SB 1414 limits the percentage of academic courses taught by part-time faculty at Connecticut State Community Colleges. Starting July 1, 2025, new faculty collective bargaining agreements must cap part-time faculty teaching at: 45% in year one, 35% in year two, and 25% in year three. The bill defines "part-time faculty" as semester-by-semester instructors and excludes practical/technical courses (e.g., licensed occupational training) from the cap. This directly affects Connecticut State Community College faculty hiring and course assignments, requiring a gradual shift toward more full-time instruction.
HB 6724 creates a special Connecticut motor vehicle license plate honoring "The Borinqueneers," the primarily Puerto Rican members of the U.S. Army's 65th Infantry Regiment. The bill, effective January 1, 2026, requires the Motor Vehicle Commissioner to issue these plates for a $60 fee (in addition to standard registration costs), with $15 covering plate production and $45 funding bilingual veteran services through Hispanic-American Veterans of Connecticut, Inc. The plates will be available to any Connecticut resident who chooses to purchase them, and funds deposited to the designated account will support services for veterans and military members. The bill establishes a new account within the General Fund to manage these funds, which will be distributed quarterly to the nonprofit organization.
HB 6194 requires state agencies, departments, or officials managing certain state funds created by law for charitable purposes to submit electronic reports to the legislature before terminating those funds. The reports must state the intent to end the fund and estimate any remaining balance. This applies to funds established through public or special acts and administered by state entities, effective October 1, 2025. The bill has no fiscal impact on the state or municipalities, as confirmed by the fiscal analysis. It focuses solely on transparency requirements, not policy changes.
HB 6893 appropriates $33.5 million from the General Fund for the Department of Housing to fund existing programs assisting homeless persons, effective July 1, 2025. The funds are specifically designated for services supporting homeless individuals during fiscal year 2026 (ending June 30, 2026). This bill does not create new programs but provides dedicated funding for current homelessness assistance efforts. The allocation has no impact on municipalities and is focused solely on state-level funding for housing-related support services.
SB 1342 updates a municipal law by changing the deadline for appealing decisions made by certain local agencies. It modifies Section 7-148l to state that appeals must be filed "within thirty days of" the mailing of a written decision, clarifying the timeframe without altering the 30-day limit. This change directly affects individuals who disagree with rulings from municipal boards or commissions covered under Sections 7-148i to 7-148n. The bill makes a technical adjustment to the appeal process with no fiscal impact on state or municipal budgets, effective July 1, 2025.
SB 1264 requires fair rent commissions (FRCs) to notify all parties (tenants and landlords) about their rights and the commission's authority before hearings. This must be done both in writing and verbally at the start of each hearing, using standardized models created by the Housing Commissioner and posted online. The law applies to all FRCs established under existing state law, which handle rent complaints and excessive charge disputes in housing. It takes effect July 1, 2025, and does not change FRC powers or create new commissions.
SB 13 establishes an Elder Abuse Task Force within the State Police and requires the Chief State's Attorney to create an Elder Justice Unit within the Division of Criminal Justice. The bill directly affects elderly residents in Connecticut who are victims of abuse by creating dedicated law enforcement units to investigate and prosecute such cases. Key provisions include authorizing the Task Force to investigate elder abuse statewide, coordinate with the Elder Justice Unit, request assistance from other agencies or states, and enter mutual cooperation agreements. The changes take effect October 1, 2025, and amend existing statutes (51-279 and 51-279b) to formalize these units and their responsibilities.
HB 6839 increases the maximum number of children allowed in family child care homes from nine to twelve when an approved assistant is present. It also modifies rental agreements and condominium declarations to prohibit landlords or condo associations from banning or restricting licensed family child care operations after July 1, 2025. The bill directly affects childcare providers operating from homes or rentals and landlords/condo associations with such restrictions. Key provisions include raising capacity limits while ensuring childcare homes cannot be excluded from residential properties through lease or declaration terms.
HB 6939 authorizes Connecticut to use state funds to support its existing Right to Counsel (RTC) program, which provides free legal representation to income-eligible tenants facing eviction or threats to housing subsidies. The bill requires the Judicial Branch to contract with an administering entity (currently the Connecticut Bar Foundation) to fund designated legal organizations meeting specific criteria, such as expertise in housing law and service to low-income communities. This program covers eviction cases and administrative proceedings to preserve housing subsidies, directly benefiting vulnerable tenants at risk of displacement. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, with estimated annual state costs of $1.7-3 million in fiscal year 2026 and $4.2-5.5 million in fiscal year 2027, supplementing federal funds that expire in 2026.
This bill changes Connecticut law to count all accessory apartments (secondary housing units on the same property as a main home) toward a municipality's 10% threshold for exemption from the affordable housing appeals process. Currently, only accessory apartments with long-term affordability restrictions (e.g., requiring rent to be affordable for low-income households) counted toward this threshold. The bill removes that requirement, meaning any accessory apartment - regardless of affordability rules - will now count toward the exemption. This change, effective July 1, 2025, may help more municipalities qualify for the exemption, potentially reducing legal costs associated with housing appeals.
HB 7030 expands Connecticut's Open Choice Voucher Pilot Program, which provides rental assistance to families participating in interdistrict school programs. It directly affects low-income families with children in Hartford-region interdistrict school programs who wish to move to the town where their child's school is located. The bill adds 10 new rental assistance certificates for the 2026-2027 school year (10 more in 2027-2028), requiring the Commissioner of Housing to develop recruitment procedures and provide housing counseling. The program mandates annual reports to the legislature on participation demographics and effectiveness, with no expected state or municipal fiscal impact.
HB 7100 requires state colleges and universities to disclose specific information to victims of sexual assault, stalking, or intimate partner violence during campus Title IX investigations. The bill mandates that institutions include clear policies in their annual crime reports covering affirmative consent standards, reporting procedures, access to counseling and law enforcement, options for changing academic or living situations, and investigation processes (using a preponderance of evidence standard). It also requires institutions to honor protective orders and allow victims to have an advisor present during proceedings. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.
