Kevin Brown

This week marked a productive stretch at the Capitol, as the House advanced several pieces of legislation aimed at addressing key priorities for our communities. These bills now move to the Senate, which has until May 6 to act. Keep reading for a closer look at what was passed.

I was glad to join Child Care for CT at their “Without Child Care: Lunch & Lobby” event this week. The event brought together parents, providers, advocates, and community members to highlight the essential role that affordable, accessible child care plays in supporting families and strengthening our economy.

Participants had the opportunity to engage directly with me and other legislators to share their experiences, underscoring the urgent need for sustained investment in early childhood programs. A central focus of this year’s advocacy is the Early Care and Education Endowment, a long-term funding strategy designed to stabilize and expand access to high-quality early learning across Connecticut.

By elevating real stories and raising awareness, these events make clear that child care is not just a family issue, it is a workforce and economic priority for our entire state.

This week, the House passed legislation to make sure our 2026 elections are free and fair with House Bill: 5001: An Act Concerning Absentee Voting For All And Various Other Reforms to the Administration of Elections.

We took steps to:

• Modernize our absentee ballot laws and vote counting procedures
• Create more safeguards to ensure your vote counts
• Protect our elections from corrupt outside forces

Additionally, we’ll empower the Attorney General to prevent people from interfering with our elections, among other provisions.

People’s right to vote is under constant attack around the country, but here in Connecticut, we’re making sure elections are free and fair.

This House also updated vaccine policies with the passage of House Bill 5044: An Act Establishing Connecticut Vaccine Standards.

In the past, Connecticut's vaccine policies and standards have been tied to the expert recommendations developed by the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC). Unfortunately, the CDC has recently abandoned its standing as the premier resource of medicine and science guidelines.

HB 5044 seeks to update Connecticut's vaccine policies so they are based on science, not political agendas. The bill will:

• Allow the Connecticut Department of Public Health to promote COVID and flu vaccines
• Require private insurance companies to cover the cost of your vaccinations
• Allow Connecticut to buy vaccines from suppliers other than the CDC
• Establish an adult vaccine program for uninsured and under-insured individuals
• Tighten loopholes around unvaccinated children and public schools

This bill makes vaccines more accessible, more affordable, and it will keep our communities healthier.

In an effort to ensure that children do not fall through the cracks when they are withdrawn from public school, House Bill 5460: An Act Concerning the Provision of Equivalent Instruction establishes a set of procedures that balance student safety with the rights and privacy of parents who are responsibly educating their children.

These measures are designed to maintain appropriate oversight and communication between families and schools, while respecting parental choice in education. Key provisions in the bill include: 

• Creating an annual notification form for all students to indicate whether a child will be attending a public school, private school, or being homeschooled. This helps ensure accurate enrollment tracking and supports continued engagement with families.
• Requiring schools to check Department of Children and Families (DCF) records for any active protective orders or open cases of abuse or neglect prior to a child being withdrawn from school. This step is intended to help ensure that any necessary safeguards are in place for vulnerable children during transitions.

Together, these procedures provide a balanced approach that prioritizes child safety, improves accountability, and respects the rights of parents and guardians.

Starting May 1, Connecticut residents can expect some welcome relief on their energy bills. Earlier this week, the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) approved an interim decision to lower residential electricity rates across the state.

Under this change, rates will decrease by approximately 4.3 cents per kilowatt-hour, about $30 per month for the average Eversource customer, and 4.9 cents per kilowatt-hour, or roughly $34 per month, for the average United Illuminating customer.

This reduction is largely driven by a drop in the public benefits charge, which will now appear as a credit on customers’ bills rather than an added cost, at least through September. Much of this shift is tied to long-term energy contracts negotiated by Millstone and Seabrook nuclear power plants. These agreements provide electricity at stable, fixed prices, helping shield ratepayers from the volatility of fossil fuel markets.

The state’s continued investment in a diversified energy portfolio has helped cushion the impact of rising natural gas prices this winter, underscoring the value of a balanced and forward-looking energy strategy.

Customers should begin seeing these lower rates reflected in their bills starting May 1, with the reductions expected to remain in place through at least September for most households.