Legislative Update 2.5

February 5, 2026

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I hope you can join us tonight for a West Hartford Legislative Delegation Town Hall beginning at 6 p.m., right on the heels of opening day of the 2026 legislative session on Wednesday, which included the governor's address, and a regular session today. I look forward to seeing you.

I asked my colleagues to wear red on opening day in honor of Heart Awareness Month. So many did. I also encouraged the test that can save lives: a coronary calcium scan, which looks for calcium deposits in heart arteries. Please see below for more details.

Access Health CT opened a special enrollment period on Sunday. Need health coverage? Check it out below.

Ramadan begins for our Muslim friends soon, and we're five days into Black History Month. I have much respect for different cultures. They bring people together, which also makes us stronger.

As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, I can be reached by phone at 800-842-8267 or by email at Tammy.Exum@cga.ct.gov.

For legislative updates, please sign up for my weekly emails at housedems.ct.gov/Exum/Updates and like my Official Facebook Page.

Sincerely,

Tammy Exum
State Representative

Reminder: Delegation Town Hall Tonight

A friendly reminder....

I hope you can join us tonight!

Coronary Calcium Scans Getting Love

Please click on the video below to hear from officials and lawmakers who have had a coronary calcium scan.

Chime Foundation Scholarships

Here's some exciting news for students!

Chime, a leading consumer financial technology company, has announced that the Chime Scholars Foundation has opened applications for the 2026-2027 academic year.

Aspiring scholars can now apply for scholarships of up to $20,000 to support their education, paving the way for greater career opportunities and higher earnings.

The scholarship program is open to students of all backgrounds and stages of life, and it supports a wide range of educational pathways, including traditional college degrees, apprenticeships, trade schools, and technical certifications.

Since 2022, CSF has provided $7 million in scholarship funding to over 1,000 students.

Last year alone, CSF welcomed its largest cohort of scholars to date, awarding more than $3 million in scholarships to 800 students for the 2025-2026 academic year.

Reminder: AHCT Special Enrollment Period Began Sunday

Access Health CT opened a Special Enrollment Period for eligible customers to enroll in health coverage with the new state subsidy on Sunday. The Special Enrollment Period end date will be determined.

The Special Enrollment Period is separate from the Open Enrollment Period, which ended on Saturday.

Customers who qualify for this Special Enrollment Period include:

Households with an annual income between 100% and 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), who are not already enrolled in the Covered CT Program. These customers will receive a state subsidy to replace 100% of the expired federal enhanced premium tax credit amounts.
Households with an annual income over 400% and up to 500% FPL. These customers will receive a state subsidy to replace 50% of the expired federal enhanced premium tax credit amounts.

Eligible customers who have already enrolled or plan to enroll in a 2026 health plan will see a credit applied to their carrier bill.

It’s important to note that while customers will not see the state subsidy amount in AHCT’s online system until all updates have been made in the coming weeks, all eligible customers will soon receive a notice in the mail from AHCT with the amount of their state subsidy.

Insurance companies will send consumers updated premium bills with the credit for the state subsidy amount. This manual process will begin soon, in advance of the system updates to be implemented in the coming weeks.

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

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 working with a Certified Broker in their area.

AHCT has expanded its Navigator program to include six locations around the state and introduced a new Mobile Enrollment Team that supports community events and assists with in-person enrollment, available in English and Spanish.

To get help over the phone, customers can call 1-855-805-4325 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 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.

For free help online, customers can visit AccessHealthCT.com. They can also chat live with a customer service representative by clicking the “Live Chat” icon on the website. Live chat is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.

February: A Month of Awareness...

Heart disease is often preventable, but remains the top killer in the U.S. Here are some simple ways to promote heart health today:

• Get CPR Certified
• Exercise Regularly & Manage your Stress
• Keep Track of your cholesterol
• Know your numbers! Learn how to self-measure your own blood pressure

...And Celebration

Black history is American history.

Shouting Out Avon and Mark Summa!

The Connecticut Association of Schools is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 Middle & High School Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year Awards.

Congratulations to these outstanding administrators, including Avon Middle School Assistant Principal Mark Summa. Click HERE for more details. Congratulations to Mark and all the winners.

As a former teacher, I certainly respect the work you and all teachers and school administrators do for our children. Thank you!