State Capitol Update for the Week of July 3rd
July 7, 2023Yesterday I made an impromptu trip to Hartford to attend the press conference of my colleague, Representative Maryam Khan, at which she gave a full account of the recent violent attack she suffered when emerging with her three children from an Eid prayer service at the XL Center in Hartford. Part of the reason she chose to give that press conference was that accounts of the attack in the media, based on the police report, had minimized the nature of the attack, and what she experienced in its aftermath, in ways that she felt it was necessary to correct.
State Capitol Update for the Week of June 26th
June 30, 2023As we digest what we accomplished in this year’s legislative session, we’re all translating those statewide laws into the impact they will have on each district. There are a number of laws that will take effect on July 1, for example.
State Capitol Update for the Week of June 12
June 15, 2023Earlier this week, the budget was signed at an official ceremony in the Governor’s office. There was a significant feeling of accomplishment reflected in the smiles in the room, on the faces of a bipartisan set of elected officials, and staff who worked hard to craft this document.
State Capitol Update for the Week of June 5
June 9, 2023We had a big week in the legislature, gaveling out our 2023 regular session on Wednesday night at midnight. Last night was my first full night of sleep at home in about two weeks, so I am proud of what we got done, glad to be home, and very relieved that both the fog of exhaustion and the literal smoke in the air are lifting.
The Budget We Passed Promotes Fiscal Stability and Makes Historic Education Investments
June 7, 2023After months of negotiations, the House of Representatives delivered a state budget that includes the largest income tax cut in the state’s history and significant increases in funding for local schools, also known as Education Cost Sharing (ECS) funds.
State Capitol Update for the Week of May 29th
June 2, 2023This week at the Capitol we have been hard at work in the house passing legislation to help children, seniors, educators, and many more Connecticuter, but our work is not yet done as we work towards a balanced budget.
State Capitol Update for the Week of May 22nd
May 26, 2023Most of my work is now in Hartford, as there are very few days between now and June 7 that we are not in session. On my drives back and forth, even late at night, I am always so grateful to return to the Northwest Corner. On my drive this week, I got to witness the progress being made on the construction of the new Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) sprouting up in North Canaan – it is really beginning to take shape!
State Capitol Update for the Week of May 15
May 19, 2023Last week I used my vegetable garden as a metaphor for the budget process. Although I haven’t had a chance to inspect yet (I’ve been in Hartford all week) my husband tells me that the frost Wednesday night this week was not kind to my seedlings. I guess that’s a reminder about resilience: sometimes the best laid plans get whacked, and you have to dig back in with new ideas or better arguments for the old ones. Happily, the budget negotiations have not hit a hard frost (yet – fingers crossed) and I remain hopeful that we’ll have a set of numbers we all agree on soon.