[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6646855,"mediaKeyId","2526364-630810083f23fd45b98891b95a2f1ee9","parentId",2526364,"title","Senate approves $3 million emergency nonprofit assistance account after sharp debate over recipients","audioSeconds",555,"startMs",2346000,"endMs",2901000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2526364-630810083f23fd45b98891b95a2f1ee9&start=2346&end=2901","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2526364-630810083f23fd45b98891b95a2f1ee9/thumbnail_2346000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6646855/Connecticut/Senate-approves-3-million-emergency-nonprofit-assistance-account-after-sharp-debate-over-recipients","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6646855-01a51b22afd8b29e6678816fc8786699/orig.mp4?Expires=1771100189&Signature=gPDuW~9y6kj1FfmwSO-uFcgeMQUJAv5A6y5NgKnWkg29U5rnumIP3dnlSEoTIwlYLERBuq2R0I16HCn1LZBhX9TXmzqlrCqRuOYHQBV-5Inz9lP~~5nMijNUc-nZuH-knIe3X4Iu-qWEGBtX~5fBkZBFXq3POobo5fDWhp2N-3VT0WUVHyEjSxxVSk3ce1k49zuzDaqoxMTrKoOsgZOhGb4XgKrHobpzDf63csP9HYU4zoyVLGGpqDfCPf6JinT3bqFSYH~ieMpVSi8AXsJgTAkyKU4FT8gqDt5ZG6Q17dL3Q~qTlJwVZoIYuwydIzPIP2nKROOLYo9ySpjlUs-3qA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Connecticut Legislature","date","2025-03-05T00:00:00Z","article","The Connecticut Senate on Wednesday approved Senate Bill 1453, establishing an \"Emergency Nonprofit Assistance Account\" and transferring $3,000,000 from the general fund to seed grants for nonprofit service providers. The measure passed after a series of amendments and roll-call votes.

A strike-all amendment (LCO 5976), offered and explained on the floor, created the account and specified that expenditures would be administered by the Office of Policy and Management and generally be available on or about April 20, 2025. The amendment passed by roll call 24–10 (two absent), and the bill as amended later passed by a roll call of 25–10 (one absent).

Why it matters: supporters said the money will shore up community organizations facing immediate threats to operations; critics said some listed recipients were politically controversial and pressed for clearer accountability and technical safeguards to ensure taxpayer dollars meet demonstrable needs.

What the amendment does: the successful strike-all amendment establishes an Emergency Nonprofit Assistance Account, transfers $3,000,000 from the general fund into that account, and directs the secretary of the Office of Policy and Management to prepare expenditures. As Senator Austin summarized in debate, the amendment “segregates out the cost aspects of that last bill … and says exactly where the monies would come from and where they would be deposited into.”

Contested recipients and oversight: much of the debate focused on organizations named in earlier drafts and the perceived priority given to some groups. Senator Sampson raised the governor’s veto message from an earlier version and said the governor had specifically objected to an $800,000 payment to Planned Parenthood. “This amended bill still includes that same funding on line T25 for Planned Parenthood in the amount of $800,000,” Sampson said on the floor, asking whether the concern had been addressed.

Senator Austin and other supporters said the amendment adds administrative provisions and contract language to hold grantees accountable. As Austin told the chamber, the bill “does have a section in here that says that there are administrative costs for awarding such grants. Administrative costs would include but not be limited to the contract documents that would have to be developed on each one of these.” The chair also said award contracts and audits would be used to verify compliance.

An alternative amendment rejected: Senator Sampson later offered a strike-all amendment (LCO 5995) that would have redirected the $3 million to low-income heating assistance and elderly nutrition (Meals on Wheels), arguing that those priorities would be broadly nonpartisan and immediately useful to residents in need. He summarized his amendment as replacing the list of 24 organizations with funding directed to meal and heating assistance and an increased allocation for Jewish Family Services of Greenwich, Inc. That amendment failed by roll call 11–23 (two absent).

Votes and next steps: Senate amendment A (LCO 5976) passed 24–10 with two senators absent; the Sampson strike-all amendment (LCO 5995) failed 11–23. The bill as amended then passed the Senate by roll call, 25–10 (one absent). The Senate moved for immediate transmittal of the measure to the House.

Context: the debate reflected two recurring themes this session: urgency to provide immediate support to community organizations facing funding shortfalls, and caution from some senators about preserving the state’s budgetary guardrails and insisting on transparent criteria and contracting procedures for state grants.

