Chris Stewart

No Tax on Tips Public Hearing on Friday

You’re feeling the squeeze of Connecticut’s high cost of living, and even after new federal tax relief, majority Democrats at the Capitol are still dragging their feet. This Friday, February 27, is your chance to speak up. Lawmakers on the Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee will hold a public hearing at 11 a.m. on our proposal to End Tax on Tips & Overtime (HB 5010). You can testify in person, virtually, or by submitting written comments. The registration deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m. After Congress passed sweeping legislation to exempt tips and overtime from federal income taxes, Connecticut declined to extend the same relief at the state level. House Republicans launched a petition and pushed for this hearing so you could be heard. Make your voice count and testify to End Tax on Tips & Overtime: 📅 Friday, February 27 | 11 a.m. 📍 300 Capitol Ave., Hartford | LOB Room 2E 🏦 Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee Register to testify in-person or remotely: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yfl4gBLwT3-iubukM2rJ1g#/registration Submit written testimony: https://www.cga.ct.gov/aspx/CGATestimonySub/CGAtestimonysubmission.aspx?comm_code=FIN Have you signed our petition? Visit www.NoTipTaxCT.com

Wednesday, February 4th, 2026- Connecticut's Legislative Session Begins

Today marks the opening of the 2026 legislative session of the Connecticut General Assembly. This year’s “short session,” which is scheduled to adjourn on Wednesday, May 6, is dedicated to making targeted adjustments to the biennial state budget, while also considering legislation from all committees of cognizance. You can review some of the expected major issues here . As this new session begins, I look forward to advancing policies that lower the overall cost of living, address the ongoing energy cost crisis, strengthen accountability and transparency in government, and enhance consumer protections for the people of Connecticut. It is an honor to serve as your State Representative, and I remain committed to bringing the voices of the Quiet Corner to the Capitol. Your perspectives, concerns, and ideas are essential to my work, and I encourage you to reach out to my office at any time during the session. Hearing directly from you helps ensure that the decisions we make reflect the needs and priorities of our district. Session Resources Connecticut Network (C-TN) : CT-N provides live and on-demand coverage of committee meetings, public hearings, and session days. An archive of prior recorded meetings is also available and may be helpful as you follow specific issues. Connecticut General Assembly (CGA) Website : The CGA website is one of the most comprehensive tools for tracking legislative activity. It includes the daily calendar of events at the Capitol, bill information, committee schedules, and additional session-related materials. Facebook: I will continue to post regular updates on Facebook throughout the session. I encourage you to visit often for news from the Capitol and updates on legislation impacting our community.

CTDOT Awards Local Transportation Capital Improvement Funding for Route 44 Sidewalk Reconstruction

<p>The Town of Putnam has been awarded funding from the Connecticut Department of Transportation as part of the Local Transportation Capital Improvement Projects. Specifically, Putnam will receive $2,004,139 for the Route 44 Sidewalk Reconstruction project. There were 16 other projects in Connecticut that also received state funding to support these vital infrastructure initiatives.</p> <p>I would like to express my gratitude to the Connecticut Department of Transportation for their support of this project in our district.</p> <p>For further details, please <a href="https://portal.ct.gov/dot/ctdot-press-releases/2025/ctdot-awards-lotcip-funding?language=en_US" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a> to view the full press release from Connecticut Department of Transportation.</p>

Acts Effective July 1 – New Laws in Connecticut

<p>On July 1st, a range of new laws were put into place, focusing on energy prices, supporting first responders, penalizing street takeovers, and curbing election fraud.</p> <p>To learn more about the significant changes that are rolling out, please <a href="https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/content/aeauto.asp?fbclid=IwY2xjawLSUBhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFPZGNjd0ZYN2l5YU5VQnpzAR6dOKEMYFUirO9M7VfdubRX2O_fFtNw8Px-XhliXATFSq6TQ6rBTbBk8Wf9PQ_aem_xOW8TBF2FQ2INFRcOjLElw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a> for the latest.</p>

