARTFORD – State Senators Carthy Osten (D-Sprague) and Eric Berthel (R-Watertown) will host Connecticut’s annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day – also known as “Red Dress Day” – at the State Capitol tomorrow, Friday, May 1, beginning at 9:30 a.m.

National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day is observed annually on May 5 to honor victims, support families, and raise awareness of the high rates of violence against Indigenous people. Established in 2017, this day of advocacy addresses the crisis of Native women and girls who are missing or being murdered at disproportionate rates.

Schedule:

  • 9:30 a.m.- Capitol, South Lobby
  • Opening Ceremony – Flute Honoring Song – Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Member
  •                               Rashad Young Director of the MPTN Language Department
  • 9:40 a.m.  – Capitol, South Lobby
  • Opening Prayer –  Herbert “Half-Crow” Boyd, Vice Chairman, Mashantucket Pequot   
  •                                    Tribal Elders Council
  • Opening Remarks – Senators Osten & Berthel   
  • Tribal Nation Guest Speakers:
  • Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation – Secretary Dawnrae Rocha
  • Golden Hill Paugussett Tribal Nation – Clan Mother Shoran Waupatukuay Piper
  • Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Vice Chairwoman Latoya Cluff
  • Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Mashantucket Royalty, Jr Miss Mashantucket Chloe Cox
  • Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Mashantucket Royalty, Tiny Tot Miss Mashantucket Izarra Eleazer
  • Mohegan Tribe Nation Chairwoman Council of Elders Beth Regan; Vice Chairwoman of Strong Wolves Speak Loudly MMIP Committee-Teri McHale
  • Schaghticoke Tribal Nation – Member Darlene Kascak

Senator Cohen Welcomes Senate Passage of Distracted Driving, Work Zone Safety Legislation

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Senator Cohen Welcomes Senate Passage of Distracted Driving, Work Zone Safety Legislation

HARTFORD — Senator Christine Cohen (D-Guilford), Senate Chair of the Transportation Committee, today welcomed the Senate’s passage of SB 484, an act concerning distracted driving and the safe operation of a motor vehicle in a highway work zone.

The bill makes distracted driving in a highway work zone a reckless driving violation, meaning offenders face criminal penalties rather than a civil infraction. It also expands Connecticut’s distracted driving law to explicitly include playing a video on a mobile electronic device in full view of the driver, and closes a technological loophole by adding video converters to the definition of prohibited mobile electronic devices, addressing devices designed to stream video to dashboard screens while a vehicle is in motion.

“The people who pave our roads and maintain our highways deserve to go home safely, and this legislation is designed to ensure that motorists who drive through their workspaces keep their eyes on the road,” Senator Cohen said. “It’s important that our work zone safety laws keep pace with today’s technology especially as drivers are faced with increasing distractions from smart phones, on board systems and other devices. This bill sets clear consequences for unsafe behavior and closes loopholes that make it possible.”

Under S.B. 484, fines for distracted driving in a work zone would be set at $400 for a first violation, $750 for a second, and $1,250 for subsequent violations.

The bill will now head to the House of Representatives for consideration before the legislative session’s May 6 adjournment date.

Senator Cohen Leads Passage of Motor Vehicle Reform Bill Protecting Connecticut Drivers

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Senator Cohen Leads Passage of Motor Vehicle Reform Bill Protecting Connecticut Drivers

HARTFORD — Senator Christine Cohen (D-Guilford), Senate Chair of the Transportation Committee, led passage Wednesday of Senate Bill 413, a comprehensive motor vehicle reform bill that strengthens consumer protections for the owners of towed vehicles, car buyers, and people with disabilities who rely on accessible parking.

The legislation makes various changes to Connecticut motor vehicle laws and among other policies, addresses three areas where drivers and residents have reported the system was not working for them: hidden fees in car dealership advertising, unfair towing practices, and widespread misuse of accessible parking placards.

Conveyance fees

The bill requires car dealers to include conveyance fees in advertised prices and to disclose those fees when negotiating a final sale price. Connecticut consumers will no longer be surprised by fees that appear only at the moment they sign a purchase agreement.

“Buying a car is already one of the biggest financial decisions a family makes,” Senator Cohen said. “Consumers shouldn’t be hit with hidden fees at the closing table, and this bill makes clear that Connecticut dealers must be transparent with their customers from the start.”

