The Connecticut Business & Industry Association designated 54 state lawmakers as “affordability champions” based on their votes or sponsorship of 12 bills during the 2026 legislative session.
The designation is part of CBIA’s annual legislative scorecards, which measure how closely lawmakers aligned with the organization’s positions on bills affecting employers and the state economy. The selected measures addressed energy and healthcare costs, workplace regulations, transportation, permitting, artificial intelligence and workforce development.
Lawmakers who received scores of at least 85% earned the affordability champions designation, according to the CBIA. Republicans accounted for 48 of the recipients, including 38 House members and 10 senators. Six House Democrats received the designation, while no Senate Democrats reached the threshold, the business group said.
The six House Democrats were Raghib Allie-Brennan of Bethel, Jill Barry of Glastonbury, Stephen Meskers of Greenwich, Chris Poulos of Southington, Farley Santos of Danbury and Kerry Wood of Rocky Hill.
Twenty-three lawmakers received perfect scores, including five senators and 18 representatives.
The scorecards covered bills that became law as well as proposals that stalled during the legislative process.
Among the measures CBIA supported was a bill that would have removed the state sales tax from electricity and natural gas purchased by commercial and industrial businesses with less than $10 million in annual revenue. The proposal advanced through the Finance Committee but did not receive a vote in the Senate.
The organization said it also favored bills creating a small business assistance position within the state Department of Economic and Community Development and directing the state to study a possible artificial intelligence grant program for small businesses. Both measures became law.
Among the bills CBIA opposed was legislation placing new requirements on warehouse operators. It also opposed a broader workforce measure that changed several employment rules and imposed new administrative responsibilities on businesses. Gov. Ned Lamont signed both bills.
CBIA also opposed allowing striking workers to collect unemployment benefits. That proposal cleared the Labor and Public Employees Committee but did not advance to a Senate vote.
CBIA said it counted bill sponsorship the same as a vote when calculating the scores. The organization selected the bills and determined whether lawmakers’ positions aligned with its policy priorities.
CBIA President and CEO Chris DiPentima said the bills represented some of the session’s most consequential decisions involving affordability, economic growth and competitiveness.
