End of Session Recap

June 6, 2025


 

 

View this email in your browser

Dear Friends, 

Happy Friday!
 

The legislative session officially concluded Wednesday, and we got a lot done for the people of Connecticut.
 


Democrat Budget Puts People First
“The state House of Representatives adopted a $55.8 billion two-year budget early Tuesday that invests in child care and K-12 education, provides a $250 tax cut to working poor families...”  Tax relief for working families; investing in education and special education; transformative funding for childcare and early childhood education; and standing up for nonprofit service providers are the pillars of the next state budget.

Our budget reflects shared values, marked by historic investments in children through expanded funding for special education and childcare. It strengthens support for working families and ensures that the essential work of nonprofits is both valued and financially supported. These organizations are on the frontlines every day, serving our most vulnerable neighbors. This budget affirms and reinforces their vital role in building a stronger, more inclusive community for all.  

This budget stands up for:

HISTORIC NEW FUNDING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION

  • $40 million for Excess Cost Grant in each of next two years
  • $30 million for Special Education Expansion and Development (SEED) grant program
  • $20 million in bonding to expand and upgrade special education facilities
  • $10 million in bonding for capital development
  • $10 million for Governor's Incentive District Grant
  • Hold harmless funding for Education Cost Sharing, so no school district sees a cut

CHILDCARE

  • Investible trust to provide sustainable funding for new childcare programs
  • Funding for direct healthcare of our children through DSS Medicaid

NONPROFIT PROVIDERS

  • Access to better health care and nonprofit community providers
  • $150 million for groups homes and nursing homes
  • More than $60 million in Medicaid rate increases, which will benefit nonprofit providers

TAX RELIEF FOR WORKING FAMILIES

  • Targeted, meaningful relief and long-term support for working families
  • Refundable tax credit of $250 through the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) framework
  • $500 refundable tax credit for home daycare owners that recognizes and sustains the vital care workforce
  • Tax credit for employers who contribute to their employees' CHET accounts

This is a budget that works for the people — one that safeguards essential services, uplifts communities, and lays the foundation for a future where every resident is supported and protected. 
 


Lowering Your Electric Rates

The House and Senate took bold, bipartisan action to lower electric bills—passing a comprehensive energy reform bill with more than $780 million in savings for ratepayers.

✅ Lower Bills

  • Paying Down COVID-era Electric Debt
  • Cutting Charges for Solar, EVs & Fuel Cells
  • Smarter Energy Purchasing to Lock in Savings
  • Smoothing $1.2B Storm Costs to Avoid Rate Spikes

✅ Smarter Grid

  • Require Cost-Saving Tech Reviews Before Costly Grid Projects
  • Improve Planning to Avoid Wasteful “Gold-Plated” Upgrades

✅ Stronger Future for CT Families

  • Support Advanced Nuclear & Geothermal
  • Incentivize Grid Efficiency
  • Expand DEEP’s Clean Energy Planning Authority

By easing costs on consumers, modernizing the grid, and investing in clean energy, we are powering a more affordable, reliable, and accountable energy future for all.
 


Transforming Special Education in Connecticut

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 for students in special education, delivers better access to services, and provides cost controls and greater transparency.

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 a proper education. In a state that has one of the best K-12 public school systems in the country, HB 5001 makes sure our special education program maintains that same level of quality.
 


Addressing Our Childcare Crisis


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 invest 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.  

The bills:

Provide a Sustainable Investment 

  • Fund the Early Childhood Education Endowment to invest in childcare now and in the future

Lower Costs and Increase 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 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. 
 


Expanding Services for Veterans

Our veterans deserve more than just our gratitude, they deserve real, accessible support. With bipartisan support, the House of Representatives has passed final portion of the CT Hero Act through House Bill 6438, a crucial step toward strengthening and expanding the services veterans rely on.

 

The CT Hero Act is our commitment to ensuring services for those who’ve served our country. By improving how Connecticut delivers veterans' service, this bill ensures every veteran can access the benefits and support they have earned.
 

