Legislative Update 12/19

December 19, 2025

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I hope you and your family are finding moments of peace and joy this holiday season.

From my family to yours, we wish you a season filled with warmth, rest, and meaningful time with your loved ones. Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, this is a time to reflect on generosity, goodwill, and the responsibility we share to look out for one another.

As we head into the new year in a few weeks, I remain focused on making sure our policies match our values. From access to health care and housing, to relief from medical debt, to the everyday resources families need to stay safe and stable. In this newsletter, you’ll find important updates on Access Health CT’s open enrollment, new laws taking effect on January 1st, emergency funding for homelessness, medical debt relief, and other key programs I hope will be of use to you and your family.

Wishing you Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones,

In service,

Hubert Delany

Access Health CT Open Enrollment Extended

Due to a system outage that may have prevented many customers from enrolling in health and dental coverage by the December 15th, 2025 deadline for coverage effective January 1st, 2026, Access Health CT is extending the enrollment deadline. Customers now have until Saturday, December 20th, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. to enroll in coverage beginning January 1st, 2026.

To receive coverage effective January 1st, 2026, enrollment must be completed by contacting the Access Health CT Call Center. Applications completed on the website will result in coverage beginning February 1st, 2026.

Call: 1-855-805-4325 or TTY: 1-855-789-2428

Monday–Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Customers should expect longer-than-normal hold times and are encouraged to call before 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 20th to ensure enrollment is completed. Assistance is available in more than 100 languages.

If you work with a Certified Broker, please contact your broker for assistance enrolling by Saturday, December 20th.

Open Enrollment ends January 15th, 2026. You may continue to enroll online at AccessHealthCT.com, but coverage will begin February 1st, 2026.

New Laws Effective January 1st, 2026

As we welcome a new year, several laws passed in the 2025 legislative session will take effect on January 1, 2026.

These new measures address key issues impacting our state and its residents, including expanded incentives for farmers, strengthened protections for workers in sensitive professions, and improved reporting requirements to better track higher education enrollment, post-secondary credits, and student opportunities.

We took a major step forward in advancing policies that support new, diverse housing options across Connecticut. With some of the highest housing costs in the region, too many individuals and families are being priced out of the communities where they work, where they grew up, and where they hope to retire.

Preventative health care continues to be a priority because early detection saves both lives and long-term costs. To support this, we now require health insurers to cover certain high-priority biomarker tests that aid in early detection, prevention, and treatment. Additionally, we have prohibited the substitution of lower-priced drugs for higher-priced medications for individuals living with multiple sclerosis and arthritis, and we have made this ban permanent for medications used to treat mental health disorders.

You can click the link below to see the full list of new laws taking effect on January 1, 2026. Feel free to reach out to my office if you have any questions.

New Laws Effective January 1st, 2026

Emergency Funding Plan for Homelessness

The state plans to use the $500 Million Emergency Response Fund approved by the legislature during November's special session to combat homelessness. According to the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness, one in every 1,000 state residents is experiencing homelessness. The federal government has suspended its primary homelessness prevention and support services grant program, exacerbating the issue.

In response, plans are under development to support providers, who typically receive funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care program, to continue homelessness prevention and support services. The state will consider using at least $5.2 million to offset the losses from the fed’s Continuum of Care program. The aim is to help those who do not have a home and prevent others from falling into the same situation.

Governor Lamont will submit his plan soon, and legislative leaders will have 24 hours to respond. I will keep you posted on any developments.

Medical Debt Relief

Gov. Ned Lamont announced this week that an additional 40,000 Connecticut residents will have their medical debts erased, part of an initiative launched in partnership with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt to give relief to those struggling to pay medical bills.

This is the third round of the initiative, which has now eliminated $198 million for 160,000 Connecticut residents since December 2024. The program's arrangement allows the debt to be forgiven at a fraction of its face value - typically costing a few pennies on the dollar.

Those affected by this program should receive a letter in the mail this week informing them of their debt forgiveness. There is no application process for this relief, and it cannot be requested.

Relieving tens of thousands of Connecticut residents from the stress of paying down burdensome medical debt will make a profound difference in their lives - especially in the holiday season.

You can read more about the program here and here.

Aspiring Educators Scholarship Program

The Aspiring Educators Scholarship Program, administered by the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE), is designed to support diverse students who graduate from public high schools in priority school districts and enroll in teacher preparation programs. The program offers up to $10,000 annually for tuition, with the application deadline set for February 6, 2026. This initiative is part of the state's broader efforts to diversify the educator workforce and address the teacher shortage.

CT Technical Education and Career System Applications

The Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS) is now accepting applications for students entering grade 9 and 10 in the 2026-2027 school year.

CTECS is a statewide system of 17 diploma-granting, NEASC-accredited technical high schools serving approximately 11,500 high school students, including many from your communities. Students in grades 9-12 attend a full-day program that combines academics with an advanced Career and Technical Education (CTE) curriculum.

Students can choose from 31 programs of study in areas such as Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources; Architecture and Construction; Arts, Audio/Visual Technology, and Communication; Health Science; Hospitality and Tourism; Human Services; Information Technology; Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security; Manufacturing; Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM); and Transportation, Distribution & Logistics. View a complete list of CTE programs.

A hallmark of the technical high school experience is the hands-on career development and production work students complete through partnerships with local companies via the Work-Based Learning program.

Graduates of CTECS are well-prepared for immediate employment, apprenticeships, or further education at two- or four-year colleges. Students also have opportunities to earn college credit while in high school through College Career Pathways (CCP) partnerships with community colleges and Dual Enrollment Programs with universities. In addition to academics and technical training, schools offer athletics and a variety of extracurricular activities.

The CTECS application closes on January 25, 2026. Applications submitted by this deadline will be included in the lottery for on-time placements. Applications submitted after January 25 will be added to the waitlist in the order determined by the lottery. No new applications for incoming grade 9 students will be accepted after March 1, 2026. For more information or to apply online, visit the CTECS admissions webpage.

Resources from the Office of the Healthcare Advocate

From the Office of the Healthcare Advocate: Every Connecticut hospital has different financial assistance policies and income thresholds. Some provide free care at minimum wage levels, while others offer discounts for households earning $80,000 or more. Don't assume you don't qualify - the only way to know is to apply. Click HERE to learn about hospital financial assistance programs across the state.

And don't hesitate to reach out to my office if we can assist.

Mortgage Crisis Job Training Program

Are you behind on your mortgage payments? Are you looking to increase your earning potential?

The Mortgage Crisis Job Training Program may be a great fit for you! Apply HERE or call 1-866-683-1682.