(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over its unlawful attempt to freeze the development of wind energy.
“This is yet another lawless effort by Donald Trump to enrich the fossil fuel industry and illegally micromanage state business. Connecticut has the right to secure our energy future, and one that makes the most sense for our costs and climate,” said Attorney General Tong.
On January 20, President Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum that, among other things, indefinitely halted all federal approvals necessary for the development of offshore and onshore wind energy projects pending federal review. Pursuant to this directive, federal agencies have stopped all permitting and approval activities, and in one case, have even stopped a fully permitted project in New York that had already begun construction. Wind energy is a homegrown source of reliable, affordable energy that supports hundreds of thousands of jobs, creates billions of dollars in economic activity and tax payments, and supplies more than 10% of the country’s electricity.
The attorneys general allege that the President’s directive harms their states’ efforts to secure reliable, diversified, and affordable sources of energy to meet their increasing demand for electricity and help reduce emissions of harmful air pollutants, meet clean energy goals, and address climate change. The directive also threatens to thwart the states’ significant investments in wind industry infrastructure, supply chains, and workforce development—investments that already total billions of dollars.
The coalition argues that the President’s directive and federal agencies’ subsequent implementation of it violate the Administrative Procedure Act and other federal laws because they, among other things, provide no reasoned explanation for categorically and indefinitely halting all wind energy development—a sudden change that reverses longstanding federal policy and is inconsistent with recent federal action propping up other forms of energy. The lawsuit also alleges that the abrupt halt on all permitting violates numerous federal statutes that prescribe specific procedures and timelines for federal permitting and approvals—procedures the Administration wholly disregarded in stopping wind-energy development altogether.
In filing this lawsuit, the attorneys general are asking the Court to declare the President’s directive illegal and prevent the Administration from taking any action to delay or prevent wind energy development.
Joining Attorney General Tong in filing this lawsuit are the attorneys general of New York, Massachusetts, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.
Assistant Attorney General Jill Lacedonia and Deputy Associate Attorney General Matthew Levine, Chief of the Environment Section, are assisting the Attorney General in this matter.
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Today, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) wrote Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Todd Lyons demanding an explanation for the Trump Administration’s seemingly arbitrary revocation of hundreds of student visas nationwide. Today’s letter follows reporting that dozens of students in Connecticut may have had their legal status terminated via email without warning or explanation. In today’s letter, Blumenthal demanded the Trump Administration provide information about what kind of notice and due process were provided to these students.
“Connecticut has some of the top public and private institutions of higher learning in the country. International students gain access to our institutions and in return our campuses benefit in a myriad of ways including in academics, athletics, and a better understanding of and appreciation for multiculturalism here in the United States— an understanding and appreciation that fosters tolerance and acceptance rather than hate and bigotry,” wrote Blumenthal. “These seemingly arbitrary revocations and terminations made without notice or explanation seem deliberately designed to have a chilling effect on student visa holders which will impact our nation’s ability to attract and retain international talent which will result in a net loss for our students and our communities.
Highlighting the urgent need for legal protections against the cancellation of visas, Blumenthal continued, “Due process is a bulwark against tyranny and a legal protection afforded to these students by law. Accordingly, students should be given both proper notice and a forum to contest the allegations brought against them. As this Administration has already proven, mistakes can be made. Due process helps prevent mistakes and subsequent harm.”
The full text of the letter can be found here and below.
Dear Secretary Noem, Secretary Rubio, and Acting Director Lyons:
Over the past several weeks, international students at campuses across Connecticut have watched in horror as student visas are revoked without rhyme or reason or any seeming regard for due process. Knowing the extraordinary value and talent of such students, and their positive impact on our Connecticut communities and the educational experience of other students and faculty, I write today to seek clarification as to why such visas have been revoked and to demand the Administration stop such unexplained and apparently unjustified revocations.
