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Worker Bee: 2025 Session Convenes

CT AFL-CIO
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The Worker Bee

The Connecticut AFL-CIO’s legislative newsletter has returned! We will be producing a legislative update on the first Friday of each month.

2025 Session Convenes

The General Assembly convened on January 8th, with 101 Democrats and 49 Republicans sworn into the House and 25 Democrats and 10 Republicans sworn into the Senate. One senator and one representative did not take the oath of office (see Special Elections) in order to accept other positions.

This "long session" runs 21 weeks, concluding June 4th, with legislators primarily tasked with adopting a new two-year budget. Senate Democrats have introduced 12 priority bills focused on healthcare, education, and Unemployment Insurance for Striking Workers.

Newly sworn-in union members include Representatives Rebecca Martinez, Dave DeFronzo, Nick Menapace, Kaitlyn Shake, and Senator Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox.

One of the Connecticut AFL-CIO’s top legislative priorities this session—authorizing unemployment benefits for striking workers—is front and center as SB 8, a Senate Majority Caucus priority bill. Stay tuned for more on this critical fight for working families. You see the co-introducers of the proposed bill referred to the Labor and Public Employees Committee here.

Governor Lamont’s State of the State Address

Gov. Lamont's State of the State

Governor Lamont delivered his annual State of the State address to a joint session of the State Senate and State House of Representatives, emphasizing themes of "affordability and opportunity." While the governor outlined a hopeful vision for Connecticut, his remarks seemed to lack a full recognition of the significant struggles working families across the state are facing.

Rising utility bills, increasing grocery costs, high rent, and unaffordable health insurance premiums are placing enormous strain on household budgets. For many, simply keeping up remains a challenge, let alone getting ahead.

As the legislative session begins, it remains to be seen how the Governor’s legislative proposals and upcoming budget will reflect the reality of these challenges. The extent to which these policies will provide meaningful relief and opportunities for Connecticut’s working families will be critical in determining how well his administration lives up to the themes of affordability and opportunity outlined in his address.

You can read the transcript and watch the Governor’s Speech here.

Special Elections

Two state lawmakers who won re-election in 2024 declined to take the oath of office on Wednesday.

  • Senator Kevin Kelly (R) of the 21st Senate District is expected to be nominated to a judgeship in the Superior Court.
  • Labor endorsed Representative Christine Conley (D) is expected to be appointed to serve as an administrative judge on the Worker’s Compensation Commission.

By not taking the oath of office on Wednesday, Kelly and Conley essentially resigned their legislative seats. In order to fill the vacancies, special elections will be held on Tuesday, February 25th.

Labor and Public Employees Committee Membership Announced

Speaker Matt Ritter and Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney announced that Representative Manny Sanchez and Senator Julie Kushner will continue to lead the Labor and Public Employees Committee during the 2025-2026 biennium. The full membership of the committee is as follows:

  • Senator Julie Kushner*(D), Senate Co-Chair
  • Representative Manny Sanchez (D), House Co-Chair
  • Senator Jorge Cabrera* (D), Senate Vice Chair
  • Representative Derell Wilson (D), House Vice Chair
  • Senator Rob Sampson (R), Senate Ranking Member
  • Representative Steve Weir (R), House Ranking Member
  • Representative Josh Hall*(D)
  • Representative Anne Hughes (D)
  • Senator Matt Lesser (D)
  • Representative Joe Canino (R)
  • Representative Nick Gauthier (D)
  • Representative Gale Mastrofrancesco (R)
  • Representative Kaitlyn Shake*(D)

*Union Member

Connecticut AFL-CIO Legislative Agenda

The Connecticut AFL-CIO’s Legislative Committee adopted its 2025 agenda in December, focusing on two priorities:

  1. Authorizing striking workers to access unemployment benefits.
  2. Amending the state’s restrictive “fiscal roadblocks” to:
    • Make state taxes more equitable.
    • Use budget surpluses to invest in public education, affordable housing, childcare, healthcare, long-term care, state agency staffing, and other vital services for Connecticut residents.

You can read the Connecticut AFL-CIO’s full legislative agenda here.