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| On Wednesday in a Joint Session at the capitol, Governor Lamont delivered his budget address to us presenting his priorities. The process continues as we strive towards balancing a budget that responsibly invests in our state, its people, and its future.
This week, I spent time in meetings and public hearings, where my colleagues and I reviewed bills and worked to move them through the legislative process. For example, On Thursday, the Labor & Public Employees committee held our first public hearing that lasted seven hours. Some of the raised topics within the bills addressed were: health benefits for state marshals, more wage investigators to prevent wage theft, permanent partial disability and more.
We continue to keep a close eye on what is happening daily in Washington, D.C. and the impacts it may have on our governance and budget funding at the state level. I remain firmly committed to working for and protecting the residents of Stratford and Connecticut, especially our most vulnerable. If you or your family have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact me via email or call my office directly 8602408585. |
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| House Democrats 2025 Priorities |
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During the 2025 session, House Democrats’ legislative priorities will focus on:
- Special Education Relief
- ️More Housing, Reduced Homelessness
- ️Affordable Childcare
- ️Protecting Our Environment
These priorities reflect our recognition that special education is the biggest budget wildcard for municipalities, increased housing and decreased homelessness are critical to the state's future economic health, rising costs and a reduced workforce are making childcare hard to obtain for many families, and protecting our environment has never been more critical. |
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| Black History Month is a time to honor and celebrate the achievements, contributions, and resilience of Black individuals throughout history and in our communities today. Now more than ever, we need to reflect, learn, and continue to work for equity and justice for all.
Please visit https://ctvisit.com/articles/black-history-month-activities-connecticut for additional ways to celebrate Black History Month in Connecticut. |
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Next week’s public hearings!
Don’t forget - you only need to register if you wish to provide testimony. If you want to observe the hearings, you can tune in and watch them live on the committee’s YouTube channel.
Register to testify and learn more about this week’s schedule, including the bills that will be heard, in this week’s CGA Bulletin. |
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Here's how you can stay connected and actively participate:
- The Office of Legislative Research (OLR) provides nonpartisan and unbiased research to members of the General Assembly and their staff. Part of their duties include writing bill analyses, which are summaries of bills in plain language. Click here to check out their website.
- You can view the Connecticut General Assembly's upcoming events by checking out its schedule on the CGA official website.
- Follow CT-N for live coverage of committee meetings, as well as House and Senate floor debates.
- You can register to monitor any bill's journey as it goes through the legislative process. By signing up, you can enter the bill number and receive real-time updates. Stay informed with email notifications whenever there's a change in the bill's progress.
- Visit this website for information on how to testify on a bill at a public hearing.
Together, we can ensure all voices are heard. |
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| POSTPONED: Stratford Delegation Meet and Greet |
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| We unfortunately had to postponed our Stratford Delegation Legislative Preview and Meet and Greet due to weather. We are working to set up a new date and will keep you updated with more details soon. In the meantime, if you have any concerns or questions, feel free to email me or reach out to my office directly at 860-240-8585. I am always happy to help! |
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| Thanks to our Stratford Police Department for the PSA:
With more snow incoming this weekend, here's some contact info for utilities. I hope you and your family stay safe and warm! |
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| Stratford's Departmet of Public Works and Connecticut Department of Transportation snowplow crews will be out clearing our local and state roads due to the impending winter storms. If you see a snowplow please slow down, drive safe and #DontCrowdThePlow.
Thank you to all of our Essential Workers who work tirelessly around the clock to keep our roads and community safe! |
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| The Stratford Health Department will host free health screenings in 4 community locations from February 7th to March 3rd. The mission of the Know Your Numbers (KYN) campaign is to empower community residents with information about their health status and educate them on how to reduce their risks of chronic disease. The screenings will include body mass index, blood pressure, and blood sugar (A1c). |
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| The Sterling Community Center's annual MLK event has been rescheduled to take place on President's Day (Feb. 17th) right in the heart of Black History Month. They will offer breakfast and workshops to all who can join at the Baldwin Center. |
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Yours in service,
Kaitlyn Shake
State Representative |
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