Week in Review
February 27, 2026
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Dear Neighbor,
After two four-day weeks due to holidays, the blizzard closed our building this week, too. It didn’t stop my work, remotely and in person.
On Tuesday, I had to be in two places at the same time. The Regulations Review Committee is a constitutional check and balance on executive branch agencies whose proposals must be confirmed by the legislature to ensure the regulations conform to the statutes. This month we had a lengthy debate over a proposal from the Department of Consumer Protection to safeguard us from the drug Kratom, which is an herbal substance sold over-the-counter that has an opioid-like effect. Both the FDA and other reliable sources have announced it is dangerous and has no medical value. The regulation classifies Kratom as a Class 1 substance. It will no longer be sold in Connecticut.
The Executive and Legislative Nominations Committee approved the nomination of
Delwyn Cummin of Meriden to be a member of the Board of Regents for Higher
Education; Janis Jerman of New Britain to be a member of the State Education Arbitration Panel; Alex Harris of Ridgefield to be a member of the Commission on Human Rights and
Opportunities; and Donald E. Williams, Jr. of Brooklyn to be a member of the Board of Regents for Higher Education.
On Thursday, the House was in session to confirm some judicial nominations, an arbitration agreement, and deal with two bills.
On Thursday, the House was in session and passed two important bills: SB 298 and SB 299.
SB 298 is a comprehensive measure that advances several key priorities for our communities. It delivers millions of dollars in targeted grants and earmarks to support local projects and organizations. The bill strengthens education by extending the moratorium on measures addressing racial imbalance in schools.
It supports first responders by aiding the firefighter cancer relief fund and increases reimbursement rates for intermediate care facilities. The bill also updates child support enforcement, behavioral health regulations, and freedom of information and election laws to improve efficiency and transparency.
For workers, SB 298 establishes stronger, worker-friendly standards for warehouse operations, including a clear private right of action so employees can seek damages if workplace standards are violated. It revises police training standards for interactions with individuals with disabilities, adjusts municipal pension calculations, and repeals a prior building code change to ensure responsible development standards. It also includes a certificate-of-need change designed to support UConn Health.
SB 299 addresses bottle redemption fraud following the increase in Connecticut’s beverage container deposit. The bill increases penalties for fraudulently redeeming out-of-state containers and lowers the threshold from 2,500 to 1,000 containers before identification is required at redemption centers. These changes protect the integrity of the system while maintaining the 10-cent deposit.
Together, these measures invest in education, workers, healthcare, public safety, and consumer protection — delivering support and clear standards that benefit residents, businesses, and communities across Connecticut.
Last but not least, I attended a long Judiciary Committee Public Hearing about claims against the state, and a few miscellaneous proposals on Frida/
You can go to our webpage for information on all of our official activities.
If you or someone you know requires assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at the Capitol at 1-800-842-1902 or email me at Bob.Godfrey@cga.ct.gov.
Sincerely,
Bob Godfrey
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