Connecticut has some of the top public and private institutions of higher learning in the country. These colleges and universities attract capable and bright students of varied backgrounds and interests. At the University of Connecticut (“UConn”) alone, the Storrs campus is home to 3,450 international students.[1] At Yale University, that number is 2,841.[2] International students gain access to our institutions and in return our campuses benefit in a myriad of ways including in academics, athletics, and a better understanding of and appreciation for multiculturalism here in the United States— an understanding and appreciation that fosters tolerance and acceptance rather than hate and bigotry.
Just this month, we watched with joy and pride as the UConn Women’s Basketball team clinched their 12th National Title — a team that currently, and historically, has included student athletes from abroad, including Egypt, Croatia, Canada, and Hungary.[3] Now, at a time when the state of Connecticut and the students of UConn should be celebrating, campuses are instead mired with fear, as at least 53 student visas have been revoked at colleges and universities across the state.[4]
This issue is not limited to UConn alone. As stated by the Connecticut Conference of Independent Colleges, there have been 40 visa revocations across its 14 member institutions which include Yale, Albertus Magnus College, Connecticut College, Fairfield University, Goodwin University, Mitchell College, Quinnipiac University, Sacred Heart University, Trinity College, the University of Bridgeport, the University of Hartford, the University of New Haven, the University of Saint Joseph and Wesleyan University.[5] These seemingly arbitrary revocations and terminations made without notice or explanation seem deliberately designed to have a chilling effect on student visa holders, impacting our nation’s ability to attract and retain international talent and resulting in a net loss for our students and our communities.
According to public reports, neither the institutions nor the students have been informed of reasons for their visa revocations and several institutions have discovered federal record terminations only after running their own internal checks in the Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (“SEVIS”) database.[6] As public officials, you can appreciate how important it is for our law enforcement agencies to adhere to the rule of law and the principles of fairness and justice. Due process is a bulwark against tyranny and a legal protection afforded to these students by law. Accordingly, students should be given both proper notice and a forum to contest the allegations brought against them. As this Administration has already proven, mistakes are made. Due process helps prevent mistakes and subsequent harm.
As a result, I request the following information by Friday, April 25, 2025, to better understand the rationale and processes for such revocations and SEVIS terminations:
Total number of visas revoked, since January 20, 2025, for individuals at institutions of higher learning within Connecticut as of today’s date, disaggregated by:
Type of Visa
Nationality
Provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act by which Immigration and Customs Enforcement is justifying its revocation
The form of notice, if any, given to such above referenced individuals and their respective institutions upon revocation of their visas; and
The form of due process, if any, afforded to students to address the allegations that form the basis of their visa revocations
The CTDPA, which took effect in July 2023, grants important data rights to Connecticut residents and solidifies critical privacy obligations for covered businesses. Since our initial report, the Office of the Attorney General continues to take significant steps to prompt compliance with the CTDPA.
This voluntary report provides updates on (1) the Office’s broader privacy and data security efforts; (2) consumer complaints received under the CTDPA to date; (3) several enforcement efforts highlighted in the Office’s initial report and (4) expanded enforcement priorities. Recommendations for strengthening the CTDPA’s protections are also included in the report.
“Connecticut remains at the forefront of consumer data privacy,” Attorney General Tong states in the report. “Since the Connecticut Data Privacy Act took effect, our office has worked to educate consumers and companies alike about their rights and obligations. We remain focused on ensuring compliance with this important law going forward. Much remains to be done, including amending the CTDPA to provide stronger protections for Connecticut residents. We will continue to be transparent about our efforts to uphold and strengthen this important law.”
“As the 2025 Enforcement Report is released, it’s clear that Connecticut’s commitment to data privacy is not just about safeguarding personal information—it’s about protecting the dignity and autonomy of every resident,” said Sen. Maroney. “In an era where data is a powerful currency, our laws ensure that individuals have control over their own digital footprints.”
