>> This week on The Wheelhouse.

>> In the final day of the legislative session is here.

Which bills will pass and which bills will be hunted to next year.

>> for >> Connecticut Public Im Frankie Graziano.

This is the Wheelhouse.

The show that connects politics, the people we got your weekly dose of politics in Connecticut and beyond right here.

On the final day of the 2025 legislative session.

It's why many of you tune into the Wheelhouse.

Inside the state Capitol.

It's anything but quiet after 6 months of negotiation debate and some political drama, lawmakers are racing to the finish line from education to housing, climate changes to Medicaid.

The General Assembly has tackled some of the most pressing issues facing Connecticut's residents today.

We'll find out which bills make it across the finish line.

And which ones get left behind?

Who will take the floor?

Who will walk away, disappointed and who will leave feeling like the fight was worth it.

That's what I'll be taking into today.

With the help of my guess.

Our first one, Susan Raff WFSB news channel, Three's chief political reporter.

Thank you so much for coming on the show.

>> Good morning on this very big day.

So good to see you this morning.

A bright may morning.

Appreciate having you on Mark as Kiss Capitol bureau chief, co-founder of the Connecticut Mirror.

Look at him at work.

He's ready to go for the final day.

Welcome to the Wheelhouse.

You don't make them is as professional as mark cause.

I can tell you that and also joining us.

He comes by way of Zoom Wsh you Ebong Udoma.

Good morning and on.

How are you?

>> I'm doing good 100 and Frankie it you're ready to go.

You just had a warm up.

You had your show and now you're ready to go here.

Thank you so much for coming on the program.

Good morning.

And you look very handsome this morning.

Well, thank you.

He does.

Ebong, very handsome gentleman.

You can join the conversation, folks.

(888) 720-9677, (888) 720-9677 guess the first question is gonna go out to Marc just after midnight last night the Senate gave final approval to the biennial budget.

Breaking news.

Some of the priorities in this budget.

What are they and how difficult was the fight?

Would you say for the approval to come?

The fight really was behind the scenes ahead.

>> To do with the Thruway negotiations that goes on every year.

They were particularly acute this year between the governor's office that House Democratic majority in the Senate Democratic majority and their biggest sticking point was whether you're going to do a child tax credit or where you're going to do some other form of tax relief for low and middle class households and they ultimately on a compromise that does use the housing credit and some other things to at this point.

But that child tax credit, which is been legislative Democrats priority for a long time, that's going to have to wait to be fully developed in other years.

>> Ab on, what do you think people are thinking right now?

There's some lawmakers walking away, unhappy and if so, what are their concerns?

>> Well, the definitely walked away unhappy because they were shut out of the whole budget negotiations and they were not happy about the bull.

And also they feel Lamont has compromised with the Democrats and and adjusted the guardrails and that very upset about that.

That's the fiscal guardrails for the budget.

>> You know, Susan.

It seems like the Republicans were actually in lockstep with the governor in the last few years on the guardrails.

And there is a super majority for Democrats so they don't have to really talk to Republicans and some of the things I heard behind the scenes yesterday while at the Capitol, we're very complimentary to Republicans to say the least they basically don't think they have any business being involved in many parts of the negotiations because of those majorities.

this year for the Republicans just not getting what they want in terms of the guard rails and at least saving money for the long term.

>> Right.

And I think it's difficult for the governor.

I mean, he's you know, he's may decide to run for election.

He's also campaigned on being fiscally conservative right?

So he has said, you know, he doesn't think we should adjust the guardrails.

Those were bipartisan rules put in place for reason.

They were used to fix the Medicaid shortfall or the deficiency that we have.

Connecticut does have a huge reserve about 4 billion dollars, but it doesn't go.

It does go against that and so the governor's sided with Democrats and agreed to do that.

So he's got to be careful if he wants to say, you know, we need to abide by those rules and then changes them.

>> Has been following the reporting of your great colleague at the Connecticut Mirror, Keith Bennett, who is all over the finances in terms of you what we're going to do with medicate and that has a big part to do with the guardrails here.

The federal government essentially not doing Connecticut any favors.

We haven't seen the big beautiful bill have final passage yet.

But when you're talking about, billions of dollars potentially being taken away or there's also the threat about Medicaid funding because Connecticut provides care to undocumented migrants under 15.

I don't know how much room Connecticut had to maneuver here.

What do you think?

>> Well, the good news for Connecticut is that there are a lot of red state governors that have pushed back very hard Congress on doing some of the cuts that have been discussed.

