Aimee Berger-Girvalo

We are at the point in our legislative session when our committees are officially completing our work and voting our bills out for further action.

Well … sort of.

This is the point in the process where months of collaboration, public testimony, and careful drafting begin to take shape as proposals are voted out of committee and are presumably ready for debate before the full General Assembly.

Of course, in a committee like Transportation, of which I am co-chair, the work we do with stakeholders takes time and patience, and, therefore, many of our bills are still at the “work-in-progress” stage.

As we move into this next phase, these bills will be scheduled for consideration in the House and Senate chambers, where they’ll continue through debate, amendment, and, ultimately, a final vote. 

But, until that moment, we are still working away.

If you have any questions about legislation you are tracking, even if it isn’t from any of my committees, please reach out to me.

In addition co-chairing the Transportation Committee, I also serve on the Public Health and Finance committees

From the town website:

It’s that time of year again to apply or re-apply for the State Elderly Homeowners’ & Totally Disabled Program.

In order to be considered for this program, you must submit your application by May 15.

This is a biennial application that is due to our office every other year. If you filed an application in 2024, it is time to file again.

The Tax Assessor will be mailing letters and applications to those who are due to file this year. To qualify, your 2025 income (including Social Security) should be less than $46,300 (single) or $56,500 (married).

If you have any questions regarding this program, contact the Assessor’s Office:
203-431-2706

Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

After 46 years of dedicated service, my dear colleague Mary Mushinsky has announced she will not seek re-election to the 85th District seat.

Rep. Mushinsky said that balancing legislative work, career, and family has become more challenging over time, and she will conclude her 24th term at the end of this session.

Throughout her tenure in the Connecticut General Assembly, Mary has chaired the Environment Committee, the Select Committee on Children, and the bipartisan Program Review and Investigations Committee, and she currently serves as Assistant Deputy Speaker Pro-Tempore. A nationally recognized environmental leader and longtime member of the National Conference of State Legislatures, she helped pass the nation’s first climate change laws, advanced mandatory recycling, anti-bullying policies, adolescent pregnancy prevention initiatives, and championed the earned income tax credit.

Her bipartisan job training report led to Platform to Employment, achieving a 94% placement rate.

From protecting our rivers to expanding the Quinnipiac River Linear Trail, Mary’s legacy is one of tireless advocacy, integrity, and results.

Our community and state are stronger because of her service.

Read more from CT Insider here. Please be sure to note the portion when Mary gave her colleagues the vapors by breastfeeding on the House floor her two sons, who were born in 1987 and 1989, respectively. Mary has been a trailblazer her whole career and she will be greatly missed.

I also support a bill, HB 5214, which would reimburse school districts for providing breakfast at no cost to all students and lunch at no cost to students currently eligible for reduced-price meals. Last year’s version of the legislation received more than 60 co-introducers, and I hope for even broader bipartisan support this year amid growing concerns about food insecurity and recent federal policy changes.

Connecticut now has the highest rate of food insecurity in New England and one of the highest rates in the Northeast. At a time when federal nutrition assistance programs face uncertainty and proposed cuts, it is critical that we act at the state level to ensure no child is trying to learn while hungry.