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I hope you are all staying cool and safe in this serious heatwave. Towards the bottom of this email, you will find information for local cooling centers and safety tips. It was another busy week here in the district, where I had the opportunity to attend and meet with several local Stratford organizations, residents, and groups.
In this week's email, you can read about my upcoming event at the Baldwin Center on June 22nd, staff and students' achievements from Stratford Public Schools, learn about the Access Health Special Enrollment Period for Temporary Premium Assistance set to close at the end of this month, find other local and state updates, and more.
Please reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or if my office can be of assistance to you. Call my office at any time at 860-240-8585 or email me at kaitlyn.shake@cga.ct.gov. |
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| Save the Date for June 22nd |
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On Monday, June 22nd, I am hosting a community discussion with at the Baldwin Center to update Stratford seniors and their caregivers with resources and services available, as well as discuss legislation we passed this session. If you are a senior or caregiver, please join us for this important discussion with guest speakers and representatives from AARP CT.
The Community Discussion with Seniors, Caregivers, and AARP CT will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, June 22nd, at the Baldwin Center (1000 W Broad St).
If you have ant questions please email me or my Outreach Coordinator at Sam.Zakur@cga.ct.gov. |
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Honoring the 2027 Stratford Public Schools
Teacher and Paraeducator of the Year |
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We have incredible teachers and paraeducators here in Stratford, and they deserve to be honored and celebrated. This Monday night, Stratford Public Schools recognized its 2027 Teacher of the Year, Jessica Scandurra, and Paraeducator of the Year, Michele Harris!
In honor of their contributions and dedication, my office awarded each of them with a state citation on behalf of the Connecticut General Assembly and Stratford Delegation.
The Connecticut General Assembly extends its sincere congratulations to Jessica Scandurra upon being named the 2027 Stratford Public Schools Teacher of the Year and to Michele Harris upon being named the 2027 Stratford Public Schools Paraeducator of the Year.
Through more than two decades of dedicated service to students, Ms. Scandurra has demonstrated exceptional commitment to educational excellence, innovation, and student success. As an educator who inspires curiosity, fosters growth, and supports every learner, she has made a lasting impact on the Stratford community.
As a paraeducator, Ms. Harris has made a meaningful difference in the lives of countless children and families through her compassion, professionalism, and steadfast commitment to supporting students. Her dedication to helping students reach their full potential exemplifies the very best of public education.
We commend their exceptional service and thank both Ms. Scandurra and Ms. Harris for their contributions to the Stratford community and the State of Connecticut. Thank you for all that you’ve done and continue to do for our students and community! Congratulations!
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CNA Pinning Ceremony at
Stratford High School and Bunnell High School |
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This week, I had the privilege of joining Stratford High School on Tuesday and Bunnell High School on Thursday to celebrate and honor the CNA graduates at their pinning ceremony. These students had the incredible opportunity to get hands-on clinical experience, education, and training as a Certified Nursing Assistant through their high school. Stratford is home to one of 10 Pre-nursing programs for high school students in Connecticut. Over the last four years, with the support and guidance of the program Director Samantha Rosenberg, instructors Nurse Ferguson-Taylor, Dr. Stacey Scapeccia, Nurse Brown, and Nurse Velasquez, the students have worked hard to complete this program and take the CNA certification exam.
This is a major accomplishment in their journey and the first milestone in preparing them for today’s workforce and helping them pursue a lifelong career in healthcare. The Pre-Nursing program creates opportunities for students and inspires the future generation of nurses, EMT’s, doctors, research scientists, healthcare advocates and more. It was wonderful to meet and speak with these students in their classroom a few weeks ago to talk about their future aspirations and learn about why they chose this healthcare pathway. I was honored to witness their well-earned moment of accomplishment and celebration with their families. Congratulations on this achievement, and I wish you all the best in your higher education pursuits and future healthcare careers!
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| Women Veterans Recognition Day |
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Today, on June 12th, we honor Women Veterans Recognition Day, a meaningful day to acknowledge the courage, service, and sacrifice of women who have served in our country’s armed forces for well over 250 years.
June 12th marks the anniversary of the 1948 Women's Armed Services Integration Act, which formally allowed women to serve as permanent members of the military. Join me in honoring the 2.1 million living U.S. women veterans and the generations of women who have served our nation with strength and resolve across every branch of the U.S. military.
You can visit our local Stratford Veterans Museum (5952 Main Street) to learn about the women veterans who have served our country and are proud to call Stratford home.
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Each year on June 14th, we celebrate Flag Day to honor our nation’s symbol of freedom, unity, and patriotism.
On June 14th, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution, establishing the official design of the first American flag: 13 stripes and 13 stars. Since then, the flag has been updated to reflect our current nation, now with 13 stripes and 50 stars.
