Prior to today’s public hearing in the State’s Children Committee, Committee Co-Chairs Rep. Corey Paris (D-Stamford) and Sen. Ceci Maher (D-Darien) held a press conference advocating for a wide swath of bills they hope to pass this session.
Gov. Lamont has made the accessibility and affordability of childcare one of the top priorities of this year’s budget, and the bills presented by the co-chairs would not only codify the childcare proposals laid out by Lamont, but would greatly expand upon them. Some of the largest additional initiatives addressed by the bills would be raising salaries for early educators, creating a state early education portal, and universal free lunches for students.
“We are committed to ensuring every child, no matter their background, zip code, or family situation, has access to care, education and opportunities that they need to thrive in this state,” said Paris.
Paris listed off a spate of bills that have come before the committee; HB 7043, which calls for the DCF commissioner to submit a report on the feasibility of raising reimbursement rates for foster families, HB 7044, which would create a state portal to assist parents in the procurement of early care and education programs and HB 6899, which would raise the salaries of state employed early educators.
Paris went on to highlight three other bills, HB 5003, SB 6 and SB1369, which he said would “fundamentally reshape how Connecticut supports child care, access, and affordability, and would complement the proposal which Governor Lamont made during his budget address this year.”
Lastly, Paris highlighted bills HB 6841 and HB 6903, which would establish pilot programs for universal basic income and the dissemination of child care and financial assistance information to expecting parents, respectively. Paris said that the goal of these two bills would be “tackling the systemic barriers that keep families in poverty.”
Maher followed suit, citing HB 6951, a bill that would create a study looking into behavioral health access for children and would provide $8.6 million to DCF for its mobile crisis intervention services. She also emphasized SB 1217, which would mandate school meals be provided to all students.
“It is unacceptable that in 2025, children in our state are still going to school hungry,” said Maher. “The bill isn’t just about feeding children, it’s about ensuring that every student reaches their full potential.”
Maher finished off the lawmakers’ presentation by highlighting SB 1216, which would allow schools to spend school security grant funding on emergency communications systems, and SB 1271, which would create a working group that would create policy regarding the materials available to students at libraries.
“We are not just passing bills, we are shaping children and Connecticut’s future,” said Maher. “We are building a Connecticut where every child can access mental health care, nutritious meals, and safe, enriching learning environments.”
As it stands currently, the majority of bills listed still have a long way to go, either having only been raised or drafted. Only two bills have passed the committee thus far, those being SB 1216, which is now before the Office of Legislative Research and Fiscal Analysis, and HB 6899, which has since passed the House Education Committee and is now before the Senate Education Committee.
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