Since the law went into effect, the Office of the Attorney General has opened various investigations and inquiries into companies which collect, sell, and otherwise share consumer data, including:
Manufacturers of connected vehicles;
A genetic and family history company;
A web service provider which provides palm recognition services to consumers;
The provider of an anonymous peer messaging app aimed at teens; and
Connecticut retailers’ use of facial recognition technology.
By the end of 2024, the Office had issued dozens of notices of violation, as well as a number of broader information requests, under the Act.We remain focused on key aspects of the CTDPA including transparency and sensitive data processing, but have also broadened our efforts to address problematic opt-out practices and dark patterns that trick consumers. Our priorities have also expanded as new legislation related to minors’ privacy and consumer health data took effect, and as our universal opt-out provisions came online.
The report also identifies areas in which the state legislature could strengthen or clarify aspects of the CTDPA. Some of the recommendations include:
Scaling back exemptions, including eliminating entity-level exemptions;
Lowering thresholds for applicability, including fully covering processing for all sensitive data and minors’ data;
Strengthening data minimization provisions to limit the data companies can collect and maintain;
Expanding the definition of sensitive data to incorporate a comprehensive list of elements added by other states since the CTDPA’s passage;
Strengthening protections of minors’ data by prohibiting businesses from sending targeted ads so long as the company “knew or should have known” that the individual is a minor; and
Enacting a one-stop-shop deletion mechanism to allow Connecticut residents to delete their personal information held by data brokers through a single, verified request.
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Comptroller Sean Scanlon today announced that effective May 1, 2025, the State of Connecticut is expanding the benefits it provides to firefighters to include free, enhanced cancer screenings.
This new benefit comes in response to evidence that firefighters, due to their repeated exposure to smoke, toxic chemicals, and carcinogens in the line of duty, have a greater prevalence of cancer diagnoses and cancer-related deaths than the general population.
More than 900 firefighters enrolled in the state employee health plan and Partnership Plan, both of which Comptroller Scanlon oversees, will now have free access to a comprehensive, full-body scan once every two years. The screenings are designed to detect cancers early – often before symptoms appear – when treatment is more effective, and outcomes are significantly better.
While expected to cost the state about $150,000 annually, the costs associated with later-stage cancers are far greater – not to mention the hardship placed on firefighters, their families, and their departments.
“Firefighters have high-risk jobs and in the course of their duties are exposed to toxins that can wreak havoc on their health and put them at risk for cancer,” Governor Lamont said. “Expanding the state health plan to provide all firefighters with regular cancer screenings is essential because early detection is key to successful treatment outcomes. I appreciate Comptroller Scanlon for working with our administration to enact this change to the state health plan and provide this benefit for Connecticut’s firefighters.”
“When they’re putting their lives on the line every day, the last thing our firefighters should have to worry about is navigating their healthcare,” Comptroller Scanlon said. “That’s why I’m proud that the state health plan I run will now provide our members with the best preventative care and early screenings. Through better early detection, we can keep the men and women who serve our communities healthy and their minds at ease. I’ve been honored to work with the Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut and Governor Lamont to bring this initiative to fruition.”
“Firefighters are an essential part of keeping all Connecticut residents safe,” Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) Commissioner Ronnell A. Higgins said. “At DESPP, where we are training and recruiting the firefighters of the future, we stand behind the continuing efforts by Governor Lamont and Comptroller Scanlon to keep the men and women of the fire service healthy.”
“Unfortunately, there is growing prevalence of cancer in firefighters, but early detection saves lives, and it saves our families – by blood and by profession – immense grief and hardship,” Peter Brown, president of the Uniformed Professional Fire Fighters Association of Connecticut, said. “This new healthcare offering is a critical step forward in securing firefighter health and wellbeing. UPFFA is grateful for our continued partnership with Comptroller Scanlon and Governor Lamont.”
Any firefighter enrolled on the state employee health plan or Partnership Plan who is seeking more information can visit carecompass.ct.gov to connect with a representative, schedule an appointment, and find providers in their area.