As we approach our 250th birthday as a country, let this day continue to remind us of our strength and resilience as a nation for generations to come.
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| 63 Years of the Equal Pay Act |
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This week, on June 10th, we recognized an important day in history for women in our country. On June 10, 1963, the Equal Pay Act was signed into law, marking the first federal legislation aimed at addressing wage discrimination based on sex. This law made it illegal for employers to pay women less than men for performing substantially equal work.
While this did not eliminate the wage gap, as many women, particularly women of color, continued to face significant barriers, the Equal Pay Act created the foundation for the fight for workplace equity that women continue to fight for today.
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| Access Health CT Temporary Premium Assistance Special Enrollment Period Deadline: June 30th |
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Access Health CT announced that eligible customers can enroll in a health insurance plan with Temporary Premium Assistance through a Special Enrollment Period that will end on June 30th.
The Temporary Premium Assistance has provided over $1.6 million in savings for 10,580 Connecticut residents to date. In November of 2025, during our Special Session, the legislature approved the $500 Million Federal Response Reserve to backfill federal cuts, including AHCT assistance for residents. Governor Lamont announced the Temporary Premium Assistance to help customers who lost financial assistance when the federal enhanced Premium Tax Credits expired.
“Thanks to Governor Lamont and our state legislature, this additional financial assistance has helped make health insurance more accessible for thousands of people across the state,” said Access Health CT Chief Executive Officer James Michel. “We want customers to know that there is still time for them to take advantage of this opportunity. We are here to help them explore their options and enroll in a plan that supports their health and peace of mind.”
The Special Enrollment Period for Temporary Premium Assistance opened on February 1st, and customers can continue to enroll through June 30th.
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% of FPL. These customers will receive a state subsidy to replace 50% of the expired federal enhanced premium tax credit amounts.
To enroll, customers can call 1-855-805-4325, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m, with help available in over 100 languages. Customers who are deaf or hearing impaired may use the TTY at 1-855-789-2428 or call 1-855-805-4325 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 3:45 p.m.
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| Increasing Benefits for State and Local First Responders |
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This week, Governor Ned Lamont signed important legislation to increases the job benefits available to state and local police officers, firefighters, correction officers, EMS personnel, and National Guard members. The benefits include those related to college tuition reimbursement, mortgage assistance, and health coverage.
As a member of the legislature’s Public Safety and Security Committee and Labor and Public Employees Committee, I was proud to help create and develop sections of this legislation to support our first responders that is now signed into law. The goal was to increase benefits and incentives to help recruit and retain more first responders across Connecticut.
The related provisions to support public safety workers include:
- College Tuition Waivers: Waives tuition at all CSCU schools and CT State schools for state and local police officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel.
- Mortgage Assistance: Requires the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority to develop and administer a mortgage assistance program to assist state and local police officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel in purchasing homes in the communities they were hired to protect. The types of assistance offered could include down payment support or any other appropriate housing subsidies.
- College Fee Waivers for National Guard: Expands the current college tuition waiver for active members of the Connecticut National Guard enrolled at CT State, CSCU, or UConn to include all mandatory fees.
- State Employee Health Insurance Plan Coverage for Survivors of Volunteer Firefighters, State Marshals, Correction Officers, and Investigators: Allows the surviving spouse and dependent children of a state marshal, correction officer, investigator, or unpaid volunteer firefighter who died performing their duties to participate in the state employee health insurance plan.
- Military Department Employment Assistance Program for the National Guard & Annual Job Fair: Requires the adjutant general of the Connecticut National Guard to promote and periodically improve the Connecticut Military Department’s employment assistance program for current and former National Guard members; and requires the department to conduct an annual job fair and publicize it on the department’s website and in emails.
- Legislative Recommendations on Military Employment: Requires the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development to develop legislative recommendations for promoting in-state employment of current and former Armed Forces members.
- Grant Program for Junior Firefighter Programs: Creates a grant program for junior firefighter programs run by volunteer fire departments.
- UConn Special Police Forces and Fire Department: Requires UConn’s president to establish a recruitment and retention program for the UConn special police forces and fire department.
- Health Insurance for Retired Police and Firefighters: Requires the state comptroller to study health insurance coverage for retired police officers and firefighters in the state.
- State Police Assigned to Highway Construction Projects: Requires members of the Connecticut State Police to be paid at a rate established under an agreement between the Connecticut Department of Transportation commissioner and the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection commissioner when they are assigned to a state highway construction project.
- Municipal Tax Abatement for Surviving Domestic Partners of First Responders: Expands an optional municipal property tax abatement for the spouses of first responders who died in the line of duty to also cover domestic partners.
