Connecticut Bills

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 16, 2026

HB 5455: AN ACT CONCERNING THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SPECIAL POLICE FORCES AND FIRE DEPARTMENT.

This bill requires the University of Connecticut president to create a recruitment and retention program for its special police forces and fire department by July 1, 2027, to address staffing shortages and high resignation rates. The program must establish salary schedules that align with comparable municipal and state agencies to eliminate pay disparities and ensure supervisors earn more than those they supervise, while also creating an education benefit for sworn members and their dependents. The president must submit annual reports to state committees and the university board detailing staffing levels, resignations, coverage capabilities, and the financial costs of training personnel who leave within five years. Additionally, the bill mandates that special police positions be classified using objective job-related criteria based on knowledge, skills, effort, accountability, and jurisdiction responsibilities across multiple campuses.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 16, 2026

HB 5538: AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF STATE FINANCE POLICIES.

This bill directs state officials to study the state's current finance policies and compare them with those of neighboring states. The Commissioners of Economic and Community Development and Revenue Services will conduct this review, consulting with businesses, individuals, and agencies as needed. By January 1, 2027, the commissioners must submit a report with their findings and recommendations to the state legislature. The goal is to identify potential changes that could improve the state's economic competitiveness.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 16, 2026

SB 511: AN ACT ESTABLISHING MUNICIPAL GROWTH DIVIDEND PAYMENTS.

This bill creates a new state fund called the municipal growth account to distribute payments to Connecticut towns and cities based on their local tax revenue growth. Starting in fiscal year 2031, municipalities will receive a dividend equal to 0.5% of their tax revenue from sales, wages, and business activity within their borders, provided this amount exceeds their 2026 baseline. The funds must be deposited into a municipal revenue stabilization fund and can only be used for municipal services or to lower local tax rates. The state retains a share of these dividends for projects where it provided capital to support economic growth, and the Office of Policy and Management will track and report these distributions annually.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 16, 2026

HB 5570: AN ACT CONCERNING A TAX CREDIT FOR MILK PRODUCERS.

This bill creates a refundable tax credit for milk producers in Connecticut when the federal pay price for milk falls below the minimum sustainable monthly cost of production. The credit allows producers to receive a dollar-for-dollar reduction in their state taxes for each month the milk price is insufficient to cover production costs, based on the volume of milk they produce. The legislation applies to individual producers, as well as business entities like partnerships and S corporations, and includes a cap of eight million dollars in total credits per calendar year. If the total credits claimed exceed the annual limit, refunds will be distributed proportionally among eligible producers. The credit is effective starting January 1, 2027, and applies to income and taxable years beginning on or after that date.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 16, 2026

HB 5536: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A STATE SHORT-TERM RENTAL REGISTRY.

This bill creates a state registry for short-term rentals in Connecticut, requiring operators and owners to register each property annually with the Department of Revenue Services by January 1, 2027, unless the property is already licensed by a local municipality. Registration includes paying a $100 fee per property and providing owner and operator contact information, with penalties of up to $1,000 for unregistered listings. The bill also allows municipalities to vote on adding an optional supplemental tax of up to 2.75% on short-term rental stays, which would be collected and remitted by operators or owners alongside existing state taxes.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✗ Housing

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 16, 2026

HB 5445: AN ACT CONCERNING THE AMORTIZABLE BOND PREMIUM SUBTRACTION FOR PURPOSES OF THE PERSONAL INCOME TAX.

This bill modifies Connecticut's personal income tax rules by updating the list of items that can be subtracted from gross income when calculating taxable income. It directly affects Connecticut residents filing state income tax returns by clarifying and adjusting various deductions related to federal tax treatment. Key provisions include maintaining existing deductions for certain federal tax-exempt income, interest on state bonds, and Social Security benefits, while also specifying how to handle amortizable bond premiums on bonds whose interest is taxable under state law but exempt from federal tax. The changes take effect for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, and primarily align state tax calculations with corresponding federal tax rules.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · Connecticut · Senate Apr 16, 2026

SB 446: AN ACT REQUIRING THE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS TO CONDUCT A STUDY CONCERNING THE FEASIBILITY OF AUTHORIZING MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE ENTERED INTO REVENUE SHARING AGREEMENTS TO ADOPT DIFFERENTIAL MILL RATES.

