HADDAM LEADERS WELCOME $800,000 IN SIDEWALK CONNECTION GRANTS

Posted on March 19, 2026 by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

HADDAM LEADERS WELCOME $800,000 IN SIDEWALK CONNECTION GRANTS

Today, State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex), State Representative Christine Palm (D-Haddam) and Haddam First Selectman Robert McGarry welcomed the state’s announcement that the Department of Transportation and Governor Ned Lamont will release $800,000 in grant funding through the Community Connectivity Grant Program to support sidewalk repairs in Haddam. Specifically, those funds will go toward Higganum Center connections, seeking to connect the Village Center to town landmarks.

“It’s excellent to know our community will receive this key support from the state to support Higganum Center, an economic centerpiece for Haddam, and will help connect it to town for pedestrians and bicyclists,” said Sen. Needleman. “I’m excited to see how this work benefits our communities. I’m grateful to Governor Lamont and the Department of Transportation for their support.”

“As the people of Higganum seek to make their village more walkable, this grant will be a vital step in increasing both aesthetics and safety,” said Rep. Palm. “We talk a lot about how government funds are apportioned; this is a great example of state funds being used in a creative, efficient, and targeted way for our community.”

“We’re thrilled to be awarded this grant,” said First Selectman McGarry. “We’re working hard to revitalize Higganum Center. The sidewalks this grant funds will make a major improvement to the area.”

“Our main streets and community centers serve as vital social, economic, and transportation hubs,” Governor Lamont said. “Improving local infrastructure for all users in community centers is a win for our whole state and opens the door to further economic growth.”

ADVISORY: Sens. Duff, Lesser, Advocates Call to Advance Affordable Healthcare Bill

Posted on March 19, 2026 by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

Sens. Duff, Lesser, Advocates Call to Advance Affordable Healthcare Bill

HARTFORD – Today, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, State Senator Matt Lesser, advocates, residents and faith leaders will hold a press conference ahead of the committee vote on Senate Bill 3, a Senate Democrats priority piece of legislation designed to make health care affordable.

When Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress allowed federal premium tax credits to expire, Connecticut families insured through Access Health CT saw their premiums skyrocket overnight. Additionally, 100,000 residents are projected to lose their HUSKY Medicaid coverage this year due to passage of HR.1 the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” which also threatens the financial underpinning of Connecticut hospitals. Senate Bill 3 takes a broad approach to ensure that Connecticut residents are not forced to choose between paying rent and staying insured.

Senate Bill 3 will be voted on in the Human Services Committee at 11 a.m. in Hearing Room 2A.

Creating the Connecticut Affordable Health Insurance Trust Fund
The bill transfers $200 million from Connecticut’s Emergency Federal Response Fund to make health care and health insurance more affordable for Connecticut residents.

The Connecticut Option
Thousands of Connecticut residents saw their Access Health CT premiums spike due to the Republicans in Congress and the White House. Connecticut quickly acted to provide full tax credits for families earning 100–200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and partial tax credits for middle class families between 400% and 500% of poverty. This proposal funds additional health care tax credits that will cover families earning up to 600% of the FPL, so middle class families aren’t left behind.

The proposal also begins the planning process for the Governor’s Proposed Connecticut Option, creating a state designed health plan that would provide affordable healthcare options for small business owners and their employees.

Basic Health Program
In addressing the benefits cliff experienced by many working families and individuals across the state, this legislation establishes a Basic Health Program (BHP) to cover low-income residents. For those who earn too much to qualify for HUSKY, but cannot afford private healthcare on Access Health CT, this would create an affordable, reliable option that could replace the more limited Covered CT.

Addressing Medical Debt + Hospital Financial Assistance
This legislation prohibits hospitals from billing patients who earn under 200% of the FPL, or receive public benefits like SNAP or WIC, reducing the number of Connecticut residents who will be saddled with medical debt. It would also require hospitals to offer payment plans for patients who do not otherwise qualify for financial assistance.

The proposal creates a state funded program that would provide payments to support hospital financial health. The bill contemplates tapping into Disproportionate Share Medicaid payments to compensate hospitals for the cost of providing health care to uninsured and under-insured residents.

