ALICE Advocate - February 23, 2026 Edition

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Make a Difference for Children and Families Today 

No-Cost School Meals for All – Hearing: Monday, February 23 

School Meals for All has been a major focus this legislative session, with strong bipartisan support for expanding access. 

The Education Committee will hear HB 5214, which provides free breakfast for all students and free lunch for students eligible for reduced-price meals — a key step toward universal, no-cost school meals. 

It’s too late to speak, but we encourage you to submit written testimony, which is accepted at any time. Select Support HB 5214 HERE to upload or type your comments. 

Early Care and Education – Hearing: Tuesday, February 24 at 1:30 PM 

Attend the press conference tomorrow 10:30 AM, LOB Rm. 1C or stream CTN  

Testify on SB 265 and SB 266 before the Children’s Committee. Join by Zoom, attend in person, or submit written testimony — every voice matters. 

Sign up to speak by Monday, February 23 at 3 PM. Check out the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance Advocate’s Guide for tips and instructions. 

• SB 265: $70M to clear the Care4Kids waitlist and increase access to affordable care 
• SB 266: Prioritizes Early Start funds for local, independent programs over private equity–owned centers 

Prefer to write? Submit or upload testimony anytime (ideally by 5 PM today). It doesn’t have to be formal — Share why affordable, high-quality child care matters to you.

Child Tax Credit – Hearing: Friday, February 27 at 11:00 am 

The Finance, Revenue & Bonding Committee will hear SB 103, a proposal to establish a permanent, refundable Child Tax Credit, and decide whether to advance it. 

The proposal would provide up to $600 per child, supporting 75% of Connecticut families and helping cover rising costs like child care, food, and housing — Lawmakers need to hear from you. 

Take 5 minutes to submit written testimony before Friday. Check out our coalition’s sample testimony, personalize the RED sections and submit it HERE.  

EVENTS 

Commission on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity & Opportunity: Storytelling for Testimony Writing
Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM (Virtual) 

Join this interactive, virtual workshop to turn your lived experiences into powerful testimony that can influence policy. Open to all community members interested in strengthening their civic skills and putting them to use. 📝Register here.

CT Cradle to Career Coalition Legislative Briefing: Building Aligned Systems for Children, Youth, and Families
Tuesday, March 3, 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM (Connecticut State Capitol – LOB Room 2A & Atrium 2)

Join community leaders, policymakers, and partners for a briefing on Connecticut’s cradle‑to‑career ecosystem, highlighting how Stamford, Danbury, Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Waterbury are aligning efforts to support all children and youth. Light refreshments and time for Q&A and discussion. 📝 RSVP Today!  

Learn more about the Coalition’s 2026 Policy Agenda HERE. Questions? Email policy@ctc2c.org.

School and State Finance Project: 2026 Legislative Webinar Series 
Feb 23 – April 6, 6:00 PM, Zoom

Join the School and State Finance Project for a series of webinars to learn what to expect during the legislative session, how to engage with legislators, and how to lead in your community. Selected portions will be recorded and shared. 📝Sign up today. 

UPDATES FROM HARTFORD

All press events and sessions can be viewed on CT-N or each Committee’s YouTube channel.
Full CT CGA calendar is available online here. 

Tuesday, February 24

• Press Conference: Care 4 Kids & Child Care Providers, 10:30-11:15 am, LOB Rm. 1C | CTN​​​​​​​
• Children’s Committee Meeting, 11:30 am, Public Hearing @ 1:30 pm , LOB Rm. 1C | YouTube

Wednesday, February 25

• Senate Session, 10:00 am, Senate Chambers | CTN

Thursday, February 26

• House Session, 10:00 am, House Chambers | CTN

Friday, February 27

• Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee Public Hearing,11:00 am, LOB Rm. 2E | YouTube | Sign up to testify HERE by 3 pm Thursday | Submit testimony (Support SB 103) HERE before Friday 

NEWS & RESOURCES 

Listen 🎧

• Rooted in Impact Podcast 

Read 📰

• Proposed CT Child Tax Credit Could Mean More Cash For Families, Backers Say 

• Lamont and CT lawmakers disagreeing on tax cuts, so far 

• Urban school leaders warn budget proposal falls short for high-needs districts 

• CT’s Community Health Centers Seek To Limit Coverage Losses From Federal Changes 

   

Have questions? Visit www.unitedwaycwc.org/advocate or contact Tida Infahsaeng at tida.infahsaeng@unitedwaycwc.org.