Some of those cuts would have been rolling back the 90% federal compensation for states that expanded there, Medicaid coverage Connecticut is one of those states.

It's been very important.

It's been far-reaching about 40% of all children born in Connecticut are bored.

0.2 on Medicaid.

So that was very key.

And then there's this call of the kickback scam.

But there's been something in place for a long time where they can have a wink and a nod to their hospitals.

They can increase the taxes on hospitals to increase their Medicaid reimbursement and then kick back.

And essentially, you know, some of those taxes.

And this is something that now 49 states to use.

It's pretty clear Congress is going to have the ability to endlessly do that, but they're not going to eliminate the.

So those are some of the really huge concerns.

But in the broader sense, there was disappointment to come Connecticut, only made some modest increases in Medicaid reimbursement rates, which really had not been touched since 2007, 2008.

And, you know, if you're trying to get a specialist or perhaps even a pediatrician in some areas, those Medicaid reimbursement rates are problematic to getting care for your kids.

Right.

And I think Republicans.

>> We're upset with good reason.

The Democrats could have opened the budget last year and fix that Medicaid efficiency, but they didn't.

So then they were faced with it.

This year.

And as Marc said, it is very true.

You know, a lot of people don't realize how many children in this state and disabled people rely on Medicaid and then there's the uncertainty of what's coming on in Washington.

So I think at a time when, you know, we have used our gone outside the fiscal guardrails, we have to be very careful because we just don't know what the future is going to be.

I don't know what the future's going to be in terms of how much we her hear the term fiscal guard, Iran.

>> might go away soon.

What are we all going to do?

A Connecticut had long.

What's your take on?

>> on and >> the federal funding impact here.

I want to I want to save some of the discussion for later with you and I in the see segment here and reactions.

But at least in terms of federal funding.

Bob Duff, I got to talk to yesterday.

The Senate majority leader he saying, hey, Washington doesn't have its act together.

Connecticut does.

I think we have a balanced budget.

I don't think they do in Washington and certainly that's what his response was, too.

The federal impact.

What are you hearing from other law?

lot of other case.

They'll have to come back in the full.

>> Okay.

The civil justice because we don't really know what's going to come out of Washington right now.

The >> talking about it being really bad.

The Republicans say, well, let's wait and see.

But whichever way the going to have to be some adjustments done in the full.

I don't think they can get around that.

Susan, you hearing anything about when we're going to come back?

>> I have been when lawmakers go.

I want to be I think you've on his right.

I think it's going to be sometime in the fall in Connecticut has already lost quite a bit of money for public health and education.

And the big question is what's going to happen?

You know, with Medicaid and so we have to wait and see that there's no question the speaker has said many times that we're going to have to come back and figure out what to do with the budget.

And yes, Connecticut is in a fairly decent spot right now with a huge reserve right?

But will that be enough?

And, you know, we have to hold on to that.

>> any any kind of business that might need to be taken care of it if it doesn't get taken care of today.

>> No, there they will.

Wait to see what federal picture looks like.

And then they most certainly will come back there's and there does not seem to be anything that we left undone by midnight tonight, which is the constitutional adjournment deadline.

They do have fixes and tweaks to the budget that passed last night.

The Senate.

But they're must-do list is pretty much taking care The Senate has a climate bill that passed the House earlier and Manny and Marty, Winnie, the Senate president says they will indeed give that final passage today.

It's not a terribly ambitious bill.

It's really aspirational.

It set some.

It reiterates and set some goals, but it really doesn't do a whole lot more.

>> This is brought that bill up because I talked to several lawmakers about yesterday.

This is a bipartisan effort to address energy.

As I understand before.

And I think they got to come and talk about it in the House.

Isn't.

And and a lot of this discussion is around the public benefits charge.

>> Correct.

And you don't often see Republicans and Democrats agree on a lot and they were brought into the room.

This was really, you know, the result of a lot of pressure from constituents, right?

Lawmakers heard from people saying we're angry.

We're frustrated after some very high bills last year and now we're going into the summer months so I think that this is an effort to take a portion of the public benefits charge off the bill.

And give people.

I think it's about 100 million a year for several years.

And then there are some more savings long term.

But there's no question there was a lot of pressure to do something about this.

And this was definitely a bipartisan effort and it will make a difference.

But keep in mind that money has to be borrowed and all taxpayers will eventually pay that.

But it will take the burden off of the rate payers in the immediate future.

>> So don't go ahead and bog.

Yeah, jump in there.

And there was this.

It will take about $10 among of the average residential bill.

>> And a lot more of business customers.

>> you know, years, something, you know?