Ending: The bill now moves to the House for its consideration. If adopted there and signed by the governor, OPM will be responsible for contracting and issuing the grants described in the amendment.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Connecticut Senate March 5th Session 3/5/2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Connecticut Senate on Wednesday approved Senate Bill 1453, creating an Emergency Nonprofit Assistance Account with a $3 million transfer from the general fund and directing the Office of Policy and Management to administer grants to nonprofit service providers.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature CT, Connecticut","taxId",77677,"location","Connecticut","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6646844,"Votes at a glance: Senate adopts conservation plan, confirms judicial and administrative nominees and clears multiple consent items",1626,653000,2279000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2526364-630810083f23fd45b98891b95a2f1ee9&start=653&end=2279","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2526364-630810083f23fd45b98891b95a2f1ee9/thumbnail_653000.jpg","/articles/6646844/Connecticut/Votes-at-a-glance-Senate-adopts-conservation-plan-confirms-judicial-and-administrative-nominees-and-clears-multiple-consent-items","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6646844-8545ce1b875a475b20635b1d500d2b80/orig.mp4?Expires=1771100189&Signature=cE9qws7IvBl8H9DJMGCAQg5okdbW4V~KagGDnbPypbKwV0xTwk0JLsBwgMrysYvEw3rYREh-M7gYTjFHyuI~DPqiABWygi31N0Cyj4T8Wr1ffF1EjFg6SkHDQdIVRcNKJUTrx0Rx~aF42o1QLfVxer2Pn5YoCstrAo2pGNSnFJg10GPaStFFnl7kASJtKUgK1gvFBzHWZsla3XyyEN3rTCcRshiNHbW3siFMirVLq07QANLiFjLPLex4DcC4xGXjx~BouaNk85O3uU0VuwYfz2g-DrEXAt5~3qPj2yX8SO-OYl79AmPMmZJ54PUSKz9iklcRHH4rwpcLIBZhnJlrjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A roundup of roll-call results and consent‑calendar actions taken by the Connecticut Senate on March 5, 2025.

Major roll-call outcomes
- House Joint Resolution 67 (Adoption of the State Plan of Conservation and Development, Connecticut Conservation and Development Policy Plan 2025–2030): Adopted by roll call; tally announced by clerk: total voting 34; yea 33; nay 1; absent 2. The Senate ordered immediate transmittal to the House.

- House Bill 7163 (Emergency grants to municipalities for special education): Passed (see separate article for floor debate and amendment history). Final tally recorded on the floor: total voting 33; yea 26; nay 7; absent 3.

- Senate Bill 1453 (Emergency Nonprofit Assistance): Passed as amended (see separate article). Final tally on passage as amended: total number voting 35; yea 25; nay 10; absent 1.

Judicial and administrative confirmations (selected roll-call results and consent calendar items)
- Senate joint resolution 63 (William H. Bright Jr.) — Resolution confirming nomination to be an associate justice of the Supreme Court and judge of the Superior Court: adopted (tally: 32–0; four absent).

- Senate joint resolution 64 (Michael C. D'Agostino) — Nomination to be judge of the Superior Court: adopted (tally: 30–1; five absent).

- Additional confirmations and nominations were considered by the Senate, many on the consent calendars (supplemental and main). Consent calendar tallies announced on the floor included:
• Consent calendar number 1 (various resolutions): total voting 35; yea 35; absent 1 — adopted as a group and sent to the House.
• Consent calendar number 2 (various resolutions): total voting 35; yea 35; absent 1 — adopted as a group and sent to the House.
• Consent calendar number 3 (supplemental calendar of nominations): total voting 31; yea 31; absent 5 — adopted as a group and transmitted as appropriate.

What this means: the Senate cleared a mix of policy and personnel items in a single floor-day. The conservation-and-development plan and the mix of confirmations now move to the next step for transmittal to the House or the governor as appropriate, and several emergency funding measures advanced to implementation steps or to the governor’s desk.