Prior Authorization
Senate Bill 3 makes improvements to prior authorization by shortening the timeframe for certain review determinations and decisions. Delays in prior authorization can restrict medically necessary care, increase emergency room wait times and crowding, increase the cost of care and negatively affect patient care and experience.

Who:
Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff
State Senator Matt Lesser, Senate Chair of the Human Services Committee
State Senator Jorge Cabrera, Senate Chair of the Insurance Committee
Ayesha Clarke, Health Equity Solutions
Muna Abbas, Commission on Racial Equity in Public Health
Constanza Segovia, Connecticut for All
Terrell Williams, PCA, SEIU District 1199ne member
Dr. Bill Begg, Chair of Emergency Medicine Department for Nuvance Health
What: Press Conference on Senate Bill 3
Where: Hearing Room 2D
When: Today – Thursday, March 19 at 10 a.m.

PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE ADVANCES LEGISLATION MAINTAINING CURRENT VACCINATION STANDARDS AND PROTECTIONS

Posted on March 18, 2026 by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

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

March 18, 2026

PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE ADVANCES LEGISLATION MAINTAINING CURRENT VACCINATION STANDARDS AND PROTECTIONS

Today, the Public Health Committee advanced legislation seeking to maintain and reconfirm Connecticut’s current standards for vaccination, which have contributed to its nation-leading vaccination rates at a time when vaccination-preventable diseases are spreading in the United States.

Senate Bill 450, “An Act Concerning The Standard Of Care For Immunization,” would see the state’s Commissioner of Public Health utilize approved vaccination schedules published by national bodies including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians in developing the state’s standard of care for immunization. In doing so, the state would seek to reconfirm access to vaccines in the state for those seeking them.

“Connecticut has the highest vaccination rate for kindergarteners in the country. As a result, where states around the country are seeing outbreaks of vaccine-preventable disease, vaccination rates are dropping and one person is upending decades of commonly accepted science at federal levels and impacting the well-being of the entire nation, Connecticut needs to continue protecting its residents,” said State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor), Senate Chair of the Public Health Committee. “The CDC’s rapidly changing recommendations could disconnect people from access to vaccination and even remove vaccines from public access. We’ve passed this legislation to make sure our state utilizes information from medical organizations and retains vaccination access for all, especially concerning insurance coverage. There’s no mandate in this bill – we’re trying to make sure we retain protections for the public.”

In public testimony regarding the bill, a number of physicians testified in support, seeking to maintain the status quo where children are protected from preventable illnesses. While the United States saw more than 1,000 cases of measles in 2025 and more than 2,000 already in just the winter of 2026, including outbreaks in states like Texas, Utah and South Carolina that each spawned hundreds of cases, Connecticut has seen just one case of measles since 2021. The state’s current vaccination rate for measles, mumps and rubella is 98.2%.

Dr. Laura Haynes, an immunology professor at the UConn School of Medicine, testified that high levels of vaccination correlate to better community protection against illness.

Dr. Emily Hodeland, a pediatrician working in Hartford, and Miriam Cohen, president-elect of the Connecticut American Academy of Pediatrics, both testified about their experiences caring for children who contracted vaccine-preventable diseases.

Hogeland said she worked in a state with vaccine exemptions and cared for a young girl who was not vaccinated against tetanus, watching her condition deteriorate until she needed a ventilator to breathe; Cohen said her medical career started before widespread availability of pediatric vaccines and saw children who contracted illnesses die or experience long-term health consequences from them. Those deaths and disabilities stopped after vaccinations became widely available.

Ellen Andrews, executive director of the Connecticut Health Policy Project, testified that the federal government firing experienced members of federal advisory committees with individuals who, for instance, publicly stated the polio vaccine is no longer necessary. Under that context, she said, Connecticut should take steps to preserve public health.

With its passage through the Public Health Committee today, the bill heads next to the Senate floor for further consideration.

ADVISORY: Sens. Duff, Lesser, Advocates Call to Advance Affordable Healthcare Bill

Posted on March 18, 2026 by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

Sens. Duff, Lesser, Advocates Call to Advance Affordable Healthcare Bill

HARTFORD – Tomorrow, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, State Senator Matt Lesser, advocates, residents and faith leaders will hold a press conference ahead of the committee vote on Senate Bill 3, a Senate Democrats priority piece of legislation designed to make health care affordable.

