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I hope you all had a safe and meaningful Fourth of July! To me, our Independence Day is about reflecting and honoring the ideals of freedom, democracy, and the generations of Americans who have fought to protect them for almost 250 years. It's also a time to come together with our families, friends, and neighbors to celebrate what unites us. In a country that often feels divided, our shared values and sense of community through everyday actions and service matter more than ever.
In this email, you will find information on new bills that have been signed into law, state resources you may find helpful, and local events and updates. |
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| Impacts of the Federal Budget on Medicaid in CT |
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| I spent Monday in Hartford with members of our federal delegation, state officials, the DSS commissioner, and healthcare professionals to ring the alarm on how the big, ugly bill will harm our seniors, children, families, veterans, healthcare clinics, and more. These immoral, harmful funding cuts will impact our essential services and life-saving programs in exchange to pay for a tax cut for the wealthiest in America. I stand united with my Connecticut colleagues in working to protect and support our residents and the essential services that almost a third of our state residents depend on for survival. |
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| Education Funding Freeze: Potential Impacts on Stratford |
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The Trump Administration recently froze federal education funds, which could cause Connecticut school districts to lose more than $50 million in funding for the 2025-2026 school year. These funds were originally included in the funding Connecticut received on July 1st from the U.S. Department of Education. The federal funds that were frozen will cut programs and services for our classrooms and teachers. The Stratford Public Schools could lose up to $418,262 in funding.
Here is where our schools may see cuts:
$196,005 for Teacher and School Leader Supports
$94,482 for English Learners
$127,775 for Student Supports and Academic Enrichment
To be clear, these are not the COVID funds that were rescinded a few months ago. I am concerned about the impact of this new federal funding loss on our school district and the teachers and students who will ultimately pay the price of these cuts. I will work alongside our school superintendent, Town Council, Mayor, and teachers and school staff to find ways to make up for these potential losses and continue to deliver programs that enrich the lives of our children.
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| Strongest Mental Health Parity Laws |
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Governor Lamont signed legislation this week that puts patients first and holds insurance companies accountable.
Here’s what it does:
✔️ Caps excessive premium hikes. Allows the Connecticut Insurance Department to limit rate increases for insurers that have a track record of hiking costs.
✔️ Enforces mental health parity—with real consequences. Insurers must treat mental health like physical health, and those who don’t comply can face fines up to $625,000 and must publicly report how they’re doing.
✔️ Ends harmful “step therapy” delays. Patients with MS, rheumatoid arthritis, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression will no longer be forced to try cheaper meds first while their condition worsens, and trial periods are also cut from 60 to 30 days.
This is a historic step for our residents as Connecticut now has the strongest mental health parity bill in the country. I was proud to be a co-sponsor of this bill and advocate to strengthen our protections. While mental health resources are at risk of being cut and impacted at the federal level, here in Connecticut, we are committed to increasing services and ensuring residents have access to the care they need. |
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| CT Paid Family and Medical Leave Expansion |
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| This session, I was a proud co-sponsor of legislation that expands Connecticut's Paid Family and Medical Leave coverage to as many as 50,000 public and private school employees, such as paraeducators, library support staff, and custodial and food workers. This change will go into effect later this year on October 1st, 2025. The Connecticut Paid Leave Authority is hosting a series of informational webinars throughout July, August, and September to help school staff prepare. Check the flyer below for upcoming session dates and details. |
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| What Bills Will Benefit Farmers |
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Governor Lamont recently signed legislation into law that will benefit Connecticut farmers. I was a proud supporter of HB 1497 and HB 5064, two bills that show Connecticut stands with our farmers.
👩🌾 What’s in it for FARMERS?
- New Tax Credits 💰 for investing in equipment, buildings & machinery
- Increased Tax Exemptions 🧾 up to $250K
- No building permits for hoop houses & high tunnels 🌿
- Drone use OK’d for agriculture ✈️
- Manure management program 💩
- Protection for agritourism operators
- Soil amendments must be registered, improving transparency
- More support for shipping container farms to grow local food for schools & pantries
🌾 What’s in it for NEW & SMALL FARMERS?
- New Land Access Grants 💼 to help you find and afford farmland — the #1 barrier for new farmers!