>> It is.

It's definitely something it's not going to solve all the state's problems and even that seems to be in agreement with that, that the lawmakers have to come back next year and tackle energy and figure out what's Connecticut is going to do terms of long-term energy plan.

We don't have one.

This is a start.

A lot of them say it's a step in the right direction.

Will it be enough to make people happy?

It might be.

And again, they wanted something done.

>> There's a lot to talk about on energy and we have tried to do it in the past.

But again, we are downwind of major polluters and that's one impact and we're at the end of the gas line.

So there's a lot of things to get into as we always do on the show, it will save sum of that for next week.

When we talk to McKayla 7 on the Wheelhouse.

So stay tuned as we continue to talk about these things.

If you want to talk about what's happening today at the Capitol, give us a call.

(888) 720- 9677, (888) 720-9677 Has a there's a lot to be happy about in this budget.

I would imagine we're talking about childcare.

We're going to have Commissioner Beth Bye on from Office of Early coming on right after this segment.

And Eva Bermudez Zimmerman as well from child care for CT were talking about capping the cost of childcare for some and then allowing others to have free childcare.

That's one you're talking about addressing the that that that charge an electric bills.

He that's that's a that's another thing.

So they're obviously having to address a lot of things that are happening at the federal government.

So there's some positives their negatives from some folks besides Republicans, not necessarily happy with the fiscal guardrails.

>> Well, they're the Republicans opposed to early childhood initiative because it's an off budget item.

And that was one of the major compromises.

But the governor did make on the fiscal guardrails in return for what is really the signature achievement of the session.

>> But in terms of that, maybe it's I'm looking for other for other groups here that may not be happy as it nonprofit says it higher who may not the getting something that they want out of this budget.

>> Uconn is losing a lot of money with second year.

The budget nonprofits.

And I don't mean this in a dismissive but nonprofits are really and There been progress in fits and starts over reimbursement rates.

The big winners this year or the folks in that nursing homes, the reimbursement rates will go up there to pay for higher wages that are the result of threat, labor action.

But other than that, it's you know, it wasn't a terrible year, but there's not a lot of that won't be in the celebration of the nonprofit about what they're getting be.

Once again, this is a constant struggle for Connecticut that many key services are provided by private nonprofit providers.

It's far lower.

The ANC's can do the job because of lower wages and lower benefits.

this is this is a struggle that we will see continued next year when they do budget adjustments and and beyond.

Right.

I think this was a very big year for Connecticut's working families right?

>> And middle class families because let's face it, people want to work or stay in their jobs and they can.

If they can't afford child care.

I think nonprofits, I agree with Mark.

They did OK, kind of flat funded, but they didn't get any cuts.

I think the most contentious thing and this is the one thing that Governor Lamont has said he's going to veto and that is the bill for striking workers.

And we saw that highlighted with Pratt and Whitney.

The governor did not like the bill last year and he doesn't like it this year.

It allow people who are on strike to collect unemployment after 2 weeks, businesses pay into that.

Governor Lamont feels it's anti-business.

Republicans do as well.

I think the unions have kind of said they are trying to a strong arm, the governor to change his mind.

But I don't think he will.

So they didn't come out on top, certainly, but it is a big year for working families.

>> Big year for a lot of people in Connecticut.

There's a lot of money to go around, particularly for children and their families and even got the child tax credit in there but the session is coming to an end.

You guys are going to be jumping out of here pretty soon because there's a news conference at 9.30 >> There is a news conference.

I think they're going to take a bonding today with new school construction and just to put the heavy lifting really has been done.

The energy was a big thing that came in the last few days.

The budget as well.

They're just going to tie up some loose ends, but they'll take a little break and then come back in the fallen figure out what they're going to do with Medicaid and other shortfalls from Washington.

>> This is a day you don't necessarily like is the last day you get to go to the Capitol for a while.

>> Yeah, you know, I love the Capitol.

I really do have covered it for a long time.

And it's a learning process.

You really get a sense of how legislation is proposed and you watch it go through.

And I think a lot of people who are there care about the state of Connecticut, they may disagree on how we get there, but I enjoy it and I'll miss it.

>> Everybody's going to stay with me.

Pass.

You're leaving to just give me a final thought.

Here is a we leave EU and we're about to hear from Democratic lawmakers at 9.30, at least you will and people be able to follow up on that.

It's team era dot org and see the public dot org as well.

Go ahead.

>> The speaker majority leader in 5 minutes.

We're going to put the best possible spin on the last day.

