Connecticut Bills

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 1, 2025

HB 7198: AN ACT REQUIRING A STUDY ON HOW TO IMPROVE THE ASSIGNMENT OF CONSERVATION OFFICERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

HB 7198 requires Connecticut's Commissioners of Emergency Services and Public Protection and Energy and Environmental Protection to jointly study how to improve the assignment of state conservation officers. The study must examine options like housing officers at State Police barracks and enhancing their ability to enforce environmental laws. It mandates a report with recommendations by January 1, 2026, to relevant legislative committees. The bill does not change current laws or assign new duties - it solely directs a study to inform future decisions. This procedural bill has no fiscal impact on state or municipal budgets.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 1, 2025

SB 1511: AN ACT CONCERNING DISCONNECTED YOUTH.

SB 1511 establishes Connecticut's Preschool through Twenty and Workforce Information Network (CP20 WIN), a data-sharing system across state agencies to track youth from early education through workforce entry. It defines "disconnected youth" as ages 14-18 at risk of dropping out of school and "disconnected young people" as ages 19-26 not in work, education, or skill development. The bill creates an executive board to oversee the network, enabling agencies like education, workforce development, and corrections to securely share longitudinal data. This system aims to inform policies supporting at-risk youth, though it does not create new funding or direct services. The bill updates related definitions (e.g., school funding formulas) but focuses on data infrastructure rather than immediate program changes.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 1, 2025

HB 7172: AN ACT CONCERNING THE SEWAGE RIGHT-TO-KNOW ACT.

HB 7172, titled "AN ACT CONCERNING THE SEWAGE RIGHT-TO-KNOW ACT," requires Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to create a real-time public notification system for sewage spills and permitted bypasses. The system, effective by December 1, 2026, will allow residents to choose alerts via phone, email, or text within two hours of DEEP receiving a report - without relying on social media. It directly affects the public by providing faster, accessible information about sewage incidents impacting waterways or communities. The bill amends statute 22a-424a(c)(4) to mandate this transparency, ensuring timely updates for residents near wastewater systems.

Topics ✓ Environment

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 1, 2025

SB 806: AN ACT EXPANDING MEDICAID COVERAGE FOR TREATMENT OF CERTAIN EMERGENCY MEDICAL CONDITIONS.

SB 806 expands Medicaid coverage to include specific emergency medical conditions, such as high-risk pregnancy, Type 1 diabetes emergencies in minors, severe hypertension, unstable seizures, and acute psychiatric treatment. It directly affects individuals with these qualifying conditions who previously might not have received emergency Medicaid coverage for outpatient care. The bill requires the state to create an online application system by July 2026 for advance eligibility for outpatient emergency treatment, replacing emergency room visits where possible. This change aligns with federal Medicaid rules and aims to improve access to timely care for these critical health issues.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 31, 2025

HB 6858: AN ACT CONCERNING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING TICKETS, VETERAN OR MILITARY BENEFIT SERVICES, THE STATE CODE OF ETHICS, UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD, THE SOLICITATION OF CHARITABLE FUNDS ACT AND REAL ESTATE LISTING PROVIDERS.

HB 6858 primarily regulates ticket resellers and related practices. It requires ticket resellers to either possess the ticket, have a written contract with the original holder, or clearly disclose in writing if they cannot guarantee the ticket at the contracted price (Section 1). The bill also prohibits websites from using venue or event names in domain names for ticket resale, except for venue operators themselves (Section 2). These provisions apply to ticket resellers and consumers purchasing tickets for entertainment events, with the Attorney General empowered to enforce violations as unfair trade practices. The bill’s other sections (e.g., veteran benefits, ethics) are referenced but not detailed in the provided text.

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 31, 2025

HB 6879: AN ACT CONCERNING MANUFACTURING.