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Education Commissioner Charlene Russell-Tucker today announced that the Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) has responded to a recent request from the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) regarding Title VI compliance and has opted not to sign the letter, citing that Connecticut “already does and will continue to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”
CSDE regularly reaffirms its compliance with all federal program assurances, through which USDOE continues to provide federal funding. Additionally, Local Education Agencies in Connecticut certify their compliance with Title VI to CSDE in annual applications with all assurances required for federal programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance.
“In Connecticut, we’re proud to support the incredible diversity of our schools and work tirelessly to ensure that every child, regardless of background, has access to a quality education and the best opportunity at the starting line in life,” Governor Lamont said. “From our educators, who are mentoring and inspiring the next generation of young people, to our curriculum, our commitment to education is what has made our schools nationally recognized, and we plan to continue doing what makes our students, teachers, and schools successful.”
The letter to USDOE’s Office for Civil Rights states, “Connecticut remains committed to safeguarding Connecticut students against the insidious effects of discrimination and continues to align its principles and programs with the requirements and purpose of Title VI, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin.”
“We will continue to build on the collective efforts of our educators, families, and school communities to create learning environments where every student is valued and supported,” Commissioner Russell-Tucker said. “We remain focused on the work happening in our schools every day and are staunchly committed to ensuring that all our 508,402 students have access to a universe of opportunities.”
Connecticut strives to create safe and supportive learning environments that involve school personnel, leaders of community organizations, parents, and youth working together to build positive, supportive, and healthy environments that promote acceptance and respect. To that end, Connecticut is proud to have launched initiatives such as the Learner Engagement and Attendance Program (LEAP), which addresses chronic absenteeism and closes the opportunity gap through better engagement between students, teachers, and families. Additionally, over the last several years Connecticut has exceeded the benchmark set by the State Board of Education to increase the number of educators of color by 10% and continues to incorporate policies that better reflect the diversity of the students in the classroom.
What does this mean? Connecticut’s refusal to sign the U.S. Department of Education’s Title VI compliance letter reflects the state’s stance that it already meets federal civil rights requirements and does not need to reaffirm them through new documentation. State leaders point to ongoing programs and routine compliance certifications as evidence that they are upholding anti-discrimination laws in education.
The decision may carry consequences depending on how federal officials interpret it. If the letter included updated expectations or clarified enforcement priorities, not signing could signal a policy gap between the state and federal government. While funding is not currently at risk, the move could invite closer federal scrutiny or legal challenges if there’s concern over how Title VI is being implemented. It may also place pressure on the state to more clearly demonstrate how its education policies are meeting equity goals in practice.
Any opinions expressed are solely those of Attorney General Tong and do not necessarily reflect the views of DoingItLocal. The statement below is in its original, unedited form:
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong released the following statement in response to a series of executive orders issued this week by President Donald Trump seeking to force the revival of dirty and dangerous energy generation and to block states from lawful efforts to combat the climate crisis.
“This is a war on our environment, waged by a reckless President on behalf of his fossil fuel industry backers who do not care if our air and water are toxic so long as they make money. Decades of scientific consensus prove that the climate threat is real and that we have a limited window now to mitigate its worst harms. Washington has failed for decades to address the climate crisis, and like just about everything else right now, it has fallen on states to protect our families. Donald Trump is happy to do Big Oil’s bidding, but I’m not about to let him stop the sovereign state of Connecticut from doing what is necessary to address this existential threat. The Department of Justice needs to do its job and enforce our nation’s environmental laws, not waste time ‘investigating’ undeniably constitutional state laws,” said Attorney General Tong.
Attorney General Tong further addressed Trump’s ill-conceived plan to revive old-fashioned, dirty and dangerous coal power plants.
“Nothing in this order would save Connecticut families one cent on our energy bills. The reality is, burning coal is expensive and dirty, and it’s been phased out because it just doesn’t make any sense. Like his idiotic trade war, Trump is wasting our money again to serve his ideological whims. The impact of his policies will undoubtably harm people’s health and the environment,” said Attorney General Tong.
