AGP Executive Report

Gun Policy & Courts: A Connecticut judge upheld the state AG’s objection to a plan to seek “ghost gun” advice from a Wiggin and Dana LLP attorney in a major enforcement fight. Health Care Costs & Transparency: Connecticut’s Office of Health Strategy opened public comment on a preliminary list of the state’s highest-cost outpatient prescription drugs, with data from 2023. Immigration Enforcement & Privacy: Advocates in Danbury say ICE brought a camera crew during an enforcement operation; ICE confirmed the operation but wouldn’t explain the filming. School Safety: Ledyard Middle School was evacuated after a swatting call, with police saying it was a fake threat and the investigation is ongoing. State Politics & Accountability: New Britain demanded former Mayor Erin Stewart repay more than $240,000 tied to severance, tuition, and legal costs after an independent investigation. Federal Policy Watch: Sen. Richard Blumenthal proposed banning Amtrak from using mandatory arbitration for civil rights and consumer disputes. Social Security: The trust fund is projected to run low by 2032, with trustees warning Congress to act.

Consumer Data Crackdown: Connecticut became the second state to regulate “dynamic pricing,” banning retailers from using personally identifiable data to customize prices for shoppers, following Maryland’s earlier move and mirroring New York’s parallel effort. Immigration Courts: Connecticut Attorney General William Tong backed a major win against the Trump administration’s unlawful $100,000 H-1B visa fee, as a judge blocked the policy and the administration faces appeals. Environmental Enforcement: AG Tong sued a North Haven metal finishing business and related companies over serial hazardous waste and air pollution violations tied to operations near the Quinnipiac River. Local Accountability: New Britain demanded more than $241,000 from former Mayor Erin Stewart for alleged improper severance, tuition reimbursements, and investigation-related legal costs, plus pension changes. AI & Privacy: Connecticut also advanced sweeping privacy and AI rules, including new requirements affecting how businesses use data and deploy certain AI systems. Public Safety/Health: DEEP-related updates included a commissioner transition as the state continues tightening oversight across environmental and health fronts.

H-1B Fight: A federal judge in Massachusetts struck down President Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee as an unlawful tax, siding with a coalition including California and other states; the administration says it will appeal. Connecticut Lawmaking: Gov. Ned Lamont signed a bill creating a comprehensive hate-crime code, tightening definitions and adding new offenses tied to bias-motivated false reports, swatting, and threats to houses of worship (effective Oct. 1, 2026). AI Governance: Connecticut’s new AI law (SB 5) sets notice and safety requirements for certain high-risk uses, including automated employment decisions, with key provisions rolling in over the next year-plus. Public Utilities Watch: Connecticut’s AG objected to a judge’s request for advice from a Wiggin and Dana attorney in a “ghost gun” supplier case, while a separate I-Team report raised questions about PURA communications with a utility executive during a rate decision. Elections: Connecticut Republicans are collecting signatures to replace their own endorsed candidate in the 50th House District after anti-Pride social media posts. Sports & Culture: Connecticut retired Jonquel Jones’ No. 35 jersey, though she missed the game due to illness.

Gun Law in Focus: Gov. Ned Lamont signed a new Connecticut law targeting certain Glock-style pistols that can be converted into fully automatic machine guns, with supporters pointing to lower gun violence and opponents calling it unconstitutional. Home Care Workforce: Connecticut also adopted new training requirements for homemaker companion workers, expanding mandatory instruction beyond reporting and harassment to include safety, abuse/neglect identification, and dementia-related non-medical services. Nursing Home Ownership Rules: Lamont signed legislation tightening private equity involvement in nursing homes, requiring annual certification that investors can’t control care or safety and adding ownership disclosure rules starting in 2027. EV Infrastructure: Connecticut is set to install 370 new EV chargers for the state fleet, aiming to electrify vehicles used by employees at depots. Medicare for All Push: More than 325 organizations signed an open letter backing Medicare for All, keeping national health-care reform in the spotlight. Connecticut Climate Accountability: A new report says the state has completed just over half of the governor’s 2021 climate order. Corporate/Legal Watch: States including Connecticut are reportedly preparing a lawsuit to block the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger on antitrust grounds.

