(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong issued testimony today in support of S.B. 1284, An Act Concerning the Illegal Use of Certain Vehicles and Street Takeovers, which would enable municipalities to seize certain motor vehicles and increase penalties for those engaged in illegal street takeovers. Attorney General Tong has previously called for increased penalties for reckless driving, including temporary forfeiture of vehicles.
“There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t see someone driving recklessly on our roads and highways on my commute up to Hartford. From excessive speeding and reckless lane changes to distracted and intoxicated driving, this brazen lawlessness puts all of us at risk and cannot be tolerated,” Attorney General Tong states in his testimony.
Full testimony copied below.
Testimony in Support of
S.B. No. 1284, An Act Concerning The Illegal Use Of Certain Vehicles And Street Takeovers
Judiciary Committee
Friday, March 7th, 2025
Thank you for the opportunity to submit testimony in support of S.B. No. 1284 which aims to improve the safety of our roads and hold accountable those who endanger our lives through their reckless and lawless misbehavior.
There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t see someone driving recklessly on our roads and highways on my commute up to Hartford. From excessive speeding and reckless lane changes to distracted and intoxicated driving, this brazen lawlessness puts all of us at risk and cannot be tolerated. Street takeovers are the extreme celebration of this dangerous driving culture, where large groups of individuals flood entire roads with reckless speeding and weaving. This is not merely a disruption—this puts every other road user at risk, from drivers to pedestrians and cyclists and nearby neighbors.
We must do more to protect the safety of our roads, and I believe this bill is a step in the right direction. By enabling municipalities to instate ordinances related to street takeovers and give them the tools to seize, sell, or destroy certain types of motor vehicles and institute fines will increase accountability for those actively engaging in this type of behavior. I would urge the Committee to go a step further and subject extreme reckless drivers—those who exceed one-hundred miles per hour—to the temporary forfeiture of their vehicles.
For the reasons above, the Office of the Attorney General recommends that the Committee favorably report S.B. No. 1284.
(Hartford, CT) — Attorney General William Tong and a coalition of 22 other attorneys general today won a preliminary injunction against the Trump administration to block its illegal policy that would freeze funding for essential federal agency grants, loans, and other financial assistance programs. Judge John J. McConnell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island today granted the preliminary injunction after Attorney General Tong and the coalition sued the Trump administration to stop the funding freeze.
“This is a major early victory, signaling the strength of our case and the brazen lawlessness of Trump’s overreaching executive order. Let’s not forget what Donald Trump did on January 27—this was a blanket freeze on trillions of dollars of federal funding, hitting every corner of our government. This was no idle threat. On the day we sued, Head Start funding was down. Medicaid funding was frozen. We sued immediately, and the court orders we have secured are what is now standing in the way of Donald Trump defunding our police, our highways, energy assistance, and our schools. This fight is far from over, but we are prepared to stay in court for as long as it takes to protect Connecticut families and Connecticut jobs,” said Attorney General Tong.
The administration’s funding freeze policy, issued through an array of actions, including a January 27 memorandum from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), illegally withheld trillions of dollars in federal funds for states and other entities like nonprofit organizations and community health centers. The policy caused immediate chaos and uncertainty for millions of Americans who rely on state programs that receive these federal funds.
Attorney General Tong and the coalition sued the administration over the freeze on January 28, and on January 31, the court granted the attorneys general’s request for a temporary restraining order (TRO) blocking the freeze’s implementation until further order from the court. On February 7, Attorney General Tong and the coalition filed motions for enforcement and a preliminary injunction to stop the illegal freeze and preserve federal funding that families, communities, and states rely on. On February 8, the court granted the motion for enforcement, ordering the administration to immediately comply with the TRO and stop freezing federal funds. On February 28, Attorney General Tong and the coalition filed a second motion for enforcement seeking to stop the Trump administration from freezing hundreds of millions of dollars in grants to the states from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Today, the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island granted Attorney General Tong and the coalition’s request for a preliminary injunction, halting the implementation of the administration’s policy. The Court concluded that the states had demonstrated a high likelihood of success on their claims that the actions making up the funding freeze policy were unlawful. In today’s order, the Court also required the administration to provide evidence of their compliance with regard to unfreezing FEMA funds by March 14 and to alert all agencies about the Court’s order.
