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For too long, Connecticut's special education model has faced fundamental flaws that prevented all students from receiving the proper education they deserve. With our recent passage of HB 5001: An Act Concerning the Quality and Delivery of Special Education Services in Connecticut, we are taking important steps to reform this system.
This bill, which passed 148-0 in the House on a bipartisan basis, makes historic investments in students with special education needs, delivers improved access to services, and provides cost controls and greater transparency. |
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Key provisions of the bill include:
- Historic investment in our students, including $30 million for the Special Education Expansion and Development (SEED) grant program, which will help build capacity to serve students closer to home.
- Prioritizing better access to services through enhanced development screenings, behavioral assessment and intervention plans, access to remedial classes in higher education, and involvement of parents and local school districts before a student is moved from their school.
- Reining in costs by regulating third-party rate processes and developing new billing and licensing standards.
- Increasing oversight through on-site compliance visits and detailed system-wide reporting to reduce unpredictability and improve accountability.
Children are our future, and it is our responsibility to provide them with a proper education. In a state with one of the best K-12 public school systems in the country, HB 5001 ensures that our special education program maintains the same level of quality.
The bill passed both the House and Senate and now heads to the governor's desk.
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| Every Connecticut family deserves affordable, high-quality childcare. With the passage of House Priority Bill 5003 and Senate Bill 1, transformative legislation is set to become reality by expanding access, supporting educators, and investing in a stronger future for our children and our economy. These smart, sustainable investments position Connecticut to lead the nation in delivering affordable, high-quality childcare and establishing universal Pre-K by 2032. |
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The bills:
Provide a Sustainable Investment
- Fund the Early Childhood Education Endowment to invest in childcare now and in the future
Lower Costs and Increased Access
- Childcare and Pre-K will be free for families in state-funded programs earning up to $100,000, and families making over $100,000 will pay no more than 7% of their income
- Add 16,000 new childcare and Pre-K slots across the state
- Create an online portal to help families find and enroll in programs
Attract and Retain Early Childhood Educators
- Pay qualified educators on par with public school teachers
- Provide funding for health insurance coverage for educators
This legislation delivers lasting solutions for families, educators, and the economy. Together, these measures provide relief for families, bolster recruitment and retention of childcare educators, and invest in the construction and renovation of early learning facilities. These bills represent a transformational step forward in Connecticut’s commitment to children and their future.
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Amid one of the most constrained housing markets in the nation, families across our communities are finding it harder than ever to secure homes. Rents are rising, available housing is scarce, and outdated policies are standing in the way of new construction. This housing crisis impacts every facet of life — limiting economic opportunity, straining our education and healthcare systems, and affecting public safety.
House Democrats led passage of legislation that aims to tackle these challenges head-on by increasing housing supply, streamlining regulations, protecting vulnerable residents, and empowering local communities with the tools they need to create lasting solutions. |
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| My remarks on the House floor on Tuesday, May 27, on the housing bill. I spoke to the town's bipartisan coalition, "Wallingford Works for Housing." |
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Provisions in this measure provide funding to regional bodies to support towns in proactively planning for affordable housing. This is coupled with a robust $50 million annual grant program to assist public housing authorities in directly increasing housing supply for our lowest-income residents.
Finally, for those who find themselves in the unfortunate situation of homelessness, this bill offers meaningful support by funding mobile shower and laundry services—meeting urgent hygiene needs while promoting public health and restoring a sense of dignity. Additionally, we affirm the humanity and vulnerability of unhoused individuals by banning hostile architecture designed to exclude or punish them.
Addressing the issue of housing is a complex challenge with no simple solutions, but this bill represents a meaningful step forward in supporting those in need. |
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On Monday, the House passed HB 6951, "An Act Concerning Children's Behavioral Health Services." This bill will require the Transforming Children's Behavioral Health Policy and Planning Committee to conduct a study concerning behavioral health services for children and develop a survey and reporting requirements for school-based health centers, and appropriate $8.6 million in the fiscal years ending June 30, 2026, and June 30, 2027, to the Department of Children and Families for mobile crisis intervention services.
It is currently awaiting action in the Senate. |
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