These news briefs are part of The Connecticut Mirror’s 2026 political coverage. For more news about the 2026 legislative session, campaigns, elections and more, sign up here for The Issue, the CT Mirror’s weekly politics newsletter.
Hartford Whalers Day
Senate lawmakers voted on Tuesday to make Jan. 11 ‘Hartford Whalers Day’ in Connecticut.
Each year, the legislature passes a bill marking observances for various days and weeks of the year. This year’s legislation, Senate Bill 458, includes a day commemorating the Whalers’ first home game in Hartford on Jan. 11, 1975. The Whalers left Hartford in 1997, becoming the Carolina Hurricanes.
The bill would also create Henry Breault Day on March 8. Breault, of Putnam, was the first submariner in the U.S. Navy to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
— John Moritz, Energy & Environment Reporter
Help for college gamblers
A bill that passed unanimously in the Senate on Wednesday would require public universities to provide an on-campus program to address, treat and rehabilitate gambling problems at least once a year through nonprofit groups or organizations. Sen. Derek Slap, co-chair of the legislature’s Higher Education Committee, said a University of Connecticut study found 72% of undergraduates in the state reported gambling in the last year.
Senate Bill 381 had not only the unanimous support of senators, but also drew favorable testimony from the Mohegan Tribe, whose chief of staff, Chuck Bunnell, wrote to the committee earlier this session, acknowledging that gambling addiction is a serious issue that requires “education, early intervention, and collaboration” to address.
— Mikayla Bunnell, Reporting Intern
Municipal camp safety
The Senate unanimously passed a bill requiring municipal camp staff who are at least 21 years old to be mandated reporters. They would be required to complete a free, 45-minute online training to become reporters. The bill would also require camps to complete a survey detailing the camp’s environment and types of facilities; number and age range of children served; and details about the training and policies they have for their employees, among other things.
Senate Bill 157 was proposed following the 2024 arrest of a Bethany youth camp worker accused of sexually abusing young girls.
— Mikayla Bunnell, Reporting Intern
Medical credit cards
A bill aimed at ensuring consumers understand the potential pitfalls of medical credit cards before signing up sailed through the House on Thursday with an overwhelmingly favorable 141-6 vote. The proposal would ban providers from marketing medical credit cards in rooms where patients might be receiving treatment, and requires them to explain to patients other options they might have, like insurance coverage or payment plans. It also prohibits in-office advertisements that include the branding of both the credit card and the provider, which lawmakers said could confuse patients into thinking the card is offered by the physician.
— Katy Golvala, Health Reporter
Insurance changes
The House on Thursday passed two bills that will impact state-regulated plans. The first, House Bill 5377, shortens the time period from 18 to 12 months that insurance companies can recoup funds paid to providers, a practice commonly referred to as “clawbacks.” Insurers might “clawback” payments because of a billing error or if a person’s insurance coverage was canceled retroactively. The bill passed unanimously.
The second bill, House Bill 5374, mandates state-regulated plans cover treatment for two pediatric neuropsychiatric diagnoses, as well as prosthetic devices and scalp cooling treatments used during chemotherapy. It also expands the definition of “infertility.”
— Katy Golvala, Health Reporter
Tourism proposal moves forward
A bill establishing a state tourism working group got a boost this week, receiving a unanimous vote in the Senate.
Lawmakers voted 35-0 to advance Senate Bill 305, which creates a working group to study current state marketing and tourism programs and their effectiveness.
The bill had strong support in the Commerce Committee, with supporters arguing that more needs to be done to bolster tourism and marketing efforts in the state. In recent years, the state has launched an ambitious pizza-based marketing campaign, but legislative efforts to boost state tourism funding have failed. The state’s chief marketing officer, Anthony Anthony, left his position earlier this year.
— P.R. Lockhart, Economic Development Reporter
DECD concierge bill
Small businesses are getting some good news as a frustrating session gets closer to its final day.
During a marathon Thursday session, legislators in the House voted 143-4 to pass House Bill 5467, which creates a small business “concierge” in the Department of Economic and Community Development. The concierge will be tasked with helping businesses navigate state programs and making it easier for businesses to get answers from DECD. The position is modeled after a similar concierge role in the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
The bill has been supported by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, which called for lawmakers to focus on small business needs this session. The organization recently criticized lawmakers for rejecting a small business health care bill earlier this month.
— P.R. Lockhart, Economic Development Reporter