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On Wednesday, we marked an exciting milestone in Newington—the groundbreaking of the long-awaited renovation of John Wallace Middle School!
This project is about more than bricks and mortar. It represents our community’s deep commitment to investing in the future of our students by ensuring they have access to safe, modern, and high-quality learning environments. Our students, educators, and school staff deserve nothing less.
Approved by Newington voters in the November 2023 referendum, this transformative project is made possible thanks to $8,038,180 in state bonding funds, which covers 75% of the total cost through a state reimbursement.
I’m proud to have delivered this critical funding alongside the Newington delegation, including Rep. Gary Turco and Sen. Matt Lesser. Special thanks to Mayor Jon Trister, Board of Education Chair Amy Perrotti, Superintendent Maureen Brummett, and all the dedicated teachers, staff, and families who helped make this vision a reality.
We can’t wait to return in a year to celebrate its completion and the bright future ahead for John Wallace Middle School!
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On Thursday, I attended the 3rd Annual Menstrual Equity Summit hosted by The Diaper Bank of Connecticut to continue collaborating on this important issue.
Three years ago, thanks to the incredible advocacy of so many young leaders, I led the passage of Connecticut’s menstrual equity law, ensuring access to free menstrual products in our public schools, universities, shelters, and correctional facilities.
Now, just one year into implementation, The Diaper Bank has distributed over 3 million free menstrual products to nearly 400 public schools in need — a huge milestone in our fight for equity.
We must continue to normalize periods and ensure that no one’s education, work, or dignity is ever compromised due to a lack of access to menstrual products.
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The State Bond Commission approved the release of $155 million to reduce the public benefit charges on electric bills. This action is a result of bipartisan energy affordability legislation (Senate Bill 4) that we passed during the 2025 legislative session.
Specifically, the funding will reduce costs associated with:
- Hardship protection programs: $125 million will go towards assisting low-income customers who struggle to pay their electric bills
- Electric vehicle charging programs: $30 million will cover costs related to the state's EV charging infrastructure and integration
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It's anticipated that this bond funding will lead to an average monthly reduction of around $5 to $10 in the public benefits portion of customers' bills, likely taking effect in September 2025 and continue for several months into 2026. Another round of state bond funding is expected to be released in 2026 that will enable this savings to continue into at least the first several months of 2027.
This shift aims to provide some relief to electricity customers facing high rates in the state. This initiative is one step towards making energy more affordable for everyone, and complements a 25% reduction in public benefits charges approved by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) in May 2025, as well as supply rate reductions for Eversource (13%) and United Illuminating (14%) that took effect on July 1, 2025.
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| STATE AND LOCAL RESOURCES |
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The 2nd Annual Next Level Fatherhood Conference: The Power of Presence will take place on August 14–15, at Central Connecticut State University’s Student Center in New Britain (1615 Stanley Street New Britain). This is a free, two-day statewide conference designed to uplift, empower, and support fathers and father figures across Connecticut.
Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, which focused on mental health and fatherhood. This year’s conference deepens the conversation with a focus on presence, engagement, and connection, highlighting how consistent, active fatherhood strengthens children, families, and communities.
Conference Highlights:
- Skill-building workshops
- Roundtable discussions
- Interactive panels
- Collaborative problem-solving sessions
- Access to statewide and local resources
The conference brings together fathers, mentors, educators, advocates, and service providers, for an engaging and solution-focused experience. In addition to empowering fathers, this convening serves as a statewide policy platform to advance systems that support fatherhood engagement and equity.
You are invited to attend, participate, and witness firsthand the impact of this growing statewide movement to support and strengthen fatherhood in Connecticut.
The Conference is free and open to the public, click here to register.
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Connecticut's annual Sales Tax-Free Week begins on Sunday, August 17, and runs through Saturday, August 23. This is Connecticut's 26th Sales Tax-Free Week and it provides a chance to save money, whether it is taking the kids back-to-school shopping or treating yourself or your loved ones.
Highlights of Sales Tax-Free Week:
- Sales or purchases of certain items of clothing or footwear costing less than $100 per item are exempt from Connecticut's 6.35% sales tax
- Sales Tax-Free Week applies to purchases made in-store, online, mail-order, and over the phone
- This special exemption applies to purchases made from retailers located in Connecticut as well as from online retailers
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Shop smart – and locally whenever possible to support small businesses – to save during Connecticut’s Sales Tax-Free Week!
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The 3rd Annual Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Education Symposium is taking place on Monday, August 18th from 5:30 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. at the Legislative Office Building (300 Capitol Ave #5100, Hartford).
This year marks a major milestone as we enter the 2025-2026 school year with the official rollout of the AAPI Curriculum, developed to spotlight and interweave AAPI narratives into classrooms across our state.
Hear from educators, students, parents, and legislators during this day of sharing, learning, and connecting.
Click here to register.
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