Bills & Legislation

AN ACT STUDYING THE DANBURY BRANCH LINE OF THE METRO-NORTH COMMUTER RAILROAD AND CONCERNING THE CONNECTICUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL.

To (1) require the Department of Transportation to fund the New Haven Line, (2) establish minimum train crew size requirements for freight railroad companies operating in the state, (3) require the installation of hotbox detectors every twenty miles on any rail line in which passenger trains operate, (4) increase the amount of bond funds available for grants for commercial rail line improvements, and (5) study the feasibility of operating hybrid trains on the Danbury branch line of the Metro-North Commuter Railroad and expanding such line to include the town of New Milford.

Transportation Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING AUDITS OF THE UTILITY PROGRAMS OVERSEEN BY THE ENERGY CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT BOARD.

To subject entities that provide energy assessments funded by the Clean Energy Fund to residential homeowners to biennial audit by the Auditors of Public Accounts.

Government Oversight Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING ELECTION ADMINISTRATION OVERSIGHT.

To establish a Municipal Election Accountability Board and a process by which said board may be authorized to exercise oversight of municipalities in the administration of their elections, primaries and referenda.

Government Administration and Elections Committee

AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STATE DISPARITY STUDY.

To implement the recommendations of the state disparity study, including by changing fixed percentage set-aside goals to project-specific goals and consolidating provisions concerning municipal and quasi-public agency contracts with provisions concerning state contracts.

Government Administration and Elections Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING AN ECONOMIC STUDY ON AREAS SURROUNDING THE MOHEGAN-PEQUOT BRIDGE.

To require the Commissioners of Economic and Community Development and Transportation to conduct or commission an economic study on the areas surrounding the Mohegan-Pequot Bridge.

Transportation Committee

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A HOUSING GROWTH FUND FOR A MUNICIPAL GRANT PROGRAM.

To establish a Housing Growth Fund for a municipal grant program to increase the availability of affordable housing and maximize the amount of residential, commercial and leisure space near transit facilities.

Housing Committee

AN ACT REQUIRING CERTAIN AGENCIES TO REPORT COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PROGRAMS SERVING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

To require the Department of Social Services and the Department of Developmental Services to submit reports describing current costs associated with programs serving children and families and anticipated costs associated with utilizing different eligibility criteria for participation in such programs.

Committee on Children

AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF LIMITED PURPOSE TRUST COMPANIES.

To authorize the establishment of limited purpose trust companies.

Banking Committee

AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE DOMESTIC WORKERS EDUCATION AND TRAINING GRANTS PROGRAM.

To provide funds for the domestic workers education and training grants program.

Labor and Public Employees Committee

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A PROGRAM TO ASSIST MUNICIPALITIES IN DEVELOPING PREAPPROVED BUILDING PLANS.

To establish a program to assist municipalities in developing preapproved building plans.

Housing Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING ADULT DAY CENTER TRANSPORTATION.

To increase the fee schedule effective July 1, 2025, for adult day care services by ten per cent over the fee schedule for adult day care services for the previous fiscal year for the purpose of providing increased funding for adult day care transportation.

Aging Committee

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A PILOT PROGRAM FOR A BOAT WASHING STATION AT GARDNER LAKE IN THE TOWN OF SALEM.

To reduce invasive plants carried on the hull, prop and motor of boats in Gardner Lake in the town of Salem.

Environment Committee

AN ACT PROTECTING PARTICIPANTS IN TITLE IX PROCEEDINGS AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

To provide immunity from liability for students and employees of institutions of higher education who report or disclose being a victim of sexual assault, stalking or intimate partner violence and participate or testify in any Title IX investigation or proceedings.

Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAMS.

To require a study and report on student loan repayment programs.

Appropriations Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF LONG-TERM CARE NEEDS.

To require the Commissioner of Social Services to study long-term care needs in the state.

Aging Committee

AN ACT MAKING INVESTMENTS IN IN-DISTRICT SPECIAL EDUCATION.

To implement the Governor's budget recommendations.

REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR PURSUANT TO JOINT RULE 9

AN ACT CONCERNING POLICE AND DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION DATA REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

To (1) establish as a crime the making of a false statement in a law enforcement record, (2) make such violation a reason to cancel or revoke a police officer's certification, (3) require prompt notification to the appropriate state's attorney of any suspected criminal violation by a police officer, and (4) create an exception for disclosure of a formal complaint against a police officer that has not yet been adjudicated.

Judiciary Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE CONCENTRATION FOR 1,4-DIOXANE IN HOUSEHOLD CLEANING AND PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS AND COSMETICS.

To protect the public health and the environment by reducing exposure to harmful contaminants in household cleaning, personal care and cosmetic products and encourage safer manufacturing practices.

Environment Committee

AN ACT CREATING THE UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL ENDOWMENT.

To implement the Governor's budget recommendations.

REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR PURSUANT TO JOINT RULE 9

AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PILOT PROGRAM FOR THE COLLECTION OF UNPAID TAXES FROM STATE CONTRACTORS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE SERVICES' RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REVISIONS TO THE TAX AND RELATED STATUTES.

To (1) authorize the Commissioner of Revenue Services to enter into agreements with collection agencies and attorneys to collect unpaid taxes, (2) require departments and offices of the state to withhold amounts of unpaid taxes, penalties and interest from payments payable to persons owing such taxes, penalties and interest, (3) authorize the Commissioners of Revenue Services and Motor Vehicles to enter into an agreement to not issue or renew motor vehicle operator's licenses or motor vehicle certificates of registration for persons who owe taxes, penalties or interest to the state until such amounts are paid, and (4) implement the Department of Revenue Services' recommendations for revisions to the tax and related statutes.

Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE AVAILABILITY OF AUTOMATED EXTERNAL DEFIBRILLATORS AND REQUIRING CARDIAC EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

To require (1) each board of education to develop a cardiac emergency response plan for each school governed by such board, and (2) the Department of Education to establish a grant program to assist schools, with a priority given to priority schools, with implementing cardiac emergency response plans and a procedure for monitoring adherence to cardiac emergency response plans.

Education Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE TREASURER'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PAYDOWN OF SPECIAL TAX OBLIGATION INDEBTEDNESS.

To dedicate a portion of the remaining balance of the Special Transportation Fund, for each fiscal year that such balance exceeds a certain threshold, to pay down special tax obligation indebtedness.

Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A STATE SHORT-TERM RENTAL REGISTRY.

To establish a state short-term rental registry, authorize an optional municipal supplemental tax on short-term rentals and require short-term rental return filings to include disaggregated sales tax information.

Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF QUOTAS BY WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTION CENTERS.

To create restrictions on certain quotas used by warehouse distribution centers and protections for warehouse workers against such quotas.

Labor and Public Employees Committee

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT REPAIR AND IMPROVEMENT PROJECT PROGRAM.

To establish a district repair and improvement project program and authorize state bonds to fund such program.

Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING REGIONAL POLICE FORCES.

To (1) permit the establishment of regional police forces, and (2) establish a regional police force incentive grant program.

Public Safety and Security Committee

AN ACT REQUIRING A STUDY OF COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS USED BY PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL AND ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY THE CONSOLIDATION OF PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINTS.

To (1) require a study of the use of communication systems by public safety personnel and the sharing of private information, and (2) establish a working group to study the consolidation of public safety answering points.

Public Safety and Security Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING CAPITAL CITY REDEVELOPMENT AND ESTABLISHING THE SOUTH MEADOWS DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.

To (1) transfer real property comprising the South Meadows site in the city of Hartford to the Capital Region Development Authority and establish provisions for the development, redevelopment or remediation of such site, and (2) establish the boundaries of the South Meadows development district.

Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING EDUCATION FUNDING.

To make revisions to the education cost sharing grant and the choice program grant.

Education Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE TEN-YEAR PLAN TO ERADICATE CONCENTRATED POVERTY IN PARTICIPATING CONCENTRATED POVERTY CENSUS TRACTS.

To (1) include additional departments and boards the Office of Neighborhood Investment and Community Engagement shall consult in developing the ten-year plan under section 32-7z of the general statutes, (2) add an additional progress report required from the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, and (3) eliminate a guidance document working group.

Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY BEVERAGE CONTAINER REDEMPTION RATES IN THE STATE AND REDUCING A FEE ON INFUSED BEVERAGE CONTAINERS.

To (1) establish a working group to study the redemption rates of beverage containers in the state and the effect of the increase in refund value on such rates and beverage consumption and costs to deposit initiators, and (2) reduce the fee on infused beverage containers and legacy infused beverage containers to five cents.

Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES' IMPLEMENTATION OF CHANGES RESULTING FROM THE MEDICAID RATE STUDY.

To require a report on the implementation of the Medicaid rate study and a review of Medicaid rates.

Appropriations Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE APPLICABILITY OF THE HOSPITAL TAX TO CHILDREN'S GENERAL HOSPITALS.

To remove the hospital tax exemption on children's general hospitals.

Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO EXAMINE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A UNIFORM ENERGY STORAGE CAPACITY TAX.

To establish a working group to examine the implementation of a uniform energy storage capacity tax.

Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE JOBSCT TAX REBATE PROGRAM.

To reduce the number of new full-time equivalents required under the JobsCT tax rebate program for a qualified business with seventy-five or fewer employees.

Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT AND MOHEGAN FUND.

To restore the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Fund to its original intent of funding all towns.

Appropriations Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE CHARTER SCHOOL APPROVAL PROCESS.

To (1) include funding for new charters granted by the State Board of Education in the Governor's annual budget, (2) revise the process by which charters are granted for state charter schools, (3) include charter school students in a town's resident student count for purposes of education cost sharing grant calculations, and (4) require a biennial report regarding charter schools to be submitted to the General Assembly.

