Marcus Brown

I hope this email finds you and your family well. The final days of the legislative session have been filled with late nights and hard work. We are hopeful that these final efforts will lead to positive outcomes for residents across the state.

Keep reading below for a summary of the bills that have passed the House so far. These measures now move to the Senate, which has until May 6 to take action. 

There is plenty to get to in the email below, so make sure to keep scrolling for more on: 

• Bills Passed in the House
• Possibly Lower Electric Rates Through September
• Renters' Rebate Program

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at any time.

House Bill 5003: An Act Concerning Workforce Development and Working Conditions in the State, focuses on creating safer, more equitable workplaces while strengthening Connecticut’s workforce.

The bill makes targeted investments in the people who keep our communities running by supporting first responders, veterans, nurses, teachers, and skilled workers. It expands benefits for police, firefighters, and veterans, including assistance for families of fallen responders, housing support, and improved access to education and job opportunities.

It also enhances worker protections by providing stronger safeguards for nurses, teachers, and paraeducators, ensuring better support in the event of workplace injuries, and promoting fair pay and safer conditions across industries. Updated standards, such as protections for nursing mothers, reflect the needs of today’s workforce.

In addition, the legislation invests in workforce development through training programs and stronger partnerships between education and industry, helping connect residents to good-paying jobs while supporting business growth. It also includes measures to improve oversight in home care, strengthen hospital staffing compliance, and establish clear guidelines for remote work during severe weather.

After several recent tragedies involving children in Connecticut and growing calls for more accountability in our child welfare system, House Democrats are taking action in the 2026 legislative session.

The Committee on Children is leading House Bill 5004: An Act Concerning Child Welfare Accountability and Transparency, which will:

• Prioritize placing children with family members and responsible adults who are already in their lives.
• Make sure there is follow-up with sister agencies when DCF-involved children travel out of state.
• Support caregivers and children with funding for after-school programs, childcare, and incidentals.
• Uplift our child welfare workforce through improved training, stipends for mentors and mentees, and personal emergency communication devices.
•  Require additional eyes on children who are the subject of multiple reports of abuse or neglect, and those residing with someone on parole or probation after incarceration for serious crimes against children.
• Provide robust real-time data for policymakers and the public on DCF performance through a user-friendly dashboard.
• Establish a new committee to gather legislators, state agencies, experts, and stakeholders to review our child welfare policies and performance and make recommendations for improvements.

This significant legislation reflects a bipartisan effort to reform the Department of Children and Families with policies and procedures that put children first, and a commitment to continued attention to this important issue.

House Bill 5035: An Act Requiring School Districts to Ban Cellular Phones in the Classroom, advances a statewide “bell-to-bell” or arrival to dismissal cellphone policy for K–12 public schools. The goal is to reduce classroom distractions and support student mental health by creating a consistent standard across all districts.

Under the proposal, all public school districts would be required to adopt and enforce the policy, with devices turned off and stored securely, such as in lockers, throughout the school day. By limiting access to cellphones during instructional hours, the measure aims to curb social media dependency, improve student focus, and address behavioral challenges.

The bill also includes reasonable exceptions, allowing cellphone use when necessary for a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), a 504 plan, or documented medical needs approved by a physician.

Since 2025, masked federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, many inadequately trained, have waged a campaign of fear and intimidation with a reckless disregard for the constitutional rights of the people they encounter.
 
Parents are afraid of bringing children to medical appointments or sending them to school, court dates are skipped for fear of being detained, and congregants are afraid of going to their places of worship.
 
