Connecticut Bills

in committee · Connecticut · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 1456: AN ACT DEDICATING A PORTION OF THE MEALS TAX REVENUE TO ARTS, CULTURE AND TOURISM.

SB 1456 dedicates a new 1% tax on meals and beverages sold by restaurants, caterers, and grocery stores (as defined in the bill) to fund arts, culture, and tourism programs in Connecticut. Starting July 1, 2025, this tax applies to food and drink sales in addition to existing sales taxes. The revenue generated must be allocated specifically to support local arts initiatives, cultural events, and tourism development projects. This policy change directly affects food service businesses and redirects existing tax revenue toward these designated public programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · House May 12, 2025

HB 7271: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY BEVERAGE CONTAINER REDEMPTION RATES IN THE STATE AND REDUCING A FEE ON INFUSED BEVERAGE CONTAINERS.

HB 7271 establishes a working group to study beverage container redemption rates across the state, examining factors like regional redemption patterns, the impact of a 10-cent refund on consumption, and whether redemption exceeds container sales. The group, including state agencies, legislators, and industry representatives, must submit a report by January 1, 2026. Additionally, the bill reduces a fee on cannabis-infused beverage containers from $1 to $0.05 for retailers, resulting in an annual $250,000 revenue loss to a consumer protection fund. This affects cannabis retailers and state agencies managing the fund.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · House May 12, 2025

HB 7175: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A FARM INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT AND INCREASING THE FARM MACHINERY PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION AMOUNT.

HB 7175 creates a 20% tax credit for eligible farmers who purchase or build qualifying farm machinery, equipment, and buildings after January 1, 2026. To qualify, farmers must earn at least two-thirds of their total income from farming above $30,000, and the property must be used for farming in the state for at least five years. The credit applies to machinery and equipment bought after 2026, as well as qualifying buildings constructed or placed in service after that date, provided they are not leased or acquired from related parties. Farmers, or owners of pass-through entities like S corporations, can claim the credit against state income tax, with unused portions refunded by the state.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 1462: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TAX CREDIT FOR EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS TO EMPLOYEES' CHET ACCOUNTS AND CONCERNING THE CONNECTICUT HIGHER EDUCATION TRUST AND CONNECTICUT BABY SCHOLARS FUND.

SB 1462 creates a 25% tax credit for Connecticut employers who contribute to employees' CHET accounts (education savings accounts for higher education costs), capped at $500 per employee annually. It directly affects Connecticut employers and their non-owner, non-family-member employees who use CHET accounts for qualified college expenses like tuition and books. The credit applies to contributions made after January 1, 2025, and allows S corporations, partnerships, or single-member LLCs to claim the credit through shareholders or owners. The bill also updates definitions for the Connecticut Higher Education Trust and Baby Scholars Fund to align with federal 529 plan rules.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

in committee · Connecticut · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 1349: AN ACT CONCERNING THE CHARTER SCHOOL APPROVAL PROCESS.

SB 1349 creates a new State-wide Office of School Choice within Connecticut's Department of Education, effective July 2025. This office will oversee charter school applications, renewals, and maintain a centralized online hub for all charter school and interdistrict magnet program information, including board details, budgets, and policies. The bill also requires the office to develop a transparency report by July 2026, analyzing funding processes and stakeholder communication, after consulting with educators and advocacy groups. It directly affects charter schools, school districts, and the Department of Education by centralizing approval processes and improving public access to charter school data.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Connecticut · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 1556: AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE CONNECTICUT APPEALS BOARD FOR PROPERTY VALUATION.

SB 1556 creates a new state-level Connecticut Appeals Board for Property Valuation to handle property tax appeals, replacing local boards of assessment appeals in municipalities that choose to adopt it. Property owners who disagree with their town assessor's valuation can appeal directly to this board (instead of local boards) for assessments starting with the initial year specified, filing within two months of the assessor's action. The board, consisting of five full-time members appointed by the governor with specific appraisal/legal experience requirements, reviews appeals "de novo" (from scratch, without being bound by prior local decisions) and allows municipalities to collect up to 75% of the disputed tax while appeals are pending. This affects all Connecticut property owners in participating municipalities and shifts the appeal process from local to state oversight.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 1560: AN ACT CONCERNING CONNECTICUT'S ECONOMY, ELECTRICITY AFFORDABILITY AND BUSINESS COMPETITIVENESS AND ESTABLISHING THE CONNECTICUT ENERGY PROCUREMENT AUTHORITY AND THE GREEN BOND FUND.

