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Attorney General Tong Wins Lawsuit Over H-1B Visa Fee

ATTORNEY GENERAL WINS LAWSUIT CHALLENGING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S UNLAWFUL $100K TAX FOR H-1B VISAS (Hartford, CT) — Attorney General William Tong today released the following statement regarding a final ruling from the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts finding unlawful and vacating the Trump Administration’s policy imposing a $100,000 tax payment on new H-1B visa petitions. H-1B visas allow U.S. employers to hire highly skilled foreign national workers in roles that require specialized skills, including as teachers, physicians, researchers, nurses, and other vital workers, to alleviate nationwide labor shortages. The tax created a costly barrier for employers, weakened the economy, and disrupted essential services, especially for public sector and government employers trying to fill these positions. Attorney General Tong joined a multistate…

State News

GOVERNOR LAMONT SIGNS LEGISLATION STRENGTHENING THE ABILITY TO PROSECUTE HATE CRIMES

Jun 13, 2026 Alex

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed legislation into law that will improve the ability of police and prosecutors to charge criminals with hate crimes and seek their associated enhanced penalties. “Connecticut proudly led the nation in the adoption of hate crimes laws, but after three decades of expanded statutes, we needed to streamline our laws in order for them to be effective for police and prosecutors,” Governor Lamont said. “Our decision to consolidate our existing hate crime statutes into one law reflects feedback we received many criminal justice and legal experts. Hate crimes are on the rise nationwide, and many communities feel that the federal government is emboldening hate speech and discrimination against them.…

State News

GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL 97,000 CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS TO HAVE MEDICAL DEBT ERASED

Jun 2, 2026 Alex

Letters Being Mailed This Week Under Fourth Round of the Lamont Administration’s Medical Debt Erasure Initiative (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that more than 97,000 Connecticut residents can anticipate receiving letters in the mail starting the week of June 1, 2026, informing them that some or all of their medical debt has been erased under an initiative the Lamont administration launched in partnership with the national nonprofit organization Undue Medical Debt to give relief to qualifying residents who are having difficulties paying outstanding medical bills. This fourth round of the initiative is eliminating nearly $315 million in medical debt. In total, more than 252,000 Connecticut residents who’ve been struggling with medical bills have had more than $513 million in medical debt…

State News

GOVERNOR LAMONT SIGNS FY 2027 STATE BUDGET, DELIVERING A RELIABLE PATH FORWARD FOR SCHOOLS AND MUNICIPALITIES AND INCREASING AFFORDABILITY INITIATIVES

May 31, 2026 Alex

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed into law the fiscal year 2027 budget adjustment bill (Public Act 26-68), which his administration developed in collaboration with legislative leaders and was overwhelmingly approved on a bipartisan basis by the members of the Connecticut General Assembly. Most notably, the budget includes an historic increase in state funding for every school district and municipality statewide with the goal of helping towns and cities deliver essential services, while also working to stabilize and lower property taxes. It also includes a major investment into the state’s Early Childhood Education Endowment to continue Governor Lamont’s landmark expansion of early childhood education programs, continuing the state on the path forward toward providing…

State News

ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG WARNS AGAINST JOB RECRUITER SCAMS

May 29, 2026 Alex

(Hartford, CT)- Attorney General William Tong today urged Connecticut job seekers to remain vigilant against elaborate job recruitment scams. Cybercriminals are impersonating recruiters from legitimate companies to steal money, personal information, and other sensitive information from job seekers. These scams often appear on popular job search websites, like Indeed and LinkedIn, and on social media. The criminals may identify and target job seekers who have recently posted about the job search, layoffs, or displayed an “open to work” banner on their profiles. “As graduates begin searching for jobs and launching their careers, scammers are preying on that excitement and luring victims into handing over money and personal information. A legitimate recruiter or employer will never require payment for a job…

State News

BLUMENTHAL, DELUZIO, & BOYLE INTRODUCE BILL RESTORING LEGAL PROTECTIONS FOR AMTRAK PASSENGERS

May 25, 2026 Alex

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representatives Chris Deluzio (D-PA) and Brendan F. Boyle (D-PA) introduced the Ending Passenger Rail Forced Arbitration Act, legislation providing Amtrak passengers a pathway to seek justice after incidents of negligence or misconduct. In 2019, Amtrak quietly implemented a broad arbitration agreement and class action waiver policy that include personal injury claims, such as gross negligence and wrongful death, as well as claims of discrimination. The policy’s forced arbitration provision requires Amtrak passengers to forfeit their right to sue Amtrak in a U.S. court for any reason with the purchase of an Amtrak ticket. The Ending Passenger Rail Forced Arbitration Act prohibits Amtrak from continuing to impose its forced arbitration and class action waiver policy…

