SB 294 Connecticut Senate · 2026 Regular Session

AN ACT CONCERNING TRADE NAMES, FRAUDULENT FILINGS, IMPERMISSIBLE BUSINESS SOLICITATIONS, DISSOLUTION OF CORPORATIONS, THE ISSUANCE OF AN APOSTILLE AND FEES CHARGED BY A NOTARY.

SB 294 requires businesses operating under a name different from their legal name to register a "trade name" with Connecticut's Secretary of State. It affects all individuals and business entities (like corporations or LLCs) using such names, mandating they submit specific details including business address, contact information, and, for organizations, proof of good standing. The bill establishes a 5-year registration period for new trade names, sets renewal procedures (with applications filed through town clerks), and requires existing registrations to expire by December 31, 2029, unless renewed. It also clarifies that business organizations must be active to register and that trade name certificates cancel upon dissolution or revocation.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Apr 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 25, 2026 Signed May 26, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Raised Bill → JUD Joint Favorable Substitute · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill shifts the administration of trade name registrations from local town clerks to a centralized Connecticut Trade Name Registry managed by the Secretary of the State. It expands the definition of eligible business entities to include foreign and domestic entities, adds a new mechanism to cancel existing trade names by filing a new application, and updates renewal procedures to align with the new centralized system.

Scope change

The scope of the bill's applicability expanded to include foreign and domestic business entities in addition to domestic corporations and partnerships, and the administrative scope shifted from local town clerks to the state level.

REQUIREMENT

The process for obtaining a trade name certificate changed from filing with a local town clerk to submitting an application to the Secretary of the State for recording in a centralized registry.

A new provision allows any person to cancel an existing trade name by filing a new application for the same name, which automatically cancels the prior registration.

Requirements for business organizations were updated to mandate that they must be active and have filed all required annual reports before applying for a trade name.

ELIGIBILITY

The definition of 'business organization' was expanded to include any foreign or domestic business entity on record with the Secretary of the State, not just domestic ones.

TECHNICAL

The bill text was restructured to replace the repealed section 35-1b with updated language reflecting the new centralized registration system.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 29, 2026 · House May 5, 2026

How they voted

36–0

Passed

Total votes 36

Apr 29, 2026

D Democratic25

25 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican11

11 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 26, 2026

Signed into law

SIGNED BY GOVERNOR

upper

May 5, 2026

Lower · Passed

HOUSE PASSED

lower

Apr 29, 2026

Upper · Passed

SENATE PASSED

upper

Mar 30, 2026

Upper · Passed

Joint Favorable Substitute

upper

Feb 25, 2026

Committee

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Judiciary

upper

2 primary · 0 co-sponsors