The Legislative Team researches, proposes, and advocates for progressive state legislation that represents our generation’s commitments to equity, justice, and inclusivity.

Over the course of the semester, each Legislative Fellow advocates for an active bill in the Connecticut General Assembly (CGA) concerning an issue of their choosing. Our legislative advocacy includes meeting frequently with legislators and community leaders, conducting research, creating testimony toolkits, testifying at public hearings, and publishing op-eds in statewide news outlets such as the CT Post and CT Mirror.

During Tuesday meetings, we listen to presentations from Legislative Fellows on their issue areas, write testimony, email legislators, and hear from speakers from campus, New Haven, and Connecticut-based organizations, as well as CGA legislators themselves.

If you have any questions about our work, please contact our Legislative Coordinator, Christian Thomas, at christian.thomas@yale.edu.

SPRING 2023 Successes:

In spring 2023, our Legislative Fellows helped to pass twelve different bills in the CGA. Bills ranged from requiring financial literacy in high schools, implementing early voting, raising the marriage eligibility age to 18, providing greater protections for individuals involved in domestic violence, strengthening a more equitable statewide response to the fentanyl and opioid epidemic, and providing greater protections of incarcerated individuals during searches. We are excited to continue this momentum in 2024.

SPRING 2024 Legislative agenda:

This year’s CGA Legislative Session begins on February 7th and ends on May 7th. Our fellows will be working on several bills related to climate action, criminal justice reform, education equity, housing reform, public health, racial/economic equity, reproductive justice, violence protection, and voting rights. Stay tuned for more information about specific bills as this shorter Legislative Session begins.