Politics
CT Leads Multistate Suit Over EPA Endangerment Finding Repeal
Connecticut AG William Tong is leading a multistate legal challenge against the EPA's decision to rescind its greenhouse gas endangerment finding.
Editor-in-Chief
Elizabeth Hartley
Elizabeth Hartley is the founding editor of Connecticut Navigator. A Yale graduate with roots in New Haven stretching back generations, she spent fifteen years covering the State Capitol for the Hartford Courant before launching this publication. She believes Connecticut is more interesting than people give it credit for—and that good local journalism can help people see it. She lives in New Haven, where she's slowly restoring a Victorian.
Covers: Politics State government Breaking news
Articles by Elizabeth Hartley
55 Articles 
Politics
Connecticut Bill Would Fund UConn UFO Study
Connecticut lawmakers introduced H.B. 5422, directing UConn to study UFOs and evaluate a permanent state center, raising taxpayer spending concerns.
Politics
CT Politics: Eviction Reform, Aquarion & Towing Laws
Connecticut politics this week covers DHS funding fights, eviction reform, water utility oversight, towing laws, and school grant updates.
Politics
CT Lawmakers Propose $40M Plan to Offset Federal SNAP Cuts
Connecticut Democrats push a $40M bridge food assistance program to help 36,000 residents losing SNAP benefits under new federal work requirements.
Politics
CT Home Care Advocates Fear Cuts to Community First Choice
Connecticut families protest Gov. Lamont's plan to eliminate Community First Choice, warning thousands could lose home-based care or face long waitlists.
Environment
Alternative Burials Rising in Connecticut Funeral Homes
Over 67% of Connecticut deaths now result in cremation, as funeral homes embrace water cremation, human composting, and other alternatives.
Politics
CT Lawmakers Consider Prison Health Care Reform Bill
Connecticut's House Bill 5567 aims to fix a crisis in inmate medical care, addressing poor nutrition, staffing shortages, and delayed treatment in state prisons.
Politics
CT House Dems Plan to Redirect Tax Rebates to Schools
Connecticut House Democrats propose diverting $100-150M from Gov. Lamont's tax rebate program to aid struggling school districts facing a fiscal crisis.
Politics
CT Municipal Utility Rates vs Eversource & UI Costs
Connecticut's 7 municipal electric utilities charge 23–64% less than Eversource and United Illuminating. Here's what customers in those towns pay.
Politics
Six California Attorneys Named in Federal RICO Action Over Alleged Role in TopDevz Enterprise
A federal RICO complaint names six attorneys from five California law firms as alleged participants in an eight-year criminal enterprise. The case raises questions about the profession's self-policing mechanisms.
Politics
CT Paid Leave Law: Progress for Moms, But Gaps Remain
Connecticut's paid leave law helps new mothers, but partial wage replacement and separate applications leave many families struggling to fully benefit.
Politics
Iran War Raises Economic Uncertainty in Connecticut 2026
Gov. Ned Lamont warns the Iran conflict is driving up energy prices in Connecticut, with gas hitting $3.45/gallon and a possible tax holiday under consideration.
Politics
CT Homeschooling Bill HB 5468: What It Means for Families
Connecticut's Education Committee examines HB 5468, a bill reshaping homeschooling oversight and expanding access to public school resources.
Politics
Connecticut Considers Styrofoam Ban and Single-Use Plastic Limits
Connecticut's House Bill 5524 proposes banning polystyrene containers by 2028 and restricting single-use plastics like straws and utensils in restaurants.
Politics
CT Legislature 2026: Guns in Schools, Rent Caps & ICE Bills
Connecticut lawmakers advance bills on off-duty officers in schools, a 5% rent increase cap, ICE detention facilities, and hospital taxes in the 2026 session.
Politics
CT Lawmakers Question DCF Nominee Susan Hamilton
Connecticut lawmakers grilled DCF interim commissioner Susan Hamilton at her confirmation hearing, raising concerns about child safety, caseworker turnover, and agency oversight.
Politics
Lamont Reaches Deals With 10 Unions, But Raises Still Delayed
Governor Lamont reached tentative contracts with 10 state unions covering 20,000 workers, but over half of bargaining units still await raises eight months overdue.
Politics
CT Survivors Push to Ban Female Genital Mutilation
Connecticut remains one of nine states without an FGM ban. Survivors are urging lawmakers to pass legislation criminalizing the practice as a class D felony.
