RELEASE: ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG ANNOUNCES NEXT STEPS IN GROCERY PRICING INQUIRY
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 30, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG ANNOUNCES NEXT STEPS IN GROCERY PRICING INQUIRY
Grocery Costs Remain Stubbornly High as Trump Administration Denies Lifeline to Hundreds of Thousands in Connecticut
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong sent
a letter to five of the top food distributors with footprints in Connecticut, expanding the state’s inquiry into unaffordable grocery prices that have remained stubbornly high since initial spikes during the COVID pandemic.
Attorney General Tong first launched the inquiry into Connecticut grocery prices in 2024 at the request of state legislators seeking to understand the root causes of price spikes, to assess whether price gouging or other unfair practices were contributing to
the high costs, and to inform policymakers seeking to address affordability and food access in Connecticut.
In a letter today to legislative leaders, Attorney General
Tong shared background on the inquiry, descriptions of the information sought, the responses and discussions in response, conclusions based on the information gathered to date, and next steps to address and understand persistently high food prices in Connecticut.
To date, based on information provided and discussions with the grocers, the inquiry has identified no immediately apparent evidence of illegal pricing at the retail level. Evidence reviewed indicates the need to expand the inquiry up the supply chain to understand
more fully additional pricing pressures and to assess whether anyone in those roles may have unfairly profited.
“No one needs a report to see that grocery prices are way too high and that Connecticut families are getting squeezed. Our inquiry has found no obvious evidence to date of price gouging by Connecticut retail grocers, only that they are likely getting squeezed
by the same unsustainable market forces hurting consumers. This includes supply chain disruptions due to conflicts abroad, bird flu outbreaks, rising costs of business, and now the needless added pressures of Trump’s illegal and unconscionable suspension of
SNAP benefits, tariffs wars and immigration raids that will only make all our lives more unaffordable. We are continuing our inquiry up the supply chain and will not hesitate to use the full weight of our enforcement authority against any unlawful profiteering
and federal overreach harming consumers,” said Attorney General Tong.
Price Gouging in Connecticut
During civil preparedness and public health emergencies, price gouging is against Connecticut law. Acting in coordination with the Department of Consumer Protection, the Office of the Attorney General may file suit against price gougers and seek appropriate
relief, including injunctive terms, restraining orders, restitution, and civil financial penalties designed to deter future unscrupulous sales. Until recently, the price gouging statute applied only to retail sales. Attorney General Tong successfully sought
legislation this past session to expand the price gouging statute to distributors, wholesalers and others up the supply chain.
There is currently no active civil preparedness or public health emergency; the price gouging statute is not triggered at this time.
Grocery Prices in Connecticut
The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated supply chain disruptions, shortages, and major price hikes throughout the American markets, including at the food retail level. While the pandemic abated, grocery prices remained stubbornly high across the country, including
in Connecticut.
Those trends were documented in a report by the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) in March 2024 that was inconclusive as to the causes of persistent high food prices. Based on the findings in the FTC staff report, coupled with significant public concerns about
the cost of food for Connecticut families, and discussions with legislators, the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General sent inquiries to retailers representing ten grocery chains in in Connecticut. The Office of the Attorney General initially requested
information about the wholesale cost and corresponding retail price for nine commonly purchased food items between March 2019 and June 2024. These staple items were beef, chicken, bread, milk, eggs, bananas, apples, carrots and almonds. In addition, the Office
of the Attorney General asked for “private label” prices for eggs and milk. The review sought to identify profit trends and anomalies over time which would suggest one or more retailers took in extraordinary profits based solely on the unprecedented crisis
caused by the COVID-19 virus.
Retailers also shared their perspectives relative to conditions and factors contributing to rising prices, including higher costs for transportation fuel, increased security, labor and energy costs. Retailers also described conditions linked to the pandemic,
including supply shocks and shortages impacting contracts with suppliers. Retailers also reported the impact of bird flu outbreaks and fires in poultry facilities impacting egg prices. Retailers also flagged rising wheat prices tied to Russia’s invasion of
Ukraine.
