Justices of The Peace Legislation Advances, Addressing Affordability

April 9, 2026

Dear Neighbor,

When does session feel real? For me, it's when I start to bring out bills, and yesterday, I brought out three bills for the Planning and Development Committee, and one more today.

To give you an idea of the broad cognizance of the committee, we had one bill related to the State Plan of Conservation and Development, one bill for technical corrections for our legislative commissioner's office, one bill regarding Justices of the Peace (more information on this below), and finally, one bill regarding municipal notices.

The first three bills passed unanimously out of the House. The final bill is fascinating because it was bipartisan in both its no votes and its yes votes. And, we had a very robust debate!

I've included some proposals today that we are hoping to debate and pass that are specifically targeted at affordability. I'm very anxious to see where we land on these bills because we know the cost of gas, utilities, and food is causing struggle for many of our residents. Definitely check out the renters' rebate section for another swipe at affordability in Connecticut.

It's Donate Life Month, and it's a great time to remind you that one of my colleagues, former State Representative Jeff Currey, received a kidney from one of the wonderful owners at Avon's Pure Love Bakery, Karen Gauvain.

We shared more information below on how you can register to donate life!

Wishing you a good week ahead,

Eleni

MOVING: JUSTICES OF THE PEACE BILL

You probably recall I have shared a few stories over the last couple of years regarding Justices of the Peace and concern over whether we may have cases of traffic and/or fraudulent marriages.

Yesterday, we passed our Justice of the Peace bill unanimously through the House.

The bill sets up a system where you apply for your marriage license, and it will be issued 48 hours later, and then you are eligible to get married 48 hours after that.

It also sets up a clearer process for vacancies in the justice of the peace positions. It also sets up a working group to study issues such as portability, more access for unaffiliated justices, among other topics. You can see my introduction of the bill below.

ADDRESSING AFFORDABILITY

In addition to proposals that would increase ECS funding and help reduce local property tax pressure, we're working on several other bills that aim to address the broader affordability challenges families are feeling every day, including:

Senate Bill 1 includes several proposals aimed at lowering everyday costs, including eliminating the sales tax on clothing and shoes under $100, school supplies such as backpacks, and certain grab-and-go grocery items like sandwiches and coffee purchased from supermarkets. It also creates a caregiver tax credit for eligible expenses incurred while caring for a homebound family member. And for many seniors, the full exemption of Social Security benefits from state tax is one of the most significant proposals this session.
Senate Bill 513 would allow employees to elect to have the employer pay their payroll taxes, helping to reduce employees’ federal taxable income, while employees receive a refundable credit on their state taxes. The goal is to lower overall tax liability for working residents.

House Bill 5114 would provide renters with a property tax credit of up to $2,500 per year, recognizing that renters also feel the strain of Connecticut’s high cost of living and deserve meaningful relief.
House Bill 5538 is part of a broader effort to make Connecticut more competitive with neighboring states and create an environment where businesses can grow and succeed here. I have been spending time looking into the field of economic competitiveness, and I will share more as this bill and others move closer to debate on the House floor.

Together, these proposals reflect a focused effort to ease the financial pressures facing Connecticut families, from lowering everyday costs and providing.

SATURDAY: INVASIVE REMOVAL DAY

The Avon Sustainability Commission (formerly the Avon Clean Energy Commission) and the Avon Land Trust - Avon, CT, are hosting an Oriental Bittersweet removal event on Saturday, April 11, at 10 a.m. at the Land Trust's Oakes Preserve property.

All are welcome to attend!

KICKIN' IT AT DUNKIN' PARK ON MONDAY

Please join us at Dunkin’ Park in Hartford on Monday, April 13^th, at 4:30 PM, as Democratic and Republican legislators face off for the 5^th annual CGA Kickball Classic!

This event is open to the public, and everyone is encouraged to come out and enjoy the game. Tickets are $10, and all proceeds this year will benefit United Way of Connecticut. All players are also required to purchase a ticket. Doors open at 4:00 PM.

You can buy tickets HERE. They can also be purchased in advance or at the door on the day of the event.

Parking Information is HERE.

I hope to see many of you at the game for a fun afternoon at Dunkin’ Park, while supporting a great cause!

'YES IN GOD'S BACK YARD'

RENTERS REBATE

Connecticut’s Renters’ Rebate Program is now open to eligible renters who are elderly or living with a disability and meet certain income requirements.

Qualified applicants may receive rebates of up to $900 for married couples and $700 for single individuals. The rebate amount is determined using a graduated income scale, as well as the total rent and utility payments (excluding telephone) made during the previous calendar year.

Applications must be submitted through your local municipality’s assessor’s office or a designated social service agency. The application period is now open and will run through September 30. Please note that no extensions are permitted, and all applications must be received by the municipality no later than September 30.

Click here for more information about eligibility requirements and how to apply.

