Connecticut

Governor Lamont highlighted Connecticut's top-ranked school system while announcing a Blue Ribbon Commission on K-12 Education to update the funding formula, build on special education reforms, and find efficiencies across 207 school districts. He proposed free school breakfasts for all students and called for a bell-to-bell phone ban in all schools, plus working with neighboring states to restrict children under 18 from accessing dangerous apps without parental permission.

Governor Lamont highlighted that Connecticut backstopped federal ACA subsidy cuts and maintained more insured citizens than the rest of the country. He proposed the 'Connecticut Option' to encourage state employees and small businesses to use high-value hospitals, offering healthcare with no co-pays or deductibles. He also emphasized accelerating healthcare cost control, noting savings of $15 million in year one just by switching one brand-name drug to its generic version.

Governor Lamont reported Connecticut has the fourth-highest economic growth in the country, with more new business startups and lower unemployment than most of the nation. He highlighted the minimum wage rising from about $10 to nearly $17 per hour during his time in office and proposed energy rebates of about $400 per family. He emphasized that six companies moved from Massachusetts to Connecticut in the past year, bringing 500 jobs.

Governor Lamont discussed energy infrastructure extensively, noting the state's overreliance on natural gas and efforts to diversify with Québec Hydro and Revolution Wind. He highlighted the Millstone nuclear contract returning over $100 million to ratepayers and emphasized the Naugatuck Valley as a poster child for transit-oriented development with more housing alongside more frequent rail service and new train stations.

Governor Lamont praised Connecticut State Police and municipal police, noting the state is one of the safest in the nation. He sharply criticized ICE operations, stating agents are 'barely trained at all' and that violence follows them. He declared Connecticut is 'keeping Connecticut safe without you' regarding ICE and committed to protecting schools and courthouses from civil immigration raids without judicial warrants.

Governor Lamont addressed energy affordability as a key priority, noting Connecticut's historically high electricity prices. He highlighted the Millstone nuclear agreement returning over $100 million to ratepayers, defended energy efficiency investments, and noted new supply from Québec Hydro and Revolution Wind. He criticized federal tariff threats on Canadian energy and stop-start policies on wind power, and emphasized that PURA must hold utilities accountable while ensuring ratepayers only cover infrastructure and energy costs, not charitable, legal, or lobbying expenses.

Governor Lamont focused on housing as a key affordability strategy, noting Hartford was named one of the hottest housing markets by Zillow. He highlighted transit-oriented development in the Naugatuck Valley, retrofitting underused parking lots, empty mills, and suburban shopping malls for housing, and prioritizing mortgage and Time to Own subsidies for workers. He emphasized the need for more housing for seniors, nurses, teachers, and young people.

Governor Lamont celebrated seven consecutive balanced budgets, a $4 billion rainy day fund, and paying down over $10 billion in pension debt. He proposed energy rebates of about $400 per family from capital gains revenue. He highlighted a $400 million bipartisan middle-class income tax cut, elimination of income tax for most seniors, expanded earned income tax credits, and licensing fee eliminations for nurses and trades. He maintained $313 million to backfill unanticipated federal cuts.

Governor Lamont expressed deep concern about social media's impact on children, calling for no phones bell-to-bell in schools and requiring parental permission for children under 18 to access dangerous apps. He proposed working with neighboring states on these restrictions. On energy technology, Lamont emphasized the Millstone nuclear contract returning over $100 million to ratepayers and cautioned against adding energy-consuming data centers without requiring additional generation capacity.

Governor Lamont noted that state employees, including veterans, have received wage increases every year of his administration. He mentioned that Connecticut eliminated the income tax for most seniors, which benefits military retirees. He praised state police and first responders, drawing a contrast with ICE operations.

Governor Lamont emphasized delivering seven balanced budgets in a row, building a $4 billion rainy day fund, and paying down over $10 billion in pension debt. He proposed eliminating licensing fees for nurses and the trades, and announced plans for a Blue Ribbon Commission on K-12 Education to examine funding strategies, special education reforms, and reducing administrative overhead across 207 school districts.

Governor Lamont described Connecticut as among the first states to backstop food support for working families after federal SNAP cuts, noting the state also covered most federal health insurance exchange cost increases. He highlighted growing the childcare endowment toward universal early childhood education, expanding the earned income tax credit to about $1,000, and proposing free school breakfasts for all students. He maintained a $313 million reserve to backfill unanticipated federal cuts.

Governor Lamont proposed energy rebates of about $400 per family from the rainy day fund to help with heating bills during a harsh winter. He highlighted minimum wage increases to nearly $17/hour, a $400 million bipartisan middle-class income tax cut, eliminated licensing fees for nurses and trades, and eliminated income tax for most seniors. He noted electricity prices have been "among the highest in the country for the last generation" and emphasized diversifying energy sources. He proposed the Connecticut Option for healthcare to offer coverage with no co-pays or deductibles.

Governor Lamont delivered some of the harshest rhetoric on ICE, stating "ICE, everywhere you go uninvited, violence follows. Go home. We are keeping Connecticut safe without you." He noted that Hispanic kids are scared to go to school and that ICE agents "hide behind a mask" and come to arrest people "often based upon the color of their skin." He committed to protecting schools and courthouses from federal immigration raids.