Food retailers historically operate with low profit margins. The food
retail industry reports that since 2019, its margins have been between 1% and 3%. Such low profit margins leave little room for food retailers to absorb price increases passed down from their suppliers and still operate at a profit. Data reviewed by the
Connecticut Office of the Attorney General indicates that after the COVID-19 pandemic began, retailers continued to follow the low profit-margin business model. The Office of the Attorney General did not identify evidence of enhanced or extraordinary profit
margins at the retail level indicative of price gouging in violation of Connecticut law.
Additional Factors Impacting Grocery Prices
Data gathered for this review was received prior to the Trump Administration’s imposition of sweeping tariffs impacting numerous aspects of the grocery supply chains. Due to the timeline of this review, this report did not seek to analyze the impact
of tariffs on Connecticut grocery prices, although those costs and impacts to businesses and consumers have been widely reported. Nor did this analysis seek to assess the widely reported impact of the Trump Administration’s immigration
enforcement actions on the agricultural labor supply and the cost of domestic food production.
Further, the report was drafted prior to the Trump Administration’s unlawful and unconscionable suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the ongoing federal government shutdown, leaving 42 million Americans to shoulder
the rising cost of groceries without vital federal assistance. Thus far in 2025, an average of approximately 366,000 people received SNAP benefits in Connecticut each month, including approximately 215,000 families and 120,000 children. Households in Connecticut
receive on average $324 per month in SNAP benefits to meet their basic subsistence and nutritional needs. Attorney General Tong and a coalition of 21 other attorneys general and three governors sued on Tuesday and are seeking a temporarily restraining order
to immediately force release of the funds.
These combined factors will undoubtably increase pressures on Connecticut families and businesses, and will made it all the more imperative that Connecticut as a state explore every possible avenue to drive down costs and protect our economic interests.
Next Steps
Although the Office of the Attorney General found no immediate evidence of illegal pricing at the retail level, there remains more work to do to investigate potential price gouging behavior. The evidence reviewed indicated the need to expand our inquiry to
other parties further up the food supply chain to determine whether anyone in those roles inappropriately realized outsized profits during the last state of emergency.
Letters sent today request meetings with the executives of five major to discuss factors impacting persistently high food prices in Connecticut. The letters also seek information on another factor contributing to price increases—shrinkflation. a strategy used
by manufacturers which involves reducing the size or quantity of a product while the price remains the same. Attorney General Tong previously sought legislation to require suppliers to provide a clear and conspicuous notice for at least twelve months when
reducing the quantity, amount, weight or size of a product without making a corresponding reduction to price.
###
Elizabeth Benton
860-214-0937 (cell)
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Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 31, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STATEMENT ON ORDER IN SNAP BENEFITS CASE
Federal Judge Issues Order Directing USDA to Use SNAP Contingency Funds
(Hartford, CT) -- Attorney General William Tong issued the following statement after a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts issued an order finding that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) must use its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) contingency funds to fund the program during the ongoing federal government shutdown. The Court also found that if the contingency fund cannot fully fund the program in November, then the federal government must consider other, additional funding sources. USDA has until the end of the day on Monday to let the Court know whether it will fully or partially fund the SNAP program.
“This decision leaves no room for doubt— USDA can and must release the contingency funds and stop weaponizing hunger for political advantage. Donald Trump now has a stark legal and moral choice before him— he can keep fighting this losing battle, he can insist on starving American families for political leverage, or he can release the funds now,” said Attorney General Tong.
The order comes after Attorney General Tong joined a coalition of 26 states in suing the Trump Administration for suspending SNAP benefits in a manner that is both contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act. Today’s order makes clear that USDA must use contingency funds to pay for SNAP benefits. The federal Administration has indicated that the funds will not be enough to cover the cost of November SNAP for all 50 states, and the order puts the ball in the federal government’s court. The federal government must tell the Court by Monday, November 3, whether it will utilize other funding sources beyond the SNAP contingency fund to ensure that 42 million Americans do not risk going hungry in November.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, November 3, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG TO MAKE LEGAL ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING TRUMP/MCMAHON’S CRUEL AND UNLAWFUL CONDITIONS ON LOAN FORGIVENESS FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS
(Hartford, CT) – At 5 p.m. on Monday, November 3 at the Office of the Attorney General, Attorney General William Tong will be joined by teachers, nurses, doctors, firefighters, labor leaders and legislators as he makes a major legal announcement regarding new illegal conditions sought by President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon on billions of dollars in student loan forgiveness for public servants.
