Approps Meets on Budget and More, Beyond Survival: A Presentation, Judiciary Update

April 1, 2026

Dear Neighbor,

Tonight is the start of Passover, and I wish everyone celebrating a peaceful and happy time with their families. I'd also like to extend Happy Easter wishes to all celebrating this weekend. This year, Orthodox Easter is thankfully only a week later.

As you probably saw on the news, both the Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee and the Appropriations Committee were both "pencils down" this week on the legislature's version of the budget.

While I haven't yet dug into the details of the finance package, the appropriations side of the budget came in $16 million under the mandated spending cap. The short session budget adjustment year is always a challenge, but ever more so with significant cuts from the federal budget digging into many areas of the work we do as a state government.

Tomorrow, we are looking forward to hosting young women students as part of the annual LiveGirl Day at the Capitol. Every year, this event is enjoyable because we get to hear directly what issues matter most to them.

I've also shared some information on a documentary the Women's Equity Caucus screened this week, as well as two bills that came out of the Judiciary Committee, and finally, more information on our school meals bill to provide much-needed nutrition to hungry children in Connecticut.

Have a great week,

Eleni

APPROPS MEETS ON BUDGET, MORE

Yesterday, the Appropriations Committee met to vote out its end-of-the-state budget. We voted on the deficiency bill and our version of the budget revisions. As you may recall, the Governor shared his version of the budget updates in February.

Now, after a great deal of work by many subcommittees on Appropriations, our recommendations for budget adjustments have been voted out of committee. Now, the negotiations between the legislative and executive branches go into effect, and hopefully, we will be finished, with pencils completely down, by Sine Die on May 6^th.

LIVEGIRL DAY @ THE CAPITOL

It's LiveGirl Day at the Capitol tomorrow!

LiveGirl is a Connecticut-based nonprofit that builds confident, inclusive, career-ready leaders.

Its mission is to prepare the next generation of women leaders with the skills, mentorship, and opportunities to thrive and make a positive impact.

BEYOND SURVIVAL: A PRESENTATION

Monday, the Women's Equity Caucus held a screening of the documentary, "Beyond Survival." This documentary is directly tied to a current bill, HB5306 AAC SENTENCE REDUCTION OR RELIEF FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, STALKING OR HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

Similar to legislation passed in New York, this bill would allow judges to examine clear and compelling evidence that may not have been considered at the time of initial sentencing regarding the violence or trauma that may have impacted the person who committed the crime.

As we saw in the documentary, many of the women (and a couple of men), who have received a sentence reduction have served over half their very lengthy mandatory sentencing.

One of the stories will stay with me, the story of Myeisha.

She recounted that the very first abuse committed against her was her mother burning the bottoms of her feet at eighteen months old.

Years later, after a severe beating as a young child, including being hit on the head with a pipe, she was removed from the home, but the damage was done.

The abuse in foster homes continued for years, and none of it was considered at the time of her sentencing.

This bill is not meant to take away "paying for" a crime, but as we learn more about the impact of trauma, especially at a young age, we need to account for that in our justice system.

JUDICIARY UPDATE

The Judiciary Committee voted to advance legislation that would expand restrictions on where Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents can operate in Connecticut. The bills would prohibit ICE from entering places of worship and hospitals, ensuring that our residents are not afraid to seek medical care or practice their faith.

Connecticut is already one of the safest states for immigrants in the country, and we do not need the federal government's heavy-handed enforcement tactics to keep our communities safe. Attorney General William Tong has voiced his support for these measures, noting that immigrants and their families have a right to be protected from violence and intimidation.

(Image credit: Inside Investigator)

The Committee also held a public hearing in March on several bills aimed at increasing state oversight of federal law enforcement officers, including SB 91 and SB 397, which would expand the definition of "peace officer" under state law to cover all federal law enforcement agents — not just those dealing with narcotics.

Connecticut Inspector General Eliot Prescott testified that the state has a broad sovereign interest in ensuring that all officers, including federal agents, comply with Connecticut law. While these proposals continue to be refined, the Committee is committed to ensuring Connecticut has the tools it needs to hold everyone accountable under the law.

In a significant bipartisan achievement, the Judiciary Committee approved a compromise bill that would prevent license plate reader data from being shared with federal immigration authorities. This legislation was the product of a broad collaboration among lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, the ACLU of Connecticut, the state Judicial Branch, and the Department of Transportation.

Under the bill, license plate data retention would be limited to a maximum of 30 days, and after seven days, police would be required to obtain a judicial warrant to access the information.

The legislation strikes a careful balance: it preserves the ability of law enforcement to use this technology to solve crimes and protect our communities, while ensuring that residents' civil liberties are not compromised and that the data is not misused for immigration enforcement, reproductive health care investigations, or other purposes unrelated to public safety.

As Senator John Kissel, the ranking Republican on the Committee, noted, the warrant requirement after seven days is a crucial safeguard against "open-season fishing expeditions".

The bill now heads to the House for a floor vote. Local law enforcement agencies are already updating their policies to align with these new standards.