And then tomorrow we'll hear from the governor who we'll try to frame what was done and what wasn't done and the best possible terms for him either to eventually an ounce.

A bid for a 3rd term later this summer or simply too try take a first at friend and his legacy.

What you're so in addition little you can't leave before that give you a percentage or where we at.

>> Greater than 50 per of doing the Dan Haar percentage check yours and greater.

Then 50 or less than 50 that the governor's going to run again.

I have given up on trying to read the tea leaves with Governor Ned Lamont what the you know, based on the conversations I have it.

>> It changes from day to day.

He's is aware that the end of the 3rd term he would be.

I-76, I think there's been a little news and politics nationally about the age of some of our elected leaders.

So I think that weighs on his mind.

But on the other side of the 6 is to bring cheer to spring.

Well, he was in the Senate.

Yeah, you'd be in the meeting.

I also got to tell you is as white as a planning on retiring.

So perhaps the governor won't be there.

I also think he's evolved.

I think he likes the job now.

I don't see it.

I didn't see that when he first the job.

He butted heads.

>> Even with the Democrats.

But he seems to have come into the job.

He likes it.

And I think I think Democrats and the party would like him to run.

You love me now.

But you're gonna get mad at me if you do get out of here because you got to get to the academy are again.

You got to get out of here.

>> I like Adam.

You can look back at it once I got to get going to your summer job.

You that.

Here's our job, Susan, to get you over what's happening at the Capitol.

So stay tuned for more coverage of what's happening from lawmakers as we have our great reporters following up with them will be digging deeper into the final day of the legislative session with our guests at Ebong Udoma, thank you to Susan Raff chief political reporter for WFSB News Channel 3 and also Mark Pazniokas Bureau chief and co-founder of the Connecticut Mirror.

After the break.

We're going to zoom in on early childhood education sector may soon see a significant overhaul.

One that will have implications for a lot of families across the entire state.

Stay tuned.

This is the Wheelhouse from Connecticut Public Radio.

I'm Frankie Graziano.

While much to the lawmaking for 2025.

Is slated and today a bunch of businesses already been tended to, including what many Connecticut are calling transformative legislation for local children and their families.

This past weekend, the state legislature passed a bill that should eventually provide support for child care for every kid in the state.

Here to mark this moment in early childhood development.

Our Beth by the commissioner of the Connecticut Office of Early Good morning.

That's so happy to see here on the show.

Thank you for coming in here to Hartford, where you work.

And another advocate for the children of Connecticut.

Eva remove that Zimmerman.

She's the coalition director for Childcare for CT Group, a local nonprofits fighting for affordable care in our state.

Good of a good morning.

So excited.

What is your shirt say?

>> Biggs childcare.

People get to see it, but it says Fix You see the for fixed childcare.

The commissioners ad I was going to say, I think you guys did a lot of work on this year.

Let me let me let invite folks to join the conversation.

Do you think that they fix childcare?

You excited about it.

Give us a call.

(888) 720-9677, (888) 720-9677.

Beth, you both were there when the bill passed or at least you're in the ether here.

What does it accomplish for families?

>> Yeah, it was such an exciting evening when the bill finally passed.

>> But what the bill accomplishes is it really expands child care for the state.

But I think first and foremost, it's going to make it more affordable for families and it's also going to help childcare workers have been subsidizing the system for decades, get paid on par with public school teachers, those that have the credentials.

>> Eva, your reaction to it.

I know that I saw some photos from us.

Awesome photos from some of your other colleagues, including is it Colin were there as well.

What do you think?

>> probably saw some photos of his dancing.

We had providers and parents at the Capitol when it actually happened live and there is some dancing photos.

Some shouting some tears.

It was an emotional moment to think of the first time in 40 years.

We finally have the providers and the parents have been seen in the state.

It's just a monumental achievement and it didn't.

You know, it wasn't an easy accomplishment.

It was one that was through a collaboration like you mentioned, childcare for Connecticut is a coup coalition of advocates.

Parents providers, nonprofits over 70 nonprofits coming together and saying now is the time to to fix childcare.

So enthusiastic.

>> I want to highlight the work of another nonprofit here.

I want to highlight a statement now from the Connecticut Project Action Fund and CEO Garth Harries who says every family from every background should have the financial freedom and peace of mind that come with affordable quality child care.

He causes a historical bill taking a transformative step.

There's Garth right there toward a Connecticut where university affordable universally affordable quality childcare from infancy through preschool is a reality.

Why is this has the word Garth uses transformative?

>> Well, transfer we coined it.

You didn't hear is that that's R word transformative, transformative.