WHAT: Attorney General Tong legal announcement regarding U.S Department of education effort to restrict Public Service Loan Forgiveness
WHO: Attorney General William Tong, Congressman Joe Courtney, Dr. Cara Delaney, UConn Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Connecticut Education Association President Kate Dias, Jody Barr, Executive Director of the AFSCME Council 4, Peter Brown, Uniformed Professional Firefighters Association President, Gian-Carl Casa, President & CEO of the CT Community Nonprofit Alliance, State Rep. Gregg Haddad, State Rep. Corey Paris, State Rep. Eleni Kavros DeGraw, State Sen. Derek Slap, State Sen. Matthew Lesser
WHEN: 5 p.m., Monday, November 3
WHERE: Office of the Attorney General, Visitor Entrance Lobby, 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, November 3, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STATEMENT ON TRUMP CHOICE TO PARTIALLY FUND SNAP AND WEAPONIZE HUNGER FOR POLITICAL GAIN
Attorney General Tong will be available to discuss this development at the previously scheduled press conference at 5 p.m. today at the Office of the Attorney General
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong released the following statement regarding the decision made today by the United States Department of Agriculture to use only contingency funds to partially fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the shutdown, furthering President Donald Trump’s cruel strategy to weaponize hunger for perceived political advantage.
After a coalition of 26 states sued the Trump Administration for its unlawful decision to suspend SNAP benefits, a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts ruled Friday that USDA must use its contingency funds to provide benefits during the shutdown. USDA had until the end of the day today to report to the Court whether it would partially or fully fund the SNAP program, using additional available funds that have been tapped during prior shutdowns.
“Donald Trump is purposely and illegally starving American families for political leverage. We sued to force him to release these contingency funds—paid for by taxpayers and obligated by Congress to help Americans buy food at a time when grocery prices are already out of control. Because of our lawsuit, these dollars now will make their way to EBT cards, and that is important relief for the 366,000 people in Connecticut relying on these funds to eat. But this is not close to good enough. Donald Trump is weaponizing hunger and intentionally inflicting pain on American families. He can end this cruelty right now. He can make sure SNAP is fully funded right now. We are evaluating all legal options to fully free these funds,” said Attorney General Tong.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, November 3, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SUES U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO BLOCK PUBLIC SERVICE LOAN FORGIVENESS RESTRICTIONS
(Hartford, CT) -- Attorney General William Tong and 21 other attorneys general today filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education (ED) for unlawfully restricting eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, which allows government and nonprofit employees to have their federal student loans forgiven after ten years of service. The attorneys general are challenging a new federal rule that would deem certain state and local governments or nonprofit organizations ineligible employers for PSLF if the federal government determines they have engaged in actions with a substantial illegal purpose – in practice, activities, or actions that are disfavored by the administration. The coalition argues that the sweeping new rule is unlawful and targeted to punish states and organizations that the administration does not like.
“Donald Trump and Linda McMahon want to impose an illegal MAGA litmus test on billions of dollars in loan forgiveness for public servants. Engage in protest? Loan forgiveness yanked. Care about immigrant families? No loan forgiveness for you. Believe in the promise of diversity or support LGBTQ+ kids? Yanked. These are teachers, nurses, police officers, firefighters, and others on the front lines of our communities who would have the promise of aid reversed after years of following the rules and doing the right thing. This is cruel, this is wrong, this is against the law, and we’re suing to stop it,” said Attorney General Tong.
“This unnecessary punitive rule is cruel and misguided— favoring loyalty to Trump over hard work and dedication to public service. We must keep our promises to Connecticut teachers, police officers, and other public servants who have earned loan forgiveness through years of sacrifice and caring for people,” said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal.
“No one should be faced with a lifetime of debt because they decide to pursue a higher education. Democrats and Republicans came together to create the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program in Congress, to help make college more affordable and encourage young people to give back when they graduate. Our troops, teachers, and first responders shouldn’t have the aid they were promised put at risk because Donald Trump wants to make a political point. Connecticut won’t stand by and let this president weaponize every lever of power to silence dissent. I am proud to stand with Attorney General William Tong to challenge this cruel and illegal plan to bully our public servants into going along with the MAGA agenda," said Congressman John Larson.