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STATEMENT ON LAWLESS TRUMP ELECTION ORDER
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong released the following statement in response to the executive order issued last night by President Donald Trump seeking to illegally defund states who do not comply with his list of voter suppression measures.
“This is a lawless attempt to suppress and manipulate free and fair elections across the United States, from an unhinged aspiring dictator still seeking to rewrite history to erase his defeat more than four years ago. Since 1788—plainly spelled out in Article 1 of the Constitution and repeatedly affirmed by the Supreme Court—elections are run by the states. This is about Donald Trump trying to pick and choose who gets to vote in this country, and that is not what democracy means. We are working closely with states across the country and are evaluating all legal options to protect our constitutional authority to conduct our elections in a manner that respects voters’ rights and our need for safe and secure elections,” said Attorney General Tong.
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG URGES CONSUMERS TO CHECK ELIGIBILITY FOR COMPENSATION FOR INFLATED GENERIC DRUG PRICES
Attorney General Tong Leads 50 States and Territories Filing Motion for Preliminary Approval for $39.1 Million Settlement with Generic Drug Manufacturer Apotex over Conspiracy to Inflate Prices and Limit Competition
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong is urging consumers to check their eligibility for compensation for certain generic drug purchases as Connecticut leads 50 states and territories in seeking preliminary approval for a $39.1 million settlement with generic drug manufacturer Apotex over conspiracy to inflate prices and limit competition.
Attorney General Tong and the multistate coalition previously announced the settlement in principle with Apotex last fall along with a $10 million settlement with Heritage Pharmaceuticals. At the time of that announcement, the settlement with Apotex was conditioned on the signatures of all necessary states and territories. Those signatures have been obtained, and the coalition is filing the settlement today in U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut in Hartford.
If you purchased a generic prescription drug listed here between May 2009 and December 2019, you may be eligible for compensation. To determine your eligibility, call 1-866-290-0182 (Toll-Free), email info@AGGenericDrugs.com or visit www.AGGenericDrugs.com.
“Apotex engaged in a widespread conspiracy to jack up prices and block competition for generic prescription drugs. Their brazen collusion cost American families and our public healthcare programs millions of dollars. If you are among the millions and millions of Americans who purchased one of many prescription drugs covered by our suit, you may be eligible for compensation. I urge you to visit www.AGGenericDrugs.com so you can check the drug list and register your contact information for updates on the claims process” said Attorney General Tong.
The settlement agreements resolve allegations that both Apotex and Heritage engaged in widespread, long-running conspiracies to artificially inflate and manipulate prices, reduce competition, and unreasonably restrain trade with regard to numerous generic prescription drugs. As part of the settlement agreements, both Apotex and Heritage have agreed to cooperate in the ongoing multistate litigations against 30 corporate defendants and 25 individual executives. Both companies have further agreed to injunctive relief to prevent future misconduct and to a series of internal reforms to ensure fair competition and compliance with antitrust laws.
Connecticut is leading a coalition of nearly all states and territories filing three antitrust complaints, starting first in 2016. The first Complaint included Heritage and 17 other corporate Defendants, two individual Defendants, and 15 generic drugs. Two former executives from Heritage Pharmaceuticals, Jeffery Glazer and Jason Malek, have since entered into settlement agreements and are cooperating. The second Complaint was filed in 2019 against Teva Pharmaceuticals and 19 of the nation’s largest generic drug manufacturers. The Complaint names 16 individual senior executive Defendants. The third complaint, to be tried first, focuses on 80 topical generic drugs that account for billions of dollars of sales in the United States and names 26 corporate defendants and 10 individual defendants. Six additional pharmaceutical executives have entered into settlement agreements with the States and have been cooperating to support the States’ claims in all three cases.
