There’s been so much happening at our local high schools! Last weekend, I enjoyed a wonderful night at the theater thanks to the incredibly talented students of Conard High School, who gave a fantastic performance of Anything Goes. Their dedication and creativity on stage were truly inspiring.
Earlier this week, Silas Jefferson delivered an unforgettable moment on the basketball court, sinking a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Newington Nor’easters a thrilling 66–64 victory over Hillhouse High School, sending Newington to the quarterfinals of the Division II Boys Basketball State Tournament. The team earned national recognition, landing on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays of the Day. Click here to watch the game-winning shot.
Later in the week, I had the pleasure of meeting Seth, a dedicated school counselor in Newington and a leader in the Connecticut School Counselor Association. We discussed the challenges that he and many other counselors face in our schools today, highlighting the vital role they play in supporting students’ academic and emotional well-being.
These moments—from the stage to the court to the counseling office—remind me of the incredible talent, perseverance, and heart present in our local schools.
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As House Democratic Chair of the Internship Committee, I joined a group of legislative interns for a visit to one of our state prisons to gain a firsthand look at our criminal justice system. It was an important opportunity for all of us to see how policy decisions made at the Capitol affect inmates and correction officers across our state. Experiences like this help deepen our understanding of the complexities of justice and rehabilitation.
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Yesterday was National Working Moms Day! Thank that superwoman mom in your life. I was honored to stand with incredible moms including Office of Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, Representative Eleni Kavros DeGraw, our Chair of the Women’s Equity Caucus, and Connecticut Office of Early Childhood Commissioner Elena Trueworthy. Moms are resilient, working hard and managing caregiving while often struggling being undervalued and living in a country whose policies don’t actually work for moms.
In Connecticut, we’ve made progress for moms including paid leave, paid sick days and our latest initial investment for the Early Childhood Education Endowment but much more is needed to fully create access to affordable childcare, establish a child tax credit, and create full salary transparency to close the pay gap in the workplace.
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This week we had a lot of activity in the Higher Education & Employment Advancement Committee, including a public hearing on several more bills.
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One of these bills is aimed at creating more paid internship opportunities. This legislation is an important step toward leveling the playing field, ensuring that all students, regardless of their financial background, have access to meaningful work experience. Paid internships not only help students build skills and professional networks but also make higher education and career pathways more equitable and accessible for everyone.
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We also had another Finance, Revenue, and Bonding Committee public hearing. The discussion was focused on revenue items for the Governor’s budget including the need to make another significant deposit into the Early Childhood Education Endowment and also a proposal to index income tax thresholds to inflation.
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Why do we need to index income tax thresholds? As prices increase, the wages of Connecticut workers tend to rise as well, sometimes outpacing inflation and other times merely keeping up with inflation. Without inflation indexing, even when your real, or inflation-adjusted, wages remain flat, they are gradually pushed into higher tax brackets and lose access to the personal exemption and personal tax credit. This results in a higher tax liability despite no real increase in your standard of living or ability to pay taxes.
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Finally, I hosted a webinar with the Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity & Opportunity, Reproductive Equity Now, and UConn Health Services to hear from college students at campuses across the state about their access to reproductive healthcare. Since 2023, I've worked with students to improve access to this care that is essential for their success and well-being. In 2023, we were successful in passing a bill for our public residential colleges to develop plans for student access to reproductive healthcare and identify any barriers to that care. From those plans, students shared their feedback and in 2025 we secured funding for more of the state public universities to install vending machines with ready access to emergency contraception. Despite the federal attacks on reproductive rights, I'm grateful for the continued passion, knowledge and advocacy of students on their campuses and this session we will continue to strengthen our laws and secure funding to protect reproductive healthcare.
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| STATE AND LOCAL RESOURCES |
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We all want to use our health care dollars wisely, but insurance can be complicated. Asking the right questions can lead to better-informed and potentially less expensive healthcare decisions. Keep in mind that most doctors are experts in medicine, not insurance. For coverage and payment questions, the provider's business office staff is often your best resource since they work with insurance plans every day.
Click here for a list of questions to consider. Not every question will apply to every visit or situation, but the these are worth considering for non-emergent care.
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Hall High School's Pops ’n Jazz is presenting "Putting It Together."
Evening Performances: March 13, 14, 19, 20 & 21 (7:00 p.m. curtain)
Family-Friendly 50-Minute Matinee: Sunday, March 15 at 1:00 p.m.
Click here to buy tickets: Adults $20 | Students $15 | Matinee $10
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On Saturday, March 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., please join the discussion on Chatbot Protections for Children & Older Adults. Click here for the zoom information.
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CT State Tunxis Community College (271 Scott Swamp Road, Farmington - Founder’s Hall), will host a multi-employer healthcare job fair on Tuesday, March 23 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Representatives from more than 20 employers are scheduled to be present.
Click here for a full list of open positions.
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On Thursday, March 26 at 8:00 a.m., join me at the Senior and Disabled Center (120 Cedar Street, Gymnasium) for an informative session on the State of the Town. I’ll be joined by the Newington Delegation, Town leadership, and the Board of Education Chair.
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