Monday - June 15, 2026
Public Policy Tipoffs Involving Connecticut Newsletter for Wednesday May 27, 2026 ( 35 items )  

AG Brown joins coalition opposing KIDS Act, supports stronger online protections for children
OLYMPIA, Washington, May 26 -- Washington state Attorney General Nick Brown issued the following news release: * * * AG Brown joins coalition opposing KIDS Act, supports stronger online protections for children * Attorney General Nick Brown and a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general have sent a letter to congressional leadership opposing the so-called Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act), H.R. 7757, which in reality would weaken states' ability to protect children online whil  more

American Medical Association, 97 Co-Signers Issue Letter to 8 Members of Congress
CHICAGO, Illinois, May 24 [Category: Medical] -- The American Medical Association issued the following letter with 97 co-signers to eight members of Congress: * * * Here is the text of the letter: May 11, 2026 The Honorable Roger Marshall, MD U.S. Senate, 479A Russell Senate Building, Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Greg Murphy, MD, U.S. House of Representatives, 407 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable John Joyce, MD, U.S. House of Representatives, 2102 Ray  more

Ariz. A.G. Mayes Joins Coalition Opposing KIDS Act, Supports Stronger Online Protections for Children
PHOENIX, Arizona, May 27 -- Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes issued the following news release on May 26, 2026: * * * Attorney General Mayes Joins Coalition Opposing KIDS Act, Supports Stronger Online Protections for Children Today, Attorney General Kris Mayes announced Arizona has joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general opposing the federal Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act ("KIDS Act"), H.R. 7757, arguing the bill would weaken states' ability to protect children online whil  more

Attorney General James Joins Bipartisan Coalition Opposing Federal Legislation that Would Weaken State Protections for Children Online
ALBANY, New York, May 26 -- New York Attorney General Letitia James issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General James Joins Bipartisan Coalition Opposing Federal Legislation that Would Weaken State Protections for Children Online * New York Attorney General Letitia James joined a bipartisan coalition of 44 other attorneys general in urging Congress to reject the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act), arguing the bill would weaken states' ability to protect children on  more

Attorney General Phil Weiser joins coalition opposing KIDS Act, supports stronger online protections for children
DENVER, Colorado, May 26 -- Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Phil Weiser joins coalition opposing KIDS Act, supports stronger online protections for children * Attorney General Phil Weiser announced he has joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general opposing the federal Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act), H.R. 7757, arguing the bill would weaken states' ability to protect children online while insulating Big T  more

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL SUPPORTS STRONGER ONLINE PROTECTIONS
CHICAGO, Illinois, May 26 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release: * * * ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL SUPPORTS STRONGER ONLINE PROTECTIONS * Raoul and Coalition Oppose KIDS Act; Bill Weakens Ability to Protect Children Online Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general opposing the federal Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act ("KIDS Act"), arguing the bill would weaken states' ability to protect children online while insulat  more

ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL URGES COURT TO UPHOLD BLOCK ON UNLAWFUL NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
CHICAGO, Illinois, May 26 -- Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul issued the following news release: * * * ATTORNEY GENERAL RAOUL URGES COURT TO UPHOLD BLOCK ON UNLAWFUL NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT IN WASHINGTON, D.C. * Attorney General Kwame Raoul, as part of a coalition of 26 states, urged the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to uphold a lower court's ruling blocking the unlawful deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C.  In their amicus br  more

Binghamton University: Red Shift - Research Project Assesses the Sprint Speed of Salamander Species
BINGHAMTON, New York, May 27 (TNSjou) -- Binghamton University issued the following news: * * * Red shift: Research project assesses the sprint speed of salamander species Biology doctoral student Sophia Zaslow looks at the connection between a species' color and its speed By Jennifer Micale If the eastern red-backed salamander has an equivalent of Usain Bolt, Sophia Zaslow is determined to find it. Since her undergraduate years, the Binghamton University doctoral student in biological sci  more

Blumenthal, Murphy & Larson Statement on $30.8 Million for Pratt & Whitney
WASHINGTON, May 26 -- Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Blumenthal, Murphy & Larson Statement on $30.8 Million for Pratt & Whitney * [Hartford, CT] -U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy and U.S. Representative John Larson today announced that RTX will receive $30.8 million for Pratt & Whitney to produce F35 engines. "This $30.8 million contract modification to produce more   more

