ConnecticutSB 015272025 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

AN ACT IMPLEMENTING A RECOMMENDATION OF THE AUDITORS OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS REGARDING NONLAPSING ACCOUNTS.

Summary

To implement a recommendation of the Auditors of Public Accounts regarding nonlapsing accounts.

appropriations

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

34 provisions identified: 33 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Consumer protection funds stay available

Beginning July 1, 2025, the new automobile warranties and privacy protection accounts are separate accounts that keep unspent money. The Department of Consumer Protection uses warranty funds to carry out the new-car warranty law. Privacy funds support enforcement and reimburse people for losses caused by violations covered by that law. These account changes do not change warranty rights, qualifying privacy violations, or set reimbursement amounts.

Children's care funds stay available

Beginning July 1, 2025, children's mental health treatment and in-home respite funds are separate accounts outside the General Fund. Both keep unspent money, and respite money remains dedicated to the existing in-home respite program. The treatment fund helps families pay eligible costs for children's prescribed drugs, treatments, and intensive services not covered by insurance or Medicaid. Families must first seek and be denied coverage or reimbursement by their health carrier. The children and families commissioner sets eligibility rules, which may consider financial need; the law sets no new benefit amount.

Child Advocate gifts stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, qualifying gifts, grants, and bequests for the Child Advocate go into a separate account. Unspent money stays available for the office to carry out its duties. The change creates no new household benefit or eligibility rule.

Cleaner energy and vehicle funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, school bus emissions, greenhouse gas auction, and clean-vehicle rebate accounts separately keep unused money. School bus emissions program administration remains capped at 3% of account funds. Auction proceeds support energy conservation, electricity demand management, qualifying renewable power, and transportation emissions cuts on behalf of electric ratepayers. Clean-vehicle funds support rebate and voucher programs, plus staffing and assistance for zero-emission bus grants. The account change does not alter rebate amounts or eligibility.

Energy efficiency funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, the statewide energy efficiency and outreach account is separate from the General Fund. Its year-end balance continues into the next fiscal year for its authorized uses. The law adds no household rebate, changes no eligibility rules, and sets no new funding amount.

Environmental permit and equipment funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, air permit operating fees and environmental equipment money are held in separate accounts that keep unused balances. Air permit fees continue to enter the General Fund and receive credit in the dedicated account for federal clean-air permit costs. Equipment account receipts continue funding equipment purchases and maintenance. Buying one equipment item costing more than $1,000 still requires Office of Policy and Management approval.

Land preservation and stewardship funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, Face of Connecticut and land stewardship accounts separately keep unused money across years. Face of Connecticut spending follows its steering committee's directions. Each property acquired or restored must serve at least two goals involving conservation, parks, farmland, or historic resources. Authorized bond proceeds can support acquisition management, directly or through the stewardship account, up to 20% of acquired land's appraised value.

Long Island Sound funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, the Long Island Sound account sits outside the General Fund and keeps unused money. Required deposits remain available for restoration, public access, habitat, research, education, services, and commemorative license plate costs. The law sets no new funding amount.

Park and forest funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, Passport to the Parks and timber harvesting accounts separately keep unused money across years. Annual Thames River Heritage Park taxi funding caps are $200,000 for fiscal years 2026–2028, $100,000 for 2029–2030, and $50,000 for 2031. Timber proceeds from state forests and wildlife management areas support forest management plans and related costs. The timber account cannot exceed $100,000; remaining proceeds go to the General Fund. Loans from qualifying nonprofits must be repaid within two years unless both sides agree to different timing and terms.

Pretrial funds and earnings carry forward

Beginning July 1, 2025, the pretrial account is separate from the General Fund. Investment earnings become part of the account, and its year-end balance carries into the next fiscal year. The change specifies no direct household payment or change in pretrial eligibility.

Prison oversight donations stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, accepted Correction Ombuds grants, gifts, and bequests go into a separate account outside the General Fund. Unused money carries forward for the office's responsibilities. This funding change does not create a new individual right or household payment.

