Legislative Update 2.5

February 5, 2026



 

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Dear Neighbor,

I am highlighting a couple of major events you are invited to attend right at the top of this week's newsletter.

I hope you can make both. Please scroll down for more details.

The 2026 legislative session kicked off on Wednesday and featured Governor Lamont's State of the State Address, which was delivered in the House Chamber.

Afterward, the Senate handled some important business by voting overwhelmingly to extend the emergency response fund, created to address unnecessary federal funding cuts.

We'll be voting to extend it today.

Several CT mayors were in the building on Wednesday, including Middletown's own Gene Nocera. I was proud to welcome him, along with Middletown Common Council President Jeanette Blackwell.

Speaking of pride, I joined many colleagues in wearing red on Opening Day, as requested by our colleague, Rep. Tammy Exum, in honor of Heart Awareness Month. Rep. Exum is encouraging a potentially life-saving test, a coronary calcium scan, which looks for calcium deposits in heart arteries.

Click HERE to watch a short reel featuring officials and lawmakers who have had the scan done.

Lastly, I have included grant opportunities for women business owners to check out. Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Kai Belton
State Representative

 
A Well-Deserved Honor for Q

You won't want to miss this!
 
Looking Ahead to May...

This is a signature event for me. It is impactful and has been very well-attended. Let's keep it going! I hope to see you at the Capitol on May 1st. More details will be coming. Stay tuned.
 
Chime Foundation Scholarships 

Here's some exciting news!

Chime, a leading consumer financial technology company, has announced that the Chime Scholars Foundation has opened applications for the 2026-2027 academic year.

Aspiring scholars can now apply for scholarships of up to $20,000 to support their education, paving the way for greater career opportunities and higher earnings.

The scholarship program is open to students of all backgrounds and stages of life, and it supports a wide range of educational pathways, including traditional college degrees, apprenticeships, trade schools, and technical certifications.

Since 2022, CSF has provided $7 million in scholarship funding to over 1,000 students.

Last year alone, CSF welcomed its largest cohort of scholars to date, awarding more than $3 million in scholarships to 800 students for the 2025-2026 academic year. 
 
February: A Month of Awareness...

Heart disease is often preventable, but remains the top killer in the U.S.  Here are some simple ways to promote heart health today:

• Get CPR Certified
• Exercise Regularly & Manage your Stress
• Keep Track of your cholesterol
• Know your numbers! Learn how to self-measure your own blood pressure
 
...And Celebration

Simply put, Black history is American history!
 
AHCT Special Enrollment Period Began Sunday

Access Health CT opened a Special Enrollment Period for eligible customers to enroll in health coverage with the new state subsidy on Sunday. The Special Enrollment Period end date will be determined.

The Special Enrollment Period is separate from the Open Enrollment Period, which ended on Saturday.

Customers who qualify for this Special Enrollment Period include: 

  • Households with an annual income between 100% and 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), who are not already enrolled in the Covered CT Program. These customers will receive a state subsidy to replace 100% of the expired federal enhanced premium tax credit amounts.
  • Households with an annual income over 400% and up to 500% FPL. These customers will receive a state subsidy to replace 50% of the expired federal enhanced premium tax credit amounts.  

Eligible customers who have already enrolled or plan to enroll in a 2026 health plan will see a credit applied to their carrier bill.
 
It’s important to note that while customers will not see the state subsidy amount in AHCT’s online system until all updates have been made in the coming weeks, all eligible customers will soon receive a notice in the mail from AHCT with the amount of their state subsidy.

Insurance companies will send consumers updated premium bills with the credit for the state subsidy amount. This manual process will begin soon, in advance of the system updates to be implemented in the coming weeks.

Free help to sign up is available online, in person, and over the phone.
 
Customers can visit AccessHealthCT.com and click the “Get Help” button on the homepage to find the option that works best for them—including scheduling an appointment, finding a nearby Navigator site or working with a Certified Broker in their area.
 
AHCT has expanded its Navigator program to include six locations around the state and introduced a new Mobile Enrollment Team that supports community events and assists with in-person enrollment, available in English and Spanish.
 
To get help over the phone, customers can call 1-855-805-4325 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Help is available in over 100 languages.
 
Customers who are deaf or hearing impaired may use TTY at 1-855-789-2428 or call with a relay operator.
 
For free help online, customers can visit AccessHealthCT.com. They can also chat live with a customer service representative by clicking the “Live Chat” icon on the website. Live chat is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
 
WBDC Grant Opportunities

The Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) has announced the next round of Ignite and Child Care Business Grant Programs.

The Ignite Grant Program is designed to help women-owned businesses grow. The program offers grants of up to $10,000 to women-owned businesses in the state of Connecticut who have been in business for 2 or more years and have revenues between $25K and $2 million. 

The application period for Ignite grants runs from February 3rd through March 18th. You can find additional information on Ignite here. 

The Child Care Business Opportunity Fund, offered in partnership with the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC), provides grants of up to $25,000 to qualified licensed and aspiring child care businesses.

The program offers grants targeting different stages of business, from start-ups to those ready to expand. 

The application period for Child Care Business grants runs from February 1st through February 28th. You can find more information on the Child Care Business Opportunity Fund grants here.

Information sessions for both grant programs are scheduled throughout the application periods.

These sessions will help applicants understand the grant requirements and provide an opportunity for those interested to ask questions about the grants. Interested applicants can register for a live information session here.
 

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