Congressman Cohen Leads a Letter Urging Treasury Department to Halt Efforts to Produce a Gold Coin with Trump's Likeness
WASHINGTON, May 26 -- Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee, issued the following news release: * * * Congressman Cohen Leads a Letter Urging Treasury Department to Halt Efforts to Produce a Gold Coin with Trump's Likeness Plan conflicts with federal law, precedent and tradition * WASHINGTON - Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9) today led a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urging him to rescind any consideration of producing a gold coin with the likeness of President Donald J. Trump, noting t  more

Conn. AG Tong Announces Investigation Into Roblox Over Harm to Children
HARTFORD, Connecticut, May 26 -- Connecticut Attorney General William Tong issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Tong Leads Bipartisan Multistate Letter to Congress Supporting Stronger Online Protections for Children  Attorney General William Tong today announced the State of Connecticut has opened an investigation into online gaming and chat platform Roblox following widespread reports of child exploitation and harm.  "Roblox built an online pedophile playground. Our i  more

Conn. Gov. Lamont Announces Commissioner Jordan Scheff Leaving the Department of Developmental Services, Names Elisa Velardo as Successor
HARTFORD, Connecticut, May 26 -- Gov. Ned Lamont, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Governor Lamont Announces Commissioner Jordan Scheff Leaving the Department of Developmental Services, Names Elisa Velardo as Successor * Governor Ned Lamont today announced that Connecticut Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Commissioner Jordan Scheff will be leaving his position with the state effective June 11, 2026, to pursue a new professional opportunity in Virginia.  Upo  more

Conn. Gov. Lamont Signs FY 2027 State Budget, Delivering a Reliable Path Forward for Schools and Municipalities and Increasing Affordability Initiatives
HARTFORD, Connecticut, May 26 -- Gov. Ned Lamont, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Governor Lamont Signs FY 2027 State Budget, Delivering a Reliable Path Forward for Schools and Municipalities and Increasing Affordability Initiatives * Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed into law the fiscal year 2027 budget adjustment bill (Public Act 26-68), which his administration developed in collaboration with legislative leaders and was overwhelmingly approved   more

Don't Call It Kids' Safety if Kids Aren't Safe: Attorney General Bonta Joins Bipartisan Coalition in Opposing KIDS Act
SACRAMENTO, California, May 26 -- California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the following news release: * * * Don't Call It Kids' Safety if Kids Aren't Safe: Attorney General Bonta Joins Bipartisan Coalition in Opposing KIDS Act * Federal law to protect kids online should set a floor, not a ceiling OAKLAND -California Attorney General Rob Bonta today joined a bipartisan coalition of 44 attorneys general in sending a letter to Congress opposing the passage of the Kids Internet and Digita  more

Dr. Cato T. Laurencin ScHOLA2RS House Award Recipients Celebrated for 2026
STORRS, Connecticut, May 26 -- The University of Connecticut posted the following news: * * * Dr. Cato T. Laurencin ScHOLA2RS House Award Recipients Celebrated for 2026 ScHOLA2RS House is a Learning Community designed to support the scholastic efforts of male students who identify as African American/Black through academic and social support, access to research opportunities, and professional development. The UConn Foundation created the award, which honors top academically achieving Black ma  more

Five alumni set to join Cornell Board of Trustees in July
ITHACA, New York, May 26 -- Cornell University posted the following news: * * * Five alumni set to join Cornell Board of Trustees in July * At its May 22 meeting, the Cornell University Board of Trustees elected five new trustees to four-year terms: Jason Brauth '02; Winifred Sandler Grinspoon '83; Angela Hwang, MBA '94; John H. Josephson '83; and Karin Bain Kukral '82. Also at the meeting, six current trustees were reelected to four-year terms: Richard S. Emmet II '94; Bobby Jain '92; Kev  more

Gartner Predicts Legal Tech Budgets to Double by 2028 as Legal AI Use Expands
STAMFORD, Connecticut, May 27 (TNSrep) -- Gartner, an information technology research and advisory company, issued the following news release: * * * Gartner Predicts Legal Tech Budgets to Double by 2028 as Legal AI Use Expands Specialized Legal AI Platforms Are Already Accelerating Six Key Legal Workflows - Specialized Legal AI Platforms, such as Harvey, Legora, GC AI and Thomson Reuters CoCounsel, are delivering significant productivity and efficiency gains in important legal workflows, le  more