“PSLF has been bipartisan from the start when Congress created the program and President Bush signed it into law in 2007. Now, President Trump and Secretary of Education McMahon are redefining which public service jobs are eligible for PSLF based on the Administration's own politics,” Congressman Joe Courtney said. “My office has heard from many people in public service professions who worked hard, followed the rules, but were still denied PSLF relief they were promised due to a lack of guidance and clarity from the Department of Education. Politicizing PSLF eligibility will throw public servants into even greater uncertainty and harm organizations that are filling critical service gaps in our communities. It also undermines Congressional intent and our promise to nurses, teachers, firefighters, and more public servants. I've led a coalition of my colleagues in opposition to politicizing PSLF, and I will continue fighting to make PSLF more transparent, fairer, and easier for America’s public service workers."
“The Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, also known as PSLF, rewards firefighters, nurses, educators, law enforcement officers, and people who work at organizations serving our communities,” said Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. “To qualify, borrowers must work at least ten years in a public service-oriented role, full time, while making regular payments on their loans. PSLF is not a handout – but a thank you to those Americans who dedicate their lives to public service when they could choose more lucrative careers in the private sector. These are working and middle-class Americans who keep our communities running. Instead of fighting to lower their costs and make life more affordable, the Trump administration has once again chosen to leave these Americans behind while the wealthy continue to get ahead. He is weaponizing the PSLF program to silence dissent and consolidate his power. This is unacceptable and illegal – I am grateful for Connecticut Attorney General William Tong for taking the fight to court to protect this program for public servants.”
“If nonprofits can’t attract and retain quality employees, they can’t provide services on which people depend. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is one way to help them stay and to send a message that they are appreciated, that their decision to serve others rather than chase personal profit is a choice our society values. No matter the rationale, depriving organizations of eligibility will hurt them, and it would send them a message that they are just cannon fodder in battles over social issues. We appreciate AG Tong’s and his colleagues’ fight for them,” said Gian-Carl Casa, President & CEO of the CT Community Nonprofit Alliance.
“Educators dedicate their lives to serving students, strengthening communities, and shaping the future of our nation—often while not receiving a competitive salary and carrying a heavy burden of student debt. Student loan forgiveness is a promise made to those who choose to work as educators, medical professionals, and in other public service careers. The new rules restricting loan forgiveness are unfair and just another attempt to penalize educators and other public servants. We stand together to fight this illegal federal overreach. Educators deserve respect, relief, and the ability to teach freely—without political interference or financial punishment,” said Connecticut Education Association President Kate Dias.
“Arbitrarily excluding employers will hurt borrowers actively participating in PSLF, including teachers, nurses, first-responders, and employees of not-for-profit organizations who will now be left to wonder whether their years of service will count towards loan forgiveness,” said Michelle Jarvis-Lettman, Connecticut Student Loan Ombudsperson.
The PSLF program was established by Congress in 2007 to provide financial incentives to those who dedicate their careers to the service of others. The program forgives borrowers’ remaining federal student loan debt after ten years of qualifying public service and consistent payments. Over the years, PSLF has enabled more than one million public servants to pursue careers that might have otherwise been out of reach. For state governments, PSLF is a critical tool to recruit and retain qualified professionals in vital fields like education, health care, and law enforcement. According to the Connecticut Student Loan Ombudsperson and based on information provided by the U.S. Department of Education in July, 11,840 Connecticut borrowers have had their loans forgiven through PSLF. As of July, there were an additional 12,500 borrowers enrolled.
On October 31, ED finalized a new rule granting itself the power to unilaterally declare entire agencies or organizations ineligible employers for PSLF if the administration determines they have a “substantial illegal purpose.” The rule includes only a very limited definition of such “illegality,” which includes activities that support undocumented immigrants, provide gender-affirming health care to transgender youth, promote diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, and engage in political protest. The rule is scheduled to take effect in July 2026.
Attorney General Tong and the coalition warn that this vague new authority could have devastating consequences nationwide. Countless public workers could suddenly lose PSLF eligibility through no fault of their own. States could be forced to confront severe staffing shortages, higher turnover, and skyrocketing costs to maintain essential services.
The coalition’s lawsuit argues that ED’s new rule is flatly illegal. The PSLF statute guarantees loan forgiveness for anyone who works full-time in qualifying public service; it does not grant ED discretion to carve out exceptions based on ideology. They assert that the rule’s vague “substantial illegal purpose” standard is arbitrary and capricious as it gives the Department unfettered power to target specific state policies or social programs while exempting federal agencies from scrutiny.
The attorneys general are asking the court to declare the rule unlawful, vacate it, and bar the Department of Education from enforcing or implementing it.
Joining Attorney General Tong in filing this lawsuit, which was led by the attorneys general of New York, Massachusetts, California, and Colorado, are the attorneys general of Arizona, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. A group of private plaintiffs and local governments is also filing a lawsuit today to block the implementation of the new rule.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, November 4, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SECURES FINAL RULING BLOCKING ILLEGAL CONDITIONING OF TRANSPORTATION GRANT FUNDING
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today secured a permanent injunction from the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island blocking the Trump Administration’s effort to unlawfully impose immigration enforcement requirements on billions of dollars in annual U.S. Department of Transportation grants. The final ruling follows multistate litigation and a preliminary injunction. In issuing a permanent injunction, the Court found that the Trump Administration has “blatantly overstepped their statutory authority, violated the APA, and transgressed well-settled constitutional limitations on federal funding conditions. The Constitution demands the Court set aside this lawless behavior.”
“Donald Trump tried to condition billions of dollars in transportation funds on a series of irrational immigration demands. It was dumb and dangerous, and we just beat him again in court,” said Attorney General Tong. “We need safe, functioning highways, railways and airways. That’s one of the most basic functions of government. The fact that Donald Trump would imperil that shows just how little he cares about the safety of American families.”
Connecticut receives billions of dollars in grant funding from the Department of Transportation to support and maintain the roads, highways, railways, airways, and bridges that connect our communities and carry our residents to their workplaces and their homes. This includes funding to maintain and build highways. It also includes funding for transit systems in urban and rural communities across the state — including buses, subways, light rail, commuter rail, trolleys, and ferries. Neither the purpose of these grants, nor their grant criteria, are in any way connected to immigration enforcement.
A copy of the court’s decision is available here.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG SEEKS TO HALT TARIFFS IN LANDMARK CASE AT U.S. SUPREME COURT
(Hartford, CT) – Today, the U.S. Supreme Court of the United States will hear oral arguments in a landmark case challenging the federal government’s use of emergency powers to impose sweeping tariffs. Connecticut and a coalition of 11 other states filed the lawsuit, which tests whether the President exceeded his authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
“American families are bankrolling Trump’s irrational and erratic tariff war, and none of us can afford for this lawless overreach to continue. Trump lost in the Court of International Trade. He lost in the Court of Appeals. He’s wasting our money and inflicting lasting damage on our economic and world standing by continuing to push this fight. It’s time for the Supreme Court to stand up to this president, protect the rule of law, and stop this damaging economic war for good,” said Attorney General Tong.
Background
On April 23, 2025, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Vermont filed the suit in the U.S. Court of International Trade.
The case challenges the President’s use of IEEPA to impose broad tariffs on imports, arguing that statute does not delegate Congress’s tariff powers under Article I of the U.S. Constitution.
• The tariffs at issue included sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs on nearly all imports, as well as targeted tariffs affecting Canada, Mexico, and China, among others.
• In May 2025, the United States Court of International Trade ruled in favor of the states, finding the tariffs exceeded the President’s authority under IEEPA.
• The federal government appealed against that ruling. On August 29, 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed that ruling—finding the President’s tariff orders went beyond the statutory grant of authority and were therefore unlawful.
• The Supreme Court agreed to expedited review of the Federal Circuit decision.
The Supreme Court’s ruling will determine whether the President can unilaterally impose tariffs under emergency powers and what limits the Constitution places on executive trade authority.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG STATEMENT REGARDING PURA FINAL DECISION INCREASING YANKEE GAS RATES BY $82 MILLION
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong released the following statement regarding the final decision issued today by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority increasing rates for Yankee Gas customers by $82 million. Yankee Gas is owned by Eversource.
