Connecticut News & Current Events

Connecticut lawmakers have until June 4 to pass a budget bill. (Yurii Kibalnik/Adobe Stock)

CT lawmakers push child tax credit forward

With the end of the state legislative session in sight, Connecticut lawmakers are moving closer to establishing a permanent child tax credit…

The American Immigration Council estimates 305,300 Connecticut immigrants are legally eligible to vote. (Adobe Stock)

CT coalition supports ‘Right to Vote’ legislation

Community groups are coming together to expand voting rights to all Connecticut residents. The Connecticut Right to Vote Campaign says it aims to …

Transportation is the most common expense Connecticut family caregivers incur, with 88% noting it has happened to them. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT supports tax credit for unpaid family caregivers

New research found most Connecticut residents support creating a family caregiver tax credit. The state has 420,000 family caregivers, providing a …

ALICE data from the United Way found between 2019-2022, the median hourly wage for teaching assistants in Connecticut was $23.38. (Adobe Stock)

CT paraeducators organize to get a living wage

Connecticut union organizers are working to get pension plans for paraeducators. In recent years, they have won a flurry of benefits from organizing …

A KFF Health survey finds most Democrats trust key health agencies, while Republicans are more trusting of President Donald Trump and new HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (Adobe Stock)

President’s health communication 'pause' affects CT, US

By Dawn Attride for Sentient Climate.Broadcast version by Edwin J. Viera for Connecticut News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service …

A 2024 Connecticut Education Association survey finds 40% of Connecticut teachers have second jobs to cover their cost of living and save money. (Adobe Stock)

Critics: CT Gov’s budget continues historic education underfunding

Connecticut education advocates feel Gov. Ned Lamont's 2026-2027 budget proposal continues a history of underfunding education. While the new …

A Sierra Club report found moving to offshore wind instead of building up natural gas can reduce 42% (14 million short tons) of annual CO2 emissions from New England's power sector. (Adobe Stock)

CT groups rally against gas pipeline expansion

Connecticut groups are rallying today against a natural gas pipeline expansion. Project Maple would extend Enbridge's natural-gas pipeline …

A Lumina Foundation report noted undergraduate and graduate degree attainment for minorities living in Connecticut has slowly grown between 2009 and 2023. However, the increases started occurring around 2019. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT ranks high for degree attainment but lacks opportunity for all

A new report found Connecticut ranks high for undergraduate and graduate degree attainment. The Lumina Foundation's Stronger Nation report noted the …

Connecticut's population of 1.5 million DACA recipients could be in danger of deportation because of executive orders and immigration policies by President Donald Trump. (Adobe Stock)

CT immigrant students fear effects of mass deportations

Undocumented immigrant students in Connecticut are scared by President Donald Trump's mass deportation policies. Reports of Immigration and Customs …

A University of Connecticut study found a growing concentration of certain neonicotinoid pesticides along the state's coast, suggesting potential accumulation and transport of the insecticides. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Harmful pesticides found in CT rivers, groundwater

A new report showed a growing problem of harmful pesticides in Connecticut waterways. The University of Connecticut study analyzed 20 years of data…

More than 20 groups have signed a letter to Connecticut's General Assembly calling on lawmakers to strengthen the state's immigration law, the Trust Act. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: Lawmakers must strengthen CT immigration law

A coalition of Connecticut advocates wants lawmakers to strengthen the state's immigration law. Lawmakers have discussed bolstering the Trust Act …

A 2022 report from the mental health advocacy organization Inseparable found one school psychologist for every 548 students, one school social worker for every 580 students and one school counselor for every 457 students. In the years since, this has only grown because of a workforce shortage. (Adobe Stock)

CT school services aid kids' mental health despite staff shortages

Connecticut schools are helping kids address mental health issues. Some experts feel they are a frontline system in the ongoing crisis and help link …

Forty states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington, D.C. have passed regulations on artificial intelligence. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT must consider legislation regulating AI

A new report examines how Connecticut should regulate artificial intelligence. The Connecticut Voices for Children report finds AI use is embedded in …

Connecticut's 2021 LGBTQ+ Needs Assessment finds 93% of respondents accessed healthcare services before and during the pandemic. However, 16% reported being refused care because of their LGBTQ+ identity. (Adobe Stock)

CT lawmakers urged to focus on LGBTQ+ legislation

Advocates for the LGBTQ+ community want Connecticut lawmakers to consider bills that would help address a variety of this community's needs. They …

The Energy Information Administration reported natural gas is Connecticut's largest energy source, with nuclear energy running second. (Adobe Stock)

CT urged to increase renewable energy to cut ratepayer costs

Connecticut environmental groups are dissatisfied with Gov. Ned Lamont's energy strategy for the state. In his State of the State address, the …