State Budget & Taxes: Connecticut collected $10 billion in individual income taxes in 2024, up from $9.6 billion the year before, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Food Assistance Fight: Gov. Ned Lamont announced $8.5 million to help bridge predicted SNAP losses tied to federal work requirement changes, while a federal judge in a separate case blocked enforcement of new USDA conditions on billions in food aid. Public Safety & Wildlife: A homeowner reported a 6-foot black rat snake on his roof; wildlife control said the nonvenomous snake may be using homes for shelter as development overlaps habitat. Federal Surveillance Politics: Rep. Jim Himes criticized President Trump’s choice of Bill Pulte as acting director of national intelligence, warning it could jeopardize Section 702 reauthorization. Connecticut Courts & Gambling: Connecticut is named among states facing federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission challenges tied to prediction markets. Sports & Community: The Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival runs June 12-20, expanding in screenings while keeping most films under half an hour.

SNAP Legal Fight: A federal judge blocked new USDA conditions tied to gender ideology, immigration, and women’s sports, pausing enforcement that states said could disrupt SNAP and other food programs for millions. Intelligence & Surveillance: Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT) blasted President Trump’s pick of housing official Bill Pulte as acting DNI, warning it could derail the looming FISA Section 702 reauthorization fight. CT Gun Policy Clash: The National Firearm Industry Trade Association says Connecticut’s ban on certain striker-fired handguns is unconstitutional and will challenge it in court. Murphy PAC Scrutiny: Reports say Sen. Chris Murphy’s American Mobilization PAC gave $100,000 to Indivisible, a group tied to anti-ICE protest organizing. Prediction Markets in Court: A federal regulator is pushing back against state actions targeting prediction markets, setting up major legal battles over whether these are bets or federally regulated financial products. CT Nursing Home Watch: CMS data highlights sharp differences among Western Connecticut for-profit facilities, including one with a top rating and another with low ratings and fines. DEEP Leadership: Connecticut’s energy and environmental commissioner is set to step down, with an acting successor named.

Gun Policy Fight: The National Firearm Industry Trade Association says it will challenge Connecticut’s new ban on “convertible” striker-fire handguns, arguing it violates Second Amendment rights while pointing to federal limits on illegal automatic conversions. Federal Courts & Food Aid: A judge temporarily blocked USDA from forcing states to adopt Trump administration gender and immigration conditions to keep billions in SNAP and other funding. Surveillance Politics: Congress is scrambling to reauthorize FISA Section 702, with Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes cited as helping block a warrant requirement for backdoor searches of Americans’ data. CT in the National Spotlight: ProPublica-backed lawmakers demanded answers after a White House-linked $620 million Pentagon loan to a startup tied to Donald Trump Jr. Privacy & Pricing: New York passed a ban on “surveillance pricing” using personal data to set different prices for the same product—joining Connecticut and Maryland’s earlier moves. State Government Watch: Connecticut’s education law includes a working group with teeth on antisemitism in schools, while a parallel Islamic/Arab studies provision lacks similar enforcement structure. Energy & Environment: DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes is set to step down, with an acting successor named.

Disabled Veterans Push: Drew Davis and Brad Kraut will livestream a 600-mile ride from Boston to Washington, D.C. from June 7-14, with the route running through Connecticut and raising money for disabled veterans via the Limitless Foundation. Privacy & Pricing: New York lawmakers passed the One Fair Price Act, joining Maryland and Connecticut in banning “surveillance pricing” that sets different prices based on personal data, while still allowing discounts for defined groups and loyalty programs. Connecticut Courts & Title IX: Quinnipiac women’s rugby players filed a federal class-action lawsuit seeking to restore varsity status after the program was cut to club level, alleging Title IX violations and unequal treatment. Antitrust Watch: State attorneys general are preparing a legal challenge to the Paramount Skydance–Warner Bros. Discovery merger, with Connecticut listed among potential plaintiffs. Public Safety & Local Governance: Norwich is disputing Taftville Fire Company claims after an eviction notice, saying it offered a cooperative shared-station arrangement while the volunteer department says it was put out of service. Cybersecurity: A Connecticut health-club chain faces a proposed class action after a ransomware attack exposed members’ and employees’ sensitive data, including Social Security numbers.

DEEP Leadership Change: Gov. Ned Lamont says Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes will step down in July, with DEEP Deputy Commissioner Emma Cimino serving as interim head. Privacy & Policing: Connecticut lawmakers propose guardrails to limit sharing of license plate camera data as states face mounting scrutiny over automated surveillance. Health Care Costs: AG William Tong blasts double-digit rate hike requests from Anthem, ConnectiCare, and UnitedHealthcare, saying insurers are using “fuzzy math” and must justify every assumption. Higher Ed + Civil Rights: Quinnipiac women’s rugby players sue in federal court to block the move from varsity to club status, alleging Title IX discrimination. Antitrust Watch: Connecticut is among states weighing a legal challenge to the Paramount-Skydance/Warner Bros. Discovery merger. Housing Equity: A new study finds CT housing vouchers often steer recipients into racially segregated neighborhoods. Social Security Alarm: Reports and a whistleblower claim allege SSA tried to assign fake death dates to millions; SSA denies it. Crypto Crime Linked to CT: DOJ says a bitcoin-linked kidnapping and carjacking case tied to Danbury, Connecticut, involved efforts to reach stolen cryptocurrency.