The lawsuit is led by the attorneys general of California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island. Joining the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont announced today that the Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL) has launched several programs to assist Connecticut residents who have been fired or placed on unpaid administrative leave from their federal government jobs.
“The federal government may have decided that they don’t want these skilled workers, but we want them to know that we value their public service and that Connecticut employers can use their skills,” Governor Lamont said. “Right now, Connecticut has more than 70,000 jobs available, and the Connecticut Department of Labor can help connect jobseekers to new employment or even help them begin an entirely new career if that’s what they want to do.”
Information specifically for federal workers and contractors is available on the CTDOL homepage at portal.ct.gov/dol. This resource outlines steps for filing unemployment claims, getting answers to unemployment questions, and accessing career services. Currently, there are approximately 18,800 federal employees working in Connecticut.
“This continues to be a very difficult time for federal workers, and CTDOL staff and partners are here to help,” said Connecticut Labor Commissioner Danté Bartolomeo. “Filing for unemployment benefits is complex – it’s a federal system that requires workers to have specific separation documentation. Some workers may have been notified of their dismissal in a non-standard way and need assistance. Others may have severance and need career counseling or job search support. No matter the circumstance, CTDOL resources are available.”
CTDOL’s Rapid Response team, Business Engagement Unit, and Consumer Contact Center are working to help laid-off federal workers reenter the job market quickly. The agency also plans to host a job fair specifically for displaced federal workers and has five general job fairs scheduled for March. These job fairs are free for all jobseekers, and all participating employers and job opportunities are vetted by CTDOL.
Job placement and career services are available at no cost through the American Job Centers, offering resume writing assistance, career workshops, job search help, and support for veterans transitioning to civilian work. Both in-person and virtual appointments are available.
Unemployment benefits are subject to eligibility requirements, including work and salary history, place of residence, and other factors. Workers who received severance packages or salary continuation payments should wait until those payments end before filing for unemployment.
CTDOL also warns jobseekers to remain vigilant against fraud. The agency does not send text messages, make unsolicited phone calls or emails, or ask for unemployment account details. Jobseekers should verify any communication with CTDOL through the Consumer Contact Center and be cautious of employers charging fees to submit job applications or for employment services.
By eliminating these costs, the governor is hoping to remove a barrier and encourage jobseekers to pursue careers within in-demand fields in which employers have indicated a need to hire skilled workers. The fee elimination plan was included as part of the governor’s fiscal year 2026/2027 biennial budget proposal that he presented to the legislature last month.
“Workers in certain skilled professions are required to obtain licenses for understandable reasons, but we should be doing more to encourage jobseekers to enter these fields, and that is why I want to eliminate all of the costs associated with applying for and renewing these licenses,” Governor Lamont said. “Over the last several years, we’ve enacted more than $840 million in permanent tax cuts, most of which are specifically targeted at providing relief to middle-class taxpayers, and I am asking the legislature to continue on this path by eliminating these occupational license fees.”
Impacted professions under the governor’s proposal include nurses, dental hygienists, mental health professionals, occupational therapists, paramedics, physical therapists, physician assistants, electricians, HVAC workers, plumbers, sheet metal workers, and teachers.
Fees for these licenses range in cost from $50 to $375 per year, depending on the license. The proposal will benefit nearly 180,000 workers, saving them approximately $18.8 million in fiscal year 2026 and $25 million in fiscal year 2027.
These licenses are administered by the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, the Connecticut Department of Public Health, and the Connecticut State Department of Education. Under Governor Lamont’s proposal, workers in these professions will still be required to obtain and renew licenses, however there will be no costs associated with applying for them.
List of Occupational License Fees Governor Lamont Wants To Eliminate
“For several years it has been my top priority to pass legislation to cut burdensome fees on Connecticut’s workers, including our great teachers, nurses, mental health professionals, electricians, plumbers, and hundreds of thousands of other licensed professionals,” State Senator Ryan Fazio (R-Greenwich) said. “I appreciate the governor’s leadership in making it a priority this year. Workers shouldn’t have to pay this tax just for the right to work in our state. Let’s come together to cut licensing fees on workers and send a signal that we want to make it easier to work, live, and succeed in Connecticut.”