We accomplished it because the first time in the nation that we've done something of this kind, a lot of states, they were just aiming at trying to get salaries of for providers trying to a cap on costs for for parents, there doing different attempts for different things.

But here with the commissioner, we saw that the broken system is not just the affordability or not just the fact that we're not paying providers with the should get paid.

It was a combination of a lot of deficiencies and through her leadership through the collaboration and advocacy.

We did something historic and transformational.

We're taking all those broken pieces and saying rather than keep funding a broken system, we're going to help our economy.

We're gonna make sure that parents get to go to work while simultaneously giving them infrastructure and giving them access to health care.

Let's get into the teeth of the bill in a little bit.

First, I want to ask you, commissioner.

Why is it important to do this?

Let's let's understand this.

I was I brought this question up to pass.

And Susan earlier about.

>> Nonprofits and about higher Ed.

We talk so much about about them when we consider the budget and flat funding or whatever.

But how important is it to meet families earlier in the lives of their children and people that are coming from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

>> Yeah, it you know, high-quality early childhood is important for all families in Connecticut.

And I think Governor Lamont has had a real vision since COVID and he saw what it meant to have child care when those hospitals were worried about how we can the staff during COVID.

He talks about that as a moment for him of realizing.

Just how much child care is a part of our workforce.

Infrastructure is a part of our state's economy I I was telling Eva he called me about 10 months ago and said, hey, if we could make an investment in an endowment that would be there forever.

Using this unallocated surplus, we could make a difference for the long run and I was just blown away.

It was after the blue ribbon panel report.

So he he had he had been hearing about that.

But I think that's what he does really well.

He listens.

And as we listen to business, he listened families.

He came to family childcare homes.

He listen to providers and he realized that this is really a missing piece of Connecticut's infrastructure for success.

So I think that's that's been exciting to see that at the highest levels.

Connecticut is saying this will distinguish U.S. from other states.

You have paid leave.

I have childcare.

If you have a family this a great place to be.

We were already great.

But >> any great leader builds on their strength.

>> Where do you see this bill helping now immediately once one?

So I want comes around.

>> Immediately we have an opportunity for bonding money.

So in the budget will we're talking at SB One.

I should highlight that the success of this legislative session is not just SB One, the bill that Universal Endowment, the success also is the fact that we have bonding money in the budget for infrastructure.

And we also have another bill, HB 5003, that allows for a portal to make it easy and accessible for child providers that combination and, you know, three-pronged approach of trying to tackle cost infrastructure and also access to benefits for child care providers is the monument Hill and transformational change.

So I will say that the success of all of these 3 bills have allowed access for more money for child care, owner-operators and directors access for to meet, you know, in immediate changes that that are to come.

There's also a cabbie out there that says we can not supplant the existing funding.

So a big fear from advocates coming into the session was yes, please.

We need benefits.

We need access.

We need to help stimulate our economy from the new slots.

But don't rob them from the existing programs.

And we did that.

You know, the commissioner double down that we have these programs that are awesome.

And then working in the want to help working parents so care for kids is not seeing there knowing ceiling care for kids, funding or other subsidy program funding.

They are there and we're adding more support and we have this new transformation idea.

Eventually.

Commissioner Pre-K will be free for children from families.

>> Making under 100,000 a year and for others who exceed the threshold there costs, we're going to be capped at 7%.

My wife and I did the math.

The other day when Charlie a nanny, we're going to preschool at the same time we're paying about.

3 grand a month or something like that.

That was about 16% of our income or something like 17 or severance about the Connecticut average right now.

Yeah, would have liked it to be revenue sources that but it's not going to be 7% in the short term.

It's going to take a little time for that to happen.

A help us understand exactly.

It is 7% right now for families on care for kids.

And we're moving that way in our existing state funded space is about 18,000 spaces.

Plus, there are 19,000 spaces in the school's.

Most of those are less and 7 >> percent.

So there still really affordable options right now.

And in the short term will be adding a few 1000 spaces over the next couple of years.

But the big change comes in 2027 starting in July of 2027, when will add.

16,000 spaces I think one thing that is being left out, but during a blue ribbon panel, we really heard from parents of preschoolers of children with special needs and the public schools just have a lot of half-day program.

So parents are having to pick between their child, getting services and working and so this bill, this endowment is designed to help school districts fill that gap and give them funding to turn those Park Day partly programs into school day school year programs.

So while I say we had 60,000 spaces, they're another 5 to 1005 to 7,000 families who will now have.

An early childhood program that will allow them to work right now.

It's so difficult for parents of threeand four-year-olds with children, especially it so difficult.

