SENATE DEMOCRATS ANNOUNCE COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS
Today, Senate President Martin Looney and Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff released Committee Assignments for Senate Chairs and Vice Chairs for the 2025-2026 General Assembly term.
CHANGES IN THE HOUSE
In the last few weeks, House Democrats have made some Committee Appointment announcements with new leaders and new special committees. Speaker Ritter and Majority Leader Rojas have shared that a new Select Committee on Special Education, Chaired by Rep Maryam Khan and a new Government Oversight Committee will be chaired by Rep Lucy Dathan.
It was shard that the Select Committee on Special Education will be created to address the volatile and often unpredictable costs of local special education, often borne by municipalities. The exact cognizance and name of the new Government Oversight Committee, that will go hand and hand with Government and Elections Committee (GAE), will be decided during negotiations of the joint rules for the 2025 legislative session. It was announced that this new committee will be Chaired by Rep Lucy Dathan.
Committee Announcements with New Leadership:
Children’s Committee Chair Rep Corey Paris
Education Committee Chair Rep Jenn Leeper
Environment Committee Chair Rep John-Michael Parker
General Law Committee Chair Rep Roland Lemar
Internship Chair & Chair of Early Childhood Care and Education Fund Rep Kate Farrar
Regulation Review Rep Mary Welander
Transportation Committee Chair Rep Aimee Berger-Girvalo
Veterans Committee Chair Rep Jaime Foster
Committee Announcements with Leadership that Remain the Same:
Aging Committee Chair Rep Jane Garibay
Appropriations Committee Chair Rep Toni Walker
Banking Committee Chair Rep Jason Doucette
Commerce Committee Chair Rep Stephen Meskers
Finance Committee Chair Rep Maria Horn
General Bonding Subcommittee of Finance Committee Chair Rep Ron Napoli Jr.
Government Administration and Elections Committee Chair Rep Matt Blumenthal
House Committee Chair Rep Antonio Felipe
Judiciary Committee Chair Rep Steve Stafstrom
Planning and Development Committee Chair Rep Elani Kavros-DeGraw
Public Health Committee Chair Rep Cristin McCarthy-Vahey
Public Safety Committee Chair Rep Pat Boyd
CT FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT FY 25 – FY 28
Connecticut’s Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA) published a Fiscal Accountably Report for fiscal year 2025 through fiscal year 2028. On Monday, December 9th, the Appropriations and Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee will hold a joint meeting to receive presentations from OFA and OPM on the fiscal reporting. We have summarized the OFA report below for your review and will continue to monitor the report as it is presented next week.
OFA’s report reflects that the state's finances are looking steady but with challenges ahead. For the current fiscal year, FY 25, there’s a surplus of $122.7 million, which is smaller than originally expected, reportedly due to higher-than-expected Medicaid costs. On the upside, the state is collecting more revenue than planned in areas like income taxes and federal grants.
Looking forward, the state expects growing surpluses over the next few years, with $1.29 billion projected by FY 28. This is reportedly due to income that is expected to grow faster than fixed costs like pensions and debt payments. In addition, the state’s rainy-day fund, which is at its legal cap, is being used to pay down retirement system debt at more than $1.2 billion per year. Which, in the long run, is a big step toward long-term savings.
OFA Report Budget Highlights:
- $122.7M Surplus projected for FY 25—down $175.2M due to Medicaid cost overruns ($225M).
- Positive Future Outlook: Surpluses projected for FY 26–FY 28, reaching $1.29B in FY 28 thanks to revenue growth outpacing fixed costs.
- Debt Reduction: Budget Reserve Fund (BRF) hits its cap; $1.2B+ annually dedicated to paying down retirement system debt.
- Special Transportation Fund: FY 25 surplus of $129.5M, but a deficit of $44.6M expected by FY 28.
View OFA Report Here
GENERAL FUND UPDATE
State Comptroller Sean Scanlon, in his monthly financial and economic update, projects a Fiscal Year 2025 General Fund surplus of $190.3 million and a Special Transportation Fund surplus of $149 million, both in general agreement with the Office of Policy and Management’s projections. Last month’s consensus revenues forecast demonstrated continued strength in Connecticut’s fiscal health. Within the overall projected increase, the pass-thru entity tax, personal income tax, and federal grants were revised upwards. In his monthly analysis issued to Governor Ned Lamont, Comptroller Scanlon also noted that the housing affordability continues to be a challenge.
View Comptroller Scanlon’s Monthly Update Here
FORMER CT GOVERNOR JODI RELL REMEMBERED AT STATE CAPITOL
Former Connecticut State Governor Jodi Rell, who took over the office to become the second female governor in state history, has passed away at the age of 78 following a brief illness. Rell served from 2004 to 2011. She previously served as a state representative and then as lieutenant governor from 1995 to 2004.
BREAKING NEWS
Governor Lamont announced that the ongoing trend of decreasing rates in workers’ compensation insurance will result in Connecticut businesses receiving a 6% rate decrease beginning January 1, 2025. The Connecticut Insurance Department has approved an annual workers’ compensation rate filing for 2025 with a decrease of 6.1% to the voluntary market loss costs and a decrease of 6.2% in assigned risk plan rates. The trend reflects a continued decline in workplace injuries and filed claims.
Governor Lamont is installing Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves as next Chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee. Alves will succeed Nancy DiNardo, who had been expected to step down when her term expires in January. The choice of state chair is technically up to a vote of the Democratic State Central Committee, but the committee typically defers to the choice of a governor when Democrats hold the office.
SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING EVENTS
View Full CGA Calendar Here