Chris Stewart

House Passes H.B. No. 5295 – An Act Naming the Connecticut National Guard Readiness Center in the Town of Putnam

I am pleased to report that the House of Representatives recently passed H.B. No. 5295 – An Act Naming the Connecticut National Guard Readiness Center in the Town of Putnam -unanimously. In passing this bill in this chamber, we are one step closer to naming this complex the Governor John Dempsey Connecticut National Guard Readiness Center, honoring a past governor and former state representative of the great town of Putnam. There were past and present town officials and General Assembly members, including our House delegation here in the Quiet Corner from both sides of the aisle, who helped move this bill through the Veterans’ Committee and the House. Our hope is that this will pass the Senate prior to midnight on Wednesday – I’ll keep you posted!

House Passes H.B. 5004- An Act Concerning Child Welfare Accountability and Transparency

This week, the House passed H.B. 5004, An Act Concerning Child Welfare Accountability and Transparency. This bill strengthens protections for kids and increases oversight of DCF. Highlights of the bill: • Allows emergency placements with relatives or close family friends (fictive kin) even before full licensing, when it’s in the child’s best interest • Requires written justification when DCF denies or ends these emergency placements • Requires DCF to document to the court that any non-relative placement is in the child’s best interest • Creates a grant program to help relatives and fictive kin cover basics like clothing, food, safety items, and other essentials when a child is placed with them • Launches a public, real-time dashboard so families and the public can see how DCF is performing I also backed an amendment to better protect children living in homes with individuals convicted of certain serious offenses. Under this change: • Within one week of release to parole or probation, DOC must notify DCF if the person is living where a child under 18 resides • Within one week of that notice, DOC or DCF must conduct a home visit to check on the child’s safety • Follow-up home visits must continue at least every three months until parole/probation ends or no minors live in the home This was strong work by the Children’s Committee and my colleague, Rep. Anne Dauphinais, the Ranking Member of the committee. Many will be grateful for their work on this important, bipartisan legislation.

Pitching Real Relief For Connecticut

Connecticut's Education Cost Sharing (ECS) formula is fundamentally broken, burdening property taxpayers in our towns in the Quiet Corner. Our House Republican budget addresses this by providing new state funding outside the formula to all communities, allowing local leaders to offset rising school costs and reduce the tax burden. This dedicated aid would remain in place until the legislature reforms the ECS formula and ensures our towns receive their fair share of state funding. To learn more- click here .

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.