Gartner Says Applying Uniform Governance Across AI Agents Will Lead to Enterprise AI Agent Failure
STAMFORD, Connecticut, May 27 -- Gartner, an information technology research and advisory company, issued the following news release: * * * Gartner Says Applying Uniform Governance Across AI Agents Will Lead to Enterprise AI Agent Failure By 2027, 40% of Enterprises Will Demote or Decommission Autonomous AI Agents Due to Governance Failures - Applying uniform governance to all AI agents, regardless of their autonomy level and scope, can lead to enterprise AI agent failure, according to Gart  more

Genetic Mutations Responsible for Increased RSV Severity
STORRS, Connecticut, May 26 -- The University of Connecticut posted the following news: * * * Genetic Mutations Responsible for Increased RSV Severity * Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common childhood disease. Most people catch and recover from it by the age of three. 2022 was different, though. There was a severe and early outbreak of RSV that overwhelmed hospitals. That year, Steven Szczepanek, associate professor in the Department of Pathobiology and Veterinary Science in the Co  more

Governor Lamont Statement on Board of Regents Selection of Natalie Braswell as CSCU Interim Chancellor
HARTFORD, Connecticut, May 26 -- Gov. Ned Lamont, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Governor Lamont Statement on Board of Regents Selection of Natalie Braswell as CSCU Interim Chancellor * Governor Ned Lamont released the following statement in response to the appointment today by the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education selecting Natalie Braswell to serve as interim chancellor for Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU):  "Natalie is a steady   more

Invisible threats: New tick-borne dangers found on U.S. military installations
FALLS CHURCH, Virginia, May 26 -- The Defense Health Agency issued the following news: * * * Invisible threats: New tick-borne dangers found on U.S. military installations * While service members train for visible threats, a nearly invisible one is emerging from our own backyards. Rare but dangerous viruses carried by ticks no bigger than a sesame seed are being detected on and around U.S. military installations, and a proactive public health program is giving us the early warning we need to  more

Larson, Blumenthal, and Murphy Statement on $30.8 Million for Pratt & Whitney
WASHINGTON, May 26 -- Rep. John B. Larson, D-Connecticut, issued the following news release: * * * Larson, Blumenthal, and Murphy Statement on $30.8 Million for Pratt & Whitney * Hartford, CT -Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) joined Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy to announce $30.8 million for Pratt & Whitney to produce F135 engines. "This $30.8 million contract modification to produce more Pratt & Whitney F135 engines is a solid investment in our state's defense manufacturi  more

Md. A.G. Brown Leads Multistate Coalition Urging Court to Uphold Block on Unlawful National Guard Deployment in Washington, D.C.
BALTIMORE, Maryland, May 27 -- Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown issued the following news release on May 26, 2026: * * * Attorney General Brown Leads Multistate Coalition Urging Court to Uphold Block on Unlawful National Guard Deployment in Washington, D.C. Attorney General Anthony G. Brown today led a coalition of 23 attorneys general and 3 governors in filing an amicus brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, urging the court to deny the Tr  more

MIT Professor Brown Champions Visual Thinking in the Classroom
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, May 25 -- The Massachusetts Institute of Technology posted the following news: * * * One stage at a time Associate Professor Sara Brown, an accomplished theater set designer, teaches MIT students to create and think visually. * In a theater, the first thing the audience sees, and looks at the longest, is the stage. Even so, set design is something most of us know little about. Why does a set have its form and elements? How does it suit the performance? Consider   more

N.J. A.G. Davenport Urges Congress Not to Weaken Online Safeguards for Children
TRENTON, New Jersey, May 27 -- New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport issued the following news release on May 26, 2026: * * * Attorney General Davenport Urges Congress Not to Weaken Online Safeguards for Children Bipartisan Coalition: Proposed Legislation Gives Tech Firms Too Much Power * Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and a multistate bipartisan coalition of 43 other attorneys general announced that they are opposing the federal Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act)  more

Ohio State University Professor Hill Testifies Before Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee
WASHINGTON, May 27 -- The Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee released the following written testimony by Edward 'Ned' Hill, professor emeritus of economic development at the Ohio State University John Glenn College of Public Affairs, and a senior research associate at the Ohio Manufacturing Institute, from a May 13, 2026, hearing entitled "America 250: Industrialization and the Rise of Small Manufacturers": * * * I. INTRODUCTION Chair Ernst, Ranking Member Markey, and Member  more