- Working Group on Tax Incentives and Credits for Volunteer Firefighters: Establishes a working group to review and make recommendations for tax incentives and credits for volunteer firefighters.
- Public Safety Personnel Recruitment and Retention Task Force: Establishes a task force to study recruitment and retention issues for public safety personnel.
- Police Officer and Firefighter Career Pipeline Program: Requires Connecticut’s chief workforce officer to develop a plan to establish a police officer and firefighter career pipeline program.
The benefits approved in this legislation come in addition to across-the-board, cost-of-living pay raises that the legislature and Governor Lamont recently approved for all Connecticut State Police troopers, Connecticut Department of Correction officers, state firefighters, and other public safety professionals. I was proud to vote in the House of Representatives in favor of both resolutions, ensuring a wage increase for our public safety workers who protect us every day.
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| Strengthening Legislation to Prosecute Hate Crimes |
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Governor Ned Lamont recently signed legislation that strengthens the ability of law enforcement and prosecutors to investigate, charge, and prosecute hate crimes.
Connecticut was among the first states in the nation to enact a hate crimes law in 1990. Since then, additional hate crime provisions have been added to state statutes over several decades in response to evolving needs and protections.
The newly signed legislation consolidates Connecticut’s existing hate crimes laws into a dedicated chapter of the state statutes, making them easier for law enforcement, prosecutors, and the public to locate and understand. The law also updates and standardizes terminology across the statutes to ensure greater consistency and clarity.
The Connecticut Hate Crimes Advisory Council, established in 2021 to increase public awareness, encourage reporting, and help prevent hate crimes, announced the launch of a new statewide public awareness campaign, Hate Is More Than a Word… It May Be a Crime. The Council also unveiled expanded online resources to help residents recognize, report, and respond to hate crimes and bias incidents.
Click here to watch the public service announcement, and click here to visit the Connecticut Hate Crimes Advisory Council website for additional information or to report a hate crime. |
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| Connecticut Gun Responsibility Laws |
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Last week, Governor Ned Lamont signed Public Act 26-41 aimed at strengthening gun violence prevention and responsibility across our state. This legislation prohibits the sale and importation of handguns that can easily be converted into fully automatic machine guns. This addresses a recent nationwide increase in which firearms have been designed in a way that enables them to become automatic weapons with the use of a simple conversion device that’s about the size of a Lego. These measures are designed to reduce the risk of gun violence while promoting responsible ownership and safer communities across the state.
Connecticut’s gun responsibility laws make our state, cities, neighborhoods, schools, and people safer. The continued decrease in violent crimes shows that. |
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| Strengthening School Bus Stop Safety Measures |
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I was proud to vote for a bill that will soon be a new law that strengthens protections for children going to and from school by holding drivers accountable when they fail to stop for school buses.
Beginning October 1, 2026, under PA 26-95, drivers who violate the state’s school bus stopping law for a third time will face a six-month suspension of their driver’s license. Drivers must stop at least 10 feet from the front or back of a school bus displaying its flashing red lights and remain there until the lights are off.
Violations include a $450 fine for the first offense and a fine of $500 to $1,000, up to 30 days in prison, or both for a subsequent offense. This new law adds another important layer of accountability.
Click here to learn more. |
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| CT Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority Graduate Loan Program |
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Back in October 2025, when the federal Department of Education announced plans to drastically limit graduate student loan eligibility and reclassify certain professional degrees, I immediately began pushing for our state to step up. During this legislative session, I worked with the Higher Education Committee Chairs and a strong coalition of professional organizations, unions, and higher ed advocates to include $30 million for CHESLA in the budget. This historic investment in the program is the first of its kind in the country to help combat the federal government's harmful decision and provide financial assistance to graduate students. Now, the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority (CHESLA) has officially launched the MyCHESLA Grad Loan program.
The MyCHESLA Grad Loan is a new state-based graduate loan program designed to preserve access to affordable, fixed-rate financing for Connecticut students pursuing advanced degrees following the elimination of the federal Grad PLUS loan program, effective July 1. CHESLA’s new graduate loan program supports students enrolled in both graduate and professional degree programs.
Borrowers can choose from repayment terms of 5, 10, or 15 years, along with flexible in-school repayment options, including interest-only payments, full deferment, or immediate principal-and-interest payments. Combined, these options provide borrowers with nine fixed-rate offerings tailored to meet a range of financial needs.
Importantly, all approved borrowers have equal access to the same nine fixed rates, ensuring a transparent, fair, and consistent pricing structure.
Fixed interest rates for the MyCHESLA Grad Loan range from 5.50% to 7.99%, depending on the selected repayment term and in-school repayment option. The program offers a cost-effective, borrower-focused alternative to higher-cost private student loans, with every available fixed rate remaining below the current federal Grad PLUS loan rate of 8.94%.
Click here to learn more about CHESLA’s loan programs, financial education resources, and application process. |
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Bridge Work on I-95:
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) will start bridge work on I-95 north and southbound in Bridgeport, Stratford, Milford, and Stamford starting on Sunday night, April 19th.
This project is scheduled to start on Sunday night, April 19th, and be completed on Friday, July 3rd. This project ensures the bridges remain in a state of good repair.
LANE CLOSURE/DETOUR INFO
There will be various alternating lane closures on I-95 north and southbound between Exit 7 and Exit 36 from Sunday night, April 19th, to Friday, July 3rd, overnight from 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Traffic control signing patterns, crash units with illuminated arrows, and State Troopers will guide motorists through the work zone. Bridges to be worked on are 00134, 0111A, 00114, 00113, 0110A, 00108, 00107, 00106, 00115A, 00105A, 06613, 00027, 00028, 00029, 00032.
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Noise Barrier Replacement on I-95:
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) has started noise barrier replacement on I-95 between Exits 32-33 in Stratford. This project is expected to be completed next year, in April 2027.
The barrier has reached the end of its useful life and needs replacement. The barrier is being replaced to conform to current standards, which are in accordance with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) MASH standards. The existing timber noise barriers have wood rot, broken or missing panels in many areas, as well as vegetative overgrowth.
LANE CLOSURE/DETOUR INFO
Motorists can expect lane closures on I-95 northbound at Exits 32 and 33 in Stratford beginning Wednesday. Traffic control personnel and signing patterns will guide motorists through the work zone. Lane closure operations will generally be limited to off-peak and nighttime hours. No lane closures will be permitted during weekday morning and afternoon peak travel periods (6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.). During daytime hours, work will primarily consist of shoulder closures only. One lane closure may occur during late morning and evening hours. During the overnight hours, up to two lane closures are permitted and rolling roadblocks.
The work schedule for this project is from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Motorists should be aware that modifications or extensions to this schedule may become necessary due to weather delays or other unforeseen conditions. Motorists are advised to maintain a safe speed when driving in this area.
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| Stratford Cooling Centers |
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Stratford cooling center availability :
- Baldwin Center: 1000 West Broad St, Stratford, CT 06615
- Thursday & Friday from 8:30am to 4:00pm
- Birdseye Municipal Complex: 468 Birdseye St, Stratford, CT 06615
- Thursday & Friday from 8:30am to 8:00pm
- Stratford YMCA: 3045 Main St, Stratford, CT 06614
- Thursday 5:30am to 9:00pm
- Friday 5:30am to 6:00pm
- Saturday 7:00am to 4:00pm
- Sunday 8:00am to 2:00pm
Residents who need additional resources, such as overnight sheltering, transportation assistance, or other social services, should call 2-1-1 or visit www.211ct.org for statewide cooling center information.
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| Stratford Community Updates |
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Join the Friends of Boothe Park for a beautiful evening in the Rose Garden at Boothe Memorial Park for Hats Off to Roses on Sunday, June 14th, from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM. Guests are encouraged to wear hats, from elegant garden hats to classic summer styles.
Presale tickets are available now. Tickets are $20 presale and $25 at the door. Proceeds support the Friends of Boothe Park’s volunteer-led work to preserve, maintain, and share Boothe Memorial Park & Museum — including the Rose Garden, museum exhibits, educational programs, tours, and special preservation projects.
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The Celebrate Stratford Summer Sunset Concert Series will start next Tuesday, June 16th, and continue weekly through September 8th. Every Tuesday at 7 p.m., enjoy live music at the Paradise Green Gazebo.
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The Stratford Student Art Showcase is on exhibit at Sterling Community Center through June 22nd. The showcase is held by Sterling, Stratford Public Schools, and the Arts Alliance of Stratford to celebrate the creativity of Stratford's student artists with work from across all our schools.
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The Stratford Veterans Museum Golf Tournament will take place on June 27th at the Short Beach 9 Hole Golf Course. Email svm5952@gmail.com or call 203-449-6139 to register.
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Point Stratford will hold a town-wide public meeting to discuss shaping the future of Stratford's waterfront at the site of the former Stratford Army Engine Plant. The meeting will take place on Monday, June 29th, starting at 6 p.m. in the Stratford High School Auditorium.
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The Stratford Arts Commission is accepting proposals from artists who wish to participate in this public art event, Pop Up Planter Boxes 2026. The planter boxes will be placed outdoors and the public will have FULL access when showcased. Approximately one week after the opening of the exhibit, each artist whose work is chosen will be paid a $250.00 honorarium. If you are interested in learning more, visit www.stratfordct.gov/page/arts-commission for requirements and learn how to apply.
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Yours in service,
Kaitlyn Shake
State Representative |
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