State lawmakers held their first public hearing Monday to discuss Gov. Dannel Malloy's budget proposal.

Gov. Malloy has suggested lowering the state's sales tax rate from 6.35 percent to 5.95 percent by April 2017. The current sales tax exemption for clothing that costs less than $50 would be eliminated as part of the plan.

Malloy also proposed delaying a planned increase in the personal income tax exemption for single filers in addition to an increase in the Earned Income Tax program.