Karen Reddington-Hughes

Rep. Reddington-Hughes and Sen. Harding to Host Legislative Update in Litchfield

With the 2026 Legislative Session complete, State Senator Stephen Harding and State Representative Karen Reddington-Hughes will be hosting a Coffee & Conversation update at Patty’s Restaurant in Litchfield. The lawmakers are providing an opportunity for area residents to learn more about new legislation passed, discuss some the items that didn’t make it over the finish line or the biennium state budget, and answer any questions they may have. If you’d like a chance to learn more, they hope you will consider joining them.

2026 Major Public Acts

Each year, the nonpartisan Office of Legislative Research and the Office of Fiscal Analysis publish a summary of the major issues passed during that legislative session. Find out more here .

Spring Peeper Named Connecticut's State Amphibian

Thanks to the advocacy from Mae Ambruso, a young constituent of mine from Bethlehem, the state legislature has officially designated the spring peeper frog as our official state amphibian, celebrating a beloved native species. Public Act 26-67 , An Act Designating the State as the Birthplace of the Boys and Girls Club Movement, the State Amphibian and State Rock, will also name the town of Enfield as the gateway to Connecticut and Housatonic marble as the state rock.

Woodbury Receives DEEP Grant

The Department of Energy & Environmental Protection has announced The Town of Woodbury has been awarded a $241,032 Long Island Sound Ecosystem Grant for Green Stormwater Infrastructure and Habitat Restoration. These funds will be used for the engineering design for the replacement Clark Brook Culvert at Minortown Road to provide fish passage. In total, more than $7.8 million has been handed out to eighteen Connecticut municipalities and non-profits focused on improving water quality, enhancing ecosystem resilience, and improving fish passage.

Rep. Reddington-Hughes Votes 'No' on State Budget

While this year’s budget adjustment contains a few positive components, it does not fully consider the state’s broader fiscal reality. It relies heavily on one-time spending that primarily benefits larger municipalities, while locking in ongoing costs that will be difficult to sustain in the years ahead—essentially creating the conditions for a future fiscal shortfall. In addition, it loosens fiscal safeguards to rely on unpredictable one-time revenues, even as a nearly $1 billion deficit is projected in the near future. Residents deserve a more responsible approach—one that focuses on sustainable spending and reduces uncertainty in future budget cycles.