Offshore Wind Legal Fight: Seven Northeastern states, including Connecticut, sued the Trump administration over a nearly $1 billion refund to TotalEnergies after the company abandoned offshore wind leases—arguing the deal breaks federal law and misuses a justice department fund. Food Aid in Congress: The House narrowly passed a GOP-led spending bill that would cut WIC food assistance for millions of women and children, setting up a high-stakes fight over nutrition funding. Cancer Care Access: Connecticut enacted a law requiring insurance coverage for provider-delivered scalp cooling therapy starting Jan. 1, 2027, joining New York, Louisiana, Maryland, and West Virginia. Workplace Privacy/Surveillance: Connecticut’s new AI and social media safety rules keep expanding, while a separate law now allows camera-based security monitoring in employee break rooms and kiosks starting Oct. 1, 2026. AI in Courts: A Connecticut climate case against Shell is becoming a test for whether AI prompts used by expert witnesses must be disclosed in discovery. Traffic Safety: Woodbury approved red light cameras at the Diverging Diamond intersection at Woodbury Commons. Social Security Warning: A new analysis says Social Security could trigger an automatic benefit cut around 2032, with Connecticut among states facing some of the largest average reductions.

Education Funding Overhaul: Connecticut’s new 23-member Blue-Ribbon Commission held its first meeting to rethink the state’s public school funding formula, with recommendations due next January and a focus on equity plus easing local tax burdens. School Safety Enforcement: Gov. Ned Lamont signed a law making repeat illegal school-bus passings a top-tier offense, with mandatory six-month license suspensions for third (or later) violations starting Oct. 1. Charity Scrutiny in New Britain: Connecticut AG William Tong and the Department of Consumer Protection opened an investigation into the Mayor’s Trophy Charitable Fund, subpoenaing former Mayor Erin Stewart and seeking records tied to how charitable money was handled. Immigration Policy Shift: USCIS issued a memo tightening when people can adjust status inside the U.S., pushing more applicants toward consular processing abroad. Consumer Protection: The state’s Department of Consumer Protection warned homeowners to research home-improvement requirements before demolition or major work begins. Public Health/Workforce: AARP and caregiving advocates highlighted the growing need for paid caregiving leave as more adults juggle work and family care. Energy Prices: Hartford County diesel hit a low of $4.84 per gallon in the week ending May 30, while statewide diesel averaged $5.73.

Connecticut Budget & Food Assistance: Gov. Ned Lamont announced $300 grocery gift cards for about 25,000 residents who lost federal SNAP benefits, with distribution through community action agencies and an expected rollout by August. New Britain Accountability: A new Crumbie Law Group report says former Mayor Erin Stewart improperly sought a roughly $151,000 severance package and also bypassed rules on tuition reimbursement and pension-related benefits, prompting renewed scrutiny by state and federal authorities. Immigration Enforcement in CT: “ICE out of CT” protesters rallied outside the Hartford federal courthouse, saying they’ve seen increased ICE activity and more vehicles tied to operations in recent weeks. Privacy & Federal Policy: Connecticut’s AG Jay Jones joined a coalition opposing the SECURE Data Act, arguing it would weaken state privacy protections. State Tech & Privacy: Connecticut lawmakers advanced guardrails aimed at limiting how license plate camera data can be shared, as privacy advocates push back on surveillance. National Politics With CT Stakes: A new analysis warns Social Security could cut benefits by about $500 a month on average by 2032, with Connecticut projected to face the largest average hit. Courtroom & Federal Oversight: Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department will not move forward with a $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, after a judge paused it and lawmakers attacked it over oversight concerns.

