For the second time in just over a week, the Connecticut General Assembly has approved greater funding for special education. Today, the legislature passed H.B. 7163, which will provide an additional $40 million in funding in the current fiscal year (FY 2025) for the special education Excess Cost grant.
The passage of the bill comes two days after Gov. Ned Lamont used a line-item veto to strike down a $40 million increase in Excess Cost funding that the General Assembly passed last week.
Instead of holding a vote to override the governor's veto, the General Assembly passed a new bill (H.B. 7163) that still provides an additional $40 million in Excess Cost funding for FY 2025, but does so by specifically using $40 million from the current fiscal year's budget surplus (currently projected at $390 million) and moving those funds to an off-budget account that is not subject to the state's spending cap. Governor Lamont has stated he will sign this new bill into law.
School + State Finance Project Response
The School and State Finance Project released the following statement from Executive Director Lisa Hammersley in response to the passage of an additional $40 million in Excess Cost funding for FY 2025.
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Legislators on both sides of the aisle demonstrated the leadership and resolve our state needs by reaffirming their commitment to Connecticut students and ensuring an additional $40 million is provided this fiscal year to help address the urgent special education funding needs of school districts and municipalities across the state.
We applaud the General Assembly and governor for offering this immediate, much-needed support to students, communities, and local taxpayers. As the legislative session continues, we urge policymakers to remain steadfast in their commitment to Connecticut’s public schools and work to ensure all students receive the funding, services, and high-quality education they deserve.
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