Politics
Lamont Nominates 14 Lawyers to Connecticut Superior Court
Gov. Ned Lamont nominated 14 lawyers to fill 20 vacancies on Connecticut's Superior Court, including his former budget director and a ex-Republican lawmaker.
Politics
Connecticut SB 101: Opposition to Statewide Property Tax
The Yankee Institute opposes Connecticut SB 101, which would impose a graduated statewide property tax on homes assessed above $3 million.
Real Estate
Lamont Signs Compromise Housing Law in Norwalk, Aims for 100,000 New Homes Statewide
Gov. Ned Lamont signed a new affordable housing law in Norwalk on Monday, selecting Fairfield County—one of the nation's most expensive housing markets—as the backdrop for legislation aimed at building more than 100,000 new homes across Connecticut.
Real Estate
Connecticut Home Sales Drop 6.4% in January as Winter Weather Dampens Market Activity
Connecticut home sales declined 6.4% in January compared to the same month last year, according to the Connecticut Association of Realtors, outpacing the national decline of 4.4% during the same period.
Technology
Connecticut Lawmakers Advance Bill Requiring Data Centers to Supply Own Power
Connecticut lawmakers are moving forward with legislation that would force large electricity users, including data centers, to generate their own power instead of drawing from the state's electric grid.
People
Mary Fulton, Former New Haven Educator and Community Leader, Dies at 87
Mary Elizabeth Fulton, a longtime New Haven resident who dedicated her career to special education and served as a leader in multiple community organizations, died at age 87, according to her obituary.
Local & news
Aquarion Water Company Triggers First Drought Warning for Eastern Fairfield County
Aquarion Water Company announced Monday that Eastern Fairfield County has reached its first drought trigger of the year, prompting the utility to ask customers across 13 towns to voluntarily conserve water.
UConn
Ukrainian-Born Paralympian Oksana Masters Excels in Rare Dual-Season Competition
Oksana Masters, the most decorated American Winter Paralympian, belongs to an elite group of athletes who compete in both Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, according to the International Paralympic Committee.
Technology
UConn Loses $95 Million in Federal Research Funding as Trump Administration Cuts Grants
The University of Connecticut has lost $95 million in federal research funding over the past year as the Trump administration canceled previously approved grants and withheld funding from universities nationwide, according to university officials.
Real Estate
Connecticut Lawmakers Consider Banning Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers by 2030, Using Electric Bills to Fund Transition
Connecticut lawmakers are considering legislation that would ban gas-powered leaf blowers statewide and use electric bill surcharges to subsidize the transition to battery-powered equipment.
Technology
Identity Verification Has a Data Problem. New Tech May Fix It.
Financial institutions have collected identity verification data for decades. A wave of breaches is forcing the industry to ask whether centralized storage was ever a good idea.
Politics
Connecticut Comptroller Pushes for Power to Freeze Payments to Contractors Under Wage Theft Investigation
State Comptroller Sean Scanlon is urging Connecticut lawmakers to grant his office authority to halt payments to contractors accused of violating prevailing wage laws on state-funded projects, according to remarks he made during a Tuesday news conference.
Food & Dining
Governor Lamont Declares State of Emergency, Bans Commercial Vehicles from Highways Ahead of Major Winter Storm
Governor Ned Lamont declared a state of emergency in Connecticut on Sunday as a major winter storm approaches the state, according to an announcement from the governor's office.
Local & news
Blizzard Warning Issued for Connecticut as Major Winter Storm Targets Region
Connecticut faces its first blizzard warning in four years as a powerful winter storm approaches the state, threatening to dump up to two feet of snow across southern portions of the state starting Sunday night.
Business
New Haven Sues Major Insurers and Drug Companies Over Alleged Insulin Price-Fixing Scheme
The City of New Haven has filed a sweeping lawsuit against major insurance companies and pharmaceutical manufacturers, alleging they operated a coordinated scheme to artificially inflate insulin prices over nearly a decade.
Local & news
Swim Across America Fairfield County Launches T-Shirt Design Contest for 20th Anniversary
Swim Across America – Fairfield County has announced a t-shirt design contest for middle and high school students to commemorate the organization's 20th anniversary of fundraising for cancer research.
