Updates for Anne Hughes for Nov. 12, 2025

November 12, 2025



 

 

How it started: Testifying as a student to the U.S. House Select Committee on Hunger, Feb. 19, 1987, with Congressman Dick Gephardt.

How it's going: Speaking on Connecticut House floor on hunger during special session in 2025. Minus the shoulder pads.
 

During the special session this week, the legislature set up an emergency funding reserve to offset harmful reductions in federal programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); school meals, reductions to Medicaid, veterans services and others that directly impact Connecticut residents.

The result was House Bill No. HB-8003, which sets aside $500 million to handle cutbacks in federal funding.
 
Connecticut will not sit by idly as the federal government attacks middle and low-income families.
 

Food Drive

THIS SATURDAY: I will be collecting food from local growers and neighbors to address food insecurity RIGHT NOW in our communities.

Please consider dropping off the items needed below at First Congregational Church,148 Beach Road, in Fairfield, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in coordination with Operation Hope.

The most-needed items, according to Operation Hope, are the following:

  • Cereal
  • Canned fruit
  • Canned vegetables
  • Pasta sauce
  • Canned or boxed tomato products (crushed, diced, sauce, etc.)
  • Chef Boyardee & SpaghettiOs
  • Canned chili & stew
  • Canned meat
  • Baking mixes
  • Crackers
  • Salt, pepper & other spices
 

Protections for Immigrants

During this special session, we also strengthened our state’s approach to immigrant protections in courthouses, as well as protections regarding agency and personal data sharing to address the alarming breaches and threats we have seen happening throughout Connecticut.

The comprehensive bill, HB 8004, includes the following provisions:

  • Parameters for detaining, arresting, or taking a person into custody on courthouse grounds based on a civil offense;
  • General prohibitions on people enforcing state or federal laws on state courthouse grounds from wearing a mask or facial coverings, unless medically necessary and approved by court personnel; and
  • Restrictions on state and local government agencies from disclosing personal information to federal authorities, except as required by state or federal law, judicial warrant, or court order.

The protections were included as part of an expansive bill that also created a funding mechanism for a firefighters cancer relief fund.
 

Children's Behavioral Health

We also passed legislation on Wednesday that continues to build on House Democrats’ commitment to children’s behavioral health care.
 
Highlights include:

  • Statewide study to assess the demand for children’s behavioral health services and improve data collection
  • New grant program to support care coordination and resource navigation for kids and families
  • Insurance companies must now cover autism treatments — including applied behavior analysis and cognitive behavioral therapy — up to age 26
  • Adding substance abuse treatment providers for children to Transforming Children’s Behavioral Health Policy and Planning Committee (TCB)  

Together, these measures represent a stronger, more coordinated system of care for Connecticut’s children.
 

New Early Start Spaces

Governor Ned Lamont announced that Connecticut will add up to 1,000 new spaces in the state’s Early Start CT program beginning in January 2026, expanding access to early childhood education and child care for more families. In addition, the state will increase provider payments by up to 8% to help offset operational costs and support higher staff compensation.

This expansion is being funded through the Connecticut Early Childhood Education Endowment which was established earlier this year. The endowment supports the governor’s initiative to implement the largest expansion of early childhood education services in Connecticut’s history.

Early Start CT is a state-funded early care and education program serving income-eligible families with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. The program is administered by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC).

To support this expansion, OEC will soon launch a Request for Applications (RFA) for child care providers interested in offering Early Start CT spaces. The RFA will be open to child care centers, group child care homes, family child care homes, and public school preschool classrooms across the state.

Click here for more information on Early Start CT.
 

Concert in Easton

We are so fortunate to have such virtuoso talent as Easton resident Gustavo Casenave (a three-time Grammy winner!) play a free concert at the Easton Library. 

Thank you Gustavo!
 

As always, please feel free to contact my office at 800-842-8267 or by email at anne.hughes@cga.ct.gov. And "Like" and follow my Facebook page for regular legislative updates. 

Peace,

Anne Hughes
State Representative

Website
Website

Email
Email

Facebook
Facebook

Forward to a friend | Unsubscribe from this list | Update subscription preferences