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Monday is Memorial Day, a time for reflection, remembrance, and gratitude.
As a community, let us come together to remember the lives of those we have lost, support one another, and recommit ourselves to the ideals that define our country. |
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Memorial Day events in the area:
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In the rest of this week's eblast, you can read about critical funding wins for Hartford, the groundbreaking for the new Barbour Library, and more. You can click the links below to navigate between sections.
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| Last week, I was thrilled to welcome funding I helped secure for Hartford in our state budget. |
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I was especially proud of the $870,000 I helped get for the Hartford Emergency Assistance Response Team (HEARTeam) program.
Established in 2022, the program provides mental health responders - including licensed physicians and peer responders - to certain non-violent 911 calls involving those in emotional distress. The program is a model in providing a nuanced approach to emergencies, and showcases the importance of providing different approaches to different situations.
Earlier this year, Hartford had to scale back the HEARTeam program due to a lack of funding, but the $870,000 in the state budget will help restore the program to full strength.
The HEARTeam program has taken thousands of phone calls to help those in emotional distress, and has proven to be a critical resource for Hartford residents. I’m thrilled to have helped receive the funding to keep the program fully operational, and am excited to continue making a difference in how we approach emergency situations.
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| You can click this image to watch a video from the press conference discussing the funding! |
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I was pleased to join Hartford Public Library with Speaker Ritter and Hartford community members to break ground at the future home of the new Barbour Library at 234 Barbour St., right in the heart of the 5th District.
I'm so proud the Hartford delegation was able to secure significant funding from the Community Investment Fund for this project, and I'm excited to see this in our district in the near future. |
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I’m proud to announce that Public Act 26-12 has officially been signed into law, delivering stronger workplace protections and advancing workers’ rights for employees throughout Connecticut.
The law includes major provisions addressing wage theft in the building trades, job protections for service workers, compensation for workers assaulted on the job, including nurses and teachers, expanded protections for breastfeeding employees, and stronger pay transparency requirements for job postings. |
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Highlights include:
- Enhanced workers’ compensation benefits for teachers and health care workers injured through workplace assaults
- Joint liability for general contractors when subcontractors fail to pay workers
- Job retention protections for service workers when contracts change hands
- A fairer teacher termination process with impartial hearings
- Required break time for breastfeeding or pumping at work
- Expanded pay transparency requiring wage ranges and general benefits information in job postings
This legislation is an important step toward protecting workers’ dignity, safety, fairness, and economic security across our state.
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A new law provides all eligible voters in Connecticut with the option of casting a vote via absentee ballots.
Public Act 26-42 removes certain restrictions that previously limited absentee ballots to voters who could not appear in person on Election Day for a narrow set of reasons. With this change, any eligible voter who prefers to vote absentee may now do so.
The voters of Connecticut demanded Absentee Voting For All after they overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment in 2024. The new law takes effect immediately.
The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy. Expanding access to absentee ballots strengthens participation, increases flexibility, and ensures every voter has a convenient and secure option to make their voice heard.
To vote by absentee ballot, eligible voters must complete an absentee ballot application and submit it to their town clerk. Applications can also be submitted online through the Office of the Secretary of the State’s secure portal. For more information on applying for an absentee ballot, visit myvote.ct.gov.
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I wanted to share the 2026 Legislative Session Major Public Acts document with you. The document, composed by the Office of Legislative Research (OLR) with assistance from the Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA), briefly describes the most significant, far-reaching, and publicly debated acts adopted by the General Assembly in the 2026 regular session. You can click HERE to read the full OLR report, or click the graphic below.
If you're interested in more information on bills that passed and didn't pass this legislative session, please click HERE.
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The Women's Business Development Council (WBDC) and Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC) are accepting applications for the OEC-WBDC Program Operations Grants now through Monday, May 25 at 7pm.
OEC and WBDC are offering grants of up to $50,000 to qualified Connecticut early childhood businesses to support operations and preserve child care access. The Operations Grant provides short-term funding to support OEC-licensed early childhood education programs. The grants are designed to help programs maintain their existing early childhood slots.
Grants will be awarded to eligible programs serving high and medium-needs families, as defined by OEC. This funding is intended to support operational expenses, including staffing, materials, facility costs, and other business needs that ensure ongoing services to families and communities.
This is a ONE-TIME funding opportunity. Click here for more information on eligibility requirements and how to apply. |
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As of October 2025, the State of Connecticut allocated $3 million in emergency funding to Connecticut Foodshare to address the loss of federal SNAP benefits. These funds were designed for the nonprofit to purchase food for distribution through its network of partners and mobile pantries following federal funding cuts. [1, 2, 3]
How to Find Allocation Information (As of May 2026):
- Connecticut Foodshare Financials: View their annual reports and 990 forms for official records on funding sources and expenditures.
- OpenCheckbook CT: Search for "CONNECTICUT FOODSHARE INC" to see state-level expenditures and payments to the organization, which showed roughly $5.44M in 2022.
- CT.gov Press Releases: Check the Governor's official press releases for recent emergency funding announcements, such as the $3 million declared in October 2025.
- Connecticut Public Radio: News outlets like CT Public and WFSB frequently report on changes in state funding for food insecurity. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
In addition to state funding, Connecticut Foodshare also utilized $1 million from its own capital reserves for emergency response in October 2025. [1]
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Celebrations for CT250 are underway, Connecticut’s statewide initiative to commemorate, celebrate, and reflect on the 250th anniversary of American independence.
The program highlights Connecticut’s pivotal role in our nation’s founding and honors the state’s lasting contributions to the American story. Through community events, educational programs, cultural activities, and historical commemorations, CT250 invites residents of all ages to engage with our shared history and envision the future together.
Click here for a full calendar of CT250 events across the state.
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Hartford Taste Food FestivalJune 5 - June 7Pratt & Trumbull Streets, HartfordRead more here
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If you have any issues, concerns, or feedback, I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to contact me at 860-240-8585 if you ever need anything or by email at maryam.khan@cga.ct.gov.
Sincerely,
Maryam Khan |
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