SB 1560 creates the Connecticut Energy Procurement Authority (CEPA) to address electricity affordability by improving system efficiency and reducing costs for residents and businesses. The bill establishes CEPA to coordinate electricity procurement, grid investments, and demand management - specifically targeting inefficient peak usage (where systems run at twice average capacity) and shifting costs from solar adopters to remaining ratepayers. Key mechanisms include promoting smart meters for dynamic pricing, supporting heat pumps and EV charging infrastructure, and encouraging efficient electricity use through demand-side management. This directly affects all Connecticut electricity customers, aiming to lower bills by optimizing grid utilization and aligning infrastructure with actual demand patterns.

Topics ✓ Energy

in committee · Connecticut · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 858: AN ACT CONCERNING THE MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT AND MOHEGAN FUND.

This bill establishes a permanent "Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Fund" to manage state payments received from the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes under historic agreements. It requires annual transfers of specific funds from the state General Fund to this new fund, with distributions paid to eligible towns - including Ledyard and Montville (each receiving up to $600,000 annually after 2026 if the state revokes taxation on tribal land) - in three installments each year. The fund replaces previous mechanisms for distributing tribal-related payments, ensuring consistent disbursements to affected municipalities. The fiscal note indicates towns will face a revenue loss in fiscal year 2027 due to the shift in funding source, while the Office of Policy and Management will see corresponding savings.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · House May 12, 2025

HB 7273: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY WAYS TO FUND A UNIVERSAL FREE SCHOOL MEALS PROGRAM.

HB 7273 establishes a working group to study how to fund a universal free school meals program for all public school students. The group will examine required funding amounts, potential sources like dedicated taxes, program rules, and other relevant factors. The working group, made up of legislative committee chairs, school representatives, and nutrition experts, must submit its report to the legislature by January 1, 2026, with no immediate cost to the state or municipalities.

Topics ✓ Education

passed · Connecticut · Senate May 9, 2025

SB 1489: AN ACT CONCERNING REGIONAL POLICE FORCES.

SB 1489 allows municipalities with populations under 50,000 to form regional police forces by joining with other nearby towns or cities. It requires applicants to submit detailed plans on governance, finances, and public safety transitions to the Commissioner of Emergency Services, who must approve if the force is deemed sufficiently funded and effective. The bill establishes regional police authorities (with member-municipality representatives) to manage operations, set budgets, and hold annual public hearings, while also creating a state grant program to cover formation, transition, and operational costs - prioritizing towns with under 30,000 residents. Member municipalities jointly share liability and insurance costs based on population, and must annually report performance metrics like response times and crime statistics to the state and local officials.

passed · Connecticut · Senate May 9, 2025

SB 1492: AN ACT CONCERNING LAW ENFORCEMENT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.

SB 1492 aims to improve law enforcement recruitment and retention in Connecticut. It requires the state to develop a statewide promotion plan for law enforcement careers, fund a full-time coordinator for youth cadet/explorer programs, and provide $5,000 grants to municipalities operating such programs. The bill also establishes a grant to reimburse police departments for basic training costs and allows college courses to count toward academy requirements. Additionally, it updates certification rules to permit noncitizens lawfully residing in the U.S. to become officers, while requiring recertification after two years of non-employment.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

passed · Connecticut · House May 9, 2025

HB 6907: AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF QUOTAS BY WAREHOUSE DISTRIBUTION CENTERS.

HB 6907 requires large warehouse distribution centers (employing 100+ workers at one site or 1,000+ across sites) to provide employees with written descriptions of any productivity quotas (e.g., task speed or volume targets) by August 1, 2026. It prohibits quotas from interfering with meal breaks, bathroom access, or paid/unpaid breaks (which cannot count as productive time), and bans job penalties for failing to meet unprovided or violation-causing quotas. Employees can request their personal work speed data and aggregated data for similar workers at the facility. Employers must maintain records of work speed data and quota descriptions for three years. This bill directly affects warehouse workers in covered facilities and their employers who use performance quotas.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill results