Kate Farrar

I was proud to accept the Children's Champion Award from the CT Early Childhood Alliance in recognition of my leadership and steadfast commitment to advancing policies that support young children, families, and early childhood educators across Connecticut.

It’s especially meaningful to be recognized by an organization that has spent more than two decades advocating for child care and elevating the voices and experiences of providers. I remain committed to advancing policies that ensure every child and family in Connecticut can access high-quality, affordable early care and education.
 
As Tri-Chair of the Early Childhood Education Endowment Advisory Board, established in 2025 to strengthen and expand Connecticut’s early care and education system, I help lead efforts to lower costs for families, increase compensation and benefits for early childhood educators, and invest in the renovation and creation of safe, high-quality child care facilities. Through this work, I am committed to building a more accessible, affordable, and sustainable system that supports children, families, educators, and the workforce alike. Any of this work is a team effort and I'm grateful to collaborating with colleagues, advocates, providers and parents to build a brighter future. 

Governor Ned Lamont signed into law Public Act 26-12, a comprehensive omnibus bill containing several provisions aimed at protecting and enhancing workers’ rights, dignity, and safety.

Thank you to the Labor Committee leadership, State Representatives Manny Sanchez and Derell Wilson, and State Senators Julie Kushner and Jorge Cabrera. My legislative colleagues worked hard on every section of this bill alongside advocates, teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers, tradespeople, and service workers who made their voices heard throughout this process.

Together, we ensured the bill included provisions addressing wage theft in the building trades; job protections for service workers; compensation for workers assaulted on the job, including nurses and teachers; and tuition and mortgage assistance for police officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel. The law also requires employers to disclose wage ranges and general benefit information in job postings.

Clear expectations about pay and benefits empower workers to negotiate fair compensation and help close gender and racial wage gaps. As a former employer, I know this transparency also saves time and money during the hiring process while improving employee retention.

I’m proud to have worked for many years to strengthen salary transparency and secure this win for workers across our state, especially women and women of color.

Another highlight from legislative session was the passage of House Bill 5343, An Act Concerning the Reporting of Advertising Purchased by the State, which strengthens transparency and accountability in how public funds are used for advertising. You might ask, "why is this bill important?" For three years I've worked with colleagues including Representatives Kevin Brown and Mary Fortier (pictured here) to pursue legislation and funding to address the local news crisis in our state.

Connecticut currently ranks 37th out of 50 states in local news coverage. And this loss of local news continues to threaten the civic health of our communities. House Bill 5343 is one step forward to address this issue with required reporting by each state agency and our state college and university system of their advertising costs, including how much is spent on local media. It establishes essential insight and transparency into how our tax dollars are being used and where they are directed and if they are supporting our much-needed local news organizations or not. Last year, we were also successful in establishing May 6^th as Local Journalism Day to bring greater awareness. You can listen to more on this topic featured on The Wheelhouse on NPR last week here. 

Join me and bring a friend on Saturday, May 16 at 9:00 a.m. for our annual Elmwood clean-up day! Volunteers can meet me at the Faxon Library (1073 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford).

May is AAPI Heritage Month, a time to celebrate and honor the rich cultures, traditions, and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities across our country and here in West Hartford.

One of the best ways to celebrate is by supporting the incredible Asian-owned restaurants that help make our community so vibrant and diverse. From family-owned favorites to new local gems, these restaurants bring people together through food, culture, and shared experiences.

I encourage everyone to explore, support, and celebrate the amazing Asian restaurants in West Hartford and thank the owners, chefs, and workers who contribute so much to our local community and economy.

Click here for a list of restaurants.

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.

Finding a home, whether renting or buying, should be an exciting step toward stability, security, and opportunity. Yet for many people, the process is complicated by unlawful housing discrimination.

Access to safe, stable housing impacts health, education, employment opportunities, and overall quality of life. Fair housing laws help ensure that where you live is determined by your choices, not discrimination.

Join the CT Fair Housing Workshop on Tuesday, May 19, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Elmwood Community Center Auditorium to learn more about your rights and protections against housing discrimination.

The Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) is holding its final public information meeting on Tuesday, May 19, at 6:30 p.m. to receive community feedback on its Priority Pathways Plan, a bicycle and pedestrian network plan.

Click here to register for the meeting.