Hubert Delany

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The 2026 Legislative Session is officially underway, and we begin this work at a time when our country feels unsettled and uncertain. In moments like these, state government matters even more.
 

Over the coming months, we will focus on passing meaningful legislation, adopting a responsible budget, and protecting the stability that families in Stamford and across Connecticut rely on. When there is chaos elsewhere, our responsibility here is to govern with clarity, steadiness, and purpose.

It is always an honor to do the People’s Business and to serve and represent you. I carry that responsibility seriously, and I approach this session with our community foremost in my mind.

In this newsletter, you will find updates on the start of session, our committee work, our vote to extend the Emergency Response Fund, and several important community initiatives — including veterans’ legislation, student loan relief, health coverage updates, and small business grants.

We have real work ahead of us. And we will meet it together.

Let’s get to work.

Now that Session has started, my colleagues and I have already passed a few important pieces of legislation. Firstly, we extended our Emergency State Response Reserve to continue through the end of Fiscal Year 2027. This fund will enable the state government to continue quickly responding to funding cuts from the federal government. I was proud to vote yes and ensure our residents have access to what they need. My priority continues to be advocating for and protecting everyone in our community, especially the most vulnerable residents in our neighborhoods. 

Since this fund was established during the 2025 November Special Session, $185 million has been used to backfill cuts from Washington. This funding has been used to support programs that are critical to families and our residents. So far, funding has been allocated to combat cuts to Access Health subsidies, support United Way and the 2-1-1 Call Center, homelessness services, and more. As there is more chaos at the federal level in terms of funding, this vote allows Connecticut to quickly respond to the millions of ongoing federal funding cuts to essential services. 

This Thursday, the House was in session and passed two important bills: Senate Bill 298 and Senate Bill 299.

Senate Bill 298 is a comprehensive measure that advances several key priorities for our communities. It delivers millions of dollars in targeted grants and earmarks to support local projects and organizations. The bill strengthens education by extending the moratorium on measures addressing racial imbalance in schools and providing $750,000 to the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) for teacher training.

It supports first responders by aiding the firefighter cancer relief fund and increases reimbursement rates for intermediate care facilities. The bill also updates child support enforcement, behavioral health regulations, and freedom of information and election laws to improve efficiency and transparency.

For workers, SB 298 establishes stronger, worker-friendly standards for warehouse operations, including a clear private right of action so employees can seek damages if workplace standards are violated. It revises police training standards for interactions with individuals with disabilities, adjusts municipal pension calculations, and repeals a prior building code change to ensure responsible development standards. It also includes a certificate-of-need change designed to support UConn Health.

Senate Bill 299 addresses bottle redemption fraud following the increase in Connecticut’s beverage container deposit. The bill increases penalties for fraudulently redeeming out-of-state containers and lowers the threshold from 2,500 to 1,000 containers before identification is required at redemption centers. These changes protect the integrity of the system while maintaining the 10-cent deposit.

Together, these measures invest in education, workers, healthcare, public safety, and consumer protection — delivering support and clear standards that benefit residents, businesses, and communities across Connecticut.

It's easier than ever to follow along and get involved this session. There are several resources you can utilize that will help you stay updated on the legislative process as it unfolds in Hartford.

Here's how you can stay connected and actively participate:  

• The Office of Legislative Research (OLR) provides nonpartisan and unbiased research to members of the General Assembly and their staff. Part of their duties includes writing bill analyses, which are summaries of bills in plain language. Click here to check out their website. 
• You can view the Connecticut General Assembly's upcoming events by checking out its schedule on the CGA's official website. 
• Follow CT-N for live coverage of committee meetings, as well as House and Senate floor debates. 
• You can register to monitor any bill's journey through the legislative process. By signing up, you can enter the bill number and receive real-time updates. Stay informed with email notifications whenever there's a change in the bill's progress. 
• Click here for information on how to testify on a bill at a public hearing.

Session is fully underway, and now we are deep in the legislative committee process: hearing testimony from the public, working with government agencies, and crafting a balanced, responsible budget for our people.

