Jennifer Leeper

Tomorrow, Feb. 20 at 10am, the Education Committee will hold our public hearing for HB 5149 - An Act Concerning Phone-Free Schools. The bill seeks to ban the use of cell phones during the school day and to prohibit school districts from using social media as the only means of providing information to families.

I have spoken before about seeing firsthand the effects of phone addiction on students, and I believe this bill is an essential first step in helping our kids reclaim their childhood and restore a focused learning environment. As you can read here and here, having phone-free schools prevents distractions, allows our students to be more engaged, gives our teachers more focused students, and even makes our schools safer.

Though it is early in the legislative session, the Education Committee is already taking steps to pass critical legislation.

This week we moved several bills forward in the legislative process, including one that provides free breakfast for all students and free lunch for students eligible for reduced priced lunch, and another bill that increases education funding for public schools. There is a long road left for these bills and concepts, and I'll keep you updated as these proposals advance through the process!

The House came back into session this week, where we will meet for the next three months to pass legislation to better our state. It was wonderful to welcome our First Selectperson Christine Vitale in the House Chamber to join us in kicking off our work on behalf of our community.

This session, the Education Committee will tackle several very important topics, including adjusting state funding for public education, passing a statewide ban on cellphones in schools, and properly compensating our student teachers.

Next week, the 2026 legislative session will officially get underway at the state Capitol. My legislative colleagues and I will begin several months of debate, deliberation, and decision-making on a wide range of key policy issues that will shape our state in the year ahead.

Watch the 2026 legislative session live on CT-N beginning Wednesday, February 4, at 10:00 a.m., with coverage of opening day. Live streams of subsequent session days and committee meetings are also available at any time.

Governor Ned Lamont activated Connecticut’s Severe Cold Weather Protocol today at noon, and it will remain in effect until noon on Wednesday, January 28, due to a blast of extremely cold air that will impact the state during this period.

Please be reminded that warming centers throughout the area are available for individuals and families in need. You can search for them here. These locations provide a safe, heated space during extreme cold conditions. Please use extreme caution on the roads during the impending snowstorm and stay safe.

A reminder to please join me, Reps. McCarthy Vahey and Keitt, and state and local leaders on tonight at 7pm in the BOE Conference Room (501 Kings Hwy E, Fairfield) for a housing forum to discuss the impact and implementation of An Act Concerning Housing Growth.

This is an important bill that I truly believe will benefit our community, and I'd love to have a conversation with you about it. You can join us either in person or online. I hope to see you there!

Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a time to celebrate a life dedicated to service, courage, and hope. In these days where there is tremendous turmoil in our country, and people can often feel hopeless, I like to think of Martin Luther King Jr’s wise words, "If you can't fly, then run; if you can't run, then walk; if you can't walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward," Even in the face of significant obstacles, we must continue working for the world we want for our children. As we remember Dr. King’s powerful vision of equality and peace, we are called to carry his legacy forward through acts of kindness, justice, and community engagement.

I hope you'll join me, Reps. McCarthy Vahey and Keitt, and state and local leaders on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 7pm in the BOE Conference Room (501 Kings Hwy E, Fairfield) for a housing forum to discuss the impact and implementation of the recently passed An Act Concerning Housing Growth.

I know how important issues around housing, development, and zoning are to our community. This is complex and challenging work and this bill had many components. There has been a great deal of misinformation shared and I hope you will join us for a conversation with nonpartisan experts in the space of housing and planning. With our moratorium from 8-30g development, and new focus on planning from our local TPZ, this is the perfect time to take advantage of new resources and funding streams enabled by this legislation and determine, proactively, our community's future. I hope to see you there.