Upcoming Coffee Hour, New Laws Effective July 1, Local Updates, and more

June 27, 2025

Dear Neighbor,

I hope you and your family have been staying cool these past few days! It was an eventful week around Stratford, where I had the opportunity to attend several local events and meet with residents.

I was in Hartford this week on Thursday, June 26th to witness Governor Lamont sign the Fallen Hero Fund into law. It was an honor to stand alongside Comptroller Sean Scanlon, Public Safety and Security Co-Chair State Representative Pat Boyd, first responders from across the state, and families of the fallen for this important legislation. This bipartisan effort expands access to what was formally called the "Fallen Officer Fund" to all first responders, now including firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics. As a member of the Public Safety and Security Committee this session and a proud co-sponsor of this bill, I was happy to see it signed into law, allowing us to provide real support to our first responder families who are left behind after the death of a loved one in the line of duty. When we say CT supports our first responders, it means more than words. It means meaningful, collaborative action like this legislation.

Watch the full press conference and signing above

Supreme Court Planned Parenthood Ruling

This week, the Supreme Court ruled that states, like South Carolina, can block Planned Parenthood clinics from receiving Medicaid funds. As a proud member of the Reproductive Rights Caucus and a women's health nurse, I'm dedicated to advancing policies that strengthen reproductive health care access across our state. That means protecting Medicaid funding for providers like Planned Parenthood, who play a vital role in delivering care to 60,000 patients who depend on their essential health services here in Connecticut.

Click here to read more about the ruling

Upcoming Summer Office Hours in the 120th!

Thank you to all my constituents who attended my coffee chat at Blue Sky Diner on Monday, June 23rd! I had a wonderful time listening and engaging in meaningful conversations about legislation from the 2025 session and the impacts it will have on Stratford. I will continue to host in-person "office hours" across the 120th District this summer, and will have a few evening and weekend dates too!

Next Monday, June 30th, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., join me at The Cutting Wedge Deli, 88 Ryders Ln. Coffee is on me!

New CT Laws Taking Effect

Several new laws that were passed during the 2025 legislative session take effect on Tuesday, July 1st. Please see below to read about some of them!

Our two-year, $55.8 billion budget takes effect July 1. This bill reflects our shared values, marked by historic investments in children through expanded funding for special education and childcare. Our budget strengthens support for working families and ensures that the essential work of nonprofits is both valued and financially supported.

We approved billions of dollars to be used for school construction, transportation infrastructure, housing assistance, and many more local initiatives through our annual bond funding package.

Our students will soon learn about three essential topics in the classroom: civics, media literacy, and Asian American and Pacific Islander history. Under two bills passed in 2022 and 2023, students will gain an understanding of what it means to be an active and engaged citizen, how to analyze the modern media landscape, and the rich history of the AAPI community in our state and the entire country.

Our elections will soon be more secure and transparent as video recording technology will be added to every absentee ballot drop box in our state. This new law will record the drop boxes from the first day that ballots are issued up through when the clerk retrieves the final ballots, and all of these recordings will be made available to the public.

A novel, landmark bill supporting public libraries struggling to afford the skyrocketing costs of e-books and digital audiobooks will go into effect July 1. The bill bars libraries from entering into or renewing expensive contracts and licensing agreements with publishers. The measure positions Connecticut as a national leader in this arena and marks a significant step toward transparency, equity, and sustainability in how libraries acquire and provide digital resources to the public.

Many more bills are going into effect July 1, including one that reforms Connecticut's towing system, one that requires financial literacy instruction in school, and more.

You can click the link below for the full list of laws going into effect, and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

New Laws, July 1st, 2025

As always, your calls, emails, and testimony at our public hearings directly influenced these new laws. Please continue to share your views and have your voice heard at the Capitol!

HB 5002 Update

This Monday, June 23rd, Governor Lamont vetoed H.B. 5002, a bill I made a decision to vote NO this session. This bill was widely debated in the House and Senate across the aisle, and I had se
veral concerns about how it would impact Stratford in the 120th District: parking, WPCA capacity, and infrastructure costs. It is critical that we find a way to address the housing crisis while also meeting the evolving needs of our residents. We need to provide affordable options, create senior-friendly living options, and increase housing options for young adults ready to start their lives in our communities.

Housing is an issue that I agree 100% still needs to be addressed, and I will continue to advocate on behalf of the residents I represent here in the 120th District. I sincerely appreciate the many conversations I had with Stratford residents on this issue and your continued advocacy, both for and against H.B. 5002. Our work is not over, and I look forward to discussing the ways we can address and create affordable housing options here in Stratford and across Connecticut.

Senate Bill 8 Update

This week, Governor Lamont vetoed Senate Bill 8, which would have granted unemployment benefits for workers on strike for more than 14 days. I was proud to be a co-sponsor of S.B. 8 because it would have allowed workers to receive unemployment benefits when they are fighting to protect their pensions, benefits, and wages. I believe that providing unemployment benefits to striking workers will strengthen and improve union and non-union workplace standards rather than giving them an unfair advantage at the bargaining table.

I will continue to push for legislation that supports workers while they are on strike. Thank you to all the union members who have reached out to me over the last several months to discuss the importance of this bill for them and their families. I look forward to continuing this fight in future legislative sessions and hope many of you continue to stay engaged in the advocacy process.

Senate Bill 3: Signed Into Law

I am excited to share that Senate Bill 3, a bill I was a proud co-sponsor of, was signed into law by Governor Lamont earlier in June. S.B. 3 expands the attorney general's oversight beyond retailers like supermarkets and gas stations. Now, the attorney general's office can also investigate and charge distributors, manufacturers, suppliers, and wholesalers for charging "unconsciously excessive" prices.

The Connecticut General Assembly passed legislation this session that overhauls portions of the state's consumer protection laws by adding additional safeguards for people purchasing a wide variety of goods and services. It widens the state attorney general office's ability to police price gouging, mandates that businesses disclose so-called junk fees, and requires companies producing internet-connected devices to inform people if their technology (phones, tvs, computers etc) captures and shares audio or video from homes and more.

Upcoming Opportunity for Local Nonprofits

The Fairfield County Community Foundation Center for Nonprofit Excellence is offering a cohort-style cybersecurity program in partnership with Novus Insight, Inc. This is a great opportunity for nonprofits in the area that are interested in strengthening their cybersecurity. If you are interested in learning more about this program, they are offering a virtual info session on July 16th. Sign up here.

Local Stratford Updates

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 of 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.

The Stratford Fourth of July Fireworks will take place on Wednesday, July 2nd, at Short Beach and is sponsored by IBEW Local 488. The display will begin at sundown, approximately 9 p.m. The rain date will be Monday, July 7th. Parking will be available all day at Short Beach with a Stratford Resident Parking Stick ONLY. Traffic in the area is expected to be impacted from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., and all residents are advised to plan accordingly. The fireworks exit plan from the town is below.

To enlarge the map and find additional information on the Town of Stratford website click HERE

This year, the Town of Stratford has a hotline for the annual Independence Day Celebrations. Call 203-380-6757 for the most up-to-date event details, including weather and traffic updates.

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.

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.