Toni E. Walker

The Connecticut General Assembly's internship program is now accepting applications! This is a great opportunity for college students from New Haven interested in learning about our legislative process and enhancing their career choices.

Hourly minimum-pay employees are moving closer to a living wage. The House has approved House Bill 5004 to increase the minimum wage incrementally to $15 in 2023. The last time the minimum was increased was in 2017 and our families need to have a chance. No one who works full-time should have to live in poverty.

Rep. Toni Walker and her co-chair of the Appropriations Committee, Sen. Cathy Osten, announced their $43.3 billion budget proposal today for the next two fiscal years.

Rep. Toni Walker, co-chair of the legislature's Appropriations Committee, welcomed the Dalio Foundation’s pledge to donate $100 million toward Connecticut’s schools but said the donation also poses complicated questions regarding the state budget.

This week I welcomed to the Legislative Office Building students from the East Rock Record, a team of middle school students who work with high school and college student mentors to write and host press conferences on pressing issues in their communities.

Governor Ned Lamont presented his biennial budget proposal yesterday and as legislators our job now is to analyze it, meet with state, local officials – and especially the people of New Haven – to discuss the governor’s ideas and ultimately decide what changes have to be made so the final budget draft truly meets the state’s needs.

For more than a month, at least 1,500 federal employees in New Haven and other municipalities around the state have been furloughed or forced to work without pay because of a politically motivated shutdown of government in the nation's capital. To help them the legislature has passed legislation, making available unemployment assistance, interest-free loans of up to $5,000 and other resources for them.

There is still time to get quality and affordable health insurance coverage! With several new plan structures available this year, Access Health CT has decided to extend their enrollment period until Tuesday, Jan. 15.