Connecticut Bills

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 369: AN ACT ESTABLISHING VARIOUS REQUIREMENTS REGARDING ELEVATORS.

SB 369 requires owners of residential buildings with elevators used by people with disabilities to maintain elevator safety and accessibility. It mandates 24-hour written maintenance notices, adherence to manufacturer standards, installation of approved emergency key safes (Knox boxes), and prompt repairs if elevators are inoperable for more than 48 hours or exceed two outages in 30 days. Owners must post bilingual emergency signage inside/outside elevators and provide annual written tenant notifications about their rights. Violations incur daily fines up to $250, enforced by the Department of Administrative Services, which can order repairs, issue citations, or relocate tenants if safety is compromised. This directly affects residential building owners with qualifying elevators, excluding municipal/state properties and renovation sites.

Topics ✓ Housing

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 20, 2026

SB 427: AN ACT CONCERNING DUAL ENROLLMENT PROGRAMS.

This bill requires Connecticut schools to create flexible eligibility policies for advanced courses like dual enrollment, allowing multiple pathways beyond just academic grades to determine student participation. It also establishes a new coordinator role to track dual enrollment courses and outcomes across the state while developing a model agreement between high schools and colleges for these programs. Additionally, the bill expands a fee-waiver grant program to help high-need students access advanced courses without charging their parents, with funding potentially shifting from local school districts to higher education institutions.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Connecticut · House May 20, 2026

HB 5525: AN ACT CONCERNING A RAPID RESPONSE PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES.

This bill establishes a rapid response program to quickly address new or spreading aquatic invasive plant species in Connecticut waterbodies, primarily affecting state agencies and property owners near affected lakes and ponds. It requires the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to expedite permits for containment efforts, especially for hydrilla, and allows the Office of Aquatic Invasive Species to coordinate immediate treatment without requiring separate notices to waterfront property owners. The legislation creates an interagency task force to develop response protocols and a statewide management plan, while also mandating that public health officials review permits for treatments near drinking water sources.

Topics ✓ Environment

signed · Connecticut · House May 20, 2026

HB 5215: AN ACT CONCERNING THE LEGISLATIVE COMMISSIONERS' RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TECHNICAL REVISIONS TO THE EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD STATUTES.

HB 5215 makes technical updates to existing education and early childhood statutes. It clarifies that school boards must conduct annual indoor air quality inspections using EPA guidelines (effective 2024), requiring evaluations of HVAC systems, radon, mold, chemicals, pest control, and building maintenance. The bill also revises rules for the Early Childhood Education Endowment, changing annual fund transfers from the General Fund and adjusting release percentages (12% for 2026-2027, 10% thereafter) based on budget calculations. These changes primarily affect school districts, state education administrators, and the Early Childhood Education Endowment Advisory Board through updated administrative procedures.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Connecticut · House May 20, 2026

HB 5246: AN ACT CONCERNING THE LEGISLATIVE COMMISSIONERS' RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TECHNICAL REVISIONS TO STATUTES CONCERNING ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY.

HB 5246 makes minor technical updates to Connecticut's energy and technology statutes. It adjusts deadlines for electric distribution companies to share regulatory evaluations with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, ensures certain financing orders and transition assessments cannot be altered, and mandates annual reports on energy efficiency metrics. These changes directly affect electric distribution companies, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and the Office of Consumer Counsel. The bill updates legal language without altering substantive policy and takes effect upon passage.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 20, 2026

SB 157: AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL CAMP SAFETY.

SB 157 requires paid youth camp directors, assistant directors, and staff members (age 21 or older) at municipal youth camps to report suspected child abuse as mandated reporters. It also mandates the Office of Early Childhood to submit a report by January 1, 2027, listing all municipal youth camps, detailing their operations, the number and age range of children served, and whether they accept child care subsidies. The bill directly affects municipal youth camp staff (21+ in leadership roles) and the Office of Early Childhood, which must compile and submit the data. This focuses on improving child safety through clearer reporting requirements and better oversight of camp operations.

