Kate Farrar

Thank you to Newington for coming out last Sunday to support a fantastic local small business Doogie's, home to some of the best hot dogs in Connecticut, and for taking the time to connect and share your thoughts. As we head into the final weeks of this year’s session at the Capitol, conversations like these are invaluable, helping to shape priorities and ensure your voice is part of the process. 

Also, this week, it is a whirlwind of activity at the Capitol with so many wonderful visitors. The Connecticut Humane Society hosted its annual Puppy Day at the Capitol, an opportunity to meet some new furry friends. It was also Fire Service Day at the Capitol, and I was honored to receive a challenge coin from the Connecticut Fire Chiefs Association, presented by West Hartford Fire Chief Greg Priest. Plus, with Advocacy Day for the Connecticut Hospital Association, I had the opportunity to stop by and connect with Newington Dr. Kevin Borrup of Connecticut Children's Hospital. And finally, it was wonderful to celebrate West Hartford's own Frida at the Connecticut Restaurant & Hospitality Association (CRHA) Night at the Capitol.

Finally at legislative session this week we had a proud moment for us to celebrate two West Hartford Public Schools achievements on the floor of the House. The Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) recently honored Conard High School as 2026 High School of the Year and also honored Principal Sarah Isaacs at Hall High School as First Year Principal of the Year. We were thrilled to welcome and present citations to school leadership including Superintendent Vicinus, Conard Principal Jocelyn Tamborello-Noble, Hall High School Principal Sarah Isaacs, and Assistant Principals Lindsay Tringali, Tor Fiske, Juan Melian, and Win Columbano. Congratulations to all!

With the legislative session nearing its end, this week has brought plenty of late nights and focused effort. We’re pushing hard to move key initiatives forward and are hopeful that these final days will lead to strong outcomes for the people we serve. Below is a breakdown of several bills that have passed the House so far. These measures now move to the Senate, which has until May 6 to take action. We are hopeful the Senate will continue this momentum and advance this legislation so it can move closer to becoming law.

House Bill 5003: An Act Concerning Workforce Development and Working Conditions in the State, focuses on creating safer, more equitable workplaces while strengthening Connecticut’s workforce.

An important aspect of this bill is requiring the disclosure of wage ranges and benefits in job advertisements which is a practical and impactful step Connecticut can take to help close persistent gender and racial wage gaps. I've led on this bill for five years and thrilled Connecticut can join ten of other states with this law. Transparency at the point of hiring empowers applicants with the information they need to make informed decisions, negotiate fairly, and avoid inequities before they take root. It also encourages employers to establish consistent, equitable compensation practices, strengthening accountability across industries.

This bill makes targeted investments in the people who keep our communities running by supporting first responders, veterans, nurses, teachers, and skilled workers. It expands benefits for police, firefighters, and veterans, including assistance for families of fallen responders, housing support, and improved access to education and job opportunities.

Also exciting are the sections of the bill from the Higher Education & Employment Advancement Committee that I worked on to establish more opportunities for paid internships for our state’s students in the private, non-profit and government sectors. Paid internships ensure that students of all backgrounds have access to professional opportunity and growth. This will only strengthen our workforce for both now and the future.

This bill also enhances worker protections by providing stronger safeguards for nurses, teachers, and paraeducators, ensuring better support in the event of workplace injuries, and promoting fair pay and safer conditions across industries. Updated standards, such as protections for nursing mothers, reflect the needs of today’s workforce.

In addition, the legislation invests in workforce development through training programs and stronger partnerships between education and industry, helping connect residents to good-paying jobs while supporting business growth. It also includes measures to improve oversight in home care, strengthen hospital staffing compliance, and establish clear guidelines for remote work during severe weather.

After several recent tragedies involving children in Connecticut and growing calls for more accountability in our child welfare system, House Democrats are taking action in the 2026 legislative session.

The Committee on Children is leading House Bill 5004: An Act Concerning Child Welfare Accountability and Transparency, which will:

• Prioritize placing children with family members and responsible adults who are already in their lives.
• Make sure there is follow-up with sister agencies when DCF-involved children travel out of state.
• Support caregivers and children with funding for after-school programs, childcare, and incidentals.
• Uplift our child welfare workforce through improved training, stipends for mentors and mentees, and personal emergency communication devices.
•  Require additional eyes on children who are the subject of multiple reports of abuse or neglect, and those residing with someone on parole or probation after incarceration for serious crimes against children.
• Provide robust real-time data for policymakers and the public on DCF performance through a user-friendly dashboard.
• Establish a new committee to gather legislators, state agencies, experts, and stakeholders to review our child welfare policies and performance and make recommendations for improvements.

This significant legislation reflects a bipartisan effort to reform the Department of Children and Families with policies and procedures that put children first, and a commitment to continued attention to this important issue.

Since 2025, masked federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, many inadequately trained, have waged a campaign of fear and intimidation with a reckless disregard for the constitutional rights of the people they encounter.
 
Parents are afraid of bringing children to medical appointments or sending them to school, court dates are skipped for fear of being detained, and congregants are afraid of going to their places of worship.
 
