Anne Hughes

As we gather with loved ones and reflect on the year behind us, I want to thank you — truly — for your trust, your engagement, and your steadfast support.

The past year has not been easy. We’ve faced turbulent times marked by uncertainty, injustice, and challenges that tested our resilience as a community and as a state. Yet, through it all, I have been inspired by the compassion, courage, and determination of the people I am honored to represent.

This season reminds us that progress is possible when we stand together, even in the face of unthinkable cruelty. It renews our responsibility to care for one another and to ensure that opportunity, dignity, and safety are not privileges for a few, but rights for all.

As we look ahead to the new year, please know this: I will continue to fight tirelessly for equity, to stand up to injustice wherever it appears, and to work toward a Connecticut where every family can thrive. I remain committed to listening, learning, and leading with integrity on your behalf.

Wishing you peace, warmth, and hope this holiday season, and strength and solidarity in the year to come.

I want to share an update on how Connecticut is using state resources to protect residents from potential federal funding cuts.

During the November Special Session, the legislature approved a $500 million appropriation from the Budget Reserve Fund to help mitigate reductions to vital programs such as SNAP, health care, housing assistance, and other essential services. The Office of Policy and Management has now notified the legislature of plans to transfer and expend approximately $167.9 million of those funds to date.

These investments include $24.6 million to strengthen food banks and pantries as SNAP eligibility changes take effect; more than $114 million to replace expiring federal health care subsidies and keep coverage affordable; funding to community health centers and Planned Parenthood to maintain access to preventive and reproductive health care; support for homelessness prevention and supportive housing; and resources for 211, community agencies, and state systems to help residents navigate new eligibility requirements.

These funds will also replace the loss of enhanced healthcare subsidies for individuals between 100% FPL and 200% Federal Poverty Level (FPL) who are NOT on Covered CT,  and 50% of the lost subsidy for individuals between 400% FPL and 500% FPL during calendar year 2026.

For those who can least afford these catastrophic increases in cost as a result of deliberate federal policy failure, Connecticut is stepping up to ensure we stay fed, housed, healthy, and insured. 

I’m pleased to share good news about Connecticut’s continued leadership on clean energy and affordability. Connecticut DEEP, working with our partner states, has selected new zero-carbon energy projects that will add 173 megawatts of solar power across the region. Connecticut will procure 67 megawatts through three projects, with additional projects moving forward in Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont.

These solar projects are expected to be online before the end of the decade and will deliver real benefits for Connecticut residents. By collaborating with other states and taking advantage of federal clean energy tax credits before they expire, we are strengthening the reliability of our electric grid while helping to reduce long-term energy supply costs for ratepayers.

Importantly, Connecticut consumers will benefit not only from the projects located here, but from the entire regional portfolio, making our energy system more resilient and affordable.

This is a smart, forward-looking investment in clean energy, lower costs, and a more reliable grid for our state.

The state Bond Commission last week approved  $1.4 billion in new bond issues during its final meeting of the calendar year.

Here are some highlights that passed: 

• $500,000 for improving and renovating Veterans Affairs buildings
• $20 million for renovating and creating new state parks, and adding additional improvements for people with disabilities
• $500,000 for water pollution control projects
• $11.7 million for improvements to inmate housing and other prison improvements
• $291.1 million for transportation and infrastructure improvements
• $37 million for housing projects under the Flexible Housing Program
• $25 million for first-time home buyer assistance
• $5 million for improving judicial buildings for Americans with disabilities

One expenditure the commission approved was $18 million to launch a new program called the Housing Environmental Improvement Revolving Loan and Grant Fund. The goal is simple: help homeowners and affordable housing developers make energy-saving upgrades that reduce utility costs and make homes safer and more comfortable.

The program will be run by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and will support things like more efficient heating and cooling systems, insulation and building upgrades, and other improvements that cut down on wasted energy.

It also tackles a big problem that often stops projects before they start — health and safety issues like asbestos, old wiring, mold, or moisture that must be fixed before energy work can move forward.

Here’s how the funding breaks down:

• $12 million will help developers upgrade existing multifamily affordable housing with energy-efficient retrofits.
• $6 million will help lower-income homeowners remove health and safety barriers so their homes can qualify for weatherization and efficiency programs.

This matters because too many families — especially those with lower incomes — spend a large share of their paychecks on energy bills. Fixing these barriers opens the door to real, long-term savings and more comfortable homes.
This program was authorized by the legislature earlier this year, and it builds on successful DEEP programs that have already helped dozens of households but ran out of funding due to high demand. DEEP is now working on setting up the program, with the goal of launching loans and grants by the end of 2026.

This investment also fits into broader efforts to bring down energy costs statewide, including new laws that will save ratepayers hundreds of millions of dollars and ongoing energy efficiency programs that return more savings than they cost.

Bottom line: this is about making housing more affordable, cutting energy bills, and making sure more Connecticut residents can benefit from energy efficiency — no matter their income or where they live.
 
I am pleased with the continued investment in our state and communities to make Connecticut a more vibrant, affordable place to live.