Public programming funds stay separate

Beginning July 1, 2025, the public, educational, and government programming and education technology account sits outside the General Fund. It keeps unspent money and continues receiving deposits required by law. It also receives interest and penalties collected by the revenue services commissioner under the applicable law. No new funding amount or household benefit is set.

Separate funds support military and disaster training

Beginning July 1, 2025, five military and disaster training accounts sit outside the General Fund and keep unspent money. They support military recreation, housing armed forces members at Camp Nett, Governor's Guards operations, disaster training, and military facility repairs. Camp Nett room charges support military housing; designated horse-care donations help maintain the Guards' horses. The training center's operating proceeds support its operations, while facility funds can include state money, gifts, grants, donations, and bequests. The Adjutant General must report recreation account deposits and spending for the prior fiscal year by August 1 each year.

Town and school water-test funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, the PFAS Testing account sits outside the General Fund and keeps unused money. State environmental and health officials continue funding town and school district grants or reimbursements for drinking-water testing and contamination cleanup. Account money also supports the law's implementation costs. No new grant amount is set.

Towns retain dedicated cemetery maintenance funding

Beginning July 1, 2025, the neglected cemetery account sits outside the General Fund and keeps unused money. The Office of Policy and Management continues using it for municipal maintenance of neglected burial grounds and cemeteries. No new funding amount is set.

Wildlife conservation money stays dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, wildlife and bird conservation accounts sit outside the General Fund and keep unused money. The wildlife account continues supporting endangered species, natural preserves, conservation, education, and promotion. Its promotion spending generally cannot exceed 10% of the prior year's receipts, subject to a historical exception. Bird stamp sales, artwork proceeds, and donations remain limited to authorized bird, habitat, wetland, recreation-rights, and artwork purposes.

Crisis response and overdose funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, the 9-8-8 lifeline and opioid antagonist purchase funds sit outside the General Fund and keep unused money. Lifeline money is limited to call routing, crisis staff, urgent mental health care, outreach, and stabilization. The opioid fund supports bulk purchases of medicines that reverse opioid overdoses. Its department administration costs remain capped at 2% of deposits each fiscal year.

Emergency field hospital funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, the mobile field hospital account sits outside the General Fund and keeps unused money. Social Services continues using the money for hospital operations when the hospital is activated. The law sets no funding amount or individual payment.

Families’ mental health funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, the Social Determinants of Mental Health Fund sits outside the General Fund and keeps unused money. The Department of Children and Families continues using it to help families pay children's mental health costs. Eligibility must reflect social conditions and aim to reduce racial, ethnic, gender, and income-related mental health gaps. The law sets no new household benefit amount.

Family poverty and safety-net funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, poverty reduction and safety-net accounts sit outside the General Fund and keep unused money. The two-generation poverty account funds services through the Department of Social Services or its contractors. It can receive specified state funds otherwise due to expire, plus public, charitable, and federal money. All deposits must support those program services. Safety-net contribution promotion remains capped at 10% of the prior year's receipts, subject to a historical exception.

Health workers’ support funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, health professional and pharmacy assistance accounts are separate accounts that keep unused money across years. Health professional funding supports education, prevention, intervention, referrals, rehabilitation, and support for workers with substance dependency or listed health conditions. Pharmacy funding continues supporting pharmacists and pharmacy interns with the health conditions covered by that program. The law sets no new individual payment amount or eligibility rule.

Mental health grants keep dedicated funding

Beginning July 1, 2025, mental health grant and community investment accounts sit outside the General Fund and keep unused money. Grant spending continues at $425,000 for inpatient care for children ages two to five and $185,000 for community prevention. It also includes $530,000 to study combat service aftereffects and $810,000 for transitional behavioral health benefits. The mental health commissioner directs remaining grant money under existing law. Community investment money improves services for people with mental health conditions, with input from nonprofit mental health groups.

Sexual assault crisis funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, the sexual assault victims account sits outside the General Fund and keeps unused money. Spending requires a legislative appropriation for Public Health's sexual assault crisis services. Account money cannot replace other available state or federal funding for those services. The law sets no funding amount.

