Connecticut’s 2024 Legislative Session Begins

Rajsi Rana ’26

News Editor

Connecticut’s legislative session began last week, on Feb. 7, 2024. It will be a short, 13-
week session adjourning May 8. During this period, the legislature is convened for lawmaking,
and several bills will be discussed. Currently, in Connecticut, there is a Democratic majority in
both the Senate (24-12) and the House (98-53).

During this upcoming legislative session, there are several important topics set to be
debated. On Jan. 17, 2024, the Office of Legislative Research released a 2024 Major Issues
Report, highlighting several issues that will play key roles in this legislative session. Some of the
important contents on their agenda regard children’s mental health resources, childhood
education improvements, energy and technology relating to environmental protection,
environmental events such as Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) regulation and waste
management, higher education in prison, legacy admissions ban, affordable housing funding and
public health matters such as Medicaid provider rates. All of these topics’ results will have heavy
implications regarding the state and its residents’ futures.

In terms of the state budget, after two years of debate, a $51 billion budget was passed in
the last legislative session, including tax cuts. It is estimated that this budget allows for $460.3
million in tax cuts for lower-income and middle-class groups and families. This also allows for
an additional 150 million dollars for Connecticut’s public schools, as well as $800 million for affordable
housing and higher education funding. State budgets are renewed on a biennial budget system in
Connecticut, so the next potential renewal will be during the 2025 legislative session.

Reflecting upon the 2023 legislative session, several important bills were passed. Bills
regarding tax cuts, additional funding for education, gun reform, moving the voting age earlier in
Connecticut and anti-bear measures were passed. Gun control was a big topic in the legislature last year.
After a lot of debate, the legislature passed a package of gun reforms including a near-ban on the
open carrying of pistols in public, unregistered “ghost guns” or unregulated guns that can bought
and/or built without a background check, a limit to the quantity of firearms that can be purchased
in a month and measure making it more difficult for suspected firearm offenders to be released
on bail.

Bills regarding fair share housing, expanded family leave, minimum teaching salaries,
assisted death and commutation reform were not passed last year. Several of these topics are
expected to be major issues in the 2024 legislation session.

As the 2024 legislative session starts, it is important to keep in mind the role of Connecticut’s
residents. Legislators encourage writing to them regarding specific bills as it may help to get them passed.