The Judiciary Committee held a significant public hearing on SB 503, a bill that would expand early parole eligibility for individuals who committed crimes when they were under the age of 26.

Over 200 people, including incarcerated individuals and their families, submitted testimony in support of the proposal.

The bill is grounded in well-established neuroscience showing that the brain does not fully develop until around age 25, particularly in areas governing impulse control and long-term decision-making.

(Image credit: Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0)

Under the proposed legislation, a person who committed a crime before turning 26 would become eligible for parole after serving 60% of a sentence of less than 50 years, or 30 years of a sentence of more than 50 years.

Importantly, the bill does not mean automatic release — the Board of Pardons and Paroles would still make individual determinations about whether a person has been rehabilitated.

Advocates and researchers have pointed to Connecticut's own data showing that only about 1 in 10 individuals released under similar earlier laws have returned to prison, compared to a general recidivism rate of 40% to 49%.

This is about being smart on justice — acknowledging that people can grow beyond the worst mistakes of their youth while still respecting the needs of victims and communities.

BREAKFAST AT SCHOOL FOR ALL

House Bill 5144 is a measure that takes a meaningful step toward ensuring that no child goes hungry in the classroom. The proposal would provide free breakfast to all students in public schools and free lunch to students who qualify for reduced- price meals.

As a sixth-grader, Alexandria explained during a press conference, no student should have to focus on an empty stomach while trying to learn. When children are well-nourished, they are better able to concentrate, participate, and succeed academically.

By expanding access to school meals, we are not only supporting students’ physical health but also strengthening their educational outcomes and overall well-being.

Investing in universal school meals is an investment in our children, our schools, and our future. Let’s ensure that every student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive without the burden of hunger holding them back.

Let's hear more from Alexandria! Please click on the video below.

AHCT: UPDATE INCOME INFO

Access Health CT is reminding customers who receive help paying for their health insurance premiums to report any changes in household income to AHCT when they happen.

This can help prevent unexpected costs at tax time.

Federal financial help available through AHCT can significantly lower monthly insurance premiums.

The amount of help customers receive is based on household size and estimated annual income. If that income changes, it must be reported to AHCT.

If changes are not reported when they occur, individuals may receive more assistance than they qualify for and may have to repay the difference to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Eligible customers can choose to receive their financial help in two ways:

A one-time tax credit when filing their federal income tax return for the year.
Monthly payments are sent directly from the federal government to their insurance company to lower premium costs throughout the year. Individuals who choose this option must reconcile the amount they received when filing their tax return for that year.

Free help is available online, in person, and over the phone.

Customers can visit AccessHealthCT.com and click the “Get Help” button for a full list of resources. Customers can chat live with an Enrollment Specialist by clicking the “Live Chat” icon on the website.

A list of Certified Brokers is also available. These brokers can help customers understand their options and answer any questions. Working with a broker is free.

To get help over the phone, customers can call 1-855-805-4325, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 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.

ELLIE: A BIT QUIET NOW, BUT...

Hello!

This week was calm before the storm. With new responsibilities, engaging with social media, and attending numerous meetings with Eleni, the Capitol and LOB were quieter than usual, but I am sure that will not last!

The House was in session, with the appointment of new judges on the docket. Also, unfortunately, the assistant clerk who usually works in the planning and development committee, Mike, was moved to work with the Senate. However, he still stops by for visits!

The biggest assignment I worked on this week was the floor files. An exciting new task for me, the floor files are a compilation of the bill progress and all essential documents for every bill in a specific committee.

For this process, which is now my responsibility, I must update the online and printed floor files. This means every other day, I need to update documents, including the bill text, JF report, testimony, fiscal analysis, bill document analysis, and OLR report. Floor files are both online and printed, so this process usually takes a little while to complete. I try to be as organized as possible. I also must update this twice, for both chairs of the planning and development committee.

While this is time-consuming, I do like being able to organize and truly see the process of each bill. It also feels important that the work I am doing is amounting to something. The chairs count on these files for when they debate bills in the House or Senate Chamber.

I also participated in another social media video this week. The clerk for planning and development, Christian, is on the social media team, which means I also get to help with videos and ideas. This is a nice break from the usual workday, and I get to access a little more of my creative side.

This week, since it was opening day, the idea was to ask legislators if they were rooting for the Red Sox or the Yankees. Christian is a big Yankees fan, and I am a big Red Sox fan, so this was fun. We spent the whole day walking around the Capitol and interviewing people, then had to quickly edit the video and submit it to the social media coordinator, Riley.

The video ended up gaining a lot of traction, which was cool, and I enjoyed seeing how it all played out.

We were able to interview a lot of people during this because the House was in session, and everyone was over in the Capitol.

This day involved legislators voting on judicial and executive nominations and on Union agreements. Obviously, I am aware of the judicial process and the work of executive nominations, but it was fascinating to see this unfold in real time!

Lastly, and most importantly, there is an Easter Egg hunt throughout the LOB and Capitol today. Wish me luck!

All the best,
Ellie