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Happy Friday! I hope you've been staying cool, hydrated, and safe in this year's first massive heat wave.
With the legislative session complete, it's been great spending more time in our district talking to members of our community.
You can read more about these visits below, along with information on new laws going into effect July 1, and more. You can click the links below to navigate between sections.
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On Friday I attended Coastline Fitness’ Ribbon Cutting. Congratulations to the whole team and the Peter family for achieving their dream! It is always great to support small businesses in our community, and it’s wonderful to see the old Benny’s be reused.
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Last weekend I also attended the City of Groton’s Juneteenth Celebration and Flag Raising. When we acknowledge the past, we can have a better future and more perfect Union!
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I know many in the community are excited about this, and I am happy to share that Wood-n-Tap is now open in Groton! The team is already making a contribution to our community with a check to Fitch High School.I was honored to participate in the ribbon cutting ceremony. Congratulations to owners Phil and Melanie on their opening of their 11th location, and thank you to the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce for organizing the ceremony!
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The New London Community Center is now a reality! The dream of many has been achieved. Congratulations to the many leaders who have played a large part in the last decade plus in getting this project across the finish line. At the dedication and ribbon cutting, it was my honor to join in the celebration of this achievement.
I encourage all to take a look and see the beautiful place that will become the pride and place of joy for the community.
For those who live in New London who are concerned about membership costs, please do not hesitate to reach out to New London Parks and Rec - there are mechanisms in place for financial assistance. Also, no child will be ever turned away, because of their financial situation because we take care of one another in this City.
It was my honor to attend!
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It was a packed house at the Connecticut Equity and Environmental Justice Advisory Council (CEEJAC) quarterly meeting, which was hosted in Groton City on Thursday evening!
CEEJAC is an advisory council to the Commissioner of DEEP on issues related to current and historic environmental injustice and inequities across the state. Members of the Community were given the opportunity to address the committee about their concerns regarding the changing environment and its impact on our region.
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In Groton on July 1, 2025 at 5:30pm at the Town Hall Annex, there will be an informational session about the preferred Project Concept, Development Team Presentation, and Q&A with the Spinnaker Team, who are the preferred developer for the repurposing of the Pleasant Valley School repurposing plan. Residents are invited to learn about the project concept at its current Concept Stage. It’s important to note the Town is still in the early stages, which is known as the Concept Phase. where we are in the process at this point of the Q&A and public hearing:
- Available Information at Concept Phase: Project concept including how the proposed project meets Town goals, team qualifications, and overall feasibility.
- Not Yet Available at Concept Phase: Final terms such as purchase price, tax abatement, and affordability component (determining these terms come next and will be shared publicly via the Town Council meeting process).
Right now, the project has not been designed, engineered, or permitted, and the Town Council has identified a preferred Project Concept and Development Team to partner with to deliver that concept as the project then moves through subsequent steps such as final term negotiations and design.
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| Several new laws that were passed during the 2025 legislative session take effect on Tuesday, July 1. Please see below to read about some of them! |
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Our two-year, $55.8 billion budget takes effect July 1. This bill reflects our shared values, marked by historic investments in children through expanded funding for special education and childcare. Our budget strengthens support for working families and ensures that the essential work of nonprofits is both valued and financially supported.
The special education bill we passed makes historic investments for students in special education, delivers better access to services, and provides cost controls and greater transparency.
We approved billions of dollars to be used for school construction, transportation infrastructure, housing assistance, and many more local initiatives through our annual bond funding package.
Our state will soon have enhanced consumer protections, including:
- Requiring fee disclosures for consumer goods and services
- Requiring notification of annual renewals to give you a chance to stop
- Having rental prices include prices for all amenities, including water and electricity
Our elections will soon be more secure and transparent as video recording technology will be added to every absentee ballot drop box in our state. This new law will record the drop boxes from the first day that ballots are issued up through when the clerk retrieves the final ballots, and all of these recordings will be made available to the public.
Many more bills are going into effect July 1, including one that reforms Connecticut's towing system, one that requires financial literacy instruction in school, and more.
You can click the link below for the full list of laws going into effect, and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.
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As always, your calls, emails, and testimony at our public hearings directly influenced these new laws. Please continue to share your views and have your voice heard at the Capitol.
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I wanted to share the 2025 Legislative Session Major Public Acts document with you. The document, composed by the Office of Legislative Research (OLR) with assistance from the Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA), briefly describes the most significant, far-reaching, and publicly debated acts adopted by the General Assembly in the 2025 regular session. You can click HERE to read the full OLR report, or click the graphic below.
If you're interested in more information on bills that passed and didn't pass this legislative session, please click HERE.
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Sincerely,
Dan Gaiewski
State Representative |
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