Special Session Recap

November 21, 2025

Dear Neighbor,

I hope you are having a great week. Please read below for updates in our community!

The House held a special session last Wednesday. I've highlighted some of the legislation we passed below:

From retirees looking to downsize, to young professionals and families searching for affordable rentals, Connecticut residents at every stage of life share a common goal: finding a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.

Partnerships are at the heart of this effort. The bill empowers towns to plan for responsible, data-driven growth using insights from state, local, and regional partners to meet the housing needs of today and tomorrow. Developed in partnership with municipal leaders, regional councils, colleagues on both sides of the aisle, and Governor Lamont, this legislation creates a collaborative and practical framework through local Housing Growth Plans.

The legislation also encourages the redevelopment of underused properties, from aging strip malls to vacant commercial spaces, and promotes transit-oriented development that connects residents to jobs, schools, and public transportation. By combining innovation with local control and targeted support, we’re strengthening the partnership between the state and municipalities to modernize infrastructure, improve zoning and land-use planning, and create vibrant, inclusive communities across Connecticut.

There’s still more work ahead, but An Act Concerning Housing Growth 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. Thank you to all of the legislators that played a role in shepherding this bill over the finish line.

Another bill we passed addressed children's mental health, the creation of a funding mechanism for a firefighters cancer relief fund, and revisited the state’s approach to immigrant protections in courthouses.

HB 8004 includes the following provisions:

Parameters for detaining, arresting, or taking a person into custody on courthouse grounds based on a civil offense;
General prohibitions on people enforcing state or federal laws on state courthouse grounds from wearing a mask or facial coverings, unless medically necessary and approved by court personnel; and
Restrictions on state and local government agencies from disclosing personal information to federal authorities, except as required by state or federal law, judicial warrant, or court order.

The House also passed a bill that will allocate funds to offset reductions in federal programs that directly impact Connecticut residents.

The funding will cover gaps in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and the Low-Income Heating Energy Assistance Program, also known as LIHEAP.

While the $500 million emergency fund plans to cover the lack of funding for LIHEAP, there are other state resources available now.

The Connecticut Energy Assistance Program and Eversource offer resources for those in need to help to cover the cost of their home energy bills this winter. Visit ct.gov/dss or the Eversource website for more information.

Thanks to the Early Childhood Education Endowment, an initiative that was passed by the General Assembly in the 2025 legislative session, the expansion of the Early Start CT program in 2026 marks an important step forward in meeting the growing demand for high-quality early childhood care and education across Connecticut.

Beginning in January 2026, up to 1,000 new spaces will be added to the state’s Early Start CT program, expanding access to affordable early learning opportunities for more families. In addition, the state will increase provider payments by up to 8% to help offset operational costs and support higher staff compensation. The endowment supports the governor’s initiative to implement the largest expansion of early childhood education services in Connecticut’s history. We are thrilled about this program and the tremendous benefits it will bring to children, families, and communities across the state.

Early Start CT is a state-funded early care and education program serving income-eligible families with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. The program is administered by the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC).

To support this expansion, OEC will soon launch a Request for Applications (RFA) for child care providers interested in offering Early Start CT spaces. The RFA will be open to child care centers, group child care homes, family child care homes, and public school preschool classrooms throughout the state.

Click here for more information on Early Start CT.

Earlier this month, I joined Connecticut Coalition To End Homelessness, my colleagues in the General Assembly, and other advocates for a press conference about federal cuts to the coalition's Continuum of Care.

I also joined Mayor Lauren Garrett, Hamden Superintendent Gary Highsmith, and ACES (Area Cooperative Educational Services) officials to celebrate the ribbon-cutting of a new 460kW Fuel Cell at Hamden High School.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) has begun bridge work on Route 15 (Merritt Parkway) north and southbound between Exit 51 and 46 in Hamden. This project is scheduled to be completed on Friday, December 19. Construction will tale place daily from 8 PM and 6 AM.

Click here to learn more.

Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 Sustainable CT Fellowship Program.

The Sustainable CT Fellowship Program is a paid, full-time summer position for students who are currently enrolled in a post-secondary degree program or who will graduate during the 2025–2026 academic year. Fellows gain hands-on experience supporting municipalities in implementing Sustainable CT actions, tracking progress toward certification, and fostering community engagement in sustainability initiatives.

All applications must be submitted by Monday, February 9, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. EST. Click here to learn more.

The Department of Social Services (DSS) has successfully launched a new streamlined and user-friendly experience for callers with an upgraded phone system. The Benefits Center phone number has not changed. Customers still contact DSS at 1-855-6-CONNECT (1-855-626-6632). 

The new system includes:

A simplified phone menu designed to help customers reach the right service
A self-service experience for checking case status and benefit information

Customers who enter their Client ID when calling will benefit from a customized service and be routed to the correct call queue. Additionally, for those who prefer to self-serve, the system now allows them to:

Check if DSS has received their documents and when they were reviewed
View their case status and, if active, access benefit details

Customers now have access to call-back options, allowing them to:

Save their place in line, or
Schedule a call at a time that works best for them

Keep your information safe this holiday season. There tends to be an uptick in scam activity during this time of the year. To help inform residents, Eversource has shared a list of common energy related scams:

Shut-off Scare: Scammers will impersonate an utility employee and call without prior notification demanding immediate payment to avoid shut-off. Customers scheduled for disconnection due to nonpayment will always receive written notice via the U.S. mail first, which includes actions to maintain service. Be wary any time someone tries to convince you that you must act immediately to avoid service shut-off. We will also never ask for payment via gift card, pre-paid debit card or Bitcoin.
Overpayment Scam: Scammers call claiming that you overpaid your utility bill and request your personal bank account or credit card information to give you a refund.
Phishing Scam: Scammers pretending to be from Eversource will send an email or text message requesting personal or financial information.

If something seems suspicious, contact your utility immediately and report the incident to your local law enforcement.

Save the Sound, Inc. has launched a letter writing campaign to push the Olin Corporation into cleaning up the contamination they caused at Six Lakes. If you are interested in submitting a letter, click here for more details.

ICYMI - the Jamaican American Connection, a New Haven County based nonprofit, is holding a food and resource drive for victims of Hurricane Melissa.

They are looking for the following: