Connecticut
These Connecticut laws are taking effect in 2025
Connecticut recreational cannabis sales begin
Connecticut has officially begun recreational cannabis sales, with seven dispensaries opening across the state. All adults over the age of 21 are now able to purchase cannabis products in the state.
CONNECTICUT – Several new laws in Connecticut are taking effect in 2025, from expanded paid sick days to minimum wage increases.
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Here’s a look at some of them that could impact your life:
Connecticut’s minimum wage is increasing from $15.69 per hour to $16.35 per hour.
CT Gov. Ned Lamont signed Public Act 19-4 back in 2019, which implemented five incremental increases in the minimum wage between 2019 and 2023, followed by future adjustments tied to the percentage change in the federal employment cost index.
Back in May, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signed legislation “strengthening the state’s laws regarding paid sick days protections by expanding them to ensure that more workers are covered and have access to them.”
The state’s existing laws require employers with over 50 employees that are mostly in specific retail and service occupations to provide their employees with up to 40 hours of paid sick leave annually. Effective Jan. 1, the laws will apply to workers of nearly every occupation.
“Our existing paid sick days laws include important protections for certain workers, however there are broad categories left unprotected, and this update will expand this coverage to help ensure that people do not have to choose between going to work sick and sacrificing a day’s wage,” Lamont said.
On Election Day, Connecticut voters approved an amendment to the state’s constitution that could make it easier to cast ballots by mail or through drop boxes in future elections.
The amendment lifts long-standing restrictions that only allowed people in the state to vote by absentee ballot if they were going to be out of town, are sick or disabled, or couldn’t get to a polling location because of religious restrictions.
Effective Jan. 1, the act prohibits anyone from knowingly making another individual liable for “coerced debt” (i.e., generally, certain credit card debt incurred by a domestic violence victim who was coerced into incurring it).
“Specifically, if a victim gives a claimant certain information and documentation that a debt is coerced debt, the claimant must pause all collection activities on the debt for at least 60 days, review the victim’s submission and other available information it has, and then continue or end its collection based on the review,” the bill said.
PA 24-52—sSB 13 “expands the student loan payment tax credit for qualified employers that make eligible student loan payments on a qualified employee’s behalf.”
Connecticut
Canadian aerospace company Bombardier launching new ‘fast track’ training program in Connecticut
WINDSOR LOCKS, Conn. (WTNH) — Bombardier, a Canadian company, is launching a new “fast track” training program in Connecticut.
The new program will expand Connecticut’s aerospace industry by creating an accelerated pathway for experienced aircraft maintenance technicians to receive new certifications and enter high-demand careers quickly.
“We know the demand for aviation technicians far exceeds the number of students we can currently prepare throughout our traditional programing alone,” Dr. Alice Pritchard, executive director of Connecticut technical education and career system, said. “Our goal is to create a sustainable workforce solution that can continue producing skilled aviation technicians for years to come.”
The program is set to start soon at the company’s service center at Bradley International Airport.
Injuries were reported in a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 91 South in Hartford on Wednesday morning.
State police said the four-vehicle crash happened around 5:55 a.m.
The highway was briefly closed between exits 30 and 29A. It has since reopened.
According to state police, injuries were reported, but the extent is unknown.
The crash remains under investigation.
Connecticut
Avon daycare releases dates, times that former employee accused of sex assault worked at other Connecticut locations
AVON, Conn. (WTNH) — In light of recent information that a now-former Avon daycare employee accused of sexually assaulting children had filled in at multiple Connecticut locations, the company has released a timeline of when and where he had worked.
Jan Carlos Berrios Otero’s employment with BrightPath Early Learning began in January 2022, according to a letter sent out to families. Within the last four years, he had filled in at daycare locations in Simsbury, Windsor and West Hartford.
According to BrightPath, Berrios Otero had covered partial shifts at the following locations on the following days:
- Simsbury, Jan. 20, 2026: Berrios Otero covered a shift for about four hours and 20 minutes
- Windsor, Sept. 16, 2025: Berrios Otero covered a shift for about six hours at the 555 Day Hill Road location.
- West Hartford, Sept. 24, 2025: Berrios Otero covered a shift for about three hours at the Park Road location
BrightPath stated that to its knowledge, there are no known allegations, complaints or incidents that occurred during these time frames.
Berrios Otero, 29, is facing six counts of risk of injury to a minor, six counts of fourth-degree sexual assault, and two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a minor for allegedly sexually assaulting five boys ages 3 to 5 during the month of March.
BrightPath is working to identify all students who were in attendance in Berrios Otero’s classroom during the partial shifts that he had covered, and will communicate with the families directly as soon as possible, the letter stated.
“Please know, we also understand our review is taking a considerable amount of time; however, the time we take to ensure we are supplying the most accurate information is critical,” the letter said. “We are working diligently to get information to law enforcement and the appropriate governing agencies to support their investigations, and of course to all our families.”
According to BrightPath, Berrios Otero underwent a state and federal background check, which includes state and national criminal records searches and a review of the sex offender registry.
During the background check, which is renewed every five years, Berrios Otero had no prior convictions and was thoroughly vetted through the company’s hiring requirements. He additionally complied with staff qualifications and training.
The daycare says it is conducting a review of all of its records for the past four years across all of its Connecticut centers.
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