🍎 What’s in it for CONSUMERS?
- Stronger local farms = more fresh, local food 🥕🦪
- Supporting farms = supporting CT jobs and local communities 💼🏘️
These bills make farming stronger - for families, for communities, and for our future.
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| One way you can support local farmers (& Veterans) from around the state is at the upcoming Veteran Farmers' Market hosted by the CT Department of Veteran Affairs, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, CT Department of Agriculture, and many more organizations from across the state. The Veteran Farmers Market will take place on Monday, August 4th, from 3 - 6 p.m. at the Department of Veteran Affairs Campus located at 287 West St, Rocky Hill. There will be a variety of veteran vendors in attendance, including farms and food trucks. Click here for more information. |
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| Taking Action to Protect Connecticut's Environment |
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Governor Lamont signed major climate legislation into law on Tuesday, committing Connecticut to net-zero emissions by 2050, expanding clean energy incentives, and supporting green jobs. The law also strengthens climate resiliency and places restrictions on the use of rat poisons and a class of pesticides known as neonicotinoids.
I’m proud to stand with colleagues and advocates who fought for a cleaner, fairer future. This is a win for our environment, our economy, and our kids. |
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Summer EBT Benefits through the CT Department of Education are now available! Eligible children receive a total of $120 per child ($40 per month for three months) loaded onto their existing EBT card or a separate S-EBT card. If you are eligible, your child will receive benefits automatically, and you do not need to apply. Families not automatically enrolled are still able to apply for these benefits if they are under the 185% FBL threshold. To view the qualifications for those automatically enrolled and additional information for families interested in applying, click here.
If you have any questions, you can contact the S-EBT hotline at: 1-844-503-6871
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| Operation Fuel Expands its Scope to Generation Power CT |
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Operation Fuel, which has been operating for decades to help Connecticut residents with utility costs, recently rebranded to Generation Power CT to better support its expanded scope. Generation Power CT offers aid for electricity, water, and other utilities, also aiding with remediation and weatherization of properties, and its new title represents those additional services. In 2024, Generation Power CT gave millions of dollars in aid to thousands of families across the state.
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The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) announced that a milling and resurfacing project will be performed on Route 113 in Stratford. This project is scheduled to begin on Monday, July 7th, and be completed on Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025. Once completed, all traffic lines, including crosswalks entering the Paradise Green area, will be repainted, helping to increase public safety measures!
The project consists of milling and resurfacing a 1.64-mile segment of Route 113 in Stratford from Route 1 (Barnum Avenue) to Route 110 (Main Street).
⚠️This project is scheduled to begin milling on Monday, July 7th, to Saturday, July 12th, 2025.
⚠️The resurfacing segment of this project is anticipated to begin on Sunday, July 13th, to Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025.
🚧 LANE CLOSURE/DETOUR INFO 🚧
Motorists can expect lane closures on Route 113 from Route 1 (Barnum Avenue) to Route 110 (Main Street) in Stratford. 👮🏽♂️Traffic control personnel and signing patterns will guide motorists through the work zone. The work schedule for this project is from 7:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., Sunday night to Saturday morning. |
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Teens in Stratford — want to make a difference in someone’s life (including your own)?
Learn how to recognize mental health challenges, support your friends, and connect to help.
Free classes July 28, 30 & August 1 at Birdseye!
Certification included — sign up today |
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| The Sterling Center will have FREE lunches this summer for Students from Stratford Schools. Visit the Sterling Center weekdays from 11:45 am - 12:15 pm to pick up your meal! |
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The Stratford Health Department is offering Immunization & Physical Clinics for school-aged children to help them get ready for the new school year! Call 203-385-4090 today to schedule an appointment.
Let’s keep our kids healthy and classroom-ready!
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Stratford's Blues on the Beach is happening on July 19th at Short Beach from Noon to 9 pm. For additional information, click here.
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It is Paradise Green Farmer's Market Season! Every Monday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Paradise Green. This is a great chance to support our local CT farmers and businesses.
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| Summer is back in Stratford, and the pool at Sterling Community Center will be open for Community Swim on June 28th! Every Saturday, starting at the end of June through August 23rd, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the pool will be open to everyone for $3 per person. |
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Yours in service,
Kaitlyn Shake
State Representative |
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