This bill requires the Connecticut Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations to study whether municipalities with revenue sharing agreements should be allowed to set different property tax mill rates for properties involved in those agreements. The commission must complete this study and submit a report with findings and recommendations to the state legislature by January 1, 2027. The bill directly affects the Office of Policy and Management, which will incur a one-time cost of $50,000 to conduct the study, while municipalities and taxpayers are not directly impacted by immediate changes. This measure does not authorize any new tax policies but instead mandates an analysis of the feasibility of such a change before any legislative action could be taken.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 16, 2026

HB 5113: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A PERSONAL INCOME TAX DEDUCTION FOR THE AMOUNT OF CANCELLED DEBT AND DEBT RELIEF RECEIVED BY A TAXPAYER FOR STUDENT LOANS, MEDICAL DEBT AND CREDIT CARD DEBT.

HB 5113 exempts Connecticut taxpayers from state income tax on forgiven amounts for student loans, medical debt, and credit card debt. The bill adds a new deduction to Connecticut's tax code, allowing taxpayers to exclude debt relief that would otherwise be taxable under federal law. This directly affects residents who receive debt settlement or relief for these specific debt types. The provision takes effect January 1, 2027, and aligns Connecticut tax treatment with federal rules for these debt forgiveness scenarios.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 16, 2026

HB 5115: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A PERSONAL INCOME TAX DEDUCTION FOR CERTAIN LOSSES INCURRED AS A RESULT OF CRYPTOCURRENCY INVESTMENT FRAUD OR WIRE FRAUD.

HB 5115 would allow Connecticut taxpayers to deduct losses from cryptocurrency investment fraud or wire fraud on their state income tax returns, effective January 1, 2027. The deduction applies only to losses that are already counted as taxable income under federal tax law. It directly affects Connecticut residents who suffered financial losses due to these specific fraud types and reported the losses on their federal tax returns. The bill adds this deduction to existing state tax provisions, creating a new category for these losses without changing other tax rules.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

passed · Connecticut · Senate Apr 16, 2026

SB 222: AN ACT PERMITTING SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO OFFER AN EXEMPTION FROM THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION CREDIT REQUIREMENT TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATE IN INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS.

SB 222 allows high school students to count participation in interscholastic sports as credit toward their physical education graduation requirement. This change directly affects students seeking to fulfill PE requirements and local school boards responsible for granting credit. The bill modifies state statute to require school boards to grant PE credit for athletic program participation, replacing an existing medical exemption clause. The provision takes effect on July 1, 2026, providing a new pathway for students to meet graduation PE requirements through sports involvement.

Topics ✓ Education

passed · Connecticut · Senate Apr 16, 2026

SB 339: AN ACT ALLOWING LONG-TERM RENTAL OF BEDROOMS IN A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME AS OF RIGHT.

This bill allows homeowners to rent up to three bedrooms in their single-family home for six months or longer without needing special municipal approval. It directly affects single-family homeowners (who can rent bedrooms without permits) and municipalities (which can no longer ban such rentals through zoning rules). The key mechanism amends zoning laws to prohibit local bans on this rental type, making it "as of right" (meaning no special permit is required). This applies only to owner-occupants living in the home, not absentee landlords.

Topics ✓ Housing

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 16, 2026

HB 5235: AN ACT CONCERNING NOTICE REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS FOR THE REMOVAL OF ENCAMPMENTS ON PROPERTY UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

HB 5235 requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Transportation to develop a plan by January 2027 for addressing temporary shelters by people experiencing homelessness on state highway areas or DOT-owned property. The plan must include trained outreach procedures respecting dignity, immediate offers of emergency shelter assistance, and coordination with local municipalities, housing authorities, and service providers before any action is taken. It directly affects DOT operations, homeless individuals on state property, and local service providers who must collaborate in implementing the plan. The bill does not create new funding or penalties but mandates structured coordination to manage encampments.

Topics ✓ Housing

Bill results