News

Gov. Ned Lamont says he’s not done. In officially announcing his bid for a third term (he confirmed his intention to do so last week) Lamont said Connecticut had made remarkable progress, but there was more to do to make sure everyone was sharing in it.

The state Senate didn’t match the state House’s marathon 7-hour debate on a revised housing bill Thursday, but it came pretty close.

A bill creating a $500 million reserve fund against potential federal cuts to social programs cleared the Senate Thursday afternoon, albeit on a much more partisan and contentious vote than had been the case in the state House the day before.

Lawmakers pass bill to empower UConn Health to purchase Waterbury Hospital.

The fallout of the 43-day-long government shutdown will linger for some time in Connecticut, even after all federal workers returned to work on Thursday.

If all goes as planned, the legislature will put four bills on the desk of Gov. Ned Lamont by Friday.

Although it looks like the federal government shutdown will soon be at an end, Gov. Ned Lamont said he has signed a declaration enabling the Connecticut General Assembly to adopt legislation appropriating the funding necessary to create an emergency state response reserve. The reserve will facilitate the state response to millions of dollars in federal cuts toward health and human services that are being made by President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans, Lamont said.

A reworked housing bill encountered spirited resistance from House Republicans Wednesday, although nothing changed in the seven hours of debate, and the bill passed 90-56, mostly along party lines. Five members did not cast a vote.

As the nation endures its longest federal government shutdown on record, Connecticut leaders are moving to shield the state’s most vulnerable residents from the fallout.

With the average rent in Connecticut near $1,975, a new poll from the Regional Plan Association found that nine in ten residents believe Connecticut is “not doing enough” to expand affordable housing. Nearly as many blame outdated zoning rules and infrastructure limits for the problem.

The longest shutdown in U.S. history is starting to wind down after a bloc of Senate Democrats joined Republicans on a deal to reopen the federal government, but Connecticut’s senators opposed the agreement because it made no guarantee to extend the policy at the heart of the shutdown fight: expiring health care subsidies.

Aside from housing, state lawmakers will take up legislation on immigration, food assistance, health care and more when they meet Nov. 12-13.

In a scene that’s been playing out across Connecticut over the past week, Diana Colombo lined up at a mobile food pantry in East Hartford on Wednesday morning — a line double its typical length.

With election results still being tabulated, Democrats are celebrating big wins across the state. Unofficial results show 27 communities flipping from Republican to Democratic control in terms of mayor or first selectmen, and 3 towns led by a Town Council switching power as well.

Democrats racked up wins in municipal elections across the state Tuesday, flipping chief executive seats in Ansonia, Stratford, Milford, and New Britain, and others. All results are unofficial until certified by the Secretary of the State’s office.

Democrats made broad gains Tuesday in Connecticut’s first general election since Donald Trump’s return to the White House, flipping open top-of-ballot seats that had been controlled by Republicans in the Democratic cities of New Britain and Norwich and suburbs of Branford and Westport.

Lawmakers want state funds to shield program

Governor Ned Lamont today announced that his administration is providing $3 million in emergency state funding to the nonprofit organization Connecticut Foodshare to help Connecticut residents who are expected to lose access to food stamp benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the shutdown of the federal government.

With property values climbing faster than paychecks, many Connecticut homeowners are facing municipal tax increases — and Republican lawmakers say the state’s record surplus should be part of the solution.

Next month, Connecticut voters will head to the polls to elect candidates for local positions in their city or town. No statewide or national elections — like those for United States Senate and House of Representatives seats or for governor of Connecticut — are held in odd-numbered years. But on Nov. 4, many communities throughout the state will still elect officeholders to positions like mayor, city councilor, alder or board of education member.