Lamont Pitches Rebate Amid 'Trying Times' In State Of The State Address

Gov. Ned Lamont says Connecticut is one of the safest states, and its law enforcement personnel don’t need any help from ICE to keep it that way.

Lamont delivered his 2026 State of the State address to a joint session of the Connecticut General Assembly Wednesday. The legislature convened Wednesday and its regular session adjourns May 6.

In his address, Lamont covered a variety of topics, including the state budget and making life more affordable for Connecticut families struggling to pay for food, housing and healthcare.

On the topic of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Lamont said, “Go home.”

“ICE, everywhere you go uninvited, violence follows,” he said. “We are keeping Connecticut safe without you.”

Lamont described Connecticut’s police force as one of the best trained in the world, making the state one of the safest.

“ICE is just the opposite,” Lamont said. “They see the world as us versus them. They are not trained to deescalate – they are barely trained at all. They hide behind a mask, they come to Connecticut – and Minneapolis – to arrest people outside of schools or courthouses, often based upon the color of their skin.”

According to Lamont, some Connecticut children who are minorities are afraid to go to school

“Those kids at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven – we call them Dreamers; The White House calls them criminal aliens,” Lamont said.

Referencing the killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis, Lamont said that while the White House called her a domestic terrorist, “she reminded me of my daughter.”

“Connecticut is protecting our schools and courthouses, where people go not to break the law but because they are following the law,” Lamont said.

Making Connecticut Less Expensive

Lamont said he aims to make life less expensive for working families and the middle class.

According to Lamont, the state is making up for federal cuts and working to ensure residents can get health insurance and needed care.

“We still have over $313 million to backfill any other unanticipated cuts from Washington,” Lamont said. “I respectfully ask you to extend the fund through the end of next fiscal year.”

Lamont said the state is delivering its seventh balanced budget in a row, on time, while building up a $4 billion rainy day fund in case of a recession, and paying down over $10 billion in pension debt.

Lamont said the 2027 budget plan increases investments in education, housing, nonprofits, and the state’s emergency reserve.

He noted that Connecticut families have been suffering through one of the coldest winters in decades, with “enormous heating bills.”

Lamont is proposing an energy rebate, about $400 per family, to help families through these “trying times.”

He noted how the state has raised its minimum wage, which is now around $17 per hour, up from about $10 when he took office.

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The budget would eliminate licensing fees for nurses and trades, he said.

“Does a plumber really have to pay to maintain their certification every year?” Lamont said.

In the area of education, Lamont is focusing on the potential hazards of social media, saying it can “feed a sense of isolation, persecution, and anger.”

Lamont said he wants there to be no phones “bell to bell” in schools. He also wants to require that no child under age 18 has access to dangerous apps without parental permission.

The budget also would provide for free school breakfasts for all students.

“Everybody starts the day right. No shame, no stigma, no empty stomachs,” Lamont said.

Lamont said he plans to sign an executive order to create the Blue Ribbon Commission on K-12 Education. The goal, he said, is to take a “bottoms-up” look at education to ensure more resources go to classrooms, while saving money for taxpayers.

In the area of housing, Lamont said he wants to make it easier for people to rent or buy a home. The state is building more housing, he said, mostly in its larger towns and cities.

“We are trying to make it easier and faster and less expensive to build new housing,” Lamont said. “That’s what I call permitting reform.”

Municipalities should take the lead, and say where they do or don’t want housing, according to Lamont.

“No to building in that open field. Yes to reimagining that under-used parking lot. That old mill sitting empty. That half empty suburban shopping mall or under-used office building, all of which could be retrofitted for housing,” Lamont said.

Lamont said he also wants to help residents with energy costs.

“We will continue to scrutinize rates and ensure ratepayers are only covering infrastructure and energy use,” Lamont said.

Lamont also discussed accelerating healthcare costs. The state is working to find efficiencies on both the state employee plan and Medicaid, to save taxpayers money and keep healthcare affordable, according to Lamont.

“At a time of rising costs, we’re doubling down on what we’ve always done – being tough as nails on medical fraud and looking under the hood for big savings whenever and wherever we can,” Lamont said.

Lamont asked lawmakers to work together on the Connecticut Option, which he said will encourage state employees, retirees, and small businesses to go to hospitals with the best value.

“Some hospitals charge 50% more than others for the same outcome,” Lamont said. “We will be able to offer you healthcare with no co-pays or deductibles if you sign up to the Connecticut Option, saving you money, saving the state money, and making sure our top-line healthcare is affordable for you.”

Watch Lamont’s full State of the State address HERE.