Advocacy in Action | May 29, 2025

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Take Action NOW To Support CT Tourism

Connecticut kicked off the summer season in CT this Memorial Day weekend with a press conference at the beautiful Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme last Friday.

Olivia Formica, Co-Owner & Culinary Director of Flanders Fish Market & 374 Kitchen + Cocktails, and CRA Board Member, spoke to reporters about the positive impact of investing in Connecticut tourism and Connecticut State Parks on the hospitality industry.

The Connecticut Restaurant Association continues to advocate strongly this session for increased tourism marketing funding for our state. Connecticut is currently set to experience a drastic cut in tourism marketing funding, cut back from $12.1 million in 2023 to $4.5 million next year. For every dollar spent on tourism advertising, it returns an average of $8 incremental tax revenue to the state of CT. Tourism marketing is a vital economic driver for CT restaurants and small businesses, and the CRA will continue to push for increased funding in the state for this purpose.

Watch Olivia's Speech

Act NOW: Email Legislators

The CRA making headlines:

• Lamont touts CT as tourism destination; restaurant group head says it’s not enough

• Connecticut Restaurant Association seeks more funding for tourism marketing

Take Action NOW: Contact Your Senators to Vote Yes on the Credit Card Competition Act

Credit card swipe fees are one of the highest costs restaurant operators face—and they’ve more than doubled in the past decade. The U.S. Senate is preparing to consider the GENIUS Act, and during that debate, Senators Roger Marshall (R-KS) and Dick Durbin (D-IL_ plan to introduce the Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA) as a bipartisan amendment.

The CCCA would provide significant relief to local restaurants, putting an estimated $8,000 per year back into the average full-service establishment.

Contact your Senators to urge them to vote YES on the Credit Card Competition Act as an amendment to the GENIUS Act. 

This is our chance to stand up for fairer fees, stronger small businesses, and better value for our customers.

Big banks and credit card giants only need 40 votes to block the amendment. We need 60 votes to pass it—every single Senator’s vote is critical.

Take Action Now

US House Passes Trump Tax and Spending Mega-Bill

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” Act by a vote of 215-214-1. The bill represents the House GOP’s tax and immigration priorities. Overall, the restaurant industry fared very well thanks to the work of the National Restaurant Association and our state restaurant association partners.  

Why it matters for restaurants:  

• The 23% qualified business income deduction allows pass-through businesses (LLCs, partnerships, S-Corps, sole proprietors) to keep 23% of their income before it's subject to the federal income tax, lowering an operator’s effective tax rate. 9 in 10 restaurants are pass-through businesses. 

• Full expensing for capital purchases establishes 100% bonus depreciation so that a restaurant operator can fully deduct, in its first year, the cost of a new kitchen oven, refrigerator, or catering truck. This effectively promotes investment in technology and efficiency while maintaining cash-on-hand. 

• The restored business interest expense deduction helps to retain working capital in a restaurant as it increases the cap on deductible business interest at 30% of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). Restaurant groups who are managing a loan or financing a new project may see some relief on high interest rates with this deduction. 

Wins for the workforce:  

• Under the House bill, more than two million tipped workers in restaurants will see four years of “No Tax on Tips” related to their federal income tax, starting in 2025 until the end of 2028. Employees can earn up to $155,000 without owing federal income taxes on their tips under the House plan. FICA contributions and the FICA 45B credit are untouched by these changes. 

• “No Tax on Overtime” pay is also included in the House bill, allowing for the extra income (the additional “half” in the 1.5X base pay rate for working over 40 hours/week) to be free from federal income tax. 

• Support for employer-provided family and medical leave programs, child care expenses, and a boosted child tax credit are also included in the legislation.

This Week's Headlines

• Trump pardons John G. Rowland, former CT governor

• As U.S. House passes ‘big beautiful bill’, CT delegation joins opposition

• National Restaurant Association Statement on the Passage of H.R.1, ‘The One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act’

• Trump Tariff Live Updates: Trump’s tariffs can stay in place while court hears appeal

Bill Tracker: Updated Weekly

The Connecticut Restaurant Association actively monitors a wide range of legislation throughout each legislative session. It's important to note that the introduction of a bill does not guarantee its passage.

The CRA Bill Tracker gives you a sense of the breadth and variety of legislation we track throughout session, as well as an overview on the status of each bill.

Bill Tracker