Education Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING FUNDING FOR NONPROFITS.

To require increases to rates for employees of nonprofit providers.

Appropriations Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE SECRETARY OF THE STATE'S RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO VOTING AND ELECTIONS IN THIS STATE.

To (1) expand certain post-election procedures for the correction of returns to all towns rather than just those divided into voting districts, (2) provide for notice to the Secretary of the State in certain matters relating to state or federal voting rights, (3) require registrars of voters to designate areas designated for curbside voting at polling places, (4) allow for the correction of errors or omissions of timely-filed endorsement, nominating or other candidacy-related certificates that would operate to invalidate such certificates if not corrected, (5) prohibit for a period of time certain individuals convicted of crimes under title 9 of the general statutes from circulating primary and nominating petitions and absentee ballot applications, (6) establish a Translation Advisory Committee and require towns to submit translated election-related materials thereto, (7) provide for the Secretary's pre-approval of town's ballots and authority to order corrections in case of omissions or errors, (8) establish an election monitor in a town of a certain size for the 2025 and 2026 elections, (9) prohibit the commercial use of certain voter registration information, and (10) during the ninety days prior to an election or primary, allow the Secretary to go to Superior Court to seek a declaratory judgment on behalf of electors alleging aggrievement.

Government Administration and Elections Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE SECRETARY OF THE STATE'S RECOMMENDATIONS RELATED TO EARLY VOTING.

To (1) provide a mechanism for determining early voting locations when registrars of voters are unable to agree thereon, (2) modify the deadlines by which registrars of voters certify information regarding early voting and same-day election registration locations to the Secretary of the State and allow amendments to such certifications with notice to the Secretary, (3) eliminate the use of envelopes for early voting ballots and allow such ballots to be deposited directly into voting tabulators after being marked, (4) provide for the designation of early voting locations on certain college campuses, (5) require registrars of voters to submit to the Secretary information regarding early voting and same-day election registration moderators, (6) prohibit early voting and same-day election registration officials from engaging in certain partisan activities on days for which they are appointed to serve, (7) align the provisions for appointment of same-day election registration officials with those for appointment of early voting officials, (8) amend a provision regarding the attachment of party enrollment privileges for consistency with prior changes, (9) require that early voting ballots have colored headers and footers that correspond uniquely to the voting districts within each municipality to ensure electors receive the proper ballots, and (10) prohibit registrars of voters from appointing as moderators certain persons with criminal backgrounds.

Government Administration and Elections Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

To clarify certain responsibilities of the civil service board.

Planning and Development Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE PURCHASE OF PRINT AND DIGITAL ADVERTISING BY THE STATE.

To require executive branch state agencies to purchase a certain percentage of procured print or digital advertising from in-state commercial or nonprofit news publishers.

Government Administration and Elections Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION.

To (1) require that persons who are incarcerated be immediately provided evidence-based mental health interventions upon initial assessment and intake, (2) require that persons who are incarcerated be fed palatable and nutritious meals and not be served nutraloaf as punishment, (3) ensure that persons who are incarcerated are provided a form to authorize another person to access their medical records, (4) cause the publication of the Criminal Justice Institute's report concerning cases of medical neglect in Connecticut's correctional facilities and provide that claimants in such cases be granted permission to sue the state, (5) adopt measures to increase access to data concerning cases involving medical neglect by the Department of Correction, (6) require a study of relocating the New Haven Correctional Center on Whalley Avenue and the Bridgeport Correctional Center, (7) employ measures to increase staffing at correctional facilities, (8) increase productive time for out-of-cell time for persons who are incarcerated, (9) ensure incidents of violence against correctional officers are fully documented, and (10) establish a pilot program for body scans in lieu of body and cavity searches and bonding for such program.

Judiciary Committee

AN ACT REQUIRING LEGISLATIVE CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES' MEDICAID DIRECTOR.

To require legislative confirmation of the appointment of the Medicaid director for the Department of Social Services.

Human Services Committee

AN ACT STUDYING EFFORTS TO INCREASE VOTER PARTICIPATION AND AUTHORIZING MUNICIPAL PILOT PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE SUCH EFFORTS.

To establish a task force to study increasing voter participation, and civic engagement generally, in this state by examining the potential implementation concerns in pursuing such goal and looking at the experiences of other jurisdictions.

Government Administration and Elections Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING NONEMERGENCY MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION STANDARDS.

To standardize requirements for nonemergency medical transportation drivers.

Human Services Committee

AN ACT CONCERNING WELL WATER QUALITY.

To allow (1) the Commissioner of Public Health to implement policies and procedures necessary to administer provisions relating to cross connections between water supplies while in the process of adopting such policies and procedures as regulations, and (2) a local health authority or the Department of Public Health to disclose the results or information obtained from an investigation of the results of a water quality test on a private well serving a residential property or a semipublic well to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Public Health Committee