Apple Closures: Apple confirmed permanent closing dates for three stores, including Apple Trumbull in Connecticut, shutting doors June 20 (with employees able to transfer to nearby locations). AI in the Courts: A Connecticut judge told attorneys and clerks that generative AI can’t be used for legal research, and warned lawyers to be careful with what the tools produce. National Guard Leadership: Major Gen. Francis J. Evon Jr. was reappointed for another four-year term as Connecticut’s Adjutant General. Public Safety Law: Sen. Jeff Gordon advanced a new Connecticut law that will suspend licenses for drivers who repeatedly fail to stop for school buses. Charity Probe: Connecticut AG William Tong and Consumer Protection Commissioner Bryan Cafferelli opened an investigation into former New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart’s handling of the Mayor’s Trophy Charitable Fund. SNAP Relief: Gov. Ned Lamont ordered $300 grocery gift cards for about 25,000 residents who lost federal nutrition assistance. Social Security Warning: A new analysis says Social Security could cut benefits by about $500 a month on average if lawmakers don’t act before trust fund reserves run out in 2032, with Connecticut among the hardest hit. Gun Policy Fight: A report highlights that Connecticut is among states that have moved to ban Glocks, joining a growing patchwork of handgun restrictions.

Online Safety & AI: Gov. Ned Lamont signed Connecticut’s Protecting Connecticut Residents from AI-related harm Act, setting rules for AI chatbots, minors on social media, and disclosure when AI is used in employment decisions, while funding AI literacy for small businesses and nonprofits. Privacy Fight in Congress: A GOP-backed Secure Data Act would override state privacy laws in at least 22 states, but EPIC plans to tell lawmakers it’s “worse than no federal data privacy law at all,” arguing key opt-out limits don’t cover common tracking identifiers. Offshore Wind Lawsuits: New York AG Letitia James sued the Trump administration over a TotalEnergies deal to end offshore wind projects, and Connecticut joined a multi-state challenge alleging a “sham” pay-not-to-play scheme that harms jobs and climate goals. DOJ Retreat on “Anti-Weaponization” Fund: Acting AG Todd Blanche told lawmakers the $1.8 billion fund will not move forward, while also keeping an IRS tax-probe immunity provision tied to the broader settlement. CT Accountability: Hartford auditors flagged serious concerns about oversight of a $6 million federal USDA grant tied to the city’s Office of Sustainability. Crypto Crime: A “Godfather” crypto figure pleaded guilty in a case tied to a $245 million Bitcoin heist and a kidnapping plot. Local Politics: A CT GOP candidate faced bipartisan backlash over an anti-Pride Month/anti-LGBTQ+ social media post.

Offshore Wind Legal Fight: New York AG Letitia James is leading a lawsuit joined by Connecticut and six other states to block the Trump administration’s March deal paying TotalEnergies about $1 billion to cancel offshore wind leases off New York and North Carolina, with states arguing the buyout skipped required procedures and threatens jobs, power supply, and climate goals. AI at Work in Connecticut: Connecticut’s Online Safety Act updates take effect Oct. 1, 2026, requiring employers to disclose when automated tools materially influence hiring and other employment decisions, expanding coverage and tightening rules around sensitive data. DHS Court-Order Standoff: Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin faced sharp questioning from Sen. Chris Murphy and other Democrats, refusing to clearly commit to following court orders, arguing courts are “politicized.” Justice Dept. Retreats: Acting AG Todd Blanche told House lawmakers the DOJ is scrapping the $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund after backlash and court pauses. Local Government: Fairfield activated 24/7 speed cameras in six school zones, with escalating fines for repeat violations. Connecticut Politics & Policy: The CT-Puerto Rico Trade Commission held its first meeting, setting subcommittees and adding energy assistance and efficiency as a focus area.

Iran Talks and War: Secretary of State Marco Rubio told senators Iran has agreed to negotiate parts of its nuclear program, even as Tehran says it’s ending peace talks and fully closing the Strait of Hormuz—setting up fresh scrutiny from U.S. lawmakers. Connecticut Courts and Law: AG William Tong led a coalition urging the Federal Judicial Center to reverse its removal of climate science guidance from a judicial manual, arguing the change was driven by partisan pressure. Offshore Wind Fight: Tong joined other states in suing the U.S. Department of the Interior to block a TotalEnergies settlement that cancels offshore wind leases in exchange for taxpayer-funded payouts and oil-and-gas commitments. Public Health: Health officials warn of rising tick risk this June, with Connecticut among the states flagged for higher Lyme concerns. Connecticut Politics: Lamont faces growing calls to replace SNAP losses with state aid as federal rule changes cut Connecticut enrollment. Local Justice: A New Haven jury convicted Albert Eaddy in the 2019 killing of Troy Clark and the wounding of a police captain. Economy/Workplace: A New Haven residency requirement waiver system was approved for city officials, allowing case-by-case exemptions.