Legislative Update 2.26

February 26, 2026

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Come celebrate Black entrepreneurship, innovation, economic power, and more at the third annual Black Business Expo at the West Hartford Conference Center in the Town Hall on Monday. Please see more details below.

Generation Power CT is offering a one-time grant to help customers. See how you can benefit below. There's plenty to peruse in this week's newsletter, including the Black History Month Breakfast I attended this morning and a very special video.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, I can be reached by phone at 800-842-8267 or by email at Tammy.Exum@cga.ct.gov.

For legislative updates, please sign up for my weekly emails at housedems.ct.gov/Exum/Updates and like my Official Facebook Page.

Sincerely,

Tammy Exum
State Representative

Black Business Expo Saturday

Come celebrate Black-owned businesses and connect with the community on Saturday, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.!

A Great Black History Month Breakfast Today

I was proud to attend and share my experiences at this wonderful event.

Honoring the CGA's Fabulous Five

Black History Month may be ending, but not before we honor five fabulous legislators from the Connecticut General Assembly who have made their own mark by being the first black female to represent their districts.

Sen. Pat Billie Miller, State Representatives Toni Walker, Tammy Exum, Kai Belton, and Trenee McGee are also proud, friendly, and faithful.

Most of all, they are doing the work they set out to do. Check them out! Please click on the video.

Generation Power CT Assistance Available

Generation Power CT's Emergency Energy Assistance Program Cycle #4 is set to open on March 2. Eligible Connecticut households can receive a one-time grant of up to $500 to help cover electric, gas, or fuel expenses.

To learn more about eligibility requirements and application materials, please click HERE.

Reminder: SNAP Changes Taking Effect

Beginning this Sunday, March 1, important changes to Connecticut law will take effect regarding how the state will issue SNAP benefits.

Connecticut will begin staggering the distribution of SNAP benefits throughout the first eight days of the month, rather than loading them primarily in the first few days. This change is designed to:

Reduce congestion at grocery stores and retailers
Improve access to food
Create a smoother, more dignified experience for SNAP recipients

Talking Student Loan Forgiveness

State Reps. Corey Paris and Eleni Kavros DeGraw are good friends of mine, sure, but they have teamed to support, sell, and sum up the state's Student Loan Reimbursement Program in the video below.

Stem Funding Available

The National Lieutenant Governors Association annually awards a scholarship to 12 different schools for STEM-related projects in the classroom. The first scholarships were awarded in 2022.

Teachers or project advisors in state-accredited public, private, or tribal pre-K – 12th grade schools may apply to further STEM education through a project, equipment, program, or curriculum. Eight schools across the country will be awarded $1,000 each, and four schools will be awarded $500 each.

Applications will be accepted until March 6. More details can be found HERE

Bo Kolinsky Scholarship

The deadline to apply for the $3,000 Bohdan "Bo" Kolinsky Memorial Sports Media Scholarship is Friday, March 13.

The award is given to a Connecticut high school senior with plans to study in college for a career in sports media - print, digital, radio, TV, documentaries, production, or graphic arts. The scholarship is given in memory of longtime Hartford Courant school sports editor Bo Kolinsky, who died in 2003.

The scholarship is sponsored by the Connecticut Sports Media Alliance.

If you have questions, contact John Holt, scholarship chairman, at johndholt@yahoo.com. Be sure to leave your name and number where you can be reached.

Details, including how to apply, please click HERE.

Wanted: High School Poets

Here's an opportunity for high school poets to, well, wax poetic and earn some cash. Please see the flyer below for more details, including the deadline for submissions.

Reminder: WBDC Grants Available

The Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) announced the next round of Ignite and Child Care Business Grant Programs.

The Ignite Grant Program is designed to help women-owned businesses grow. The program offers grants of up to $10,000 to women-owned businesses in the state of Connecticut who have been in business for 2 or more years and have revenues between $25K and $2 million. The application period for Ignite grants runs through March 18. You can find additional information on Ignite HERE.

The Child Care Business Opportunity Fund, offered in partnership with the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC), provides grants of up to $25,000 to qualified licensed and aspiring child care businesses. The program offers grants targeting different stages of business, from start-ups to those ready to expand. The application period for Child Care Business grants runs through February 28. You can find more information on the Child Care Business Opportunity Fund grants HERE.

Information sessions for both grant programs are scheduled throughout the application periods. These sessions will help applicants understand the grant requirements and provide an opportunity for those interested to ask questions about the grants. Interested applicants can register for a live information session HERE.