State News

GOVERNOR LAMONT ACTIVATES CONNECTICUT’S SEVERE COLD WEATHER PROTOCOL EFFECTIVE SUNDAY EVENING

Anyone in Need of Shelter Is Urged To Call 2-1-1 or Visit 211ct.org For a List of Locations (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that due to a weather forecast indicating that Connecticut will experience a blast of arctic temperatures and breezy winds over the next several days, he is directing the state’s severe cold weather protocol to go into effect beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 16, 2025, and remaining in effect through 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 22, 2025. During this period, overnight temperatures are expected to drop into the single digits. Coupled with steady winds, it will feel like it is below zero during the overnights for much of next week. Anyone in need…

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GOVERNOR LAMONT PROPOSES THE LARGEST EXPANSION OF PRESCHOOL ACCESS IN CONNECTICUT HISTORY

(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 implement the largest expansion of preschool access in Connecticut history, enabling thousands of additional children to enroll in high-quality, early childhood education services, which have been unattainable for many families. “I want Connecticut to lead on early childhood education, and that means making preschool affordable and accessible for all of our kids,” Governor Lamont said. “Access to early childhood services is massively important to the state’s success, not only because these programs provide valuable tools for children that will lead them to professional achievements in the future, but also because being able to enroll your…

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ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SEEKS LEGISLATION TO COMBAT SHRINKFLATION, PRICE GOUGING

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today urged lawmakers to back legislation proposed by the Office of the Attorney General to combat “shrinkflation” and price gouging contributing to unaffordable grocery bills for Connecticut families. “Grocery prices are unaffordable and only getting more expensive. We need strong laws to go after the manufacturers and packagers who are taking advantage of this crisis to pad their profits,” said Attorney General Tong. Click here for Attorney General Tong’s testimony on both proposals. SHRINKFLATION The term “shrinkflation” refers to packaging tricks deployed by manufacturers to try to hide the fact they are reducing packaging sizes to raise prices. For example, a manufacturer who reduces the volume of peanut butter in a jar by adding a dimple…

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Bill To Protect Illegal Immigrants

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) have introduced legislation aimed at protecting immigrants seeking essential services from immigration enforcement actions. The Protecting Sensitive Locations Act would prevent federal immigration officers from making arrests, conducting interviews, or carrying out surveillance at locations such as hospitals, schools, and courthouses. Blumenthal emphasized the need for these protections, stating, “Allowing ICE to invade spaces where people access health care, education, justice, and prayer is cruel and unnecessary, as well as a threat to public safety. When people are too frightened to seek medical care or report a crime, the entire community suffers.” Espaillat, a longtime advocate for immigrant protections, criticized the rollback of previous safeguards under…

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ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SUES PRESIDENT TRUMP AND SECRETARY OF TREASURY TO BLOCK DOGE ACCESS TO CONFIDENTIAL RECORDS, SENSITIVE DATA AND CRITICAL PAYMENT SYSTEMS

(Hartford, CT) -- Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general suing President Donald Trump, the U.S. Treasury and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to stop the unauthorized disclosure of Americans’ private information and sensitive data. The lawsuit asserts that the Trump administration illegally provided Elon Musk and the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)” unauthorized access to the Treasury Department’s central payment system, and therefore to Americans’ most sensitive personal information, including bank account details and Social Security numbers. This expanded access could allow Musk and his team to block federal funds to states and programs providing health care, childcare, and other critical services. With this lawsuit, the coalition of attorneys general is seeking to stop…

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BLUMENTHAL & SALINAS REINTRODUCE BILL TO ADDRESS GAMBLING ADDICTION

 Today, Blumenthal stood with CT Council of Problem Gambling to highlight the surge in sports betting ahead of Super Bowl [HARTFORD, CT] – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (OR-06) introduced the Gambling addiction Recovery, Investment, and Treatment (GRIT) Act, bicameral legislation that would dedicate federal funds to studying, preventing, and treating gambling addiction in America. Blumenthal and Salinas first introduced the GRIT Act in the 118th Congress. “The growing legalization of sports betting coupled with the ability to place bets from your phone whenever you want have created the perfect storm for gambling addiction—resulting in a severe public health crisis. The GRIT Act will allocate dedicated federal funding to tackle problem gambling head-on, allowing individuals suffering from gambling addiction to…

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Tong To Fight DOGE

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong issued the following statement regarding the temporary restraining order granted early this morning blocking “political appointees, special government employees, and any government employee detailed from an agency outside the Treasury Department access to Treasury Department payment systems or any other data maintained by the Treasury Department containing personally identifiable information.” The order was granted in response to the lawsuit filed late Friday by Attorney General Tong and a coalition of 19 attorneys general alleging that the Trump Administration illegally provided Elon Musk and the so-called “Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)” unauthorized access to the Treasury Department’s central payment system, and therefore to Americans’ most sensitive personal information, including bank account details and Social…

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ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE THREAT TO DEFUND POLICE

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong released the following statement regarding the directive issued by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to “pause the distribution of all funds” to jurisdictions who do not let the federal government unlawfully commandeer local law enforcement resources for federal immigration enforcement. “This is yet another attempt by the Trump administration to defund police and distract local law enforcement from serious public safety threats, including gun violence, reckless driving, domestic violence and the opioid epidemic. We are in federal court in Rhode Island and have already obtained a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration’s lawless funding freezes. We are reviewing this directive and watching for any impact to our states. We will not hesitate…

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GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCES 2025 LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL: INCREASE SPECIAL EDUCATION SUPPORT FOR MUNICIPALITIES

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that the state budget proposal he will present to the Connecticut General Assembly later this week will include an increase in funding for towns and cities to provide special education services for students with disabilities, as well as the creation of a new program that incentivizes municipalities to provide special education programming to students in-district or on a regional basis. “Over the last several years, special education services have been one of the largest cost drivers for school districts due to the increase in the number of students eligible for special education services and the rapid increase in the cost of those services, particularly for students outplaced in approved special education programs,” Governor…

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MURPHY, SCHATZ, CRUZ, BRITT INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION TO KEEP KIDS SAFE, HEALTHY, OFF SOCIAL MEDIA

WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) introduced the Kids Off Social Media Act, bipartisan legislation to keep kids off social media and help protect them from its harmful impacts. The bill would establish a minimum age of 13 for social media use and prohibit platforms from feeding algorithmically-targeted content to users under the age of 17. “Everyone knows how harmful social media can be to kids. As a parent, I’ve seen firsthand how these platforms use intentionally addictive algorithms to spoon-feed young people horrifying content glorifying everything from suicide to eating disorders. Yet these companies have proven they will choose profits over the wellbeing of our kids unless we force them to do otherwise. This bipartisan…

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