We as a state have an obligation to address the unprecedented breakdown in federal accountability and attacks on the rule of law. Senate Bill 397: An Act Concerning Democracy and Government Accountability, represents a measured and lawful response to these concerns. The legislation seeks to strengthen accountability by requiring clear identification from federal agents, restricting enforcement actions in sensitive locations, and creating a pathway for individuals to seek recourse when their constitutional rights are violated.  Specifically, Senate Bill 397 does the following:

• Enables any person the right to sue federal actors who violate their constitutional rights.
• Ensures the Inspector General has clear unrestricted authority to investigate the unauthorized use of force by state, local and certain federal agents when force results in death.
• Prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing masks and refusing to identify themselves when conducting operations.
• Builds on the framework established in 2025, designating protected areas – hospitals, schools, court houses, places of worship – that will be shielded from civil immigration arrests unless a law enforcement officer presents a signed judicial warrant.
• Establishes a floor of at least 480 hours of training for law enforcement officers in Connecticut.
• Regulates automated license plate reader technologies, permitting an active hot list, but capping retention of data to 21 days absent an ongoing criminal investigation.

This legislation is not born out of partisan preference. It’s a measured response to protect the people of Connecticut. No one is above the law, and the protection of constitutional rights is not solely within the federal government’s purview.

The House passed legislation to make sure our 2026 elections are free and fair with House Bill: 5001: An Act Concerning Absentee Voting For All And Various Other Reforms to the Administration of Elections.

We took steps to:

• Modernize our absentee ballot laws and vote counting procedures
• Create more safeguards to ensure your vote counts
• Protect our elections from corrupt outside forces

Additionally, we’ll empower the Attorney General to prevent people from interfering with our elections, among other provisions.

People’s right to vote is under constant attack around the country, but here in Connecticut, we’re making sure elections are free and fair.

We also passed important bills advancing our efforts to support older adults across the state. These measures reflect our commitment to improving access to essential services, strengthening protections, and enhancing quality of life for seniors and their families ensuring Connecticut remains a place where older residents can live with dignity, independence, and security.

House Bill 5140: An Act Concerning the Study of the Needs of Senior Citizens, which allows dental hygienists to serve underserved homebound patients in private residences, such as seniors, veterans, and the disabled, who would likely go without dental care. Dental hygienists currently are allowed by law to work in facilities such as senior centers and preschools without the oversight of a dentist, and this legislation expands upon that. The dental hygienist will have worked under the supervision of a dentist for more than two years. This change helps remove barriers to essential oral health services and ensures that vulnerable residents can receive the care they need in the comfort of their homes.

House Bill 5142: An Act Concerning the Use of Technology for Virtual Visitation and Monitoring in Nursing Homes and Residential Care Homes, extends protections for the use of technology to residents of residential care homes and sets a penalty for violation of the protections. It ensures those living in residential care homes can set up virtual monitoring systems so families have peace of mind and they can keep an eye on their loved ones. In the case of roommates, permission must sign off on paperwork, which can change at any time. With the support of many stakeholders, the legislation passed unanimously.

House Bill 5143: An Act Requiring Training for Homemaker-Companion Agency Employees, requires homemaker companion agency employees to complete eight hours of basic training each year, including training on topics such as: helping individuals with Alzheimer’s, identifying abuse, identifying when care is above capacity of a homemaker companion, and hygiene assistance. Currently, there isn’t a set training for homemaker companions.  

In an effort to ensure that children do not fall through the cracks when they are withdrawn from public school, House Bill 5460: An Act Concerning the Provision of Equivalent Instruction establishes a set of procedures that balance student safety with the rights and privacy of parents who are responsibly educating their children.

These measures are designed to maintain appropriate oversight and communication between families and schools, while respecting parental choice in education. Key provisions in the bill include: 

• Creating an annual notification form for all students to indicate whether a child will be attending a public school, private school, or being homeschooled. This helps ensure accurate enrollment tracking and supports continued engagement with families.
• Requiring schools to check Department of Children and Families (DCF) records for any active protective orders or open cases of abuse or neglect prior to a child being withdrawn from school. This step is intended to help ensure that any necessary safeguards are in place for vulnerable children during transitions.

Together, these procedures provide a balanced approach that prioritizes child safety, improves accountability, and respects the rights of parents and guardians.

Connecticut is advancing a gun violence prevention bill aimed at strengthening public safety and closing dangerous gaps in current law. House Bill 5043: An Act Concerning Convertible Pistols and Unfinished Frames or Unfinished Lower Receivers.