Key provisions of this bill include: 

  • Making it easier for disabled veterans to qualify for state benefits: exempting veteran disability pay as an income requirement for certain state benefits
  • Hiring more state employees to help connect veterans to their benefits: hiring veteran service officers to this Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs to assist veterans in qualifying for the VA disability claims.
  • Guaranteeing free college tuition for disabled veterans: preventing higher ed institutions from charging fees
  • Making it easier for veterans to qualify for free legal service: exempting veteran disability pay from an income requirement when determining access to public defenders.
  • Making it easier for veterans and veteran own businesses to qualify for loans through D.E.C.D.
  • Directing the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs to study: claim sharks and the municipal veterans representative program.

This measure reaffirms Connecticut’s commitment to honoring our veterans and standing with those who have served.

It now advances to the Senate and, if passed, will head to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law. Let’s ensure that every Connecticut veteran receives the care, support, and recognition they so rightfully deserve. Our veterans have earned nothing less.

Key provisions of this bill include: 

  • Making it easier for disabled veterans to qualify for state benefits: exempting veteran disability pay as an income requirement for certain state benefits
  • Hiring more state employees to help connect veterans to their benefits: hiring veteran service officers to this Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs to assist veterans in qualifying for the VA disability claims.
  • Guaranteeing free college tuition for disabled veterans: preventing higher ed institutions from charging fees
  • Making it easier for veterans to qualify for free legal service: exempting veteran disability pay from an income requirement when determining access to public defenders.
  • Making it easier for veterans and veteran own businesses to qualify for loans through D.E.C.D.
  • Directing the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs to study: claim sharks and the municipal veterans representative program.

This measure reaffirms Connecticut’s commitment to honoring our veterans and standing with those who have served.

Let’s ensure that every Connecticut veteran receives the care, support, and recognition they so rightfully deserve. Our veterans have earned nothing less.
 


Major Transportation and Safety Updates
The legislature passed two Transportation bills that reflect Connecticut’s commitment to safer streets, smarter infrastructure, and modernized services.
 
The provisions in the legislation include:
  • Increasing state funding to our local transit districts, helping local governments apply for federal grants
  • Stronger DUI and BUI (boating) penalty
  • Improving pedestrian safety in new crosswalks
  • Updating helmet rules on bikes and motorcycles for young people
  • 50% fare discount to seniors, veterans, minors, and the disabled on state-owned buses
  • Creating a “yellow envelope” program to improve interactions between the police and people with disabilities
  • Designating Special Service Road 495 in Meriden as the "Andrew DiDomenico Memorial Highway" and Bridge No. 01241 in Southington as the "State Trooper First Class Aaron M. Pelletier Memorial Bridge"
 


Opening Doors to Housing
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.

The legislature 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.

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.

It also includes a priority Banking Committee bill we’ve been working on for several years that creates a first timee homebuyer savings program and tax deduction.

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.
 


Standing Up for CT Values

Amid unprecedented federal immigration crackdowns - even targeting properly documented immigrants - and the denial of due process and Habeus Corpus, we are standing by our Connecticut values, and protecting our friends and neighbors.
 
Connecticut has one of the strongest TRUST Act’s in the country - it was approved unanimously in 2013 - and we added to it recently:
  • Make sure that officials like juvenile probation officers, and employees of the Division of Criminal Justice and the Board of Pardons and Paroles are included in existing TRUST Act protections.
  • The TRUST Act allows cooperation with federal immigration authorities when someone has been convicted of serious crimes.
 


Medical Debt Relief for 100,000
Medical debt relief is coming to more than 100,000 Connecticut residents!
 
I’m proud to share that the second round of medical debt relief is on the way — funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and made possible through our partnership with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt.

What to expect:
Keep an eye out for an official letter from Undue Medical Deb. THIS IS NOT JUNK MAIL! There is no application process, no catch, just relief.

Who qualifies?
  • Individuals earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level
  • Those whose medical debt equals 5% or more of annual income
This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to health equity, financial relief, and a more compassionate healthcare system for all Connecticut residents. You can view a sample of what this letter looks like at https://shorturl.at/6XUQs.
 


Helping Every CT Employer Save Money
We passed legislation recently that saves money for EVERY EMPLOYER in the state since all of them faced skyrocketing workers’ compensation claims costs after a CT Supreme Court ruling.
 
This legislation was a top priority of businesses and municipalities and saves them millions of dollars. Business advocates estimate workers’ compensation costs would have increased 265% absent any action.
 

As always, please feel free to email me at Jason.Doucette@cga.ct.gov or call my office at 860-240-8584.

Sincerely,

Jason Doucette
Facebook
Website
Email

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