Kate Farrar

In special session last month the legislature created an Emergency State Response Fund to address the federal funding delays and cuts by the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans affecting essential health and human services that Connecticut residents rely on to meet basic needs. Yesterday, Governor Lamont submitted a plan to bipartisan leaders in the Connecticut General Assembly to use $167.9 million from the $500 million fund. There is more to do but this is a very positive development. 

His proposal calls for committing:

• Tens of millions to offset cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies
• $24.5 million to support community food banks and pantries to address SNAP cuts
• Nearly $7 million to combat homelessness
• Millions to federally qualified health centers to help individuals losing health insurance and to Planned Parenthood for their loss of federal funds for comprehensive family planning and related preventive health services
• $4.7 million for 2-1-1 to increase call volume and Community Action Agencies to support outreach and assistance for residents 

Click here to see the entire proposal and reach out to me with your feedback on how we should continue to protect and support Connecticut residents.  

Earlier this week, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) held a regional Bear Management Listening Session at the Elmwood Community Center in West Hartford.

West Hartford has had 1,000 bear sightings this year – the most reported bear sightings of any town in the state (likely not due to the most bears but the most reporting). We want to co-existing peacefullly with bears and hear suggestions for what the state and municipalities can do better. 

The discussion focused on bear activity, public safety concerns, and strategies for coexisting with bears. Feedback from this session will inform the next phase of DEEP’s bear management planning, including the development of a report outlining the current status of Connecticut’s bear population, public perceptions of bears, the implications of a growing bear population, and potential strategies to mitigate bear-related impacts. Have feedback or ideas? Please email: DEEP.Wildlife@ct.gov with general or specific bear-related questions.

Also this week I was able to join with Rep. Gary Turco and Sen. Matt Lesser in Newington to deliver several special legislative citations.

We visited the Newington Senior & Disabled Center to honor their 40th Anniversary this year. We also visited Newington's Town Clerk James Krupienski who was named as the 2025 Town Clerk of the Year by the Connecticut Town Clerks Association. Finally, we stopped by Karma's Closet to congratulate Deanna Reney on her new and expanded space this year. It was wonderful to celebrate each of these people, organizations and businesses who contribute so much to Newington and the entire state. 

Gov. Ned Lamont announced this week that an additional 40,000 Connecticut residents will have their medical debts erased, part of an initiative launched in partnership with the nonprofit Undue Medical Debt to give relief to those struggling to pay medical bills.

This is the third round of the initiative, which has now eliminated $198 million for 160,000 Connecticut residents since Dec. 2024. The program's arrangement allows the debt to be forgiven at a fraction of its face value, typically costing a few pennies on the dollar.

Those affected by this program should receive a letter in the mail this week informing them of their debt forgiveness. There is no application process for this relief, and it cannot be requested.

Relieving tens of thousands of Connecticut residents from the stress of paying down burdensome medical debt will make a profound difference in their lives, especially during the holiday season.

Click here to read more about the program.