Iris Sánchez

I am thrilled to share that New Britain will be receiving an additional $17.96 M in state funding to help close critical gaps in school budgets and town finances through the 2027 state budget.

This funding includes:

• $13.29 M in additional education funding
• $4.67M in additional town aid

New Britain’s portion of the state budget is $44.8 million, which includes PILOT funds, Motor Vehicle Tax Payments, Supplemental Revenue Sharing Grants, Town Aid Road, Local Capital Improvement Program (LoCIP), Municipal Grants in Aid, Education Cost Sharing, Adult Education, Special Education and Expansion Development (SEED) Grant, as well as the supplemental funding for education and town aid.

This increase in state funding is a direct response to supporting the New Britain community in the areas they need it most, from additional town aid to critical education funding. I am grateful for the continued support from Speaker Ritter and House Democrat Leadership to help residents through property tax relief and increased aid. This will make a real, meaningful difference in the lives of our residents.

After months of negotiation, House Democrats shepherded passage of a bipartisan budget demonstrating that compromise remains the most effective way to govern.
 
Together, we produced a 2027 budget that significantly boosts support for the state’s education system, increases crucial investments in housing and transportation, supports town and city budgets, and more—all while safeguarding the state's strong fiscal outlook, including $1 billion toward paying down long-term debt.
 
This budget includes:
 
Over $300 million relief package for cities, towns, and schools

• $190 million in direct support for schools
• $100 million to offset local property tax increases
• $12 million to establish universal free school breakfast programs across the state
• Expanded grants for successful special education programs
• Numerous grants to towns to address the rising costs associated with construction and purchasing
• $4 million to help communities where three hospitals abruptly came off the tax rolls

A historic agreement with our hospitals

• Providing them with much-needed tax relief
• Maximizing federal funding for health care
• Setting up a system to address rising costs

Making Connecticut more affordable for working families

• Expanding sales tax-free week to include clothing, shoes, and backpacks under $300 (from $100)
• Making basic school supplies tax-free, including backpacks, lunchboxes, notebooks, pens, pencils, crayons, rulers, and paper
• Creating a family caregiver tax credit for residents caring for a loved one 

Investing in Connecticut businesses and job growth

• Helping small businesses offer health care support by providing a tax credit when they contribute toward employees’ individual health insurance coverage.
• Supporting small businesses and biotech companies through a new research and development tax credit to help them grow and create jobs in our state

Taking Aim at Property Taxes

• $162M new Education Equalization Grant to address underfunding in our current school funding formula
  • Additional 2% for the towns that have seen recent population decreases
• $100M in new funding to cities and towns

Connecticut residents made a call for help in many areas. Connecticut lawmakers heard it and answered in a strong, bipartisan way.

Connecticut has strived to be a leader in renewable energy, and this approach ensures we keep moving forward while prioritizing affordability. This session, I was a proud cosponsor of HB 5340, An Act Concerning Renewable Power Generation. This bill modernizes Connecticut’s renewable energy programs by introducing measures meant to make them more reliable, consistent, and flexible to economic fluctuations.

HB 5340 will:

• Create clear annual megawatt and budget targets so renewable energy programs remain financially sustainable, and ratepayer impacts stay predictable and focus on investments that result in savings for ratepayers holistically.
• Give state regulators the flexibility to adjust programs year-to-year to remain within overall budget limits instead of being tied to rigid annual caps that may not reflect market conditions.
• Create dedicated solar rates for low-income residents, residents in distressed municipalities, and affordable multifamily housing residents
• Encourage municipalities to adopt an existing streamlined solar permitting platform (Solar APP +) to help simplify and speed up the permitting process.

As electricity demand grows, we must ensure that our energy programs are cost-effective and efficient.

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 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, courthouses, 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.

I was a proud cosponsor of this legislation and am thrilled to see these much needed protections become law. Both the House and Senate passed S.B. 397, and this Monday, it was signed into law by Governor Lamont.

This Session, the House and Senate voted unanimously to pass H.B. 5406, An Act Concerning Various Measures Honoring the Heroism of Veterans and Members of the Armed Forces. This bill expands on the legislation passed during last session and delivers real benefits, protections, support, and relief for our veterans and military families across Connecticut.

This bill is a bipartisan effort that supports veterans and soldiers across Connecticut:

• Expands access to dental care for eligible veterans through the Veterans Dental Care Access Program
• Strengthens protections for veterans by ensuring the Department of Veterans Affairs clearly warns people about unrecognized claims assistance and points them toward trusted resources
• Supports military families by helping make transitions smoother for young children in Birth-to-Three when a family is relocating due to services
• Increases access to earned benefits, including tax relief on military pay
• Protects veterans from bad actors who try to take advantage of veterans and service members when filing claims

 
This bill is about making a real difference in the lives of our veterans, service members, and military families. Here in Connecticut, we understand that taking care of veterans in our communities is our responsibility, and we will continue to pass legislation that supports the people who protect us.