CONGRATS 'SECOND INNINGS' GRADS

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of awarding diplomas to the graduates of the “Second Innings” winter 2026 cohort. This program provided free instruction from industry professionals on Generative AI.

Special thanks to Love Bajpai, one of our Avon residents, who leads the program.

More information on the program itself: At the heart of the program were two standout Generative AI courses: Generative AI for Professionals, focused on real-world workplace applications like writing, analysis, and decision-making using AI tools, and Generative AI for Programmers, which took technical participants through AI-powered development workflows, SQL generation, and deploying live web applications using GitHub Copilot. Rounding out the curriculum were foundational courses in Data Analytics and Python — giving participants a complete, job-ready skill stack from the ground up.

The Second Innings Program offers all of this entirely free of charge — removing financial barriers for unemployed and underemployed professionals across industries, including healthcare, finance, marketing, and IT.

With the 2026 Winter cohort now complete, the organization is gearing up for its next session, scheduled for late summer 2026.

APRIL IS DONATE LIFE MONTH

Observed each April since 2003, National Donate Life Month helps raise awareness about donation, highlights the critical need for organ, eye, and tissue donors, encourages Americans to register as organ, eye, and tissue donors, and honors those who have saved lives through the gift of donation.

More than 100,000 people in the United States are currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant, with a new person added every eight minutes.

Approximately 17 people die each day waiting for an organ they didn't receive in time. A single organ donor can save up to eight lives and enhance the lives of more than 75 others through tissue and cornea donations. Less than 60% of American adults are registered donors.

To register as a donor, sign up online at RegisterMe.org, through Connecticut's donor registry, or through the Department of Motor Vehicles. Registration is quick and free.

For individuals age 18 and over, being included in the Donor Registry is legal authorization for organ and tissue donation. Remember to discuss your decision regarding organ donation with your family.

ELLIE: ENERGY IN THE BUILDING TODAY

Hello!

This week has been tame, but today, the House is in session! Anytime the House is in session, there is a certain energy in the building, with everyone having somewhere to be. I always look forward to session days because not only does the building feel lively, but I find these are days when I learn a lot firsthand about the legislative process.

Something important I want to mention is how much collaboration is required behind the scenes of the LOB to keep everything running smoothly.

This is a trend I have seen since the beginning, which I mentioned in earlier reports about how important legislative aides, clerks, and every office in the building are towards turning ideas into action.

Throughout updating floor files and attending meetings, I noticed how frequently staff members communicate with one another to ensure accuracy and efficiency.

Whether it was double-checking documents, coordinating updates, or asking quick, clarifying questions, there is a constant flow of information that keeps the legislative process moving forward.

As I am in the final few weeks of this internship, I feel a sense of appreciation for the people who make this place so remarkable. I look forward to expanding my knowledge more!

Have a great week,
Ellie

PASSPORT TO CT LIBRARIES

Passport to Connecticut Libraries is underway! From now until April 30, visit up to 171 participating Connecticut libraries (including Avon Free Public Library and Canton Public Library ) and get your "passport" stamped!

Frequently Asked Questions about the Passports program:

When is Passport to Connecticut Libraries?

Passport to Connecticut Libraries runs every other year. This year it happens April 1-30, 2026.

How does it work?

Stop by your local library and pick up your program passport and a list of participating libraries. Then visit as many of those libraries as you like between April 1 and April 30, get your passport stamped (and maybe pick up some cool library swag), and turn your passport in no later than May 11 to be entered into the prize drawing.

Do I have to have a library card to participate?

No - but you may decide to sign up for one if you don't have one already!

Do I have to visit all of the libraries?

Anyone who visits at least five different participating libraries will be entered into the random drawing for one of our prizes. (Check the list that comes with your passport to be sure the libraries you visit are participating - only stamps from officially participating libraries count for the prize drawing.)

Tell me more about these prizes!

This year, there are SIX chances to win a $200 Visa gift card! There will be random drawings from all participants throughout the state in each of six categories: adult who visited the most libraries, child under 18 who visited the most libraries, adult who visited more than 25 libraries, child under 18 who visited more than 25 libraries, adult who visited more than five libraries, and child under 18 who visited more than five libraries. (Please note that, since every participating library has to get its collected passports to the state coordinator, the drawing will not happen until June 15.)

If I visit the main library in a participating town and its branches, does that count as separate libraries for the drawing?

Maybe. Since each participating location has to pay a fee to participate in the program (that's how the money is raised for the prizes), some libraries choose to register each branch, and some don't. Check that list of participating libraries to find out!

Why do this program?

Because there are almost 200 public libraries in Connecticut (yes, that's more libraries than there are towns!), plus school libraries, college libraries, museum libraries, church libraries...and each one is different! This is our way of showcasing the amazing variety of Connecticut libraries and how many awesome things libraries are doing.