Yankee Gas had sought a $193 million rate hike. If approved in full, the request would have forced the average customer to approximately pay an additional $43 per month on their gas bills. Today’s final decision increases rates by approximately 11.4 percent, or about $15 per month for the average residential customer. A prior draft decision would have authorized a $56 million increase, or about $9 more per month for the average residential customer.
“This is more disappointing news for Connecticut families heading into an already expensive winter heating season. Once again, the utilities are being rewarded with a multi-million dollar rate hike after running their chief regulator out of town through relentless litigation and personal attacks. These costs are unsustainable and I’m going to keep pushing back in every single one of these rate cases to make sure Connecticut families aren’t paying a penny more than absolutely necessary,” said Attorney General Tong.
Yankee Gas has 222,800 residential customers, 28,000 commercial customers, and 1,500 industrial customers across 85 towns in Connecticut.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 6, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG ENTERS INTO SETTLEMENT IN FIRST ACTION UNDER CONNECTICUT'S STUDENT DATA PRIVACY LAW
Illuminate Exposed Personal Information of Millions of Students in New York, California, and Connecticut
Settlements Require Illuminate to Significantly Improve Data Security to Protect Students’ Data
(Hartford, CT) - Attorney General William Tong along with California Attorney General Rob Bonta and New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that they have secured a total of $5.1 million from educational technology company Illuminate Education, Inc. (“Illuminate”), a wholly owned subsidiary of Renaissance Learning, Inc., for failing to protect students’ data. Illuminate provides software to schools and school districts across the country to track students’ attendance and grades and to monitor students’ academic, behavioral, and mental health development. In 2022, Illuminate experienced a data breach that exposed the personal information of millions of students, including 28,610 students in six school districts in Connecticut. An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General found that Illuminate failed to implement basic security measures to protect students’ data, including failing to monitor for suspicious activity on their platforms. As a result of today’s settlements, Illuminate must take steps to enhance and strengthen its cybersecurity practices as well as pay $5.1 million in total.
Today’s action is the first such settlement reached under Connecticut’s Student Data Privacy Law, which was enacted in 2016 and amended in 2017 and 2018. Among other things, the law requires online educational providers to maintain data security measures that meet or exceed industry standards and that are designed to protect student data from unauthorized access or disclosure.
“Technology is everywhere in schools today, and Connecticut’s Student Data Privacy Law requires strict security to protect children’s information. Illuminate failed to implement basic safeguards, and exposed the personal information of millions of students, including thousands here in Connecticut. This action—Connecticut’s first ever under the Student Data Privacy Law—holds Illuminate accountable and sends a strong message to education technology companies that they must take privacy obligations seriously,” said Attorney General Tong.
“Students, parents, and teachers should be able to trust that their schools’ online platforms are safe and secure,” said Attorney General James. “Illuminate violated that trust and did not take basic steps to protect students’ data. Today’s settlements will ensure that Illuminate protects students’ data in classrooms across the country. My office will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect children online.”
“Illuminate failed to appropriately safeguard the data of school children, resulting in a data breach that compromised the sensitive data of students nationwide, including more than 434,000 California students. Our investigation revealed a troubling pattern of security deficiencies that should have never happened for a company charged with protecting data about kids,” said Attorney General Bonta. “Today’s settlement should send a clear message to tech companies, especially those in the education space: California law imposes heightened obligations for companies to secure children’s’ information. I am grateful to Attorney General James and Attorney General Tong for their partnership in investigating companies that fail to safeguard our residents’ data. Data security concerns know no borders, and as today’s settlements showcase, neither should state collaboration.”
In December 2021, hackers were able to access one of Illuminate’s online accounts using the credentials of a former employee who had left the company years earlier. The hackers then downloaded unencrypted database files containing the information of 28,610 students in six Connecticut school districts. The student information included student names, birth dates, student ID numbers, and demographic information.
The Office of Attorney General determined that Illuminate had failed to employ reasonable data security practices designed to protect students’ personal information.
As a result of today’s settlements, Illuminate must pay $5.1 million, of which Connecticut will receive $150,000 where 28,610 students were impacted; New York will receive $1.7 million where 1.7 million students were impacted; and California will receive $3.25 million where 3 million students were impacted.
