ALICE Advocate - June 9, 2025 Edition | United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut

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The 2025 Legislative Session Is a Wrap — And You Made It Count

The 2025 state legislative session came to a close on June 4th, and we’re proud of what we accomplished together. Thank you to everyone who raised their voice, showed up, and fought for meaningful change. This year, we advanced policies that expand economic opportunity, improve access to essential services, and meet basic needs head-on. Through powerful partnerships with coalitions, nonprofits, community leaders, and decisionmakers, we worked to uplift our most vulnerable neighbors and move us closer to a Connecticut where everyone is healthy, safe, and economically secure.

This session, we showed up—and it made a difference.

Engaged 100% of our state delegation across our 27-town region and the Governor through emails, calls, 1:1 meetings, letters, events, and face-to-face advocacy at the Capitol.
Submitted testimony on 25 key bills that reflect the priorities of our communities.
Dedicated 167 hours—that’s over 4.5 weeks—to hands-on lobbying: mobilizing community members, meeting with lawmakers, calls to action, and turning out strong for advocacy days at the Capitol.
Strategically leveraged advocacy coalitions to amplify local voices and advance policies supporting the Child Tax Credit, Early Childhood Education, Food Security, and Opportunity Youth.

2025 Legislative Session Highlights

Transformative Investments in Early Care & Education

Up to $300M ECE Endowment: 16,000 free/reduced-cost preschool and toddler care slots by 2030
Affordable Tuition: Free child care for families earning < $100K; 7% cost cap for those above
Workforce Support: Health insurance subsidies, salary boosts toward parity with public school teachers, and a $500 tax credit for home-based providers
Facilities Funding: $80M over 7 years for child care and early education facility construction and improvements
New ECE Fund: Supports child care portal upgrades, Care 4 Kids improvements, and higher home-based class size limits

Progress on Tax Relief for Families

The final state budget includes a $250 increase to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for many low-income families with children. Yet, 355,000 families earn too much to qualify for the EITC but are still struggling to make ends meet.

K–12 and Special Education Reform

$40M to fully fund Education Cost Sharing (ECS) grants for the first time
Hold Harmless ECS Funding: No district sees cuts
$30M SEED Grants: Support for special education
$20M in bonding to expand/upgrade special ed facilities
$10M in bonding for capital development
$10M for Governor’s Incentive District Grant to reduce outplacements through local special ed expansion
School Meals: Starting this coming school year, students who qualify for reduced-price meals will no longer receive free school meals — a change that will affect over 58,000 students. Combined with the decision not to expand the School Breakfast Program, this policy places added strain on ALICE families already struggling with the high cost of living and school districts.

Looking Ahead

While the Child Tax Credit and no cost school meals for all didn’t pass this session, we saw major wins in early care and education — a testament to persistent advocacy. A fully refundable Child Tax Credit is urgently needed — and we came closer than ever to passing it. With bipartisan support and growing momentum, this solution is impossible to ignore — and we’re not backing down.

Change takes time. The systems that hold families back weren’t built overnight, and neither are the solutions. We’ll keep fighting for relief for hardworking families — today, tomorrow, and until the system works for everyone.

This summer, we’ll continue to engage — strengthening relationships with decisionmakers, amplifying community-driven solutions, and working in partnership with advocates, nonprofits, community leaders, and lawmakers to build on this session’s progress and ensure successful implementation and ongoing improvement.

Due to rapid federal changes, the legislature will likely hold a special session this summer/fall, ahead of the 2026 short session. Stay tuned for more information coming soon.

UPCOMING EVENTS

CT Council for Philanthropy

June 10th, 10:00 - 11:15 am - Virtual
2025 State Budget & Legislative Session: Critical Takeaways for Connecticut Funder
Join the Council for an exclusive briefing on Connecticut's pivotal 2025 legislative session. This year's budget negotiations are especially consequential as state leaders craft a two-year spending plan amid significant fiscal challenges, including the sunset of American Rescue Plan Act funding and proposed federal cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, block grants, and more.📝 Register HERE.

CT Mirror’s 2025 Legislative Session Recap

June 11th, 7:00 - 8:00 pm - Zoom
CT Mirror Capitol Bureau Chief Mark Pazniokas sits down with host John Dankosky to review the Connecticut General Assembly’s 2025 legislative session and answer your questions. Free admission, registration required. 📝 Register to attend via Zoom

In The Room with Representative Rosa DeLauro

June 18th, 6:00 - 7:00 pm, CitySeed, 162 James St, New Haven or Zoom
Sit with Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro to discuss current community and state priorities, impactful initiatives and pressing issues. This is an in-person event which will also be live-streamed. Free admission, registration required. 📝 Register Here.

End Child Poverty Now Legislative Forum

June 18th, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm, Waterford Public Library, 49 Rope Ferry Road, Waterford
Hear from legislators and advocates on key wins, ongoing challenges, and solutions to address income inequality, health care access, housing, education, child care, and more. Speakers include Senators Osten and Marx, Representatives Carney, Nolan and Gauthier, CT Voices for Children and CTECA. Moderated by UWCT. 📝 Register by June 13th.

Save the Date: UWCT Legislative Session Debrief

Scheduled for June 20th at 12:00 pm

CT Voice for Children Fully Funded Communities

June 26th, 6:00 - 8:00 pm, Boys and Girls Club, Stamford
Join CT Voice for Children, UWCWC, SC2C, All Our Kin and others to understand how the State can fully fund our communities. CT Voices will share their research on how the fiscal controls limit the State's ability to invest in children, families, and communities, and what we can do about it. Food, child care, and translation will be provided. 📝 RSVP Today.