R.I. Gov. McKee and Bipartisan New England States Urge FERC to Reject Profit Increase for Transmission Owners
PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, May 27 -- Gov. Daniel J. McKee, D-Rhode Island, issued the following news release on May 26, 2026: * * * Governor McKee and Bipartisan New England States Urge FERC to Reject Profit Increase for Transmission Owners All six New England governors submit joint statement opposing major profit increase for transmission utilities * Governor Dan McKee joined with a bipartisan group of New England governors to urge the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to reject a  more

Rep. DeLauro Issues Dear Colleague Letter on Funding Homeland Security Shutdown
WASHINGTON, May 27 (TNSletter) -- Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Connecticut, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following Dear Colleague letter on funding the Homeland Security shutdown: * * * Here is the text of the letter: April 27, 2026 Dear Democratic Colleague, As you know, today the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) remains shut down due to a lapse in appropriations that began on February 14, 2026 - 72 days ago. This is the third Republican shutdown this ye  more

Rep. DeLauro, 42 Co-Signers Issue Letter to Department of War
WASHINGTON, May 27 (TNSletter) -- Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Connecticut, with 42 co-signers issued the following letter to the U.S. Department of War: * * * Here is the text of the letter: May 14, 2026 The Honorable Pete Hegseth Secretary of War 1000 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301 * The Honorable Michael P. Cadenazzi, Jr. Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy 3011 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301 Dear Secretary Hegseth and Assistant Secretary Cadenazzi: We  more

Rep. Gonzalez Issues Letter to 4 Online Travel Agents
WASHINGTON, May 27 (TNSletter) -- Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, issued the following letter to four Online Travel Agents: * * * Here is the text of the letter: May 14, 2026 Ms. Ariane Gorin Chief Executive Officer Expedia Group 1111 Expedia Group Way Seattle, WA 98119 * Mr. Glenn D. Fogel Chief Executive Officer Booking.com 28 Liberty Street, 29th Floor New York, NY 10005 * Mr. Brian Chesky Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer Airbnb 888 Brannan Street, 4th Floor San Franci  more

School of Business, CLAS, and College of Engineering Host MIP 2026 Research Conference at UConn Stamford
STORRS, Connecticut, May 26 -- The University of Connecticut posted the following news: * * * School of Business, CLAS, and College of Engineering Host MIP 2026 Research Conference at UConn Stamford * UConn Stamford recently hosted a four-day, invitation-only research conference on mixed-integer programming, a major area of mathematical optimization, known as MIP 2026. The workshop brought leading academic researchers together with representatives from some of the world's top technology an  more

SEMI Foundation, National Science Foundation Launch First Four Regional Nodes of the National Network for Microelectronics Education
MILPITAS, California, May 26 [Category: Electronic Products] -- SEMI, an association serving the manufacturing supply chain for the electronics industry, posted the following news release: * * * SEMI Foundation and the U.S. National Science Foundation Launch First Four Regional Nodes of the National Network for Microelectronics Education (NNME) * National Workforce Infrastructure Initiative Activates More Than 325 Organizations Across the United States to Accelerate America's Microelectroni  more

Sens. Warren, Gillibrand, Blumenthal, Kelly Issue Letter to Defense Dept.
WASHINGTON, May 27 (TNSletter) -- Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, and Mark Kelly, D-Arizona, issued the following letter to the U.S. Department of Defense: * * * Here is the text of the letter: April 26, 2026 The Honorable Pete Hegseth Secretary of Defense U.S. Department of Defense 1000 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301-1000 Dear Secretary Hegseth, We write with concerns about the failure of the Department  more

UConn Pharmacy's Diana Sobieraj Wins Awards for Two Publications
STORRS, Connecticut, May 26 -- The University of Connecticut posted the following news: * * * UConn Pharmacy's Diana Sobieraj Wins Awards for Two Publications * Diana Sobieraj started working as an adjunct professor at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SoPPS) during her pharmacy practice residency at Hartford Hospital and UConn. In 2012, Sobieraj joined the SoPPS as Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice before her promotion to Associate Profes  more

VA launches MDMA-assisted mental health therapy trial
WASHINGTON, May 26 -- The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs issued the following news release: * * * VA launches MDMA-assisted mental health therapy trial * WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs today announced a new clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted therapy, or MDMA-assisted therapy, for the treatment of severe mental health disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorder. The new trial  more