Connecticut Bills

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 25, 2025

HB 6949: AN ACT CONCERNING A LANDLORD'S ABILITY TO ENTER A DWELLING UNIT.

HB 6949 clarifies that tenants unreasonably withhold consent if they deny landlords entry for 14 or more consecutive days without good cause, affecting renters and landlords in rental housing. The bill specifies that landlords must provide reasonable notice before entry (except in emergencies), cannot abuse entry rights to harass tenants, and may only enter without consent during emergencies, court orders, or tenant abandonment. It maintains existing provisions allowing landlords to inspect, repair, or show units, and tenants to seek legal relief if entry is denied improperly. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, with no fiscal impact to state or local governments.

Topics ✗ Housing

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 1302: AN ACT PROHIBITING THE EVICTION OF A RESIDENTIAL TENANT FOR NONPAYMENT OF RENT IF THE LANDLORD'S ONLINE RENTAL PAYMENT SYSTEM PREVENTS SUCH PAYMENT OF RENT.

SB 1302 prohibits landlords from initiating eviction proceedings against residential tenants for nonpayment of rent if the tenant was unable to pay due to a malfunction in the landlord's online rental payment system during the existing grace period. This directly affects tenants who face payment barriers through their landlord's digital platform, preventing evictions based on technical issues beyond their control. The bill amends existing eviction law to explicitly exclude system failures from the "nonpayment of rent" grounds for eviction during the standard 9-day grace period (or 4 days for weekly tenancies). It takes effect on July 1, 2025, and applies to all residential rental properties covered under current landlord-tenant statutes.

Topics ✓ Housing

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 1305: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY MUNICIPAL PENALTIES FOR LANDLORDS FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY VIOLATIONS.

SB 1305 establishes a task force to study how cities enforce penalties on landlords for health and safety violations, with the goal of identifying better ways to ensure tenants have safe and habitable housing. The task force will include appointed members with expertise in landlord-tenant relations and health/safety standards, plus housing officials, and must submit findings and recommendations to the housing committee by January 1, 2026. This bill does not change current laws or penalties but creates a structured process to evaluate existing municipal enforcement mechanisms. The study is designed to inform future policy without immediate fiscal impact to the state or municipalities.

Topics ✓ Housing

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 1316: AN ACT REDUCING INTEREST DUE ON CERTAIN DELINQUENT MUNICIPAL PROPERTY TAXES.

This bill reduces the interest rate on overdue municipal property taxes from higher rates to 12% annually for new tax lien assignments after July 1, 2026. It directly affects property owners with delinquent taxes (who pay less interest) and companies purchasing these tax liens (assignees). Key provisions require written contracts between municipalities and assignees, including mandatory disclosures about legal disputes and ethics violations, a one-year waiting period before foreclosure, and detailed notice requirements for property owners. The bill aims to standardize lien assignments while increasing transparency for taxpayers.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 1353: AN ACT CONCERNING SUBSIDIES FOR NEW ELECTRICITY DEMAND.

SB 1353 creates a subsidy program for eligible costs related to developing or operating qualified data centers in Connecticut. It directly affects owners, operators, and colocation tenants of qualifying facilities that centralize data storage and management for business operations. Key provisions define "eligible qualified data center costs" to cover construction, equipment (including cooling systems, power management, and water conservation), and operational expenses made after July 1, 2021, excluding costs outside the facility boundary. The program takes effect October 1, 2025, and aims to support infrastructure for electricity-demanding data center operations.

Topics ✓ Environment ✓ Technology

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 1364: AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF TINY HOMES.

SB 1364 appropriates $10 million from the General Fund to the Department of Housing for the construction of 500 permanent tiny homes. These homes must connect to private water/septic systems or public utilities (water, sewer, electricity) and will be built by private or nonprofit organizations. The funding covers the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, with implementation starting July 1, 2025. The bill directly affects the Department of Housing (as the recipient of funds), private developers, and nonprofit housing entities, but does not specify target populations or housing outcomes.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 25, 2025

HB 5113: AN ACT CONCERNING SUBSTANCE-FREE HOUSING AT PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

HB 5113 requires all public colleges and universities in the state that offer on-campus housing to provide students with a substance-free housing option starting fall 2025. "Substance-free housing" means students agree to keep their rooms free of alcohol and drugs, as currently offered by some institutions. The bill formalizes this existing practice without creating new costs for the state or municipalities. It directly affects public higher education institutions with residential facilities, ensuring all students have this housing choice.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 1397: AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY RELATING TO HOMEOWNERSHIP LOAN PROGRAMS IN THE STATE.

SB 1397 requires the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA) to study the current status of homeownership loan programs in Connecticut. The CHFA must submit a report to the legislature by January 15, 2026, detailing findings on these programs. This bill does not create new programs or change existing laws; it only mandates a study. The study will inform future legislative decisions about homeownership lending, but the bill itself has no direct impact on homeowners or financial institutions.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 1422: AN ACT REQUIRING THE CONNECTICUT HOUSING FINANCE AUTHORITY TO UPDATE THE CONNECTICUT OPPORTUNITY MAP.

SB 1422 requires the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA) to update the Connecticut Opportunity Map by January 1, 2026. The bill mandates CHFA to revise the map's underlying policy using broader metrics - including economic potential - to accurately rate every area in Connecticut, then reflect these changes on the public map. This directly affects CHFA (which must bear the cost) and all Connecticut communities, as the map influences housing and economic development decisions. The update will cost up to $500,000 in fiscal year 2026, funded by CHFA's existing resources. The map itself is a tool for assessing community opportunity levels, not a direct funding mechanism.

Topics ✓ Housing

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 1400: AN ACT CONCERNING A CHILD CARE SERVICES LOAN PROGRAM.

SB 1400 creates a low-interest loan program administered by Connecticut's Health and Educational Facilities Authority (CHEFA) to help families cover child care costs. The program offers loans up to $5,000 per loan, with a lifetime maximum of $25,000 per borrower, and requires income-based repayment options. CHEFA will set application requirements and underwriting standards for the loans. The bill does not allocate new state funds, relying on existing authority and available resources to cover program costs.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 25, 2025

SB 1414: AN ACT CONCERNING THE PERCENTAGE OF COURSES TAUGHT BY PART-TIME FACULTY AT THE CONNECTICUT STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

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.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 25, 2025

HB 6724: AN ACT CREATING A SPECIAL MOTOR VEHICLE NUMBER PLATE IN RECOGNITION OF "THE BORINQUENEERS".

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Veterans

Bill results