Special Session: Addressing Housing, Children's Health, and Federal Cuts

November 20, 2025
I wish you and your family a warm and joyful Thanksgiving. I am grateful for the honor of serving our community, and I appreciate all you do to make our district stronger. If you are able, please consider donating to our local food pantries (be sure to scroll down after clicking the link) to support neighbors in need. Have a wonderful holiday next week! You will find information on a pair of Thanksgiving Day road races if you keep scrolling below.


It was a privilege to serve as your voice at the Capitol last week as my colleagues and I convened for a special session. Below, you’ll find a full breakdown of the legislation we passed, including major initiatives on housing reform, children’s behavioral health, the creation of an emergency federal relief fund, and more.

I have an update on the Woodbridge Community Center! I'll let you know when it's set to open.

Here are the sections and topics in this week's email:

  • Addressing Connecticut's Housing Crisis
  • Victory for Children's Behavioral Health
  • $500 Million Emergency Response Fund
  • UConn Health To Buy Three Hospitals
  • Progress on Woodbridge Community Center
  • Local Officer Holds International Flame of Hope
  • Fall Leaf & Brush Collection in Hamden
  • Thanksgiving Day Road Races
  • Derby Events Calendar
  • Upcoming Events in Hamden
  • Orange Events Calendar
  • Upcoming Events in Woodbridge
 

Addressing Connecticut's Housing Crisis

I was proud to join my colleagues in a special session last week to pass a series of important bills aimed at strengthening our communities. Together, we advanced legislation to improve access to housing, support children’s behavioral health, bolster Connecticut’s health care system, and help our state respond to the consequences of recent federal budget cuts. These measures reflect our commitment to addressing the real challenges families are facing.
Let's start with House Bill 8002, An Act Concerning Housing Growth, a significant step forward in addressing Connecticut's long-standing housing shortage. It is no secret that housing in Connecticut is far too expensive and too difficult to find. This legislation takes a balanced, practical approach by empowering communities to plan for responsible, data-driven growth informed from state, local, and regional partners.

Developed in partnership with municipal leaders, regional councils, colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and Governor Ned Lamont, this legislation establishes a collaborative and practical framework through local Housing Growth Plans.
Locally elected officials will remain part of housing discussions under the bill.

It encourages the redevelopment of underused properties, such as vacant office buildings, aging strip malls, and parking lots, and it promotes transit-oriented development that connects residents to jobs, schools, and public transportation – without increasing traffic on our roads. 

There’s still more work ahead, but this bill marks a major step forward in our shared effort to expand housing opportunities, support local economies, and ensure every Connecticut resident can find, and afford, a home in a community they’re proud to call their own.
 

Victory for Children’s Behavioral Health

We also approved legislation that continues to build on House Democrats’ commitment to children’s behavioral health care.

Highlights include:

  • Statewide study to assess the demand for children’s behavioral health services and improve data collection
  • New grant program to support care coordination and resource navigation for kids and families
  • Insurance companies must now cover autism treatments, including applied behavior analysis and cognitive behavioral therapy, up to age 26
  • Adding substance abuse treatment providers for children to Transforming Children’s Behavioral Health Policy and Planning Committee (TCB)
  • Together, these measures represent a stronger, more coordinated system of care for Connecticut’s children.
 

$500 Million Emergency Response Fund

The House and Senate also passed a measure establishing a $500 million federal emergency relief fund, ensuring that our state has a financial backstop to protect our residents during in a time of crisis.

This proposal creates additional reserves, which is a fiscally responsible approach to cover gaps in federal programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the Low-Income Heating Energy Assistance Program, also known as LIHEAP.

Now that the government shutdown has ended, it may not be necessary to use the $500 million fund. The money would then automatically go back to paying down the state's pension debt.
 

UConn Health To Buy Three Hospitals

During our special session, we approved legislation preserving access to health care at Waterbury, Bristol, and Day Kimball Hospitals. We voted in favor of a deal for the University of Connecticut Health Center to buy the hospitals, preventing a potentially devastating closure for our communities.

