Advocacy in Action | August 6, 2026
Connecticut Primaries
Connecticut's 2026 state primary election is Tuesday, August 11. This year features several high-profile contests, including the Democratic primary for governor, along with congressional and legislative races in parts of the state.
Early Voting is underway
Connecticut voters can cast their ballots before Election Day through Sunday, August 9. View early voting information here.
Early voting hours are:
- Friday, Saturday & Sunday: 10AM - 6PM
- Thursday: 8AM - 8PM
- No early voting on Monday, August 10.
Absentee Voting
Any eligible Connecticut registered voter may request, receive, and vote an absentee ballot. Information here.
Election Day Voting
Polls will be open on Tuesday, August 11, from 6AM - 8PM. Important voter information can be found here.
DIRECTV Will Continue to Stream Sunday Ticket to Restaurants & Bars
DIRECTV and EverPass just announced a multiyear deal that will allow DIRECTV for Business to continue streaming Sunday Ticket to restaurant, bars, and other businesses.
This is great news for the thousands of hospitality businesses across the state that rely on DIRECTV to stream games that bring in guests. Without this deal, businesses were facing the choice of skipping NFL Sunday Ticket games or investing as much as $40k in new equipment, as well as additional subscriptions needed to stream other games.
The Connecticut Restaurant & Hospitality Association joined the National Restaurant Association and restaurant associations across the country in urging the parties to reach a solution that protected hospitality businesses. When our industry speaks with one voice, it makes a difference.
Kids Online Safety Act
The Senate Commerce Committee marked up the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) today, advancing legislation aimed at requiring covered online platforms to take steps to prevent and mitigate harms to users under 18, strengthen parental controls, and increase transparency around platform practices.
While the bill is primarily targeted at social media and similar online services, there had been concerns that its broad definitions could sweep in restaurant and retail websites and apps, potentially limiting key industry tools such as digital marketing, loyalty and rewards programs, and customer engagement platforms.
A significant win was secured during the committee process through the combined efforts of the Main Street Privacy Coalition, our team, and industry partners. The amended bill now explicitly excludes websites and apps whose primary purpose is selling goods, including food, and facilitating ordering, purchasing, delivery, exchanges, or returns from the definition of a "covered platform."
The measure now moves to the full Senate and would also need House approval before becoming law.
Heat Workforce Standards Act
The House Committee on Education and Workforce advanced the Heat Workforce Standards Act, a bill that would block OSHA from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing its proposed Heat Injury and Illness Prevention standard and prohibit substantially similar future rulemakings.
OSHA's proposed heat rule takes a one-size-fits-all approach that fails to account for regional climate differences, industry-specific operations, or existing workplace safety practices, while creating significant new compliance, training, monitoring, and recordkeeping requirements.
Heat safety is important but contend employers need flexibility to address workplace conditions without overly prescriptive federal mandates that could increase costs, administrative burdens, and operational challenges. The bill now awaits potential consideration by the full House.
Latest on Tariffs
The U.S. Trade Representative moved forward with a new round of Section 301 forced labor tariffs, imposing duties on imports from 60 trading partners. The new tariffs took effect immediately.
The tariffs apply to more than 99% of U.S. imports and range from 10% to 12.5%, depending on the country. Major restaurant supply chain partners, including Canada, Mexico, India, the United Kingdom, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Brazil, and the European Union, are covered under the new framework.
Connecticut has joined two-dozen other states in suing President Trump over his new round of tariffs.
Other Local & Federal Advocacy Updates
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San Diego is considering halting the construction of new drive-thrus as city council wants to reduce dependence on cars and cut greenhouse gases. Read more.
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Trump administration has refunded $100 billion in tariffs struck down by Supreme Court. Read more.
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Read that latest updates from the State Comptroller: July Update, August Update.
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The National Restaurant Association shared a policy brief on the Credit Card Competition Act. Read here.