Bill Pizzuto

Rep. Pizzuto Highlights New School Bus Safety Law

Students in Waterbury are starting a new school year this week, while Middlebury/District 15 students will be back in class on September 1st! That means buses will be back on the roads and children waiting at the end of their driveways or on the side of a road for the bus. I supported a bill this session , which was signed into law, requiring a mandatory six-month suspension of a license of any driver who, a third or subsequent time, is caught violating the state law on stopping for school buses. Under existing law, drivers must stop their vehicles generally at least ten feet from the front or rear of a school bus that is displaying its flashing red signal lights and remain there until the bus no longer displays lights. Any person who violates this law faces a $450 fine for the first offense and a fine of $500 to $1,000, up to 30 days in prison, or both for a subsequent offense. I wanted to remind everyone to be careful on our public roadways when school is in session, especially near bus stops, schools, playgrounds, and athletic fields. Safety tips for drivers: State law prohibits passing a school bus with its lights flashing. Some school buses are equipped with cameras to record passing drivers. Observe the no-passing law and expect the unexpected when traveling near school buses in school driveways. Watch for children, especially when driving in neighborhoods with school zones. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in the neighborhood. Safety tips for parents and children: Be waiting at your bus stop 5 minutes ahead of the scheduled pick up. Wait 10 feet back from the road and wear visible clothing. Always wait for the bus driver's head nod before boarding the bus or crossing the street. They're watching out for you! Avoid distracting the bus driver for anything other than an emergency.

Sales Tax Free Week Changes

Connecticut's annual Sales Tax Free Week begins on the third Sunday of August and runs until the following Saturday. This year it’s August 16 through August 22, 2026. This is timed in the run up to the start of the new school year when families are shopping for back-to-school clothing. There are some changes to the program, starting this year. Under a bill I voted for, we've increased the price cap per item and added new items qualified as sales tax free. Now, backpacks and cleated shoes will be sales tax free during this upcoming event. This tax holiday applies to in-person purchases and purchases made online. The exemption applies to each eligible item costing under $300, up from $100, regardless of how many of those items are sold to a customer on the same invoice. Tax is calculated on the final sales price, after all reductions and coupons have been calculated, of each item. You can find answers to frequently asked questions about the program on the Department of Revenue Services website .

New Laws Effective July 1, 2026

Several new laws will take effect July 1st that could have an impact on you, your business, or our community. I have highlighted some of them below. We passed an omnibus bill to help veterans , with several of the provisions taking effect soon. One creates the Military Department emergency response account, administered by the adjutant general, to cover state costs during certain emergencies. It also establishes state income tax deductions for compensation for an honor guard detail at a veteran’s funeral. One important bill we passed this session would bring more oversight to the state Department of Children and Families . The legislation also included provisions to establish grant programs for foster parents to cover the cost of afterschool programs for children in their care and for certain fictive kin (unrelated, trusted adult) caregivers to cover the cost of clothing, food, safety-related purchases, and other necessities for children in their care after an emergency placement. Another bill taking effect next month is one to bring more transparency and accountability to government spending . Entities receiving legislatively directed funds (known as earmarks) must be named, along with an explanation given of what the money will be used for. Neither are currently required. Any group subgranting the money to another entity must also get approval from state officials before doing so. Connecticut’s 6.35% sales tax will no longer apply to “nonelectronic school supplies” under the budget adjustment bill we passed. This includes, but is not limited to, things like binders, composition books, crayons, erasers, folders, glue, highlighters, index cards, lunch boxes, markers, notebooks, pencils, rulers, and scissors. We also expanded the amount of money on clothing and footwear that's exempt during Sales Tax Free Week, which takes place each August. The current exemption which applies to items under $100 will increase to under $300, and will also now include backpacks and cleated shoes. Other major acts include: An Act Concerning Oversight of Efforts to Prevent Human Trafficking An Act Concerning Online Safety An Act Concerning State-Wide Fire Protection An expanded list of those that will take effect on July 1, along with summaries, can be accessed here .

Rep. Pizzuto, Waterbury Delegation Host Successful Food Drive

State Representative Bill Pizzuto (R-71) and members of the Waterbury General Assembly delegation hosted a food drive on May 31, 2026 to benefit St. Vincent DePaul Mission of Waterbury . "Thank you to everyone who came out on a cold and windy morning to support the delegation's food drive for St. Vincent DePaul, which helps those in our area experiencing food insecurity. We are blessed to have such a generous community," said Rep. Pizzuto. The delegation hopes to organize another drive this summer when food pantries typically see more demand and fewer donations. "Everyone gives around Thanksgiving and Christmas, which is much appreciated , but in the summertime kids are out of school and not necessarily getting the free or reduced price meals like they do during the academic year," notes Rep. Pizzuto.

Rep. Pizzuto Applauds Approval of State Bond Money for Waterbury, Middlebury

When the state Bond Commission met on May 29, 2026, several projects in Middlebury and Waterbury were approved for funding. "I'm thankful that the commission included these projects for authorization. $5 million was approved as a grant-in-aid to the City of Waterbury for the capitalization of the Waterbury Land Bank Authority. During the recently completed legislative session, I co-sponsored a bill to provide funding to the Authority for the acquisition, maintenance, remediation and redevelopment of properties in Waterbury," said Representative Bill Pizzuto (R-71). Storm/flood damage recovery efforts and repair at Larkin Trail State Park, which runs through Middlebury, will be funded as part of a larger $10 million request for statewide improvements at various State Park, Forest, Boat Launch and Wildlife Management areas. The Commission also signed off on $4 million for remediation activities at the Anamet Site in Waterbury, and $550,000 for the state’s share of remedial action at the Scovill Industrial Landfill site in Waterbury. The federal Environmental Protection Agency is remediating hazardous waste and contaminated disposal at the national priority list (NPL) Superfund site.