State News

Attorney General Tong Says Office Will Scrutinize Eversource Rate Hike Request

May 25, 2026 Alex

ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STATEMENT REGARDING EVERSOURCE RATE HIKE (Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong released the following statement regarding news that Eversource intends to file for a double-digit rate hike this summer. “Connecticut families are getting crushed by unaffordable energy costs while Eversource executives crow to Wall Street over surging profits and rake in multimillion dollar bonuses. But they choose now to demand hundreds of millions of dollars more. Why? Because after years of litigation and lobbying, they finally ran their chief regulator out of town. They want a rate hike now not because they need one, but because they think they can get away with it. We’re going to scrutinize every profit, every bonus, every perk and every…

State News

Sen. Tony Hwang Named Legislator of the Year by Connecticut Library Association

May 23, 2026 Alex

Sen. Hwang Named “Legislator of the Year” by Statewide CT Library Association REDDING – State Sen. Tony Hwang (R-28) was recently honored as “Legislator of the Year” by the Connecticut Library Association, the representative body for Connecticut libraries, during a recognition event at the Mark Twain Library in West Redding, recognizing his bipartisan leadership supporting libraries, freedom to read, digital access, and public education across Connecticut. The association specifically recognized Sen. Hwang’s role in drafting and advancing landmark bipartisan legislation in 2025 that protected Connecticut libraries from restrictive and costly e-book licensing practices, helping expand digital access for residents while easing financial pressure on local communities and taxpayers. Sen. Hwang offered remarks at the event and emphasized the important role…

State News

Attorney General Tong Challenges Federal Rule Limiting Student Loans for Professional Degrees

May 22, 2026 Alex

ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SUES U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OVER STUDENT LOAN RULE LIMITING ACCESS TO STUDENT LOANS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEGREE PROGRAMS Coalition challenges unlawful rule that could restrict access to advanced education and worsen workforce shortages (Hartford, CT) — Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education over a new rule that unlawfully limits access to federal student loans for students pursuing professional degree programs, including many healthcare and other critical workforce fields. The lawsuit challenges a recently finalized Department of Education rule that narrows the federal definition of “professional degree” and imposes restrictions Congress did not authorize. The coalition argues the rule unlawfully excludes many degree programs…

State News

Attorney General Tong Announces Court Ruling Against Federal Tariffs

May 9, 2026 Alex

ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG WINS LAWSUIT AGAINST TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S ILLEGAL TARIFFS Court of International Trade Invalidates Tariffs that are Increasing Prices and Inflicting Chaos on the American Economy Following Lawsuit Filed by 24 States (Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong yesterday secured an order invalidating President Trump’s latest efforts to impose illegal tariffs on products purchased by American consumers and businesses. A federal court granted summary judgment in the lawsuit filed March 5 by 24 states, including Connecticut. “We just beat Donald Trump for the second time in the Court of International Trade to stop his illegal tariffs from inflicting needless chaos and costs on American families. We sued to block his first round of lawless tariffs and won 6-3…

Attorney General Tong Wins Lawsuit Over H-1B Visa Fee

GOVERNOR LAMONT SIGNS LEGISLATION STRENGTHENING THE ABILITY TO PROSECUTE HATE CRIMES

GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL 97,000 CONNECTICUT RESIDENTS TO HAVE MEDICAL DEBT ERASED

GOVERNOR LAMONT SIGNS FY 2027 STATE BUDGET, DELIVERING A RELIABLE PATH FORWARD FOR SCHOOLS AND MUNICIPALITIES AND INCREASING AFFORDABILITY INITIATIVES

ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG WARNS AGAINST JOB RECRUITER SCAMS

BLUMENTHAL, DELUZIO, & BOYLE INTRODUCE BILL RESTORING LEGAL PROTECTIONS FOR AMTRAK PASSENGERS

Attorney General Tong Says Office Will Scrutinize Eversource Rate Hike Request

Sen. Tony Hwang Named Legislator of the Year by Connecticut Library Association

Attorney General Tong Challenges Federal Rule Limiting Student Loans for Professional Degrees

Attorney General Tong Announces Court Ruling Against Federal Tariffs

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