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 20, 2026

SB 321: AN ACT CONCERNING REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN EXCAVATION PROJECTS.

SB 321 modifies a state law to clarify that contractors or property owners obtaining permits for excavation work in public highways are not required to keep the excavation site open after work is completed - unless the specific permit explicitly states this requirement. The bill directly affects those performing highway excavations by removing a default obligation to maintain open sites, streamlining post-work procedures. Key provisions specify that permit conditions alone can dictate site maintenance, not the underlying law. This change aims to reduce unnecessary delays and costs for contractors without altering existing permit requirements. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

signed · Connecticut · House May 20, 2026

HB 5336: AN ACT CONCERNING ADVANCED NUCLEAR ENERGY.

HB 5336 requires Connecticut's Council for Advancing Nuclear Energy Development to study skilled labor needs for advanced nuclear energy technologies, including small modular reactors, microreactors, and reactors using molten salt or high-temperature gas cooling. The council must identify workforce strategies, recommend potential legislation or regulations, and submit a progress report by February 15, 2027, followed by a full report by February 1, 2028, to relevant legislative committees. This bill directly affects the council and state legislative committees, focusing solely on gathering data and recommendations - no funding or new programs are created. It does not change current laws but sets a timeline for evaluating future workforce needs in this emerging industry.

Topics ✓ Energy

signed · Connecticut · House May 20, 2026

HB 5332: AN ACT CONCERNING CERTAIN BOATING REGULATIONS.

HB 5332 prohibits anyone from extending limbs over the side of a moving boat (effective October 2026), with a $100 fine for violations. It increases fines for abandoning vessels from $300-$500 to $750-$1,000, except during declared emergencies. The bill also allows state and local agencies to recover cleanup and environmental remediation costs from the last vessel owner. These changes directly affect all recreational and commercial boaters in Connecticut.

signed · Connecticut · House May 20, 2026

HB 5334: AN ACT CONCERNING RIPARIAN AREAS.

HB 5334 amends Connecticut's wetlands and watercourse protection laws by clarifying key terms and expanding protections. It defines "riparian area" as land bordering watercourses (delineated by the ordinary high-water mark) and specifies "natural vegetative cover" as native plants (excluding lawns and invasive species). The bill explicitly excludes "water-dependent uses" (like marinas, fishing facilities, and waterfront industries) from "regulated activity," meaning these operations won't require permits for direct water access. This change aims to balance environmental protection with economic activities that rely on water resources, directly affecting property owners, developers, and businesses near waterways.

Topics ✓ Environment

signed · Connecticut · House May 20, 2026

HB 5350: AN ACT CONCERNING CANNABIS, HEMP AND INFUSED BEVERAGE REGULATION.

HB 5350 amends the state's legal definition of "agriculture" and "farming" to explicitly exclude cannabis cultivation, effective October 1, 2026. This change clarifies that cannabis cultivation will no longer fall under agricultural regulations but will instead be governed by the state's dedicated cannabis control laws. Municipalities will no longer have authority over cannabis cultivation under agricultural provisions, as the bill removes it from the scope of agricultural definitions. The bill does not create new cannabis regulations but adjusts existing definitions to better align with current regulatory frameworks.

signed · Connecticut · House May 20, 2026

HB 5142: AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY FOR VIRTUAL MONITORING IN RESIDENTIAL CARE HOMES.

HB 5142 allows residents in nursing homes and residential care facilities to use their own technology for virtual visits with family or for third-party monitoring, provided they cover all costs (purchase, maintenance, etc.). Residents must follow privacy rules, including placing a door notice, obtaining roommate consent in shared rooms, and filing written notice with the facility. Facilities must provide free internet and power for this technology, though they may charge private-pay residents for unreimbursed infrastructure costs. The bill exempts basic phones or tablets used primarily for calls and requires written roommate consent for shared-room monitoring.

Topics ✓ Technology

Bill results