Senate Bill 3 will be voted on in the Human Services Committee at 11 a.m. in Hearing Room 2A.

Who:
Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff
State Senator Matt Lesser, Senate Chair of the Human Services Committee
State Senator Jorge Cabrera, Senate Chair of the Insurance Committee
Ayesha Clarke, Health Equity Solutions
Muna Abbas, Commission on Racial Equity in Public Health
Costanza Segovia, Connecticut for All
What: Press Conference on Senate Bill 3
Where: Hearing Room 2D
When: Thursday, March 19 at 10 a.m.

SEN. KUSHNER CELEBRATES CEREMONIAL SIGNING OF NEW WAREHOUSE WORKERS’ RIGHTS BILL

Posted on March 18, 2026 by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

SEN. KUSHNER CELEBRATES CEREMONIAL SIGNING OF NEW WAREHOUSE WORKERS’ RIGHTS BILL

HARTFORD – Surrounded by labor union members and advocates working people, state Senator Julie Kushner (D-Danbury) today celebrated the ceremonial signing of Senate Bill 298, an emergency-certified bill passed in special session in late February that includes new workplace protections for workers in large warehouse distribution centers.

The bill, originally signed into law by Governor Ned Lamont on March 3, includes a basic set of rules regarding warehouse production quotas with the goal of decreasing the likelihood of on-the-job injuries and enabling workers to maintain scheduled meal and bathroom breaks.

Connecticut is the first state in New England to pass these types of warehouse worker protections and the sixth nationwide; similar legislation has already been approved in California, New York, Washington, Minnesota, and Oregon.

“I want to give a big, big thank you to all of the labor union members who are here today and who were here for every moment as we shepherded this bill through the Labor Committee,” Sen. Kushner said at this morning’s bill signing in the State Capitol. “The public testimony in favor of this bill was eye-opening. We heard from workers that these big warehouses have an injury rate that is so high and getting worse, and that the turnover rate in some warehouses is 150% a year. I think everybody knows someone who works or who has worked a warehouse job, so I applaud my colleagues who voted for this bill and the labor union members who pushed for it in order to ensure that every worker who works in a warehouse or in any other environment has a good job, good benefits, and is safe.”

The new law generally applies to employers that employ at least 250 employees at a single warehouse distribution center in the state or 1,000 employees at multiple warehouse distribution centers in the state. Sections 50-57 of Senate Bill 298:

Limits the extent to which employers at certain warehouse distribution centers can require their employees to meet production quotas;
Sets quota-related notice requirements, prohibitions, and record-keeping requirements;
Allows aggrieved employees to bring a civil action in Superior Court;

Prohibits employers from firing or retaliating against an employee for requesting their quotas and work speed data or for filing a civil action.

The new law takes effect on July 1.

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Sen. Slap Leads Unanimous Committee Vote for Statewide Scholarship Program

Posted on March 17, 2026 by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

Sen. Slap Leads Committee Vote for Statewide Scholarship Program

Task Force Proposal Expands Promise Programs and Establishes Statewide Scholar Success Grant

HARTFORD, CT — Today, State Senator Derek Slap and State Representative Gregg Haddad, co-chairs of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, celebrated unanimous committee passage of legislation designed to improve college affordability and strengthen Connecticut’s higher education and workforce pipeline.

Senate Bill 380 incorporates the recommendations of the Promise Program Task Force, established during the 2025 legislative session to examine how Connecticut can expand access to higher education, improve student success, and better align education with the state’s long-term economic needs.

“Connecticut is severely behind our peer states when it comes to scholarship investment, and it’s no surprise that we end up losing thousands of students to colleges and employment out of state,” said Sen. Slap. “Promise Programs have a proven record of success in getting students into college, helping them pay for it and providing critical support along the way. This is a sound investment into the future of our students and our state, and I’m grateful for the work of the Task Force in bringing us their recommendations.”

“Today’s unanimous approval through the Higher Education is an early indication that this proposal’s time has come. It would provide much needed financial aid to students who have worked hard to demonstrate that they are committed to earning their degree and contributing to our state. Lack of resources should never be a hurdle so high that our best and brightest students forgo opportunity rather than fulfill their destiny,” said Rep. Haddad. “The task force completed a solid report that is ready to be considered by the legislature and, hopefully, passed and fully funded. I thank them for their effort.”

“For nearly two decades, I’ve worked to expand access and affordability in higher education and better align it with the needs of our state,” said Dr. Kelvin Roldán, co-chair of the Promise Program Task Force. “As we plan for the future, Connecticut has an opportunity to create clear, affordable pathways for all students—including our middle-class families—to stay, succeed, and build their futures here. This proposal would ultimately support more than 30,000 students each year, dramatically expanding opportunity across income levels. By making college more accessible, we can retain more of our talent, strengthen our workforce, and position Connecticut as a national leader in connecting higher education to economic opportunity.”

“With the passage of this bill to support Promise Programs and create College Success Grants for thousands of CT students, our state will now be in a leadership position prioritizing affordable higher education and a future that builds the most highly educated population in the country,” said Richard Sugarman, co-chair of the Promise Program Task Force. “We will retain our most talented students and will also become an importer of talent. This bill will reduce the cost of college for thousands of Connecticut families with annual incomes up to $110,000. This is the kind of commitment to our children and their education that will position Connecticut to prosper in the knowledge economy of the future. It’s a true win win… students win, families win, our workforce wins, our economy wins… Connecticut wins.”

Currently, Connecticut underinvests significantly in student financial aid, spending approximately $245 per undergraduate student, compared to a national average of roughly $1,283 per student. At the same time, Connecticut exports nearly 40 percent of its college-bound students each year, with many enrolling in neighboring states.

The Task Force, co-chaired by Dr. Kelvin Roldán and Richard Sugarman, recommended creating a coordinated Connecticut Ecosystem of Promise that expands local Promise programs and strengthens statewide college affordability efforts.

Promise Programs pair financial aid with proven student success supports, including high-touch advising, mentorship, financial literacy education, and career alignment. Together, these initiatives improve college affordability, expand student success, and position Connecticut to lead with a highly educated workforce in the years ahead.

The bill includes:

The establishment of grants of $300 per student enrolled in current Promise programs, at an appropriation of $4.8 million
The creation of a Scholar Success Grant Program that provides need- and merit-based financial aid to Connecticut students, with award levels scaled by household income up to $110,000. This program requires an appropriation of $30 million to the Office of Higher Education
The Office of Higher Education will establish a program to support a goal of establishing 8 new promise programs across the state. These programs must serve students in alliance districts

PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE CHAIRS CHEER CONNECTICUT PHYSICIAN ACCESS TO INTERSTATE MEDICAL LICENSURE COMPACT

Posted on March 17, 2026 by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

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

March 17, 2026

PUBLIC HEALTH COMMITTEE CHAIRS CHEER CONNECTICUT PHYSICIAN ACCESS TO INTERSTATE MEDICAL LICENSURE COMPACT

Connecticut public health leaders on Monday cheered Connecticut physicians’ access to and ability to apply to the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, a platform offering voluntary and expedited pathways to licensing for qualified physicians. With the move, the state joins more than 40 others in offering access to speedy licensing for physicians to practice in multiple states.

It comes after Connecticut adopted the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact in 2022.

“There’s a shortage of physicians in the state of Connecticut. We are hoping this compact will allow us to increase access to care,” said State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor), Senate Chair of the Public Health Committee. “The gradual shortage of physicians, especially in specialty fields and specialist practices, has been a major problem, causing significant waiting time for patients. This implementation will help us reach a better place.”

“Joining the IMLC improves oversight and makes sure Connecticut has better connections with other states as part of a larger effort to enhance the field of physicians in our state,” said State Representative Cristin McCarthy Vahey (D-Fairfield), House Chair of the Public Health Committee. “This is an important step forward that makes sure Connecticut is up to date with national standards and can continue responding to changes in the field.”

Under the shift, qualified physicians can now register to receive licensure to practice medicine in multiple states, key to relieve care shortages and cut down on red tape preventing expanded delivery of care. Maine and New Hampshire are already members of the compact, with Connecticut joining Rhode Island and Vermont as states in the process of adopting it.

When a physician gets a license to practice, in most states, they apply through the IMLC, which screens them and notifies the Department of Public Health to produce a letter of qualifications. After a background check, that letter is the key to expedited licensing in other states; the physician pays the IMLC to manage renewals instead of paying separate states for their licensure.