Illuminate is also required to adopt measures to better protect students’ personal information, including:
1. Reviewing and conforming all contracts with Connecticut school districts to comply with the Student Data Privacy Law.
2. Employing specific safeguards, including maintaining data inventories, minimizing data and limiting data retention to its specific purpose;
3. Employing proper access controls and authentication;
4. Performing data security risk assessments and penetration tests;
5. Establishing a right to delete data;
6. Monitoring vendors;
7. Obtaining an information security assessment from the third-party assessor.
Assistant Attorneys General John Neumon and Kileigh Nassau, as well as Deputy Associate Attorney General and Privacy Section Chief Michele Lucan, assisted the Attorney General in this matter.
For more information on the Student Data Privacy law, please see: Student Data Privacy
Click here for Connecticut's filing.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 6, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG FILES EXPANDED COMPLAINT AGAINST ALTICE, DETAILING $39.1 MILLION IN BAIT-AND-SWITCH JUNK FEES CHARGED TO CONNECTICUT CONSUMERS
(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today announced an expanded complaint against Altice/Optimum Online, detailing how the company’s deceptive advertisements intentionally misled Spanish speakers and unlawfully reaped at least $39.1 million in bait-and-switch “Network Enhancement” junk fees from Connecticut consumers.
The complaint alleges numerous violations of the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act and seeks penalties and disgorgement of all revenues achieved through unfair and deceptive acts and practices.
“Altice lied to their customers, and we are holding them accountable. Altice advertised lifetime deals, while knowingly burying hidden junk fees that raked in at least $39.1 million in added costs. They inexcusably and shockingly sought to mislead Spanish-speaking consumers with Spanish-language marketing featuring buried disclosures in English-language fine print. We’ve received huge numbers of complaints from frustrated and misled consumers. Today’s amended complaint brings additional damning details to our claims and shows that we are prepared to aggressively pursue this case to ensure fair, honest service for Connecticut consumers,” said Attorney General Tong.
Since at least January 2019, Altice has charged Connecticut consumers a monthly “Network Enhancement Fee,” which has increased over time from $2.50 per month to $6.00 per month. In total, Altice has collected at least $39.1 million from Connecticut consumers through the fee, over and above the regular monthly Internet service charge. For new customers, the fee was not disclosed up front, and appeared only in the shopping cart after a consumer selects an Internet service. Altice has claimed without evidence that the fee is necessary to “maintain and improve the network”—a basic business function that customers already pay for in the base rate. Altice is unable to point to any specific, identifiable benefit that subscribers received in exchange for paying the fee. The fee is instead a deceptive mechanism to conceal a price increase while advertising artificially low prices.
The amended complaint highlights multiple deceptive advertisements. In one August 2019 ad, Altice pushed a $64.99 “price for life” for its Altice One + Internet product. The company stated: “Get the lifetime deal that actually lasts a lifetime. Switch to Optimum and get Altice One + Internet for $64.99/mo. FOR LIFE! That means $64.99 will always be $64.99, not for one year or two years, but for as long as you are customer.” But that was untrue. The price was in fact $64.99 plus the Network Enhancement Fee, which increased from $2.50 to $6.00 per month.
Customers were not happy. One complained to the Office of the Attorney General reporting that he signed up for Optimum with a “price for life” and then noticed the fee. He reported he was never informed that Altice “could make up new fees and increase the price anyways.”
“The NEF is not an additional monthly charge or fee that consumers might expect, or choose, to pay. It is not a tax or government fee that Defendant must pass on to a regulatory body. It is not a charge for an extra product like a Wi-Fi extender or modem. It is a charge added on by Altice, at Altice’s discretion, that all consumers had to pay each month, for which they received no identifiable benefit in exchange, and about which they were not straightforwardly notified,” the complaint states.
The complaint further details deceptive and misleading Spanish-language marketing. In Spanish-language advertisements, Altice promised deals and fast service. While the offer and selling points are all in Spanish, the Network Enhancement Fee, equipment charges and other factors that could lower the “super-fast” speed Altice advertised were all buried in English fine print.
The Office of the Attorney General first launched its investigation into Altice Optimum in November 2022, following more than 500 consumer complaints regarding hidden fees, poor technical support, and slow internet speeds.