The cases all stem from a series of investigations built on evidence from several cooperating witnesses at the core of the different conspiracies, a massive document database of over 20 million documents, and a phone records database containing millions of call detail records and contact information for over 600 sales and pricing individuals in the generics industry. Each complaint addresses a different set of drugs and defendants, and lays out an interconnected web of industry executives where these competitors met with each other during industry dinners, “girls nights out”, lunches, cocktail parties, golf outings and communicated via frequent telephone calls, emails and text messages that sowed the seeds for their illegal agreements. Throughout the complaints, defendants use terms like “fair share,” “playing nice in the sandbox,” and “responsible competitor” to describe how they unlawfully discouraged competition, raised prices and enforced an ingrained culture of collusion. Among the records obtained by the States is a two-volume notebook containing the contemporaneous notes of one of the States’ cooperators that memorialized his discussions during phone calls with competitors and internal company meetings over a period of several years.
Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northern Mariana Islands, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Puerto Rico joined in today’s announcement.
Lead Assistant Attorney General Joseph Nielsen and Assistant Attorneys General Alex Frisbee, Kyle Ainsworth, Cara Moody, Paralegal Gaile Colaresi and Deputy Associate Attorney General Nicole Demers, Chief of the Antitrust Section – along with former team members Assistant Attorneys General Laura Martella, Christine Miller and Sage LaRue Zitzkat, and retired Assistant Attorneys General Michael Cole, Rachel Davis, and Toni Conti – assisted the Attorney General in this matter.
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STATEMENT ON U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION UPHOLDING FEDERAL GHOST GUN REGULATIONS
(Hartford, CT) — Attorney General William Tong released the following statement regarding the 7-2 decision issued today by the U.S. Supreme Court in Bondi v. Vanderstock upholding federal ghost gun regulations.
“This is a significant win for public safety, for commonsense gun safety laws, and for everyone who cares about keeping crime guns off our streets and out of the hands of dangerous criminals. Ghost guns are guns. They exist for one reason—to evade background checks and law enforcement. The ATF rule is fully lawful and necessary to protect public safety. I will continue to defend our lifesaving gun laws—in any state, in any court, anywhere public safety is under threat. That includes enforcement of Connecticut’s own ghost gun laws, and ongoing efforts to defend our post-Sandy Hook assault weapon and large-capacity magazine bans, commonsense age limits on pistol permits and prohibitions on firearms in state parks,” said Attorney General Tong. “We will not allow crime guns and weapons of war back into our schools, our parks, our houses of worship, our grocery stores, and our communities.”
This was not a Second Amendment case but rather a question of statutory definitions. The case challenged a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) rule, which clarifies that the definition of “firearms” in the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA) includes kits and parts that can be converted into fully-functional firearms. This common-sense clarification does not ban gun kits. Rather, it subjects kits and nearly-complete guns to the same rules as conventionally manufactured guns—including serial number and background check requirements.
Attorney General Tong joined a coalition of 24 attorneys general filing an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold the ATF’s ghost gun rule, arguing that striking it down would harm public safety and hinder law enforcement. The attorneys general described how the rule is consistent with the text, history, and purpose of the GCA and demonstrate that the Fifth Circuit’s decision was erroneous. They argued that the rule is necessary to close a dangerous loophole and stop people who are banned from owning guns from making an end run around existing law—which they were able to do before gun kits were subject to the same regulations as other firearms. Additionally, the coalition shared early evidence that the rule was already improving public safety: multiple jurisdictions had seen a drop in ghost gun recoveries since the rule went into effect in 2023. A copy of the brief is available here.
Connecticut has taken its own commonsense measures to protect the public from the dangers of ghost guns. On October 1, 2019, Connecticut banned the sale and receipt of unfinished frame and lower receiver gun components lacking serial numbers or unique identification, which are used to build ghost guns. In 2023, Attorney General Tong sued four out-of-state firearm dealers for selling and advertising illegal, untraceable ghost gun parts in violation of Connecticut’s 2019 ban. Connecticut has since reached civil settlements with three of the four dealers recovering penalties totaling $885,000. Two of the dealers have ceased operations and a third has committed to putting in place strong controls and reporting to ensure ongoing compliance with Connecticut law.