This not only ensures that these hospitals remain open, but it also protects existing positions and strengthens the future of health care across the state. By partnering with UConn Health, we are securing long-term stability and expanding access to high-quality care for families who deserve it close to home.
 

Progress on Woodbridge Community Center

The new Woodbridge Community & Cultural Center will open its doors in 2026, offering a vital hub to unify our town. The facility on Meetinghouse Lane will offer the following amenities to the public:

  • A community welcome center
  • A coffee bar
  • Event spaces
  • An outdoor patio

I am proud to have helped secure $2 million with the Woodbridge delegation in 2022 for this project, which will serve as a valuable resource for the entire community. 

The Woodbridge Fire Department previously used the space to store equipment such as fire hoses, barricades, and ladders. Thanks to a $500,000 grant in state funds, a new training and storage facility was built behind the new fire house, allowing our firefighters to conduct mandatory training without having to travel to neighboring towns to complete that important work.
 

Local Officer Holds
International Flame of Hope!
Woodbridge Police Sergeant Brian Pedalino represented our community at the International Law Enforcement Torch Run in Minneapolis. He served as a Guardian of the Flame of Hope for the Special Olympics. 

Sgt. Pedalino was one of more than 900 law enforcement officers, Special Olympics representatives, and athletes from across the world!

Congratulations to Sgt. Pedalino and to all the special Olympians!
 

Fall Leaf & Brush Collection in Hamden

It's that time of the year when the leaves are certainly falling! You can take advantage of the services offered by the town of Hamden, or you can leave them on the ground and create a habitat that supports and strengthens biodiversity in our yards! You can learn more here.
 

Thanksgiving Day Road Races

You have a couple of great opportunities to burn some calories before the big Thanksgiving feast next week. Runners and walkers can sign up for either the Commodore Hull Thanksgiving Day Road Race in Derby and Shelton or the Rotary Club of Orange's 13th annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot.

Click here for more information and to register for the Commodore Hull race.

Click here fo details and registration for the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot.
 

Derby Events Calendar

Check out the events and community calendar in Derby below.

The Derby 350th Anniversary Committee will host the city’s first annual Remembrance Ceremony on Saturday, November 22 at 11:00 a.m. at Derby High School to honor Derby residents who passed away between January 1, 2024, and October 31, 2025. The ceremony, which is expected to last approximately one hour, will feature inspirational readings, music, and the solemn reading of the names of the deceased.
Connecticut Foodshare will give away free food to the community on Tuesday, December 2 from 2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church on Elizabeth Street. Organizers will hand out tickets at 2 p.m. to everyone in line. Make sure to bring a bag so you can bring the food home.
Derby Community Calendar
 

Upcoming Events in Hamden

Look at the flyers below to learn more about the upcoming events in Hamden.
CLICK HERE to make a donation to the Hamden Symphony Orchestra before its big show on Friday, November 21 at 7:30 p.m. entitled "A Pale Blue Dot." The performance will take place at Hamden Memorial Town Hall.

Organizers suggest a $15 donation from most guests and a $10 donations from students and seniors.​

You're invited to join the Sleeping Giant Park Association for its free, final guided hike of the fall season on Sunday, November 23 from 12:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. Make sure to bring a day pack, sturdy footwear, and weather-appropriate clothing since the hike will cover uneven terrain and may include some rock scrambling.
More Hamden Events
 

Orange Events Calendar

Check out the flyers and community calendar in Orange below.

You can register now for a Friends-Giving competition at the Pickle Spot. Enjoy round-robin fun on Sunday, November 23 from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Orange Community Calendar
 

Upcoming Events in Woodbridge

Take a look at the upcoming event and community calendar below to see what’s happening in Woodbridge.

Kids of all ages are invited to see and touch real fossils at a traveling dinosaur museum! The exhibit will stop at Woodbridge Town Library on Saturday, November 29 at 2 p.m.
Woodbridge Community Calendar