Eliminating these fees builds on Governor Lamont’s track record of reducing taxes to make Connecticut more affordable for middle-class workers. Since taking office in 2019, Governor Lamont has enacted more than $840 million in permanent tax cuts. This includes $500 million in income tax cuts for middle-class filers that was enacted in 2023 and became the largest income tax cut made in Connecticut history; increases in the Earned Income Tax Credit that have essentially eliminated income taxes for low-income filers; the elimination of taxes on pensions and Social Security for most seniors; and the creation of a cap on motor vehicle property taxes.
The proposal is included in Senate Bill 1246, An Act Concerning Revenue Items To Implement the Governor’s Budget. It is currently under consideration in the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee.
HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Jason Perillo (R-Shelton) was sworn in at the State Capitol following his victory in this month’s special election. Senator Perillo now represents Connecticut’s 21st Senate District, which includes the towns of Shelton, Stratford, Seymour, and Monroe.
“I am incredibly honored and humbled to have earned the trust of the voters in the 21st Senate District. It has been a privilege to serve as the State Representative for Shelton for over 18 years, and now in the role of State Senator. I am ready to continue fighting for the hardworking residents of the 21st district”, said Sen. Perillo.
Sen. Perillo served as a member of the Connecticut House of Representatives, where he was appointed Deputy House Republican Leader in December of 2020. He is a lifelong Shelton resident, serving the community on the Housatonic Council, the Boy Scouts of America Advisory Board, as a member of the Shelton Senior Center Commission, a Corporator for the Birmingham Group, and as a member of Shelton’s School Readiness Council.
Republican leaders in the Connecticut General Assembly have written to U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi today to formally request a federal investigation into whether election crimes in Bridgeport are part of a larger, coordinated effort to defraud voters statewide.
Following the recent arrest of Democratic Bridgeport City Councilman Alfredo Castillo on multiple election-related charges, GOP lawmakers are urging federal officials to examine whether the fraudulent tactics uncovered in Bridgeport—ballot tampering, forgery, coercion, and the registration of illegal voters—are being replicated elsewhere in Connecticut.
“Councilman Castillo’s own words suggest a broader operation at play, involving efforts to benefit high-profile Democratic candidates at the state and federal levels,” said House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora. “We cannot ignore the possibility that these corrupt practices extend beyond Bridgeport.”
Senate Republican Leader Stephen Harding emphasized the urgent need for outside intervention. “The failure of state agencies to act swiftly on election crimes has eroded public confidence in our electoral process,” Harding said. “A federal investigation is critical to ensuring transparency and accountability.”
Republican lawmakers also pointed to the Democratic-controlled legislature’s refusal to enact meaningful election safeguards and the governor’s failure to fund election monitors in Bridgeport as further evidence of systemic neglect.
“We cannot allow partisan interests to stand in the way of election integrity. Voters deserve to know whether Bridgeport’s fraudulent practices are happening in other cities across Connecticut,” said Rep. Gale Mastrofrancesco and Sen. Rob Sampson, Ranking Members of the Government Administration and Elections Committee. “Republicans have continually called for election safeguards, including presenting identification when voting, ending the use of absentee drop boxes and signature verification for all absentee ballots. Instead of joining us in helping to secure our elections, majority Democrats have ignored those efforts, and it is clear that intervention from outside investigators is necessary.”
The request for a federal investigation underscores Republicans’ commitment to protecting the integrity of Connecticut’s elections and ensuring that every legal vote is counted fairly.
(Hartford, CT) — Attorney General William Tong and 49 other attorneys general joined the U.S. Department of Justice in settling allegations against Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. and Walgreen Co. (together, Walgreens). Under the terms of the agreement, Walgreens—which operates one of the largest retail pharmacy chains in the country from its headquarters in Deerfield, Illinois—will pay $97.8 million to resolve allegations that it unlawfully billed government health care programs for prescriptions that were never collected or otherwise received by patients.
The settlement agreement will resolve allegations set forth in two qui tam lawsuits: United States ex rel. Turck, et al. v. Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., et al., No. 4:19-cv-315 (E.D. Tex. filed Apr. 26, 2019); and United States, et al. ex rel. Jacob v. Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., No. 8:20-cv-858-T-60TGW (M.D. Fla. filed Apr. 23, 2020). These lawsuits specifically allege that between 2009 and 2020, Walgreens unlawfully billed Medicare, Medicaid, and other government health care programs for prescriptions drugs that were never picked up by beneficiaries. As a result of this unlawful conduct, Walgreens received tens of millions of dollars for uncollected prescriptions that it never actually provided to patients.