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today promised to fight for Connecticut clean air, clean water and climate following the announcement by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin that his agency will gut regulations protecting Americans from airborne toxins, smog, dirty power plants and more.
The Trump Administration has also taken steps towards rescinding the 16-year-old “endangerment finding” establishing the non-controversial, scientifically-supported and widely understood connection between greenhouse gases and harm to human health and the environment. That finding is the foundation enabling regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from numerous sources, including power plants and motor vehicles.
“This is a dangerous attack on the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the planet we all rely on for life so that the world’s biggest polluters can pocket even bigger profits. The Office of the Attorney General was involved in establishing many of these regulations, and we’re going to fight these reckless rollbacks at every single step,” said Attorney General Tong. “I’m particularly worried about what these actions mean for air quality. Connecticut sits at the end of our nation’s tailpipe. Without strong federal regulations and responsible actions by our upwind neighbors, there’s nothing we can do to stop the influx of smog from our country’s heaviest cross-state polluters. A dirty power plant operator four states away is going to get a free pass while kids in Connecticut choke. These regulations were carefully crafted over decades after intensive public scrutiny and analysis, and we’re not going to let Trump erase them without a fight.”
(Hartford, CT) — Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 20 other attorneys general in suing the Trump administration to stop the dismantling of the Department of Education (ED). On March 11, the Trump administration announced that ED would be firing approximately 50 percent of its workforce as part of its goal of a “total shutdown” of the Department. Attorney General Tong and the coalition today filed a lawsuit seeking to stop the targeted destruction of this critical federal agency that ensures tens of millions of students receive a quality education and critical resources.
“Do not play politics with our kids’ education. Donald Trump, his unelected billionaire wrecking ball Elon Musk, and their enabler Linda McMahon want to destroy the Department of Education, and they do not care what harm this inflicts on our kids and teachers. This is not a meme or an empty threat—these are thousands of jobs on the line and core support systems for our schools across Connecticut and the country. Congress did not authorize this, and American families do not want this. We are suing today and will seek an immediate court order to block this lawless attack on kids and schools,” said Attorney General Tong.
The ED’s programs serve nearly 18,200 school districts and over 50 million K-12 students attending roughly 98,000 public schools and 32,000 private schools throughout the country. Its higher education programs provide services and support to more than 12 million postsecondary students annually. Students with disabilities and students from low-income families are some of the primary beneficiaries of ED services and funding. Federal ED funds for special education include support for assistive technology for students with disabilities, teacher salaries and benefits, transportation to help children receive the services and programming they need, physical therapy and speech therapy services, and social workers to help manage students’ educational experience. The ED also supports students in rural communities by offering programs designed to help rural school districts that often lack the personnel and resources needed to compete for competitive grants.
As Attorney General Tong and the coalition assert in the lawsuit, dismantling ED will have devastating effects for states like Connecticut. The administration’s lay-off is so massive that ED will be incapacitated and unable to perform essential functions. As the lawsuit asserts, the administration’s actions will deprive students with special needs of critical resources and support. They will gut ED’s Office of Civil Rights, which protects students from discrimination and sexual assault. They would additionally hamstring the processing of financial aid, raising costs for college and university students who will have a harder time accessing loans, Pell Grants, and work study programs.
With this lawsuit, Attorney General Tong and the coalition are seeking a court order to stop the administration’s policies to dismantle ED by drastically cutting its workforce and programs. Attorney General Tong and the coalition argue that the administration’s actions to dismantle ED are illegal and unconstitutional. The Department is an executive agency authorized by Congress, with numerous different laws creating its various programs and funding streams. The coalition’s lawsuit asserts that the Executive Branch does not have the legal authority to unilaterally incapacitate or dismantle it without an act of Congress.
Joining Attorney General Tong in filing the lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington, Wisconsin, Vermont, and the District of Columbia.
(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.