Eversource Energy Low Income Discount Rate (LIDR) Information

<p>We received the following rate discount informaion from Eversource, and I wanted to pass it along to you. For more, please read this in its entirety and visit <a href="https://www.eversource.com/content/residential/account-billing/payment-assistance/discount-rate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eversource.com</a> or call Eversource at 800-286-2828.</p> <hr /> <p><em>On Monday, June 23, the Electric Discount expanded to five discount tiers (from the two tiers that were 10% and 50%) following a decision from the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority. Under the new structure, customers are eligible for a 5%, 15%, 20%, 40% or 50% discount off their monthly electric bills if they meet household income requirements or receive a public assistance benefit for at least one household member and have a financial hardship status on their electric account. The 10% tier was eliminated, and customers have been moved to a new tier based on the new eligibility requirements. Customers have been notified of any changes to their discount. </em></p> <p><em> We worked collaboratively with regulators and key stakeholders to review and adjust the Electric Discount Rate structure and tiers. As with all rate making, the Electric Discount Rate structure and discounts are ultimately decided by regulators. </em></p> <p><em> We encourage any customer struggling to pay their energy bill to connect with us to get assistance. To find the right options, visit eversource.com/bill help or call us at 800-286-2828. There is a plan for everyone, including: </em></p> <ul> <li><em> State and Other Assistance Programs</em></li> <li><em> Protection from Service Shut-Off</em></li> <li><em> Financial Assistance Programs and Payment Plans</em></li> <li><em> Energy Efficiency</em></li> </ul> <p><strong><em> </em><em>-Courtesy of Eversource Energy</em></strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <style type="text/css"> #gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-1 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-1 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */ </style> <div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-118 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-full'><dl class='gallery-item'> <dt class='gallery-icon portrait'> <a href="https://www.cthousegop.com/stewart/2025/06/25/eversource-energy-low-income-discount-rate-lidr-information/electric-bill-discount-e/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="791" height="1024" src="https://cdn.cthousegop.com/115/2025/06/Electric-Bill-Discount-E.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="" srcset="https://www.cthousegop.com/stewart/wp-content/uploads/sites/115/2025/06/Electric-Bill-Discount-E.jpg 791w, https://www.cthousegop.com/stewart/wp-content/uploads/sites/115/2025/06/Electric-Bill-Discount-E-232x300.jpg 232w, https://www.cthousegop.com/stewart/wp-content/uploads/sites/115/2025/06/Electric-Bill-Discount-E-768x994.jpg 768w, https://www.cthousegop.com/stewart/wp-content/uploads/sites/115/2025/06/Electric-Bill-Discount-E-320x414.jpg 320w, https://www.cthousegop.com/stewart/wp-content/uploads/sites/115/2025/06/Electric-Bill-Discount-E-480x621.jpg 480w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 791px) 100vw, 791px" /></a> </dt></dl><dl class='gallery-item'> <dt class='gallery-icon portrait'> <a href="https://www.cthousegop.com/stewart/2025/06/25/eversource-energy-low-income-discount-rate-lidr-information/electric-bill-discount-s/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="791" height="1024" src="https://cdn.cthousegop.com/115/2025/06/Electric-Bill-Discount-S.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full" alt="" srcset="https://www.cthousegop.com/stewart/wp-content/uploads/sites/115/2025/06/Electric-Bill-Discount-S.jpg 791w, https://www.cthousegop.com/stewart/wp-content/uploads/sites/115/2025/06/Electric-Bill-Discount-S-232x300.jpg 232w, https://www.cthousegop.com/stewart/wp-content/uploads/sites/115/2025/06/Electric-Bill-Discount-S-768x994.jpg 768w, https://www.cthousegop.com/stewart/wp-content/uploads/sites/115/2025/06/Electric-Bill-Discount-S-320x414.jpg 320w, https://www.cthousegop.com/stewart/wp-content/uploads/sites/115/2025/06/Electric-Bill-Discount-S-480x621.jpg 480w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 791px) 100vw, 791px" /></a> </dt></dl><br style="clear: both" /> </div>