This complaint follows a settlement reached in August 2022 with Frontier Communications following review of over 1,400 consumer complaints regarding equipment returns, poor internet quality, unsatisfactory customer service, and excessive charges.
Assistant Attorneys General Rebecca Quinn, Katherine Hagmann-Borenstein, Caroline McCormack, and Deputy Associate Attorney General Michael Wertheimer, Chief of the Consumer Protection Section, are assisting the Attorney General in this matter.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, November 6, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG ASKS COURT TO COMPEL TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO DELIVER FULL SNAP BENEFITS
(Hartford, CT) -- Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 25 states and the District of Columbia in filing a response to the federal government’s decision to only partially fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for the 42 million Americans relying on it. Under the federal government’s current plan, SNAP benefits would only be partially funded using the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) SNAP contingency fund. The coalition argues that the federal government has created chaos and delay with the roll-out of partial benefits, has the money to fully fund the program, and is legally required to do so.
“We are back to court today to force Donald Trump to fully fund SNAP and to stop the President from purposely and illegally starving American families for political leverage. He has the funds and the authority to fully fund SNAP today. He can do this right now. But he is choosing to bog this down in needless red tape and overly complicated calculations because he wrongly believes maximizing pain is good for his politics. This is cruel, this is wrong, and we’re asking the court to end this chaos and force Trump to what he should have done from day one—fully fund SNAP and get American families the help they need immediately,” said Attorney General Tong.
In their brief, the coalition argues that USDA’s unacceptable delays and needlessly complicated calculation of reduced benefits is untenable and unlawful. It is clear that issuing full benefits is the only way to prevent further irreparable harms to states and their residents. As such, the coalition is asking the Court to issue a Temporary Restraining Order compelling the federal government to pay full benefits.
The coalition’s brief comes as part of an ongoing lawsuit joined by Attorney General Tong against the Trump Administration for suspending SNAP benefits in a manner that is both contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act.
Benton, Elizabeth
Attorney General William Tong released the following updated statement after a Rhode Island federal court judge in a separate case ordered the Trump Administration to fully release November SNAP benefits by Friday.
“Donald Trump must fully fund SNAP—right now. He could have done this from the start. He had the funds and he had the authority, but he was willfully and cruelly choosing to starve American families for political leverage. We sued, cities sued, non-profits sued, and we now have a decisive court order requiring full SNAP benefits by Friday. This is a decisive defeat for Trump and his callous political games and a major win for families across this country,” said Attorney General Tong.
Benton, Elizabeth
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, November 7, 2025
ATTORNEY GENERAL TONG OPPOSES TRUMP’S LATEST ATTEMPT TO WITHHOLD FULL SNAP BENEFITS
(Hartford, CT) –Attorney General William Tong today joined a coalition of 26 states opposing the Trump Administration’s request to block a court order to deliver full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to the millions of Americans relying on them. The federal government’s motion, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, comes after a federal judge in Rhode Island ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to fully fund November benefits by today.
“Donald Trump is intentionally starving American families for political leverage. He has the funds. He has the authority. He even has a court order compelling him to fully fund SNAP right now. But he’s not because he thinks hurting families helps him politically, because he’s always wanted that money for tax breaks for billionaires, and because he just doesn’t care. We’re fighting in court on every front to free these funds as quickly as possible so that people can eat,” said Attorney General Tong.
Attorney General Tong and the coalition filed an amicus brief in Rhode Island State Council of Churches, et al., v. Rollins, et al., arguing that USDA has the money to fully fund this program and should do so immediately to prevent further harm to states. They argue USDA’s needlessly complicated calculation of reduced benefits has sown chaos in states and if they are forced to carry out this plan, it would create substantial, unlawful delays in getting benefits to recipients. The coalition also explains that the loss of SNAP benefits has a ripple effect on other state services, as increased food insecurity creates a strain on state safety net programs, and healthcare and educational institutions.
The attorneys general argue that due to the federal government’s resistance to meeting their legal obligations to fully fund the SNAP program, American families are struggling to meet their most basic needs. These harms to states will continue unless immediate full payment of SNAP benefits is issued. Attorney General Tong and the coalition urge the Court to deny the federal government’s motion for a stay.
Joining Attorney General Tong in filing this amicus brief are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin, and the Governors of Kansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.