Towing

The bill creates a publicly accessible online portal where vehicle owners can locate their towed car within 48 hours, establishes a clear schedule of rates and charges for police-ordered and private-property trespass towing, and strengthens the consumer bill of rights that wrecker services must provide to vehicle owners. Senator Cohen worked closely with small towing businesses throughout the process to ensure that good actors in the industry were not burdened by reforms targeting bad ones.

“This bill strikes a careful balance that protects both drivers and small towing companies who do right by consumers,” Senator Cohen said. “No one should have to wonder where their car is or what they owe to get it back, and good actors in the towing industry should not be punished for the behavior of bad ones.”

Accessible parking

The bill redesigns the removable windshield placard so the expiration date is prominently visible from outside the vehicle, strengthens the Accessible Parking Advisory Council’s fraud prevention tools, and establishes an annual Accessible Parking Awareness Day to promote responsible use of accessible spaces statewide.

“I heard directly from constituents with disabilities about how frustrating it is to arrive at an accessible parking space and find it taken by someone who does not need it,” Senator Cohen said. “This bill takes that seriously. It gives us better tools to prevent fraud and abuse while making sure the people who truly depend on accessible parking can count on those spaces when they need them.”

Senate Bill 413 passed the Senate on a bipartisan, 35-1 vote and will now head to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Senator Honig Votes to Pass Legislation Benefitting Dairy Farms

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Senator Honig Votes to Pass Legislation Benefitting Dairy Farms

HARTFORD — Senator Paul Honig (D-Harwinton) voted Wednesday to pass legislation that will help Connecticut dairy farms modernize their operations, preserve working farmland, and plan for the long-term sustainability of the state’s agricultural sector.

“Northwest Connecticut has a strong agricultural tradition worth protecting, and this bill gives our dairy farmers new tools to invest in their operations and stay competitive,” Senator Honig said. “Farms in places like Granby, Harwinton, and New Hartford are essential to what makes this region what it is, and I’m glad we were able to pass something that takes their future seriously.”

Senate Bill 148 establishes a new Dairy Modernization Grant Program through the Department of Agriculture to help farms invest in equipment, operations, and infrastructure. It also creates a Dairy Farming Sustainability Working Group, brought together at the recommendation of the Office of Policy and Management, the Department of Agriculture, and the industry, to develop long-term support recommendations.

The bill also expands eligibility for a farm investment tax credit to include Connecticut taxpayers with at least $250,000 in annual farming income, correcting an eligibility issue from last session’s legislation.

Additional provisions reinstate land use values for forest land in the PA 490 program, remove an existing cap on farmland preservation development rights offers to keep Connecticut competitive in preserving working farmland, and update the Farmers Market Nutrition Program to reflect current electronic benefit practices.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Senator Rahman Leads Passage of Blight Enforcement Bill

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Senator Rahman Leads Passage of Blight Enforcement Bill

HARTFORD — Senator MD Rahman (D-Manchester), Senate Chair of the Planning and Development Committee, led passage Wednesday of Senate Bill 272, legislation that gives municipalities stronger tools to act against blighted properties that have become a persistent problem in their communities.

Under current law, municipalities must wait until a third blight violation within a twelve-month period before they can take immediate enforcement action without first providing written notice and an opportunity to remediate. SB 272 lowers that threshold to a second violation, allowing towns and cities to move faster against property owners who have already received notice and failed to address blighted conditions.

“Blighted properties don’t just hurt the people who live next door to them. They undermine the stability of entire neighborhoods and put responsible property owners at a disadvantage,” Senator Rahman said. “This bill is a practical fix: if a property owner has already been put on notice and the problem keeps coming back, our towns shouldn’t have to wait for a third strike before they can act. I’m proud to have led this bill through the Senate and I look forward to seeing it signed into law.

The bill passed the Planning and Development Committee on a unanimous vote and received support from municipal officials across Connecticut, who testified that faster enforcement authority gives communities better leverage against violations that continue to be ignored.

 

SEN. ANWAR APPROVES NEW FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT FOR 42,000 STATE EMPLOYEES

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Senator Anwar

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

April 29, 2026
 

SEN. ANWAR APPROVES NEW FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT FOR 42,000 STATE EMPLOYEES

 

State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) today voted to approve a new four-year labor union contract for 42,000 state employees that gives them a 2.5% raise, plus a step increase, in each of the next three years, with a wage re-opener in the fourth year to re-examine current economic conditions.