As you talk about pay going through this myself and my family and seeing other families as well.

>> You're talking about people that are professionals working in the space, not getting paid a lot.

They're having kids that have developmental developmental and intellectual disabilities that they're caring for and they're not getting paid that well.

And they're also taking care of babies.

And we know it cost more to take care of babies.

And there's just a lot going on in daycare right now and a lot for people to deal with what sounds like this money can help.

>> Yes, it does.

I mean, as as advocates I've been at this for 35 years, we said we have to break the link between what parents can pay and what child care workers are paid because the child care workers have been taking less than what they deserve to keep the system up to hold the system up.

And this says now it's it's a partnership that parents have a share.

Providers will continue to do their good work, but the government will have this endowment that will they allow it to work in the exact numbers.

>> The first step historically in early care where we really tackle payment is Service Employees.

International Union, unionized nationwide.

Child care providers in the can.

The state of Connecticut was one of them.

So they created a childcare union here in the state of Connecticut.

And then in the negotiations got the pay significantly higher for providers.

But that's just for the care for kids program subsidy and whatever and their childcare for CT and one of our ask with our partners and CDC's and also other child providers who own and operate and don't have the ability to be a union member was you have to look at us.

You have to understand that it's been on our backs and we have no mechanism to try to get more money because the money's just not there.

So this is finally an opportunity to pay providers more the program allows payments comparable to that public schooling public school teachers, which is significantly more for that per people cost than what most providers get right now in their average childcare space childcare for CT working on this groups with in there and then other groups as well, including a.

>> The CT Project Action Fund, all our Ken involved in this social impact partners.

The early learning is collaborative.

These people are unhappy.

There are other people that are not happy and I just want to address that really quickly.

I think I got a statement here.

Beth, for you from Vin Candelora.

he's a House minority leader.

Your guys.

He said maybe you guys weren't that whatever's.

But that but yes, remember Tabor's.

But you guys are friends.

Sure.

Here's what he says about the the he's worried about future spending habits.

He says, quote, It really is the beginning of the end of good fiscal practices for the state of Connecticut.

He believes the state's going to be diverting from now on surplus dollars into a fund to allow off budget spending and that's kind of a pass was getting into earlier.

What do you think about his concerns?

What can you do to allay them or as the governor have you tried to address this with how you all tried to tack?

Absolutely.

And I appreciate then.

And he's been a supporter of child care over the years.

>> I would just say that I have a fundamental disagreement with him.

And as does the governor, the governors, a businessman, he knows how business works.

He knows what a good Investment Inc.

There's no better investment that the state could make.

Then early childhood education.

What else gets you a 13 to 18% return on investment.

So the governor's not simply saying here, take this money and spend it.

He's putting in an endowment.

It stays on our books.

We only spent 10%.

Meanwhile that 10% investment is bringing a 13% return on investment.

So I see this as accelerating the state's economy.

And I think it is in line with the thinking that it's sort of paying down a future debt when children come to school, ready to learn it saves us money.

When parents can work, it helps them afford a house.

This is a investment in our economy.

>> Bill is all set to go when will it be signed?

We know if it's been signed out it will be signed to soon.

We're very excited about that.

And and the.

>> I'm excited.

The most exciting thing to me that night.

It past out here, a tear up, just thinking of it is coming out and seeing child care providers who worked a 10 or 12 hour day then came down to the Senate and sat in the gallery till 09:00PM women who've been doing this for 30 years.

Having a hard time supporting their families.

But they're they're advocating for everyone.

And I think I'm excited for the bill signing just to have the providers be there.

And and also the families.

And we hear from families about the struggles paying for childcare and trying to work.

So we're going to stay focused on the families in the field and ultimately we believe in them and we're investing in the I got a couple of minutes left with Eva and Give us a call.

(888) 720-9677 Maybe.

Want to know how this works for your family.

>> (888) 720-9677 70 better calls ASAP because they're going to go pretty soon.

But when Beth said that inch talked about the moment, a van thinking about.

Those who calls that you I think you had like hundreds of people, maybe even thousands of people on the zoom calls during the pandemic with people having all kinds of issues.

Do you start to think about the work that you've had to do over the last 5 years?

I know you've been doing it for longer, but particularly these last 5.

>> It's a little insane that it came from a concept of just survivalists re trying to make sure that we're navigating COVID of providers and is the Greenberg, Merrill gay, Liz Fraser and I started these calls on their 3 times a week.

Then it was exhausting.

So we switch them to one time a week and from 50 people turn to 100 and yes, 1000 people.

