Anne Hughes

This week at the Capitol, I had the opportunity to join my colleagues in support of a number of policies impacting members of our communities who are in dire need of resources and supports during this precarious moment bracing for the federal cuts of funding to CT and economic uncertainty.

It was another productive week at the State Capitol. I joined fellow legislators of the Early Childhood Caucus in support of several pieces of legislation, including HB 5003 and SB 1, to expand family care programs, bolster pay and working conditions for childcare workers, and call for affordable health insurance.

There's a lot to talk about this week on the local, state and federal levels. Unfortunately, at the top of the list is more nonsensical, cruel and damaging cuts continuing to cascade from the federal government.

March 25 was Equal Pay Day, which signifies how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. It's a reminder of the ongoing fight for gender equality in the workplace.

I joined several colleagues and hundreds of Connecticut residents for the Medicaid Day of Action outside the Capitol on Tuesday to protest against a Republican-backed resolution that calls for $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid and other programs.

This week I testified in front of Government Oversight Committee about updating our state’s systemic, traumatizing policy of mandatory strip searches in the Department of Corrections. Our state sanctioned system of frequent mandatory strip searches of incarcerated individuals, especially without probable cause, is humiliating, degrading and traumatic for the incarcerated and contributes to increased confrontations with correction staff and escalating use of force. Connecticut has authorized the payout of tens of millions of dollars for recent claims of incarcerated families due to wrongful death suits and other harms. It’s time for a better, safer way.

What a productive week! I kicked it off last Sunday by joining Sen. Richard Blumenthal to celebrate the incredible centenarians, their families, and especially the staff at Mozaic Senior Life.

I attended a press conference today highlighting how potentially devastating federal cuts to Medicaid will have on the state.