Connecticut Bills

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 9, 2026

SB 466: AN ACT CONCERNING VEXATIOUS REQUESTERS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

This bill updates Connecticut's Freedom of Information Act by allowing public agencies to seek relief from individuals who make excessive or harassing requests for public records. It expands the definition of vexatious behavior to include threatening or harassing conduct that occurs outside of formal FOIA requests, such as intimidating actions at the agency's office. Under the new rules, agencies can petition a state commission to temporarily block future requests from identified problematic individuals, with relief periods of up to one year for first-time violations and up to three years for repeat offenses. The process requires agencies to submit sworn petitions detailing specific patterns of abuse, and the commission must review these cases, potentially holding hearings before issuing a decision that can be appealed in court.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 9, 2026

HB 5555: AN ACT EXPANDING THE ADDRESS CONFIDENTIALITY PROGRAM OF THE SECRETARY OF THE STATE.

This bill expands Connecticut's address confidentiality program to provide a substitute mailing address for individuals seeking to protect their residential addresses due to safety concerns. It directly affects victims of family violence, stalking, sexual assault, kidnapping, child abuse, and other specified crimes, as well as those providing reproductive health care or gender-affirming services. The key provisions include adding reproductive health care and gender-affirming care providers as eligible participants, requiring application assistants to help most applicants complete forms, and expanding the types of crimes that qualify someone for program participation. The bill also adds new definitions for terms like "reproductive health care services" and "gender-affirming health care services" to clarify eligibility criteria.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 9, 2026

SB 295: AN ACT CONCERNING STATE LAW PROTECTIONS FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND PATIENTS RELATED TO THE PROVISION OF A LEGALLY PROTECTED HEALTH CARE ACTIVITY.

SB 295 defines "legally protected health care activity" in Connecticut to include reproductive health care services (like contraception and pregnancy-related care) and gender-affirming health care services (such as treatment for gender dysphoria) permitted under state law. It allows healthcare providers, patients, or insurers to recover damages - including legal fees - if they face lawsuits or judgments in other states based on these services. The bill also states that Connecticut law governs all cases related to these services within the state, overriding conflicting out-of-state laws. This directly affects healthcare providers, patients receiving these services, and insurers offering coverage for them within Connecticut.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 9, 2026

SB 385: AN ACT CONCERNING THE TITLING OF BILLS.

SB 385 requires Connecticut's legislative commissioners to assign a title to every proposed bill. If a bill's sponsor (the introducing legislator) and the commissioners cannot agree on the title, the bill must use the standard title "An Act Concerning matters related to" followed by the committee responsible for the bill's topic. This rule applies to all bills introduced in the legislature and resolves title disagreements without delaying the legislative process. The change takes effect October 1, 2026.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 460: AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF WHETHER UNCLAIMED GIFT CERTIFICATES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ABANDONED PROPERTY.

This bill directs the state Treasurer to study whether unclaimed gift certificates should be treated as abandoned property that belongs to the state after a certain period. The study will examine the practical benefits and drawbacks of this change and must be completed by January 1, 2027. The Treasurer will then submit a report with findings and recommendations to the relevant legislative committee. This measure does not change any current laws but would only consider future policy adjustments if the study supports them.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 8, 2026

HB 5543: AN ACT CONCERNING CERTAIN REVISIONS TO AGGREGATE AND INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION AMOUNTS UNDER THE CITIZENS' ELECTION PROGRAM.

This bill updates the required fundraising thresholds for candidates to qualify for public matching funds under Connecticut's Citizens' Election Program. It directly affects candidates running for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, State Comptroller, State Treasurer, Secretary of the State, and state Senate seats by changing the minimum amounts of private donations they must raise. The key changes include increasing the total contribution thresholds for each office, adjusting the maximum amount an individual can contribute to a candidate committee, and modifying how contribution amounts are calculated and rounded for elections held in 2022 or later. These revisions take effect on December 1, 2026, and apply to contributions received on or after that date.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 493: AN ACT MAKING TECHNICAL CHANGES CONCERNING ELECTIONS.