Transplant and disease funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, organ transplant, AIDS, and breast cancer accounts sit outside the General Fund and keep unused money. Transplant assistance covers costs of medically required transplants for Connecticut residents or organ donations to Connecticut residents. AIDS and breast cancer money supports research, education, and community services. Each account generally limits contribution promotion to 10% of the prior year's receipts, subject to historical exceptions. The law sets no new household payment amounts.

Agriculture and animal protection funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, four Agriculture accounts sit outside the General Fund and keep unused money across years. Department property rent funds maintenance, repairs, and improvements unless the commissioner's written agreement, instrument, or license says otherwise. The agricultural land account continues making loans to municipalities buying farmland. Legally designated receipts continue funding Expand and Grow Connecticut Agriculture. The animal abuse cost recovery account retains seized-animal auction proceeds and public or private contributions.

Cannabis regulation and equity funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, cannabis regulatory and investment and social equity and innovation accounts separately keep unused money across years. The state budget office consults the Social Equity Council when allocating regulatory account money to agencies for authorized cannabis-law activities. The equity account's listed allocations cover fiscal years ending June 30, 2022, 2023, and 2024. Those past dates do not create new allocations for later years.

Military relief funds stay available

Beginning July 1, 2025, the Military Relief Fund is a separate account that keeps unspent money and investment earnings. The Military Department uses the money for the fund's existing legal purposes. It can retain up to 2% of each fiscal year's deposits for administrative costs. The law sets no new household assistance amount.

Municipal participation fees stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, the municipal participation account sits outside the General Fund and keeps unused money across years. Municipal participation fees and investment interest remain in the account. The law changes account handling, not household payments or eligibility.

State program funds stay separately dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, these program accounts sit outside the General Fund and keep unused money across years. They cover CHET Baby Scholars, college capital reserves, partnership health premiums, workforce training, youth sports, and social innovation. They also cover Main Street grants, regional planning, municipal revenue sharing and reimbursements, community investment, and agricultural sustainability. State property improvements, building artwork, Ed-Net, and Charter Oak open-space and park accounts receive the same treatment. So do police training, firefighter cancer relief, municipal pension solvency, and crumbling-foundation assistance accounts. This accounting change does not itself add funding or create new household benefits.

Waste infrastructure funds stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, sustainable materials management money sits outside the General Fund and carries forward across years. The state environmental commissioner continues using it for the program. The commissioner can pledge account money for revenue bonds only when bond proceeds support the specified waste infrastructure projects. No new funding amount is set.

Health reinsurance gifts stay dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, qualifying gifts, grants, and bequests for the Health Reinsurance Association go into a separate account. The account sits outside the General Fund and keeps unspent money. The association uses these funds to carry out its responsibilities. This change does not alter household coverage, eligibility, premiums, or benefits.

State reserves money for federal welfare repayments

Beginning July 1, 2025, Social Services can reserve money across fiscal years for federal repayments tied to AFDC recoveries or overpayments. AFDC means Aid to Families with Dependent Children. The Office of Policy and Management must approve deposits. Deposits must be limited to amounts needed for the federal share. This does not change household benefits or eligibility.

Town property tax relief stays dedicated

Beginning July 1, 2025, the municipal video competition trust account is separate from the General Fund and keeps its funds. Its year-end balance continues to go to Connecticut towns, cities, and boroughs for property tax relief. The law leaves the distribution formula unchanged and sets no new household tax savings amount.

Nuclear operators fund state emergency readiness

Beginning July 1, 2025, nuclear emergency funds sit in a separate account that keeps unused money across years. Nuclear plant licensees pay an initial assessment totaling $2 million. The year-end balance cannot exceed $300,000. Annual assessments also fund five state energy staff positions and three emergency services positions when the emergency services commissioner requests them.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Appropriations Committee
Affiliation unavailable

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 230 • No: 1

House vote • 4/24/2025

House Roll Call Vote 297

Yes: 140 • No: 1

Senate vote • 4/24/2025

Senate Roll Call Vote 254

Yes: 36 • No: 0