Larry Pemberton

Dear Neighbor,

Reminder: Access Health CT’s extended enrollment deadline runs through Saturday, January 31. Customers who register or renew by this date will have health and dental coverage beginning February 1.

Connecticut is stepping up by offering financial assistance despite recent federal cuts. Some customers may qualify for new state subsidies or other low- or no-cost coverage options, including the Covered CT Program or HUSKY Health, Connecticut’s Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Customers can visit AccessHealthCT.com and click the “Get Help” button on the homepage to find the option that works best for them, including scheduling an appointment, finding a nearby Navigator site or attending an enrollment fair. Help is available in over 100 languages.

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

Next week, the 2026 legislative session will officially get underway at the state Capitol. My legislative colleagues and I will begin several months of debate, deliberation, and decision-making on a wide range of key policy issues that will shape our state in the year ahead.

Watch the 2026 legislative session live on CT-N beginning Wednesday, February 4, at 10:00 a.m., with coverage of opening day. Live streams of subsequent session days and committee meetings are also available at any time.

The Women’s Business Development Council (WBDC) announced the next round of Ignite and Child Care Business Grant Programs.

The Ignite Grant Program is designed to help women-owned businesses grow. The program offers grants of up to $10,000 to women-owned businesses in the state of Connecticut who have been in business for 2 or more years and have revenues between $25K and $2 million. The application period for Ignite grants runs from February 3rd through March 18th. You can find additional information on Ignite here. 

The Child Care Business Opportunity Fund, offered in partnership with the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC), provides grants of up to $25,000 to qualified licensed and aspiring child care businesses. The program offers grants targeting different stages of business, from start-ups to those ready to expand. The application period for Child Care Business grants runs from February 1st through February 28th.  You can find more information on the Child Care Business Opportunity Fund grants here.

Information sessions for both grant programs are scheduled throughout the application periods. These sessions will help applicants understand the grant requirements and provide an opportunity for those interested to ask questions about the grants. Interested applicants can register for a live information session here.

Please feel free to contact me at the Capitol at 1-800-842-8267 or by email at Larry.Pemberton@cga.ct.gov if you have any questions or concerns.

All my best,

Larry Pemberton
State Representative