Universal free breakfast in Connecticut public schools is one of hundreds of proposals that died in this year’s state legislative session.
The proposal was in Governor Ned Lamont’s biennial budget.
Jeff Beckham, Lamont's budget director, said it didn’t survive the final budget negotiations between Lamont and the Democratic leaders in the General Assembly.
“The governor proposed the $700,000 in both years that would have gotten rid of the reduced-price tier. They would have gotten it for free. The General Assembly declined to take that. There was also $12 million for universal free breakfast in the second year. They declined to take that,” Beckham said.
Lawmakers also did not pass stricter state regulations on private equity-run public hospitals.
“That didn’t make it across the finish line,” said a disappointed Lamont. “But we are still going to pay attention to that because I see what private equity did at Waterbury Hospital and the Prospect hospitals.”
“I think that’s a very important thing. We don’t have that power right now,” he said.
The governor’s plan would have allowed the state’s Office of Health Strategy to regulate private equity’s involvement in the operation of a hospital.
Other bills that died included one that would have allowed bear hunting and another that would have regulated AI.