We broke a zoom in a time that nobody knew at Zoom was.

And here are 4 years later with in the finish line.

Finally with something real.

So the road was rocky the road is long, but again, this is a team effort.

Different partnerships.

Got us here, too, so that that's the position between having when you mentioned Republican any kind of Laura, the minority leader and his comment.

I want to point out that this organization and this advocacy, this is not about Democrat or Republican.

This is about doing what's right for children doing what's right for the economy.

You know, having the same space union Union locals as well as CBA is not that common.

But till the very, and they're both advocating for fixing childcare.

And that's what's really are.

Help me understand what's next?

What what else can you do?

I know that there's going to be a lot more work to do and not everybody can afford child care as is.

And that's what you obviously tried to do.

>> The wages haven't always been great.

So that's something you're also attempting to do.

Federal We understand are in jeopardy.

I'm not sure how much you'll need after getting this support, but maybe you can enlighten me.

So help me understand what's next?

>> Yeah.

So next up through the coalition for advocacy is ensuring that the programs that are now an opportunity for the health insurance and and that hopefully will be implemented very soon.

Are accessible to as many people as possible.

And this is for parents and providers.

That means money.

Of course, and there there is a limit to how much money could in theory be added into this endowment for the parent and that we want to make sure that there's also more money for the benefits right for the child care providers.

We made significant strides this year to ensure that there's 10 million dollars accessible for health insurance.

When we looked at the numbers, obviously with this many providers in the state of Connecticut, we are looking at more like 100 million that's needed for that difference in health insurance.

We're also wanting to expand beyond the 16,000 slots.

We want despite we're trying to celebrate right now, but there's a lot more work to be done and hopefully 2026 in 2027 session, we're able to grow on the wonderful success we had this year.

You get the final word commissioner, in terms of what you think about what's next and maybe addressing some of those things that, I think what we've done is built a really unique system here in Connecticut to the blue ribbon panel plan.

>> And it relies on local government counts.

Local governing council.

So what's next towns are building their own capacity to understand with their early childhood needs are assessed to be grounded in data.

And we're developing a portal so any parent can go online and see Putin where they live, what their income is and see what the free and reduce cost options are for them because there are some for all families now it's just it's like a Rubik's Cube trying to figure out what's going to work for your family.

We're going to so this makes significant.

It investments over the next year.

The governor want to be sure we're adding thousands of families in the next 2 years.

The rates will go up over the next 2 years.

We're going to be doing apprenticeship and workforce pipeline.

So we get more workers.

So it's sort of preparing for.

2027 when it launches.

So getting the workforce in place getting the locals, we need to know what the town's need to be able to provide within hurdles.

Yet Pond town halls to make sure that people know about what's happening.

So no one's going to be left in the dust and we're in the dark will have conversations with advocacy and we see to make sure people know what's going on.

>> Portals that HB 5,003 there.

Yeah.

I got to ask you keep our work and 503, was fabulous in the House representative for our.

>> And that is going to that that had a number of provisions.

But one of them was the portal and as Eva said, this has 100 mothers.

This came together because of so many people and the portal is being used successful, something like that in Colorado and South Carolina.

So we have other states to look too, but it's confusing now.

>> From Connecticut Public, this is the Wheelhouse of Frankie Graziano, the work to make the cost of living for families in Connecticut.

More affordable, never stops our guest today were instrumental in the passage of the big childcare legislation of 2025.

That by the commissioner of the Connecticut Office of Early Child that I haven't seen you in awhile.

Greatest.

God bless you.

God bless Tracy.

It's good to see you, too.

Let also Eva Bermudez, Zimmerman coalition director for childcare.

Foresee to thank you for coming on the show.

Thank you for having me.

So good to see you in person here like this.

Our panel returns to react to what we just heard, but also just kind of give us an idea.

It's actually going to be bong, bong and I are going to talk about what happens next.

And more reaction from lawmakers on the final bills here as they try to cross the finish line.

You can join the conversation.

It (888) 720-9677, (888) 720-9677.

Listen to the Wheelhouse on Connecticut Public.

This is the Wheelhouse from Connecticut Public Radio.

I'm Frankie Graziano.

A flurry of activity inside the Connecticut state Capitol today during the final day of the 2025 legislative session.

We'll find out which bills make it across the finish line which balls bills fall short.

Really.

Most of the work being done, there's going to be some bonding things happening.

little discussions here and there, as I understand from talking to Ebong Udoma, senior reporter WSHU.

Great to have you back on the Wheelhouse here Lets finish up here with you.

