Jennifer Leeper

We had a compelling Education Committee public hearing Wednesday, where we heard from dozens of students advocating for Senate Bill 1511, An Act Concerning Disconnected Youth.

The bill would raise the funding per-pupil in our Education Cost Sharing Grant, meaning schools would receive more money per child.

The students told us about how different the quality of their schools were compared to those just 30 minutes away, and advocated for a more equitable system.

The situation is especially stark in our cities, which have been chronically underfunded for years. Some students said that the situation is so dire they felt is was worth missing a day of school to demand change.

Hearing directly from our students about how this legislation impacts them and their education is a powerful reminder of the real-world impact our work has in our state.

We also heard testimony on HB 7219, An Act Protecting 504 Plan Accommodations for Students in Connecticut.

You may remember me mentioning this bill a few weeks ago.

There is a recent court case titled "Texas v. Becerra" that 17 states have signed on to claiming the 504 anti-discrimination law, which allows for accommodations for people with disabilities is unconstitutional. 

The lawsuit targets "gender dysphoria" as a protected class from discrimination but actually goes further, claiming the entirety of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is unconstitutional.

The loss of these protections for our students in need of academic accommodations is dangerous, so in Connecticut we are taking steps to protect access to these 504 protections.

Fairfield was at the Capitol in force this week leading on environmental protections and creating a Green Amendment to our State Constitution.

We heard from Sustainable Fairfield leader Mary Hogue and student advocates, Nora and Ryan Romeo, who spoke very powerfully about our obligation to ensure a safe and healthy world for them to inherit.

The resolution establishes environmental rights - including clean and healthy air, water, soil, ecosystems, and environment - as protected under our constitution for all residents.

Rep. Keitt and Sen. Hwang led this event and it was great to see a bipartisan group of legislators voice their support for this legislation, sending the message that this is not a partisan issue. Climate change is not going away, and it is the responsibility of elected officials to take action to protect the residents of Connecticut.

The Fairfield Parks and Recreation Department has released their 2025 Spring brochure, highlighting all of the great activities our town has to offer.

Click here to read about upcoming parks projects, tennis lessons, youth and adult programs, summer jobs, and so much more!