The Social Security Fairness Act will benefit 3 million people nationwide but the Congressional Budget Office finds it could add around $195 billion to the federal deficit over a decade. (Adobe Stock)

CT educators celebrate Social Security Fairness Act's passage

Connecticut educators and other public sector workers are celebrating passage of the Social Security Fairness Act. The new federal law repealed two …

The latest ALICE update found a family with two adults and two kids in Connecticut must have an income of $114,000 per year just to afford the basics, not including emergency expenses. (Adobe Stock)

AARP Connecticut looks to 2025 legislative session to help residents

With 2025 almost here, Connecticut organizations are preparing for the next legislative session. The 2025 session will not be as short as the one in …

Education Data reported there are 507,200 student loan borrowers in Connecticut, with an average debt amount of $36,672. (Adobe Stock)

CT Student Loan Reimbursement Program begins Jan. 1

Connecticut is launching its Student Loan Reimbursement Program Jan. 1. The program was created through legislation passed by the state's General …

A Connecticut Voices for Children report found the state's local and state revenue level as a percent of state personal income is less than the national average. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT budget controls too restrictive, changes needed

A new report found Connecticut's fiscal controls on the state budget restrict long-term growth. The controls were introduced during the 2018 budget …

A report from the Child Health and Development Institute found 74% of kids were discharged after completing treatment through Connecticut's Mobile Crisis Intervention Services. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT mobile crisis services aids child mental health system

A new report found Connecticut's Mobile Crisis Intervention Services are improving. The Child Health and Development Institute report showed more …

Some Connecticut justice organizations want the state to raise the age of arrest from 10 to 14, and get young people out of adult facilities. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: CT, U.S. need to enact legal system reforms in 2025

Advocates feel Connecticut and the nation can enact legal system reforms in 2025, ranging from ways to more humanely treat incarcerated people to …

From 2008 to 2022, Connecticut received $337 million from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT spends RGGI funds on renewable energy

A new report showed how states such as Connecticut are allocating Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative funds. The report from the nonprofit Acadia …

About 30% of agricultural methane emissions stem from manure storage. The other 70% comes from the digestive systems of livestock. (Adobe Stock)

CT, US take steps to mitigate methane emissions

By Seth Millstein for Sentient Climate.Broadcast version by Edwin J. Viera for Connecticut News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News …

An Equable Institute report finds Connecticut school districts with smaller pension obligations are likely to have a high percentage of their workforce paid lower salaries at or below $60,000. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT teacher pension financing creates inequity

A new report shows Connecticut's teacher pension financing reinforces inequity. The Equable Institute's report finds Pupil Pension Subsidies are …

A Sierra Club report found offshore wind can save New Englanders $630,000,000 annually. (Adobe Stock)

Researchers studying CT’s offshore wind possibilities

Connecticut is the subject of an offshore wind study which aims to identify supply chain opportunities for the state and the Northeast region…

One of AARP Connecticut's Livable Communities Grants will help build a new parking lot at the flat portion of the Air Line Hiking Trail. It will make a more accessible entrance for hikers of all abilities including the Senior Hiking Club. (Adobe Stock)

AARP awards grants for ‘Livable Community’ projects

AARP Connecticut is awarding funds to seven groups through its Livable Community Grants program. Some projects awarded funding include the new …

A child's public education costs $19,000 annually in Connecticut, but it can cost $274,000 to imprison a child. (Adobe Stock)

Youth justice reforms a top 2025 priority for Connecticut group

As it advocates for changes to the youth justice system in 2025, a Connecticut group says the state needs to do more to examine and address the root …

In Connecticut, 818,000 electric vehicles are registered per 100,000 people. Nationally, between 2020 and 2023, EV sales grew from 300,000 to 1.6 million. (Adobe Stock)

Misconceptions keep CT drivers from getting EVs

Misinformation about electric vehicles is keeping more of them from being on Connecticut roads. Owners of the state's more than 31,000 registered …

There were 938 attempts to censor books across the United States in 2023. Of the 9,021 titles challenged, the most targeted book was

CT, U.S. librarians worried about Project 2025’s implementation

Librarians in Connecticut and nationwide are worried about the ramifications of Donald Trump's second term as president. Some are concerned elements …

Passing an amendment on no-excuse absentee voting makes Connecticut the 28th state to enact it. (Adobe Stock)

CT voters pass no-excuse absentee voting amendment

Connecticut voters approved an amendment enshrining no-excuse absentee voting in the state's constitution. Passing by a little more than 57% of the …

A new survey found 64% of Americans believe an AI deepfake robocall could be convincing enough to affect the outcome of the 2024 election. (Adobe Stock)

CT residents should beware of election-related scams

With the election one day away, people in Connecticut should beware of scammers using the election to steal their personal information. Some …

A poll from the National Alliance to End Homelessness showed a candidate's stance on homelessness could be a defining factor when people decide who to vote for. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: Homelessness is important issue for CT, US voters

