Anthony Nolan

Connecticut House Democrats passed legislation to make sure our 2026 elections are free and fair.

We took steps to:

• Modernize our absentee ballot laws and vote counting procedures
• Create more safeguards to ensure your vote counts
• Protect our elections from corrupt outside forces

Additionally, we’ll keep ICE and people with weapons away from our polls, increase penalties for tampering with vote counts and intimidating poll workers, and empower the Attorney General to prevent people from interfering with our elections, among other provisions.
 

People’s right to vote is under constant attack around the country, but here in Connecticut, we’re making sure elections are free and fair.

Connecticut is advancing a gun violence prevention bill aimed at strengthening public safety and closing dangerous gaps in current law. House Bill 5043: An Act Concerning Convertible Pistols and Unfinished Frames or Unfinished Lower Receivers.

The proposal would ban convertible pistols, firearms that can be easily modified to function like automatic weapons, sometimes with minimal tools such as a screwdriver or knife. By addressing these modifications, the bill targets a growing concern among law enforcement and public safety officials.

It would also make it easier for individuals to safely surrender firearms to local police. Current law primarily applies to assault weapons, but this change would expand that option, helping to ensure that more firearms can be removed from potentially unsafe situations.

Together, these measures are designed to reduce the risk of gun violence while promoting responsible ownership and safer communities across the state.

This week, HB 5127 -- a measure designed to protect Connecticut consumers from high-pressure sales tactics involving third-party financial products in health care and veterinary settings -- passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.

Across Connecticut and the nation, consumers have reported being encouraged, and even pressured, to sign up for financial products such as medical credit cards, loans, and lines of credit while undergoing treatment, in pain, or under sedation. Many later face unexpected high-interest charges due to confusing promotional terms, leaving them burdened with significant and unforeseen debt.

HB 5127 addresses these concerns by establishing clear, targeted protections while preserving consumer choice and access to financing options.

Connecticut House Democrats are modernizing our cannabis laws—cutting unnecessary costs, expanding access, and strengthening a growing industry.

• Expanding access to medical cannabis, including for out-of-state patients
• Lowering costs for businesses through reduced testing and streamlined regulations
• Aligning potency rules with neighboring states to stay competitive
• Increasing the range of products made and sold in Connecticut, including coffee and tea
• Strengthening consumer protections, including data privacy

Modernizing our laws, leveling the playing field, and supporting a growing industry—this is how Connecticut keeps jobs, investment, and innovation here at home.

This week, the House passed HB 5044: An Act Establishing Connecticut Vaccine Standards.

In the past, Connecticut's vaccine policies and standards have been tied to the expert recommendations developed by the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC). Unfortunately, the CDC has recently abandoned its standing as the premier resource of medicine and science guidelines.

HB 5044 seeks to update Connecticut's vaccine policies so they are based on science, not political agendas. The bill will:

• Allow the Connecticut Department of Public Health to promote COVID and flu vaccines
• Require private insurance companies to cover the cost of your vaccinations
• Allow Connecticut to buy vaccines from suppliers other than the CDC
• Establish an adult vaccine program for uninsured and under-insured individuals