There is much more work ahead, but this is where stability is built.

Leadership means facing the hard numbers.

And that’s what my colleagues and I did at this year’s Stamford Chamber of Commerce legislative forum.

We discussed the rising costs affecting households and businesses, the state of our economy, and the responsibility government has to respond thoughtfully. All of which informs our work to balance the state budget and protect the services it supports.

There are no shortcuts. These are not abstract issues. They affect families trying to plan, small businesses trying to grow, and seniors living on fixed incomes.

Thank you to my colleagues and to the business and community leaders who participated in our conversation about Connecticut’s future.

The focus remains clear: protect families, provide stability, and govern responsibly 

Last Saturday, we had the honor of sending off the 143rd Regional Support Group as they deployed to Kuwait and Iraq. 

I was proud to shake the hand of every Soldier who left. As a Soldier, it is always a surreal honor to stand there for my battle buddies. To look them in the eye, to tell them we are proud of them, and to remind them that we will be here to fight for them when they return.

Our Connecticut National Guard members are deployed in support of U.S. military operations overseas. They left behind families, children, and chapters of life that cannot be paused.

Their sacrifice is real.

Their mission is critical.

The State of Connecticut stands firmly behind them.

They are among the best of us, and our hearts go with them.

Fight. Win. Return home safely.

U.S. Army photos by Spc. Juan Perez

On March 3, the Veterans and Military Affairs Committee will hold a public hearing on a number of bills, including a bill that would help create a pathway to military and veteran employment, HB 5409, referred to as the "Troops to Trades" bill.

The Veterans' Committee seeks to help facilitate a pathway from military service to the trades to address shortages in the trade fields and to fill high-paying positions. The committee has been working closely with the National Guard Association of Connecticut, non-profits, employers, and labor, who have all helped in developing this concept.

The proposal includes:

• Supporting career counseling opportunities for veterans through the CT Department of Labor or the CT Department of Veteran Affairs
• Creating a tax credit for industries that have a career pathway for veterans
• Creating a Central Depository of Services, such as a CT Veteran Portal, to centralize services available to veterans and their families post-service
• Ensuring the Air National Guard has the same benefits as other military services
• Potentially creating a statewide transition assistance program (TAP) that goes beyond the federal TAP program, including Discharge Service / Education for CT residents, and following up with that veteran post-employment, post-schooling
• Adding additional “Career Coaches” who know what positions are available
• Creating a program for National Guard members when they're not on active duty to start careers in manufacturing or trades
• Holding a Veteran's Job Fair run by the CT Department of Veteran Affairs

Employers: Would you like to employ members of the military leaving the service? Employees: Have you transitioned out of the military and into a new career, and have suggestions to share with the committee?

Consider testifying or submitting written testimony if you can't attend in person or by Zoom. More information on that below.

Governor Ned Lamont announced that the Connecticut Student Loan Reimbursement Program has opened a new grant round and is now accepting applications for student loan payments that were made during the 2025 calendar year.

Since launching its first grant round in January 2025, the program has awarded more than $2.2 million in reimbursements to borrowers statewide.

Eligible applicants can apply for reimbursement grants of up to $5,000 per year, with a maximum reimbursement of $20,000 over four years. Under the program, a new grant round launches each year, providing reimbursements for payments made during the preceding calendar year.

Eligible applicants may qualify if they:

• Are Connecticut residents and meet program residency requirements
• Made qualifying student loan payments during the 2025 calendar year
• Earned a degree from a Connecticut institution of higher education or completed a state-approved program required for professional licensure or certification
• Meet income limits of $125,000 for single filers or $175,000 for married filers
• Completed required community service or qualify for a hardship waiver in certain circumstances

Applications must be submitted online through the CT Scholars portal, where applicants need to complete an application and upload required documentation. Applications will be reviewed on a first come first serve basis through December 2026 or until funds are exhausted.

Click here for application instructions. Questions regarding the program and the application process can be directed to OHE.SLRP@ct.gov.