HB 6879 requires the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development to study manufacturers' needs in the state and submit a report to the legislature by February 1, 2026. This bill does not create new regulations, funding, or direct changes for manufacturers - it only mandates a study to identify potential needs. The study will be conducted using existing resources, with no additional state or municipal costs. The bill is procedural and focuses solely on gathering information, not implementing policy changes.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 31, 2025

SB 1258: AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.

SB 1258 requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Economic and Community Development to conduct a study on economic development issues in the state. The commissioner must submit a report on the study's findings to the legislature's commerce committee by January 1, 2026. This bill directs the existing Department of Economic and Community Development to complete the study using current resources, with no new state or municipal funding required. The legislation does not create new programs or alter existing laws, only mandating a review of economic development challenges.

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 31, 2025

HB 6997: AN ACT CONCERNING THE RECOVERY OF ATTORNEY'S FEES IN ACTIONS FOR WRONGFUL PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT.

HB 6997 allows property owners who successfully challenge a wrongful property tax assessment in court to recover reasonable attorney's fees if the court reduces their tax bill. The bill amends state law to explicitly permit courts to award these fees as part of relief, which was not previously required under current law. It directly affects property owners appealing excessive or illegal tax assessments and municipalities that may have to pay these fees if they lose such cases. The change applies only when a court reduces the assessment, and it takes effect October 1, 2025. Currently, courts already require municipalities to reimburse overpaid taxes if an assessment is reduced, but this bill adds attorney's fees to that remedy.

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 31, 2025

HB 7019: AN ACT REQUIRING A STUDY OF INCENTIVES FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC RESISTANCE HEATING SYSTEMS.

HB 7019 requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to study potential incentives for homeowners to replace electric resistance heating systems (common in older homes) with energy-efficient alternatives like heat pumps. The study must assess how widespread these systems are, analyze existing incentive programs, evaluate costs/benefits including energy savings and emissions reductions, and propose new state incentives. The commissioner must submit a final report to the legislature by February 1, 2026, outlining findings and recommendations. This bill does not create new programs or funding - it only mandates a factual analysis to inform future policy decisions.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 31, 2025

SB 953: AN ACT REDEFINING "STATE CONTRACTOR", "PROSPECTIVE STATE CONTRACTOR" AND "SUBCONTRACTOR" TO EXCLUDE STATUTORILY RECOGNIZED INDIAN TRIBES OF THIS STATE FOR PURPOSES OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAWS.

SB 953 amends campaign finance laws to explicitly exclude statutorily recognized Indian tribes from being classified as "state contractors," "prospective state contractors," or "subcontractors" when entering state contracts. This means tribal governments and their officers will no longer be subject to campaign finance disclosure requirements or contribution limits that apply to other contractors. The bill redefines key terms in the law to remove these tribes from coverage, directly affecting tribes recognized under state law. The change takes effect October 1, 2025.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 31, 2025

SB 1486: AN ACT CONCERNING TEMPORARY STATE EMPLOYEES AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING.

SB 1486 allows temporary state employees - who perform work similar to permanent staff but are hired for limited terms - to join existing collective bargaining units if requested by their union. This applies to roles like seasonal, per diem, or relief workers not currently covered under union contracts. The bill amends state law to require employers to include these temporary workers in bargaining units upon union request, ensuring they can negotiate wages and working conditions alongside permanent staff. It directly affects temporary state workers across agencies, colleges, and public authorities in Connecticut. The policy change clarifies that temporary employees may now participate in collective bargaining processes previously limited to permanent staff.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 31, 2025

HB 6927: AN ACT REQUIRING THE STUDY OF ENERGY SOURCES.

HB 6927 requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to study whether policy or procedural changes could improve the effectiveness of energy sources used by the state. The commissioner must complete this study and submit a report to the Energy and Technology committee by February 1, 2026. This bill does not mandate new energy policies or sources but focuses solely on assessing potential improvements within existing state operations. The state expects no additional costs, as the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection can conduct the study using existing staff and resources.

Bill results