We as a state have an obligation to address the unprecedented breakdown in federal accountability and attacks on the rule of law. Senate Bill 397: An Act Concerning Democracy and Government Accountability, represents a measured and lawful response to these concerns. The legislation seeks to strengthen accountability by requiring clear identification from federal agents, restricting enforcement actions in sensitive locations, and creating a pathway for individuals to seek recourse when their constitutional rights are violated.  Specifically, Senate Bill 397 does the following:

• Enables any person the right to sue federal actors who violate their constitutional rights.
• Ensures the Inspector General has clear unrestricted authority to investigate the unauthorized use of force by state, local and certain federal agents when force results in death.
• Prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing masks and refusing to identify themselves when conducting operations.
• Builds on the framework established in 2025, designating protected areas – hospitals, schools, court houses, places of worship – that will be shielded from civil immigration arrests unless a law enforcement officer presents a signed judicial warrant.
• Establishes a floor of at least 480 hours of training for law enforcement officers in Connecticut.
• Regulates automated license plate reader technologies, permitting an active hot list, but capping retention of data to 21 days absent an ongoing criminal investigation.

This legislation is not born out of partisan preference. It’s a measured response to protect the people of Connecticut. No one is above the law, and the protection of constitutional rights is not solely within the federal government’s purview.

House Bill 5035: An Act Requiring School Districts to Ban Cellular Phones in the Classroom, advances a statewide “bell-to-bell” or arrival to dismissal cellphone policy for K–12 public schools. The goal is to reduce classroom distractions and support student mental health by creating a consistent standard across all districts.

Under the proposal, all public school districts would be required to adopt and enforce the policy, with devices turned off and stored securely, such as in lockers, throughout the school day. By limiting access to cellphones during instructional hours, the measure aims to curb social media dependency, improve student focus, and address behavioral challenges.

The bill also includes reasonable exceptions, allowing cellphone use when necessary for a student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP), a 504 plan, or documented medical needs approved by a physician.

The House has passed key legislation that advances our efforts to support older adults across the state. These measures underscore our commitment to expanding access to essential services, strengthening protections, and enhancing quality of life for seniors and their families. We remain focused on ensuring Connecticut is a place where older residents can live with dignity, independence, and security.

House Bill 5140: An Act Concerning the Study of the Needs of Senior Citizens, which allows dental hygienists to serve underserved homebound patients in private residences, such as seniors, veterans, and the disabled, who would likely go without dental care. Dental hygienists currently are allowed by law to work in facilities such as senior centers and preschools without the oversight of a dentist, and this legislation expands upon that. The dental hygienist will have worked under the supervision of a dentist for more than two years. This change helps remove barriers to essential oral health services and ensures that vulnerable residents can receive the care they need in the comfort of their homes.

House Bill 5142: An Act Concerning the Use of Technology for Virtual Visitation and Monitoring in Nursing Homes and Residential Care Homes, extends protections for the use of technology to residents of residential care homes and sets a penalty for violation of the protections. It ensures those in residential care homes can set up virtual monitoring systems so families have peace of mind and they can keep an eye on their loved ones. In the case of roommates, permission must sign off on paperwork, which can change at any time. With the support of many stakeholders, the legislation passed unanimously.

House Bill 5143: An Act Requiring Training for Homemaker-Companion Agency Employees, requires homemaker companion agency employees to complete eight hours of basic training each year, including training on topics such as: helping individuals with Alzheimer’s, identifying abuse, identifying when care is above capacity of a homemaker companion, and hygiene assistance. Currently, there isn’t a set training for homemaker companions.  

The NextGen Innovators Young Entrepreneur Market returns on Saturday, May 2, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at  the West Hartford Town Hall parking lot (rain date: Sunday, May 3). 

The market features dozens of local young entrepreneurs, ages 8–18, giving them the opportunity to showcase their talents while inviting the community to shop, connect, and support small, homegrown businesses. In the process, these young vendors gain hands-on entrepreneurial experience, building skills in pricing, marketing, and customer engagement, while shoppers enjoy discovering one-of-a-kind items and directly supporting the next generation of creators.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) will conduct two virtual public open house meetings concerning the Statewide Active Transportation Plan on Tuesday, May 19 at 12:00 p.m. and Wednesday, May 20 at 6:00 p.m.

During these sessions, you’ll learn about the plan’s key elements, hear what we’ve learned from communities across Connecticut, and see how that input has shaped the proposed recommendations. You’ll also have the opportunity to ask questions and share your thoughts directly with the project team. The meeting will take place on Zoom, and registration is required. For instructions on accessing the meeting and ways to provide comments and ask questions, please visit portal.ct.gov/ATP2026.

CTDOT’s vision for the plan is to be a trusted partner and collaborator in connecting people to their communities by providing and supporting safe and comfortable walking, biking, and rolling facilities for people of all ages and abilities. The plan will serve as a strategic roadmap to improve sidewalks, bike lanes, shared-use paths, and intersections along state routes, making every day travel safer, easier, and more connected.

Individuals can listen to the meeting by calling 877-853-5257 and entering Meeting ID 833 8449 8500 for the May 19 meeting, and Meeting ID 860 3721 1095 for the May 20 meeting. Individuals with hearing and/or speech disabilities may dial 711 for Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS). Individuals may also request that project information be mailed to them within one week by contacting the project team at DOT.ActiveTransportationPlan@ct.gov.

Language assistance may be requested by contacting the CTDOT Language Assistance Call Line 860-594-2109. Requests should be made at least five business days prior to the meeting. Language assistance is provided at no cost to the public and efforts will be made to respond to timely requests for assistance.

Non-English language closed captioning will be available on Zoom. The recording will also be posted to CTDOT’s YouTube channel  at portal.ct.gov/ctdotVPIMarchive.

Members of the public can submit comments and questions throughout the span of the project. Please submit comments and questions to DOT.ActiveTransportationPlan@ct.gov or 860-594-2020. Please reference Project No. 0175-1618PL in the email or voicemail.