The proposal would ban convertible pistols, firearms that can be easily modified to function like automatic weapons, sometimes with minimal tools such as a screwdriver or knife. By addressing these modifications, the bill targets a growing concern among law enforcement and public safety officials.

It would also make it easier for individuals to safely surrender firearms to local police. Current law primarily applies to assault weapons, but this change would expand that option, helping to ensure that more firearms can be removed from potentially unsafe situations.

Together, these measures are designed to reduce the risk of gun violence while promoting responsible ownership and safer communities across the state.

We took a comprehensive approach to modernizing Connecticut’s cannabis industry by reducing unnecessary regulatory costs and expanding access to safe, affordable products for consumers by passing, House Bill 5850: An Act Concerning Cannabis, Hemp, and Infused Beverage Regulation.

The bill proposes lowering taxes on THC products (as part of the state budget), aligning potency regulations for both flower and hemp-derived beverages more closely with neighboring states, and expanding access to medical cannabis by allowing these products to be sold at dispensaries. It also allows out-of-state patients to purchase medical products in Connecticut, improves branding and packaging standards, and introduces important safeguards such as stronger consumer data protections and a check on overly burdensome state regulations. Additionally, the bill would permit product tastings at dispensaries and broaden the range of products that can be manufactured and sold in Connecticut, including items like coffee and tea.

HB 5850 also aims to reduce overhead costs for dispensaries and support business growth. It allows cannabis businesses to operate in closer proximity to one another, reduces the required number of pharmacist hours at medical dispensaries, and eases restrictions on delivery drivers while enabling them to carry larger inventories. The bill further lowers the cost of lab testing and expands in-state production opportunities, helping to strengthen Connecticut’s cannabis market while maintaining a focus on safety, accessibility, and innovation.

We also voted on several other bills including:

House Bill 5226: An Act Concerning Mobile Manufactured Homes and Mobile Manufactured Home Parks
Senate Bill 259: An Act Concerning Female Genital Mutilation
House Bill 5331: An Act Concerning Faithful Presidential Electors
House Bill 5558: An Act Concerning the Department of Developmental Services' Abuse and Neglect Investigations
House Bill 5464: An Act Implementing Recommendations from the Department of Transportation and Establishing a Pilot Program to Operate Automated Traffic Enforcement Safety Devices on Limited Access Highways
Senate Bill 89: An Act Updating Prison Rape Elimination Standards
House Bill 5567: An Act Concerning Health Care in the Department of Correction Facilities
House Bill 5343: An Act Concerning the Reporting of Advertising Purchased by the State

Starting May 1, Connecticut residents can expect some welcome relief on their energy bills. The Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) approved an interim decision to lower residential electricity rates across the state.

Under this change, rates will decrease by roughly $34 per month for the average United Illuminating customer. 

This reduction is largely driven by a drop in the public benefits charge, which will now appear as a credit on customers’ bills rather than an added cost. Much of this shift is tied to long-term energy contracts negotiated by Millstone and Seabrook nuclear power plants. These agreements provide electricity at stable, fixed prices, helping shield ratepayers from the volatility of fossil fuel markets.

The state’s continued investment in a diversified energy portfolio has helped cushion the impact of rising natural gas prices this winter, underscoring the value of a balanced and forward-looking energy strategy.

The reductions on your bill are expected to remain in place through at least September for most households.

Connecticut’s Renters’ Rebate Program is now open to eligible renters who are elderly or living with a disability and meet certain income requirements.

Qualified applicants may receive rebates of up to $900 for married couples and $700 for single individuals. The rebate amount is determined using a graduated income scale, as well as the total rent and utility payments (excluding telephone) made during the previous calendar year.

Applications must be submitted through your local municipality’s assessor’s office or a designated social service agency. The application period is now open and will run through September 30. Please note that no extensions are permitted, and all applications must be received no later than September 30. 

Walk-In hours are available at the Margaret E. Morton Government Center (999 Broad Street), Monday - Thursday, 10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Click here for more information and to review eligibility requirements.