Connecticut Democrats unveiled a state graduate‑loan proposal that would deploy up to $30 million — $20 million from CHESLA funds and $10 million in state support — to plug gaps left by federal changes to Grad PLUS lending. Lawmakers pitched the program as a stopgap after new federal caps that will limit graduate borrowing under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Colleges are also emphasizing proven tactics to lift completion rates as financial constraints tighten. Institutional leaders and experts cited targeted advising, course redesign, and strengthened student supports as immediate levers to counter both affordability shocks and the federal borrowing changes that could reshape graduate financing.