While this is a benefit for physicians’ ease of access and licensing, it’s also beneficial for oversight in the medical field. If a physician’s license is revoked, surrendered, relinquished or suspended, all of their licenses will be placed in the same status.

Looney, Duff Outraged as Trump Economic Advisor Says Consumers ‘Last of Our Concerns’

Posted on March 17, 2026 by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

Looney, Duff Outraged as Trump Economic Advisor Says Consumers ‘Last of Our Concerns’

HARTFORD — Today, Senate President Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven) and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff (D-Norwalk) were outraged by comments made by the Trump regime National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett on Tuesday, where Hassett claimed consumers are the “last of our concerns” as the Iran war continues.

As the war enters its fourth week and the prospect of it lasting for months looms, Hassett appeared on CNBC to discuss the economic consequences. Hassett said extending the war “wouldn’t really disrupt the US economy very much at all,” though it would “hurt consumers, and we’d have to think about what we’d have to do about that, but that’s really the last of our concerns right now.”

“After starting a lawless war with no plan, the Trump regime confirms what we’ve already known: Washington Republicans don’t care about the American public,” said Looney and Duff. “The Strait of Hormuz remains closed as a result of US actions, disrupting global trade and causing the price of just about everything to increase. The cost of a gallon of gas is up nearly $1 in the last month, and crude oil markets remain volatile. Americans were already struggling, and now they’re feeling the pain even more. We are calling on Connecticut Republicans to stand up for their constituents and denounce their MAGA colleagues for such a blatant disregard for affordability in our state. While the Trump regime’s behavior is both shameful and shameless, at least they’re willing to admit they no longer care about regular people.”

These latest comments come amid a turbulent environment where analysts increasingly believe the war with Iran, started with United States strikes on February 28, will stretch on for months, with extended impacts on global fuel and trade.

Those impacts are already apparent, as in less than a month, the average price of a gallon of gas in Connecticut rose by 78 cents, and the cost of a barrel of crude oil rose from $60 to more than $100. Increasing fuel costs will bleed into transportation and shipping, with a heavy impact on shipping.

Since the war started, the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of global oil flows, has been effectively closed, triggering a global fuel crisis.

The cost increases layer on top of the cost of Trump tariffs – even though the initial ones were deemed unlawful by the Supreme Court in February, Trump immediately implemented 15% global tariffs that will remain in place for months.

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

Looney, Duff Outraged as Trump Economic Advisor Says Consumers ‘Last of Our Concerns’

Posted on March 17, 2026 by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

Looney, Duff Outraged as Trump Economic Advisor Says Consumers ‘Last of Our Concerns’

Since the war started, the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of global oil flows, has been effectively closed, triggering a global fuel crisis.

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

MEDIA ADVISORY – 11AM, CAPITOL SOUTH LOBBY – JUST CAUSE ADVANCES, LAWMAKERS PLAN WHAT’S NEXT

Posted on March 17, 2026 by sdozapier@senatedems.ct.gov

MEDIA ADVISORY: 11AM, CAPITOL SOUTH LOBBY – JUST CAUSE ADVANCES, LAWMAKERS PLAN WHAT’S NEXT

MEDIA ADVISORY: 11AM, CAPITOL SOUTH LOBBY – JUST CAUSE ADVANCES, LAWMAKERS PLAN WHAT’S NEXT

Where: State Capitol, South Lobby Portico (facing Capitol Avenue)
When: Tuesday, March 17, 11 a.m.
Who: Lawmakers championing Senate Bill 257, including State Senator Martha Marx and State Representative Antonio Felipe, Chairs of the Senate Housing Committee, State Rep. Kevin Brown and State Rep. Anthony Nolan; advocates with Connecticut Tenants Union, CT Fair Housing Center, Make The Road CT and the Just Cause Coalition

Following its passage from the Housing Committee on March 10, lawmakers and advocates seeking to support and protect tenants will celebrate Senate Bill 257’s Just Cause protections, seeking to better protect the rights and stability of countless Connecticut renters.

SB257 seeks to require a listed reason in the event of an eviction, trying to reduce housing instability, unfair evictions and homelessness among tenants who can be exposed to abuses of power. The policy does not bar evictions but seeks to end the practice of no-fault evictions, representing more than 10% of all evictions.

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