New Laws Effective January 1, 2026

December 30, 2025


 

As we welcome a new year, several laws passed in the last 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 follow 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

And, while it's not a new law, I want to note that the minimum wage will increase on January 1. It will increase from the current rate of $16.35 per hour to $16.94 per hour.

The change is required under a state law Governor Lamont signed in 2019 (Public Act 19-4) that connects the state’s minimum wage to economic indicators, specifically the percentage change in the federal employment cost index.

Continuing forward under this law, Connecticut workers and employers can anticipate that announcements will be made by October 15 of each year declaring the change in the minimum wage that will become effective on January 1 of the approaching year.