After the suits were filed, Walgreens implemented enhancements to its billing systems designed to prevent any future unlawful billing for uncollected prescriptions.
“For more than a decade, Walgreens unlawfully billed Connecticut and other states for prescriptions never provided to patients. I thank the whistleblowers for reporting these serious errors, enabling states to recover millions of dollars and ensuring that these illegal billing practices were stopped,” said Attorney General Tong.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Walgreens received credit for self-disclosing certain claims, and for previously refunding $66.3 million in connection with the settled claims. The total recovery for all Medicaid programs under the settlement is $9.6 million. Of that amount, the State of Connecticut will receive $728,083.37 in restitution and other recoveries.
A National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units (NAMFCU) Team investigated the allegations in conjunction with the Department of Justice and United States Attorneys’ Offices in Texas and Florida. The NAMFCU Team included representatives from the respective Office of the Attorney General for the states of Wisconsin, California, Texas, Maine, Oregon, and Massachusetts. Paralegal Specialist Orlean Woodham and Deputy Associate Attorney General Gregory O’Connell, Chief of the Government Fraud Section, assisted the Attorney General with this matter.
State Senator Stephen Harding issued a statement late Tuesday night after law enforcement responded to a bomb threat at his residence.
“Thank you to our state and local police for their work in responding to this threat. We are safe, and we are grateful to law enforcement for their professionalism and dedication,” Harding said.
He expressed appreciation for the Brookfield Police, State Police, and Capitol Police, commending their swift action and reassurance during a difficult time.
Harding called the incident a “distraction” and emphasized his continued commitment to key issues affecting Connecticut families.
“All families in Connecticut deserve to feel safe. My CT Senate Republican Caucus and I will never stop focusing on the issues that matter to Connecticut’s working families—affordability, safety, accountability, and transparency,” he stated.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, who was also targeted in a bomb threat last week, condemned the incident and expressed support for Harding.
“Sen. Harding is a longtime friend and colleague, and he is a very good man. I am grateful that he and his family are safe. I thank law enforcement for their professionalism in responding to and investigating this threat,” Tong said. “Violence and threats of violence are unacceptable. And it is never, ever acceptable to threaten someone’s family. There is no place for this in Connecticut, and it has to stop.”
Authorities have not yet released further details about the threat or any ongoing investigations.
(Hartford, CT – Attorney General William Tong is co-leading a 38-state and territory bipartisan coalition in urging Congress to take action to address the rise in organized retail crime across the country.
Organized retail crime has contributed to financial losses totaling over $121 billion in the U.S., and 76 percent of retail asset protection managers’ report their employees have suffered from violence at the hands of an organized retail criminal. Cargo theft remains a primary component of organized retail crime nationwide – disrupting supply chains and acting as an inflationary pressure on the price of everything from baby formula to clothing.
“This is not run-of-the-mill shoplifting. These are criminal organizations who recruit desperate people to steal and stock sophisticated online fencing operations, driving up prices and endangering retail workers. Bipartisan attorneys general from across the country are united in urging Congress to empower state and federal law enforcement—both civil and criminal—with the resources and penalties needed to combat this growing problem,” said Attorney General Tong.
During the 118th Congress, the House and Senate introduced H.R.895/S.140 – Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023 and S. 139 – Organized Retail Crime Center Authorization Act of 2023. This legislation would provide the necessary resources at the state and federal level to bring the organizations and individuals behind this nationwide problem to justice. Now, the coalition is urging the 119th Congress to re-introduce this bill to include increased federal penalties for supply chain thefts to act as a strong deterrent against the organized theft of goods in transit.
Several attorneys general have formed task forces and created prosecution units to combat this growing problem. In their letter, the coalition notes that legislation proposed in the 118th Congress would expand upon and synchronize state and federal efforts with the creation of an Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center at the Department of Homeland Security, facilitating the information sharing necessary to address the complex cross-border nature of organized retail crime.
The attorneys general from Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, and South Carolina co-led the letter to Congress.
