Rep. Kaitlyn Shake, who as you may know is a nurse and union member in addition to being a lawmaker, is asking if we can mobilize members to write testimony or testify on SB8. This is the CHESLA (Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority) bill we have discussed and been a part of at the Capitol. We participated in the news conference with the chairs of the Higher Ed Committee last month.
With the loss of federal dollars and the de-professionalizing of health care job titles at the federal level, the state is stepping up to help our students. They were asking for our members to step up and testify.
We have resources to help you prepare your testimony.
Please EMAIL ANY OF THE FOLLOWING OFFICERS if you’re willing to give it a try or want to learn more.
- bgarrity@uhp3837.com
- firstvicepresident@uhp3837.com
- jmorningstar@uhp3837.com
- dthomas@uhp3837.com
- cdefrancesco@uhp3837.com
Our elected officials need to hear from us and know that we have priorities, we pay attention, and we vote! The more voices they hear, the more impactful.
The Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 12:30 p.m. in Room 1E of the LOB and via Zoom.
- Individuals who wish to testify must register using the Online Testimony Registration Form. Registration will close Monday, Feb. 16 at 3 p.m.
- Speaker order of approved registrants will be listed in a randomized order and posted on the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee website on Monday, Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. under Public Hearing Testimony.
- Please submit written testimony using the Online Testimony Submission Form.
The first hour of the hearing is reserved for legislators, constitutional officers, state agency heads and chief elected municipal officials. Speakers will be limited to three minutes of testimony. The committee encourages witnesses to submit a written statement and to condense oral testimony to a summary of that statement. All public hearing testimony, written and spoken, is public information.
Here is the Agenda: https://cga.ct.gov/2026/heddata/pha/pdf/2026PHA00217-R001230HED-PHA.PDF
HB 5158 (RAISED) AN ACT PROHIBITING SCHOLARSHIP DISPLACEMENT. To prohibit an institution of higher education from reducing the amount of financial aid awarded to a student as result of such student receiving a scholarship.
HB 5159 (RAISED) AN ACT FUNDING JOURNALISM FELLOWSHIPS FOR GRADUATES OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. To require the Office of Higher Education to establish a journalism fellowship program to fund not fewer than twelve journalism fellowship positions at local news organizations.
SB 8 AN ACT SUPPORTING GRADUATE STUDENTS IN THE STATE. To establish the Supplemental Graduate Student Loan Program, allow up to ten million dollars in state bonds for said program, allocate not less than sixty million dollars in annual private activity bonds for the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority and increase the authority's bonding authorization cap.
SB150 (RAISED) AN ACT CONCERNING THE LEGISLATIVE COMMISSIONERS' RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TECHNICAL REVISIONS TO THE HIGHER EDUCATION STATUTES. To make technical revisions to the higher education statutes.