Senate Resolution 12, “RESOLUTION PROPOSING APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT AND THE STATE EMPLOYEES BARGAINING AGENT COALITION (SEBAC),” passed the Senate on a partisan vote of 26-10.

The contract, which also secured $84 million in health care savings/concessions over three years, impacts clerical and administrative staff; corrections officers; nurses, doctors, and staff in state facilities; custodial and maintenance staff; engineering and technical staff; employees working in social services, child protection, and developmental disabilities; Higher Education faculty and staff at state universities and colleges; and Judicial Branch employees.

“To have an effective workforce, it needs to be properly compensated, and today Connecticut legislators took action to make sure the hardworking nurses, maintenance workers, engineers, corrections officers and so many more people who move our state forward receive that compensation,” said Sen. Anwar. “I’m proud to take action today to support the hard-working state employees of our state, as this support will not just aid them today but help our state retain its current standing competing in the labor market.”

The financial terms of today’s contract are identical to another state labor union contract that the state Senate approved just two months ago, this time with nearly unanimous Republican support.

In late March, the Senate voted 30-2 to approve a four-year, $45 million labor union contract for 3,700 state employees who collect trash, fix roads, and serve meals. The raises were 2.5% per year, plus an annual increment of 2% – the exact same raise and step increase as the SEBAC contract, which Republicans opposed today.

 

SEN. MARX APPROVES NEW FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT FOR 42,000 STATE EMPLOYEES

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SEN. MARX APPROVES NEW FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT FOR 42,000 STATE EMPLOYEES

State Senator Martha Marx (D-New London) today voted to approve a new four-year labor union contract for 42,000 state employees that gives them a 2.5% raise, plus a step increase, in each of the next three years, with a wage re-opener in the fourth year to re-examine current economic conditions. 

Senate Resolution 12, “RESOLUTION PROPOSING APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT AND THE STATE EMPLOYEES BARGAINING AGENT COALITION (SEBAC),” passed the Senate on a partisan vote of 26-10.

The contract, which also secured $84 million in health care savings/concessions over three years, impacts clerical and administrative staff; corrections officers; nurses, doctors, and staff in state facilities; custodial and maintenance staff; engineering and technical staff; employees working in social services, child protection, and developmental disabilities; Higher Education faculty and staff at state universities and colleges; and Judicial Branch employees.

“The many workers who keep our state running deserve to be rewarded for their dedication to Connecticut,” said Sen. Martha Marx. “This legislation ensures Connecticut remains competitive in the labor market and properly compensates the many state workers tirelessly keeping our roads, schools, prisons, hospitals, colleges, courthouses and many other places running.”

The financial terms of today’s contract are identical to another state labor union contract that the state Senate approved just two months ago, this time with nearly unanimous Republican support.

In late March, the Senate voted 30-2 to approve a four-year, $45 million labor union contract for 3,700 state employees who collect trash, fix roads, and serve meals. The raises were 2.5% per year, plus an annual increment of 2% – the exact same raise and step increase as the SEBAC contract, which Republicans opposed today.

***NEWS ADVISORY *** FRIDAY: SENATORS OSTEN & BERTHEL HONOR MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN

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**NEWS ADVISORY **

FRIDAY: SENATORS OSTEN & BERTHEL HONOR MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS NATIVE AMERICAN WOMEN
 

HARTFORD – State Senators Carthy Osten (D-Sprague) and Eric Berthel (R-Watertown) will host Connecticut’s annual Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day – also known as  “Red Dress Day” – at the State Capitol this Friday May 1, beginning at 9:30 a.m.
 
National Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day is observed annually on May 5 to honor victims, support families, and raise awareness of the high rates of violence against Indigenous people. Established in 2017, this day of advocacy addresses the crisis of Native women and girls who are missing or being murdered at disproportionate rates.
 
Schedule:
 
9:30 a.m.- Capitol, South Lobby
Opening Ceremony – Flute Honoring Song – Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Member
                                    Rashad Young Director of the MPTN Language Department
                                   
9:40 a.m.  – Capitol, South Lobby
Opening Prayer –   Herbert “Half-Crow” Boyd, Vice Chairman, Mashantucket Pequot   
                                   Tribal Elders Council
 
Opening Remarks – Senators Osten & Berthel   
 
Tribal Nation Guest Speakers:
 

  • Eastern Pequot Tribal Nation – Secretary Dawnrae Rocha

 

  • Golden Hill Paugussett Tribal Nation – Clan Mother Shoran Waupatukuay Piper

 

  • Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Vice Chairwoman Latoya Cluff

 

  • Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Mashantucket Royalty, Jr Miss Mashantucket Chloe Cox

 

  • Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Mashantucket Royalty, Tiny Tot Miss Mashantucket Izarra Eleazer

 

  • Mohegan Tribe Nation Chairwoman Council of Elders Beth Regan; Vice Chairwoman of Strong Wolves Speak Loudly MMIP Committee-Teri McHale

 

  • Schaghticoke Tribal Nation – Member Darlene Kascak

 
Outside South Lobby
Closing Ceremony – Red Sand Project activation
Mohegan Tribal Nation – Elder Two Dogs Bruce Bozsum and Strong Wolves Speak Loudly MMIP Committee—Red Dress Song played during the Red Sand portion outside
Schaghticoke Tribal Nation – Member Darlene Kascak
 
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SENATOR OSTEN PROUDLY SUPPORTS FARM BILL, GRATEFUL FOR STATE AID BENEFITTING DAIRY FARMS

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SENATOR OSTEN PROUDLY SUPPORTS FARM BILL, GRATEFUL FOR STATE AID BENEFITTING DAIRY FARMS

HARTFORD – State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) today joined a unanimous and bipartisan vote in the state Senate to support Connecticut dairy farmers at a time when they need support, creating new state programs and expanding existing state aid to help farmers thrive.
 
“It’s really important for us to support an industry that does so much good for our state. This bill, in particular, will save an industry,” Sen. Osten said. “It is so important for us to stand by these family-owned businesses that support each and every one of us. Not only do we like to see our dairy industry as it populates our roadside, but quite frankly, the dairy industry is the backbone of agriculture in Connecticut.”

Senate Bill 148 supports Connecticut dairy farms through a number of new measures, including:

  • Creates the Dairy Modernization Grant Program under the Department of Agriculture, which will aid farms with equipment, operational, and infrastructure investments.
  • Expands eligibility for a farm investment tax credit program to include Connecticut taxpayers with annual income from farming of at least $250,000.
  • Establishes a working group to study dairy farming sustainability, looking at long-term recommendations for the state dairy industry.
  • Reinstates recommended land use values for forest land, thereby reversing an unexpected increase until the next revaluation period.

In the last 20 years, Connecticut’s dairy farms have fallen by 63% — far from a peak of nearly 1,000 dairy farms in the 1950s and 1960s. Fewer than 80 dairy farms now remain in the state, with Connecticut’s dairy farmers expected to lose $20 million this year – largely due to federal milk ordering systems that are tied to Midwestern dairy prices, where production and feed costs are lower.

The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.  
 
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SEN. MAHER APPROVES NEW FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT FOR 42,000 STATE EMPLOYEES

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SEN. MAHER APPROVES NEW FOUR-YEAR CONTRACT FOR 42,000 STATE EMPLOYEES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, April 29, 2026

State Senator Ceci Maher (D-Wilton) today voted to approve a new four-year labor union contract for 42,000 state employees that gives them a 2.5% raise, plus a step increase, in each of the next three years, with a wage re-opener in the fourth year to re-examine current economic conditions.

Senate Resolution 12, “RESOLUTION PROPOSING APPROVAL OF AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT AND THE STATE EMPLOYEES BARGAINING AGENT COALITION (SEBAC),” passed the Senate on a partisan vote of 26-10.

The contract, which also secured $84 million in health care savings/concessions over three years, impacts clerical and administrative staff; corrections officers; nurses, doctors, and staff in state facilities; custodial and maintenance staff; engineering and technical staff; employees working in social services, child protection, and developmental disabilities; Higher Education faculty and staff at state universities and colleges; and Judicial Branch employees.

“The tens of thousands of state employees benefitted by this contract work tirelessly every day to keep our communities running, and in the current economic climate, it’s vital to make sure they get the support they deserve,” said Sen. Maher. “I’m encouraged that we are supporting our state’s workforce and keeping Connecticut competitive in the labor market, able to compete against neighboring states for high-quality workers.”

The financial terms of today’s contract are identical to another state labor union contract that the state Senate approved just two months ago, this time with nearly unanimous Republican support.

In late March, the Senate voted 30-2 to approve a four-year, $45 million labor union contract for 3,700 state employees who collect trash, fix roads, and serve meals. The raises were 2.5% per year, plus an annual increment of 2% – the exact same raise and step increase as the SEBAC contract, which Republicans opposed today.