A new poll shows homelessness is an important issue to voters in Connecticut and nationwide. The National Alliance to End Homelessness' latest poll …

A Connecticut Education Association survey found as unhappy as teachers are with the Bridgeport superintendent's work, 92% are fearful of retaliation if they speak out. (Adobe Stock)

Survey: Bridgeport teachers dissatisfied with superintendent’s work

A new survey found Bridgeport teachers lack confidence in the district's superintendent. The Connecticut Education Association's survey comes amid …

Out-of-pocket medical expenses were the largest contributor to poverty in Connecticut in 2022. It kept 81,700 of the state's residents in poverty. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT poverty, child poverty rising from various factors

A new report re-examines how to measure Connecticut's poverty rates. Some findings show Supplemental Poverty Measure-based rates rose more than 12% …

More than a quarter of working-age households in 2022 couldn't afford basic needs such as health care. But this is worse than in 2019, since wages didn't keep up with rising costs. (Adobe Stock)

CT residents must carefully consider health-care plan needs

With Medicare's open-enrollment ongoing, Connecticut experts are advising people on what to look for in an insurance plan. The state's rising cost of …

A total of 8,873 people voted early during Connecticut's first primary election where people could take part in early in-person voting. (Adobe Stock)

AARP CT educates voters for November election

As early voting begins today, AARP Connecticut is educating voters about this year's election. This is the first election the state has had early …

New report offers solutions for CT's 'disconnected' youth

A new report offers some solutions for at least 119,000 young people in Connecticut who are described as being "disconnected" from work or school…

If a person filed their 2021 taxes but did not claim any enhanced tax benefits, their tax return can be amended to claim those benefits. (Adobe Stock)

CT groups help people get unclaimed COVID-era relief money

Several Connecticut groups are partnering to help people claim COVID relief money. The Get Your Refund Campaign aims to help more than 45,000 …

The Iroquois Pipeline expansion proposal could multiply the pressure on a three-decades-old pipeline if approved. (Adobe Stock)

Study: CT residents to face effects of compressor station expansion

A recent study from the Sierra Club found people in Brookfield, Connecticut, could face severe effects from a proposed compressor station expansion…

In 2022, 563,512 or 39% of Connecticut's 1.4 million households were below the ALICE threshold. (Adobe Stock)

New data show CT families struggle to afford the basics

New data show many Connecticut residents can't afford daily life. This year's ALICE update shows the number of asset-limited, income-constrained …

Although Connecticut has a low prevalence of mental illness among its residents, Mental Health America gives it a poor ranking for access to care. (Adobe Stock)

CT garners funding to address mental health equity

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., is introducing federal legislation to boost mental health equity. The Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act …

The Center for Research on Disability reported of the 444,000 people with disabilities in Connecticut, only 114,000 (25%) of them were employed. (Adobe Stock)

CT disability rights advocates worry about employment barriers

Connecticut disability rights advocates are concerned about state and federal barriers to employment. At the state level, Medicaid is the only …

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., introduced legislation in 2019 to address the management and conservation of forage fish. Although the bill has been reintroduced in every session since, it has yet to pass either chamber of Congress. (Adobe Stock)

CT seeing sharp drop in forage fish population

Connecticut's forage fish population is disappearing. The newest Atlantic herring stock assessment showed aside from overfishing, the species is not …

If Project Maple goes forward, it will be in operation by November 2029. (Adobe Stock)

CT groups urge Gov. Lamont to reject fracked gas pipeline

Connecticut environmental groups want Gov. Ned Lamont to reject a fracked gas pipeline expansion. Their concerns revolve around Enbridge's Project …

Connecticut ranks in the top ten states for access to care in Mental Health America's 2024 State of Mental Health Report. (Adobe Stock)

Report: CT, US college student mental health improves

A new Healthy Minds Study finds college students' mental health in Connecticut and nationwide is improving. In the last ten years, there have been …

Reports show states across New England have to upgrade distribution systems to accommodate a peak load in 2050, which will be double what New England historically experienced. (Adobe Stock)

CT governor pauses involvement in multistate offshore wind deal

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont is pausing the state's involvement in a multistate offshore wind development deal. Lamont cites the projects' potential …

A 2023 PEN America report finds Florida leads states for the number of books banned in prisons, at 22,825 different titles. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Tablets in CT, U.S. prisons don’t fill the void of books

A new report finds using computer tablets in prisons in Connecticut and nationwide isn't filling the void of books. The Prison Policy Initiative …

Connecticut data show men earn more than females regardless of whether they go to college, a gap widening over time. (Adobe Stock)

U.S. gender wage gap grows for the first time in a decade

New research shows the gender wage gap widened for the first time in two decades. The Census Bureau found full-time working women make 82.7 cents …

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