Technology
Judge Dismisses Criminal Charges Against Three New Haven Officers in Randy Cox Case
A Connecticut judge dismissed criminal charges Friday against three current and former New Haven police officers accused of mistreating Randy Cox, who was paralyzed in the back of a police van in 2022...
Business
New Haven Auto Parts Maker Proliance Beats California EV Rival
Proliance International, based in New Haven, shows higher earnings than San Diego electric vehicle company Nuvve despite lower revenue in latest comparison.
Technology
Truth vs Opinion: Why 45% of Americans Can't Tell the Difference
A Harvard study finds nearly half of Americans can't distinguish facts from opinions, contributing to widespread misinformation and political polarization.
Environment
CT Promises Court Fight Over Trump Climate Rule Reversal
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong vows legal battle after EPA revokes greenhouse gas regulations. State faces worsening air quality challenges.
Politics
CT school funding gaps persist despite decades of reform
Despite 30 years of court-ordered reforms, Connecticut students in wealthy districts still receive significantly more resources than peers in low-income communities.
Arts & Culture
Senate Republicans Propose Tax Cuts for Families Earning Under $200K
Connecticut Senate Republicans unveiled an affordability plan Tuesday that would eliminate state income taxes for some residents and provide significant tax relief for families earning under $200,000 ...
Politics
DOJ files: Epstein aide from New Canaan investigated as co-conspirator
Newly released DOJ files show Lesley Groff, Jeffrey Epstein's New Canaan assistant, was investigated as potential co-conspirator in 2019 sex trafficking case.
Politics
Senate GOP proposes deep cuts to CT tax, electric bills
Connecticut Senate Republicans propose eliminating retirement income tax, capping property tax increases at 2%, and rolling back electric rate hikes in $400M package.
Politics
Connecticut Magazine names top 4 Thai restaurants for 2026
Connecticut Magazine named Thai Kit Restaurant in Fairfield, September in Bangkok in New Haven, and two Mystic spots as the state's top Thai restaurants for 2026.
Politics
Connecticut Magazine names top wing spots for 2026
Connecticut Magazine's 2026 list includes Derby's Dew Drop Inn, Plainville's J. Timothy's Taverne, and Blind Rhino locations in Fairfield County among top spots.
Politics
Lamont budget hides flu shots, license cuts in 300-page plan
Gov. Lamont's budget revision includes free flu vaccines for uninsured residents and eliminates professional license fees for 160,000 workers.
Politics
Senate extends $330M emergency fund amid federal uncertainty
Connecticut Senate extends $330.8M emergency fund amid federal uncertainty as 2026 legislative session opens. Republicans opposed extension of fund created for social services.
Politics
Lamont Defies Trump, Tells ICE Agents to 'Go Home'
Governor's State of the State speech targets federal immigration enforcement while proposing $400 energy rebates and universal school breakfast programs.
Politics
Lamont proposes $200 energy rebates for Connecticut residents
Gov. Ned Lamont proposes $500M program for $200-per-person energy rebates to help Connecticut residents offset high utility costs and inflation.
Politics
Connecticut launches abortion hotline billboard campaign
Connecticut launches $250,000 billboard campaign promoting state abortion hotline along I-95 and Merritt Parkway, first public advertising for reproductive services.
Politics
CT housing advocates push tenant protections after major law
Housing advocates plan to push CT lawmakers for tenant protections and other measures during the upcoming session, building on momentum from last year's major housing law.
Arts & Culture
Violent crime drops in Connecticut, but fraud cases surge
State public safety officials reported another year of declining violent crime across Connecticut, though they acknowledged rising fraud cases during a Monday press conference.
Technology
Darien's $32M heated platforms struggle in winter storms
Connecticut's first electrically-heated train platform in Darien faced its first major winter test, delivering mixed results as bureaucratic delays plague the project.
People
David Brooks Leaves Times for Yale Fellowship
After 22 years at the New York Times, the columnist will become a Presidential Senior Fellow at Yale Jackson School, launching public conversations and a new podcast.
Politics
State Taps Reserve Fund Again to Cover Federal Cuts
Connecticut draws another $18.7M from its emergency reserve as federal funding whiplash threatens SNAP benefits, mental health services, and school programs.
Technology
Milford Storms Show Connecticut's Climate Reality
Fifteen years of increasingly severe storms have transformed Connecticut's shoreline communities. Milford residents face a new reality of evacuations and flooding.