This bill updates election notification requirements for towns, cities, and boroughs by mandating that town clerks publish warnings about upcoming elections in both local newspapers and official websites. The law requires these notices to be posted between five and fifteen days before early voting begins and must include specific details such as polling place locations, same-day registration sites, and early voting locations. It also allows multiple towns to jointly publish election warnings in a single newspaper to reduce costs, while overriding any conflicting local charter provisions. These technical changes take effect on October 1, 2026, and apply to all municipal elections in the state.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 8, 2026

HB 5545: AN ACT MAKING A TECHNICAL CHANGE CONCERNING A CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION LIMIT.

This bill amends a campaign finance statute to clarify that individual contributions over $100 must be made via personal check or credit card. The change applies to donations given to candidates or political committees, excluding in-kind contributions. The amendment is set to take effect on October 1, 2026, and does not alter existing contribution limits but specifies the payment methods required for larger donations.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 489: AN ACT MAKING TECHNICAL CHANGES TO STATUTES CONCERNING STATE CONTRACTING.

This bill makes technical updates to Connecticut state laws governing how the state handles contracting for public projects. It directly affects state agencies, quasi-public agencies, and private contractors by clarifying definitions and procedures for large contracts and construction projects. The first provision redefines a "large state contract" as any agreement worth more than $500,000 for construction, services, supplies, leases, or licensing, while excluding contracts with political subdivisions. The second provision allows the state commissioner to designate certain facility projects for a total cost basis, enabling single contracts with private developers that cover site acquisition, design, and construction, provided competitive proposals are used and the State Properties Review Board approves the contract. These changes take effect on October 1, 2026.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 490: AN ACT CONCERNING ONLINE POLITICAL DONATION PLATFORMS AND LIMITING AUTOMATICALLY RECURRING CONTRIBUTIONS.

This bill defines what does not count as a political contribution under Connecticut election law, specifically clarifying exemptions for various activities and transactions. It directly affects political committees, candidates, donors, and online donation platforms by establishing clear boundaries for what is considered a contribution versus what is not. Key provisions include excluding loans from banks, internal communications to members, volunteer services, certain in-kind donations like food and lawn signs, and small-value purchases at fundraising events from the definition of contributions. The law also sets specific dollar limits on discounted food sales, property donations, and advertising purchases at fundraisers, while prohibiting certain state contractors and lobbyists from buying advertising space at political fundraising events. These changes aim to provide clearer guidance on campaign finance reporting and compliance for political organizations and their supporters.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 424: AN ACT CONCERNING OVERSIGHT OF PLANS PURSUANT TO SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973 AND SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS IN THE STATE.

This bill establishes the Office of the Educational Ombudsperson within the state's Office of Governmental Accountability to assist students, families, and schools with special education and related educational issues. The office will be led by a governor-appointed official with expertise in educational advocacy and special education law, and will have the authority to investigate complaints, hold hearings, and subpoena witnesses. Additionally, the bill requires the State Department of Education to publicly report annually on the number of students with Section 504 plans and to convene a working group to review how schools provide accommodations to these students.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 8, 2026

HB 5530: AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF ABSENTEE BALLOT ACCESS IN UNCONSOLIDATED CITIES AND BOROUGHS WITHIN A TOWN.

This bill establishes a task force to study whether voters in unconsolidated cities and boroughs within towns can apply for absentee ballots through the Secretary of the State's online system. The task force will examine the feasibility and obstacles to implementing this change for elections, primaries, and referendums held in those specific jurisdictions. The group will include representatives from both legislative chambers, local election officials, and experts in voting technology, with a deadline to submit findings by January 1, 2027. This measure does not change current voting rules but instead creates a committee to investigate potential improvements to absentee ballot access in these areas.

Topics ✓ Technology

Bill results