Joining them are the attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, and West Virginia.
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is urging the Connecticut General Assembly to approve legislation he is proposing this session that will enact a new state law protecting veterans against being exploited by for-profit companies that charge exorbitant fees for filing disability claims on their behalf with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Commonly known as “claim sharks,” these unaccredited companies solicit veterans with the promise that their services can help them get disability claims approved by the VA. Frequently, these companies wait until after the claim has been approved to notify the veteran that they will be charged fees for this service, sometimes taking a large cut of the veteran’s future disability benefits, which could amount to thousands of dollars.
Claim sharks also expose veterans to fraud and identity theft. Since unaccredited actors do not have access to the VA claim system, some require the veteran to share system logins, passwords, and bank account information so fees can be immediately withdrawn even before the veteran learns claim money has been deposited.
“Veterans deserve the disability benefits they’ve earned, and taking a cut of these benefits for one’s own profit through manipulative schemes is morally wrong and disturbing,” Governor Lamont said. “We need stronger laws that bring transparency to these practices so that veterans can make informed decisions and are able to avoid these kinds of exploitative practices that we’ve seen happening across the country.”
While federal law currently prohibits companies without VA accreditation from charging veterans fees to file disability claims, there are no criminal penalties for violating the law and recent legislative efforts to rein in this profit-driven shadow industry have stalled in Congress.
Governor Lamont is proposing to require more transparency around this practice and obligate these companies to provide veterans with information on all fees prior to beginning their services. Specifically, he is proposing a law that will:
Require companies that provide these services to notify recipients of all fees in advance of the services being provided and create a written agreement signed by both parties; and
Require companies that provide these services to explicitly notify veterans in advance that they are not endorsed or affiliated with the VA or the Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs and that local and federal veteran service organizations may provide this service free of charge. These same notices must also be included in any advertising related to these services.
Attorney General William Tong has also proposed legislation on this topic and is supportive of Governor Lamont’s proposal.
“Applying for VA benefits is free, and accredited, vetted, veteran service officers are available to assist at no cost,” Attorney General Tong said. “Unaccredited, illegitimate services waste veterans’ money and time, and may expose veterans to potential fraud and identity theft. Connecticut veterans cannot afford to wait for federal action – we need strong state accountability and oversight, including real penalties for anyone who abuses the claims process to take advantage of veterans and their families.”
“Governor Lamont and Attorney General Tong, we thank you for taking on this important topic of protecting our veterans and families from claim sharks,” Connecticut Veterans Affairs Commissioner Ronald P. Welch, a retired U.S. Army brigadier general, said. “The Connecticut Department of Veteran Affairs wants to ensure our 146,000, Connecticut veterans and their families are protected against the predatory activities of claim sharks and others not properly accredited to legally represent those that have served our great state and nation. We fully support legislation that holds claim sharks and others attempting to take advantage of our veterans who have service-connected injuries or illnesses accountable for their reprehensible actions.”
“Veterans put their lives on the line for our country, and the last thing they should face is fraud and exploitation when accessing the benefits they’ve already earned,” State Senator Paul Honig (D-Harwinton), co-chair of the legislature’s Committee on Veterans’ and Military Affairs, said. “We won’t stand for bad actors preying on our vets here in Connecticut.”
“Our veterans earned their benefits through service and sacrifice – no one should exploit them for profit,” State Representative Jaime Foster (D-East Windsor, Ellington, Vernon), co-chair of the legislature’s Committee on Veterans’ and Military Affairs, said. “This bill enforces existing federal protections with real accountability, ensuring transparency and safeguarding veterans from predatory claim sharks. I applaud Attorney General Tong for his leadership on this issue and I look forward to working with my colleagues to advance these critical protections.”
Applying for benefits through the VA is free, as is talking to an accredited veteran service officer who can help veterans navigate the process. In Connecticut, the VA operates Veterans Service Offices in all five of its district offices:
1st District – Newington Office: (860) 594-6606
2nd District – Norwich Office: (860) 887-9162
3rd District – Milford Office: (203) 874-6711
4th District – Fairfield Office: (203) 418-2005
5th District – Waterbury Office: (203) 805-6343
Additional information on accredited Veterans Service Organization representatives, attorneys, and claims agents can be found online at www.benefits.va.gov/vso.