Ending: The Senate recorded multiple transmittals to the House and the governor’s office and closed its day after adopting consent calendars and moving bills forward for final action.","On March 5 the Connecticut Senate adopted the state Conservation and Development Policy Plan and approved multiple confirmations and consent-calendar items, including judicial nominations and administrative appointments. Several items were placed on the consent calendar and transmitted as required.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6646850,"Senate approves $40 million emergency grants for special education after rejecting larger increase",2753,2367000,5120000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2526364-630810083f23fd45b98891b95a2f1ee9&start=2367&end=5120","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2526364-630810083f23fd45b98891b95a2f1ee9/thumbnail_2367000.jpg","/articles/6646850/Connecticut/Senate-approves-40-million-emergency-grants-for-special-education-after-rejecting-larger-increase","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6646850-90993db8e490476aaabe819df6a1f292/orig.mp4?Expires=1771100189&Signature=ZJm5uKSQKwSKhLBMJ1CS2-V3A0obFM6zhJyXF~Mit5agw54K5Mj615kMYyBbafvFu03hAOaa7-EMVVDvf0hZ2lU8Ulm7Wm7T276CT7FgJ99isCSB-kI4HC1~c8CDHsLaX0oucryMq9IlYC41qCsW-x3Thx7-lLe13P7vsrppEr6VNb~iZ7PBdVy7pK8WBSrXOOwAy0E1LdWOIFmi~Fy8qe~Bs-w92VxV3OdBepfuBhh8UOqS8g36~f~Xh6nD5WZpMgYObgzj~YOymLNKz3Sj2njXh1cjZJGyjDe8eOtZUAdgDJxT8tIwHDKiXLsybTkhVNGb~W-LVRDER1uY2emyog__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Connecticut Senate on Wednesday approved House Bill 7163, an emergency measure to send $40 million in grants to municipalities to cover excess special-education costs for the current fiscal year. The bill passed after an extensive floor debate about urgency, scale and whether the state should protect existing budgetary guardrails.

Why it matters: school districts across Connecticut told legislators they face unanticipated special-education costs that threaten local budgets and could force cuts or tax increases. Supporters argued immediate aid is necessary; some senators argued the state should both deliver emergency relief and seek a larger increase while protecting the state’s spending caps.

What passed: House Bill 7163 authorizes emergency grants to municipalities to reimburse excess special-education costs. The underlying bill had already passed the House; the Senate debate turned on whether to increase the total to $92.2 million. Senate amendment A (LCO 5987), which would have raised the total to $92,200,000 and was offered as a floor amendment, failed by roll call 12–23 (one absent). The bill itself passed in the final roll-call vote, 26–7 (three absent), and was transmitted to the governor.

Arguments for and against increasing the total: advocates for the larger amount said the state can and should put more money toward excess cost this year to reduce the property-tax burden on towns and to bring districts nearer to full reimbursement. Senator Harding told the chamber that lawmakers “have a real opportunity here in this Senate chamber to be bold” and urged adoption of the larger figure.

Opponents cited fiscal discipline and the state’s budget guardrails. Senator Winfield and others argued the immediate emergency need justified the $40 million as structured; they cautioned that moving large amounts outside ordinary budget processes could weaken the spending cap and set a precedent that may require higher taxes later. Senator Summers described the alternative proposal as “voodoo accounting” and said it would create opaque off‑budget accounts.

Floor exchanges: the lead sponsor, Senator Gadkar Wilcox, emphasized the practical need for certainty in districts that were already planning budgets around the expectation of $40 million. “This bill has already passed the house in this format with this $40,000,000. We made a promise to the towns,” she said on the floor, urging colleagues to deliver that funding promptly. Several senators who supported a larger appropriation argued that a higher, guardrail‑compliant number was available and would better meet districts’ needs.

Vote and next steps: Senate amendment A (LCO 5987) to increase the amount to $92,200,000 failed 12–23 (one absent). House Bill 7163 passed the Senate by roll call, 26–7 (three absent), and the Senate moved for immediate transmittal to the governor. If signed, the emergency grants will be distributed to municipalities in accordance with the bill and implementing language to be developed by the relevant state agencies.

Ending: Lawmakers signaled they expect further work during the budget process and the select committee on special education to pursue longer-term reforms. For now, districts will receive the immediate assistance authorized by HB 7163.","The Connecticut Senate passed House Bill 7163 to provide $40 million in emergency grants to municipalities for special education; an amendment that would have increased the funding to $92.2 million failed on a roll call.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate approves $3 million emergency nonprofit assistance account after sharp debate over recipients

Votes at a glance: Senate adopts conservation plan, confirms judicial and administrative nominees and clears multiple consent items

Senate approves $40 million emergency grants for special education after rejecting larger increase