Let's finish up here.

We just had the child care discussion.

We only have a few minutes.

I'm going to kind of move away from that.

Now a lot of people are excited about childcare.

So that's kind of now a shift.

Our thoughts into the neck of the woods to where you work here near Fairfield County.

Always an effort to try to get.

More housing available to folks.

What are you understanding about any kind of housing legislation?

>> Well, I think that's a big win for for the towns in Fairfield County.

There was a lot of opposition to the House and build the past.

They simply they felt it was taking over local control of zoning.

And those a lot of pushback a joint in the the Democratic majority leader in the House.

Jason Rojas was look, he put this whole thing together.

He was kind of the architect of this housing bill and what he said is that when they started out it and they started out with something that was pretty demanding of communities get in the feedback.

You from town halls and other interactions they did.

He they were able to craft something that was a lot more balanced.

It in.

I don't think it went down the west of the EU has balanced.

>> Because of the reaction from lawmakers now right now it's passed.

The Senate has passed the House this past the Senate.

And so it's up to Governor Lamont and the grassroots organizers a lobbying Governor Lamont's a veto.

>> The bill, which I don't think he'll do.

>> Why would they want him to veto it?

He help us to understand that a little well, it's it's it's it's it's too demanding takes away local control over housing.

Louisville, zoning.

It requires something called fair share, which would cause a district's build some number of residential affordable residential housing.

And I'm and it has transit oriented housing works live ride and it eliminates some of the talking regulations, the number of parking spaces you need to have certain houses.

This is something that some some of legislators from the cities were against as well.

But they they seem to have a compromise, but it wasn't enough.

It was the if you had, if you if you have a development with within the 24 units, you can effectively you know, reduce the amount of of of a parking space is loud.

And it it had something to do with architectural pop ups and not having, you know, all rests on on park benches, people to This that it went into a little bit of detail, that pushing back the hope the lobbying yeuris lead to get the governor to veto it.

But I don't think he'll do it have on the bill aims to increase housing supply, cut down a rent prices and encourage use of public transit among other measures.

>> These are measures advocate have been calling for for a long time.

Maybe they would disagree that it needs to be vetoed.

>> Well, real big push of the house and now because of pushing for this for a long time, one of reasons why the state is so segregated is because of of zoning rules, rich do in most suburban communities does not permit multifamily housing and this is trying to trying to.

You know, edge into that and get a little bit more housing the family House and in 2 suburban communities.

>> The fiscal guardrail conversation.

How does that extend to housing?

So are there folks that have seen the governor and lawmakers.

I'm thinking about that.

I've seen what the Lord can do for you.

Can you do it for me?

Are they seeing that with the with the the loosening of the guardrails.

Can they see that potentially helping out a more affordable housing efforts in Connecticut.

>> Well, the governor has been putting more money into a state house and programs.

But the thing about the fiscal God wills the feeling is that once it's a slippery s**** and once you open the the the flood, the floodgates, you know, the icon.

Think of the metaphor used to.

But but the avalanche is upon us basically was last used OT.

Then then so less on things other than paying down funded pension obligations.

You know, open it up to a situation where you'll no longer have the simplest money.

>> And the what then sometime laws.

defense's lot, a small practice for the for the state to do this.

However, there's a lot of pressure because we've got a huge surplus.

Okay.

So so we got about a minute bong and you've got into one person who was unhappy, talked about been candelora.

>> Let's just finish this up by trying to talk about who might not necessarily like what's happening with the state budget process.

Are there groups that you could point to are their lawmakers in the last minute or so year?

>> Well, I know the that a lot of Republicans didn't like it and they didn't like the fact that a number of bills didn't make it, they actually put it into the budget.

For instance, the AI bill made it in the Senate didn't make it into the House.

But segments of the bill made it into the budget.

Brian stuns and this is something that will go up against the big, beautiful bill that we have in Congress they pretty much a bad on states.

Passing any legislation to do with AI the next 10 years in >>about 15 seconds left upon.

Yeah.

And they were able to tuck it into the into in into the budget.

And basically the whole thing about generated and generated in like this.

I don't know that yet.

Yeah.

That much like this >>Ebong Udom WSHU senior reporter, thank you so much for coming on.

The Wheelhouse today.

>> Thank you for it today.

Show produced by Chloe Wynn edited by Robin Doyon-Aiken technical producer, Eugene Amatruda.

Thank you to Maegn Boone and company.

Download the Wheelhouse anytime on your favorite podcast app.

I'm Frankie Graziano.

Want to show we have for you today.

This is the wheel.