Updates from State Rep. Nick Menapace for May 11, 2026

May 11, 2026

The Session ended last Wednesday, and I'm proud of the hard work put in to achieve positive results for Connecticut residents.

Scroll down to find out what was delivered to the State and the 37th District.

This session we delivered real results:

Supporting our first responders & workers. Expanding benefits for police, fire, and EMS, providing mortgage assistance, tuition support, and protecting nurses and teachers on the job with stronger financial and workplace protections.

Delivering a strong, bipartisan budget. Historic investments in our schools, tax relief for families, expanded free school meals, funding for childcare, and millions more for cities and towns, while continuing to pay down long-term debt responsibly.

Protecting children & strengthening families. Major DCF reforms that prioritize keeping kids with family, increase support for foster and kinship caregivers, improve oversight, and invest in the social workers doing this critical work.

Standing up for civil rights & public safety. Advancing legislation that protects constitutional rights, increases accountability, sets clear standards for law enforcement, and ensures fairness in how technology and policing tools are used.

Lowering energy costs & expanding access. Modernizing our solar and renewable energy programs to make them more affordable, more reliable, and accessible to working families, especially those who need relief the most.

This is what it’s about, delivering real, tangible results for our residents while making Connecticut stronger, safer, and more affordable.

This is what it's about.

Delivering for the 37th

Education is why I got involved in public service.

As a teacher, I’ve seen how much funding matters, not just for our schools, but for our communities. That’s why I’ve worked to bring additional state resources to East Lyme, Salem, and Montville.

These investments help strengthen our schools, provide long-term stability, and deliver real relief for local taxpayers.

We’re making progress and there’s more work to do. (East Lyme will receive $779,701 more in additional funding, Salem will receive $136,839 and Montville will receive $2.51 million.)

There's always more to be done, but I'm proud of what's been accomplished so far.

Universal School Breakfast

A hungry child can’t learn. That’s a fact.

This year, we delivered:

Universal FREE school breakfast

FREE lunch for students who qualify for reduced-price meals

When kids are fed, they succeed.

No child should go hungry — and we’re one step closer to universal free school meals.

Strengthening Federal Accountability

Since 2025 federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have waged a campaign of fear, operating with masked faces, inadequate training, and reckless disregard of the constitutional rights of the people they encounter.

We as a state have an obligation to act to address an unprecedented breakdown in federal accountability. Parents are afraid of bringing children medical appointments, or sending them to school, court dates are skipped for fear of being detained, and congregants are afraid of going to their places of worship.

Senate Bill 397 represents a measured and lawful response to these concerns. The legislation seeks to strengthen accountability by requiring clear identification from federal agents, restricting enforcement actions in sensitive locations, and creating a pathway for individuals to seek recourse when their constitutional rights are violated.

Senate bill 397:

Enables any person the right to sue federal actors who violate their constitutional rights.
Ensures the Inspector General has clear unrestricted authority to investigate the unauthorized use of force by state, local and certain federal agents when force results in death.
Prohibits law enforcement officers from wearing masks and refusing to identify themselves when conducting operations.
Builds on the framework established in 20205, designating protected areas – hospitals, schools, court houses, places of worship will be shielded from civil immigration arrests unless a law enforcement officer presents a signed judicial warrant.
Establishes a floor of at least 480 hours of training for law enforcement officers in Connecticut.
Regulates auto license plate reader technologies, permitting an active hot list, but caps retention of data to 21 days absent an ongoing criminal investigation.

This is not a statement of partisan preference, but a measured response to protect the people of Connecticut. No one is above the law, and the protection of constitutional rights does not stop at the involvement of federal authority.

A Great Legislative Class

The freshman class grew a little this year, so naturally, we needed a new photo for the last day of the session.

CT/Taiwan Sister State

We celebrated the 27th anniversary of the Connecticut–Taiwan sister state relationship and Taiwan Heritage Day with Ambassador Tom Chih-Chiang Lee.

Great food, activities, and even calligraphy by a talented East Lyme constituent made it a special event

Great Wolf Lodge Visit

Earlier this session Great Wolf Lodge came to the capital so the Montville delegation had to get a picture!

Letter to the Editor

Unchecked rent increases are pushing people out of their homes and weakening our communities.

I wrote to LymeLine about why we need to do better and how we can.

Around the 37th

I had the opportunity to present awards at the Shoreline Arts Alliance “Future Choices” juried exhibition.

The level of talent and passion among these high school artists should inspire all of us.