CT Capitol Dispatch - Latest News and Information
President Donald Trump told a White House Easter audience that the federal government cannot continue funding Medicare, Medicaid, or daycare because escalating military costs from the Iran war are draining the budget. He suggested that states should assume responsibility for these programs and raise taxes to cover the shortfall. The remarks came hours before a prime‑time speech threatening further strikes on Iran, despite a Quinnipiac poll showing 54% of Americans oppose the conflict. Connecticut Republicans praised the war effort, even as the state could face roughly $11 billion in additional taxes if federal funding is withdrawn.
Connecticut’s rainy‑day fund stands at $4.3 billion, enough for roughly 67.4 days of state expenditures, placing the state 13th nationwide and second in the Northeast. The reserve represents about 18% of Connecticut’s annual operating budget, far above the national average of...
Senate Bill 513, approved by Connecticut's Finance Committee, would extend the federal pass‑through entity tax credit to middle‑income earners making over $50,000, offering roughly $1,100 in annual savings. The program lets participants voluntarily reduce their salary in exchange for a...
On the final day of the 2026 legislative session, Connecticut’s Government Administration & Elections Committee approved three bills aimed at strengthening election integrity. HB 5533 bars federal law enforcement within 250 feet of polling sites without state permission, HB 5001...
Connecticut's Public Health Committee unanimously approved Senate Bill 194, mandating cardiac screening forms for every student athlete in intramural and interscholastic programs. The form probes chest pain during exercise, unexplained fainting, prior cardiac events, and family heart‑disease history. Students who...
Connecticut's Senate Judiciary Committee advanced Senate Bill 397, allowing residents to sue ICE agents for rights violations and prohibiting ICE custody actions in schools, hospitals and houses of worship. Democrats highlighted the Minneapolis killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole...
Connecticut Democrats advanced Senate Bill 3, a $200 million health‑care initiative aimed at expanding tax credits after the ACA subsidies lapsed. The bill extends premium subsidies to families earning up to 600 % of the federal poverty level and creates a state‑run...
Connecticut’s Clean Slate law has automatically erased criminal records for more than 150,000 residents, targeting eligible misdemeanors after seven years and low‑level felonies after ten years while excluding serious offenses. The program, launched in 2023 following the 2021 legislation, marks...
The Connecticut Housing Committee approved a bill, 11-8, that requires landlords of buildings with five or more units to provide a legitimate reason before evicting tenants who have lived there for at least one year. The legislation specifically targets no‑fault...
During a Connecticut Public Health Committee hearing, more than a dozen physicians testified in favor of legislation that would reaffirm the state’s ban on non‑medical vaccine exemptions. The proposal amends the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act to explicitly preserve the...
Connecticut Sen. Rob Sampson, a landlord, used his role as ranking Republican on the Senate Housing Committee to attack a bill that would bar no‑fault evictions. During a committee hearing he warned he would sell his rental units if new...
The New Hampshire House approved the Countering Hate And Revolutionary Leftist Indoctrination in Education Act, known as the CHARLIE Act, which bars teachers from covering critical race theory, LGBTQ+ topics, and concepts deemed Marxist. The legislation also permits parents to...
Connecticut Senate Bill 397 aims to hold ICE agents civilly liable for constitutional violations, banning warrantless arrests in schools, hospitals and churches. The measure gained overwhelming support after a Yale student testified he was tasered seven times by apparent ICE...
Republican lawmakers passed a federal budget that slashes Medicare and Medicaid spending by up to $1 trillion over the next decade. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the cuts cut 12 years off Medicare Part A’s projected solvency and will push Social Security’s...
