The Connecticut General Assembly continued its special session Thursday hitting some of the key issues of our state.

State senators voted on bills that were advanced in the House Wednesday, like curbing Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, approving a bill to save Waterbury Hospital and the all-important affordable housing bill.

The Connecticut House approved a compromise housing bill on Wednesday that limits parking requirements and makes it easier to convert commercial properties to apartments.

House Democrats and Republicans were locked in a seven-hour debate during Wednesday's special session, arguing over a reworked bill that passed on mostly party lines.

Leaders of the state Senate weighed in on many of the issues facing our state right now.

"What we're seeing is and what we've seen since Jan. 20 is just chaos and confusion and cruelty to the American people and also to the people of the state of Connecticut. We've had a shutdown that is now the longest in our country's history," said state Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff.

"This is monumental what the Democratic Party in this state is looking to do in relation to zoning. This is statewide zoning. There is nothing more to it than that," said state Senate Minority Leader Stephen Harding.

Lawmakers voted Thursday to set setting aside half-a-billion dollars in case there's another federal government shutdown or we see other major cuts from Congress.

Gov. Ned Lamont can only spend that money on things like food benefits and home heating assistance.

All bills that passed the House are expected to pass the Senate. That means the bills could be on the governor's desk Friday for him to sign.