Connecticut Bills

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 7, 2026

SB 269: AN ACT CONCERNING WORKERS' RIGHTS.

SB 269 requires the Labor Commissioner to study employees' rights in the state and submit a report to the legislature by January 1, 2027. The study will examine current employee rights, and the report may include recommendations for future legislation. This bill does not create new rights or laws but directs a formal review process. It directly affects the Labor Commissioner and the legislative committee handling labor matters. The bill is procedural, focusing on gathering information rather than implementing policy changes.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 7, 2026

HB 5260: AN ACT PROHIBITING A MUNICIPALITY FROM IMPOSING A PENALTY FOR THE PERFORMANCE OF CERTAIN ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING.

HB 5260 prohibits municipalities from penalizing homeless individuals for specific daily activities in public spaces. It directly affects homeless people by ensuring they cannot be punished for moving freely, sleeping in legally parked vehicles, using public hygiene facilities, or performing basic needs like eating, resting, or seeking medical care in public. Key provisions ban local ordinances that restrict these activities, while allowing safety-related restrictions for public health or welfare. The bill excludes school properties, airports, and interior building areas from its definition of "public place." It takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 7, 2026

HB 5279: AN ACT ADDING WITNESSING A SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY AS A QUALIFYING EVENT FOR PURPOSES OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS INJURY WORKERS' COMPENSATION COVERAGE.

HB 5279 expands workers' compensation coverage for post-traumatic stress injury (PTSD) by adding "witnessing a serious physical injury" as a qualifying event. It directly affects eligible public safety and healthcare workers - including police officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, correctional employees, telecommunicators, and health care providers - who witness such injuries while on duty. The bill amends existing law to include this new qualifying event (effective October 1, 2026), specifying it covers serious physical injuries that do not result in death or permanent disfigurement. This change ensures these workers can access PTSD-related workers' compensation benefits for trauma stemming from witnessing non-fatal but severe injuries.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 7, 2026

SB 235: AN ACT CONCERNING DRIVER EDUCATION AND STUDENT SAFETY.

SB 235 requires drivers' schools to allow students to choose their instructor's gender for behind-the-wheel training (unless only one gender is available), mandates vehicles used for instruction to have GPS tracking and audio/video monitoring systems by 2027, and adds specific safety topics to driver education curricula. These topics include highway work zone safety, avoiding wrong-way driving, and how to safely respond to traffic stops. The bill affects all students enrolled in driver education programs, drivers' schools offering behind-the-wheel instruction, and secondary schools contracting with licensed drivers' schools. It also updates licensing rules for instructors and requires new safety-focused classroom instruction content.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Transportation

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 7, 2026

HB 5278: AN ACT REQUIRING UNINSURED AND UNDERINSURED MOTORIST COVERAGE FOR DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION EMPLOYEES.

HB 5278 requires the state to add uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage (minimum $1 million for bodily injury or death) to the State Fleet Insurance Policy for Department of Transportation employees. This coverage specifically protects DOT workers who are outside vehicles during job duties and are injured by drivers without insurance or insufficient coverage. The policy change must be implemented by July 1, 2027, and applies only to these state employees, not the general public. The bill takes effect on October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Transportation

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 7, 2026

HB 5237: AN ACT IMPLEMENTING RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES.

HB 5237 amends Connecticut's motor vehicle record disclosure rules to implement Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) recommendations. It expands the definition of "motor vehicle record" to include more license, registration, and title documents, and clarifies when personal information from these records can be shared. Key provisions allow the DMV to disclose driver information for specific purposes like vehicle safety investigations, emissions compliance, insurance claims verification, law enforcement, and employer background checks - while requiring written consent for marketing uses. This directly affects drivers (whose data may be shared), businesses (like insurers and dealers), and government agencies accessing DMV records. The changes take effect October 1, 2026.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 7, 2026

HB 5238: AN ACT STUDYING ACCESS TO PARKING FOR HOME HEALTH CARE SERVICE PROVIDERS.

HB 5238 requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection to create a working group by September 2026 to study parking access challenges faced by home health care service providers delivering services in residential areas. The group will examine parking restrictions, time limits, permit requirements, geographic impact areas, and review similar programs in other states. It must submit findings and recommendations to the legislature by January 2027. This bill does not change current parking laws but initiates a formal study to inform potential future policy decisions affecting home health care providers.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 7, 2026

HB 5160: AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO ASSIST HOMELESS PERSONS.

HB 5160 appropriates $33.5 million from the state's General Fund to the Department of Housing for the 2026-2027 fiscal year to support programs assisting people experiencing homelessness. The bill directs the Department of Housing to use these funds for services and initiatives aimed at helping homeless individuals, including housing support and related assistance programs. It becomes effective on July 1, 2026, providing immediate funding for homeless assistance efforts without creating new programs or altering eligibility criteria.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 7, 2026

HB 5370: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A MEDICAL RESPITE PILOT PROGRAM.

HB 5370 establishes a five-year medical respite pilot program to provide supportive care for homeless individuals requiring medical recuperation but not hospitalization. The program, operating in four selected cities from 2026-2031, will offer up to four care units with 24-hour supervision, healthcare referrals, and case management to help participants secure housing. It requires a planning group with hospitals and homelessness nonprofits to design the program and pursue funding, along with two mandatory reports evaluating participant numbers, Medicaid cost savings, and expansion recommendations. The bill directly affects homeless individuals in participating cities by connecting medical care with housing support services.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 7, 2026

HB 5161: AN ACT REQUIRING THE COLLECTION OF IDENTIFYING INFORMATION OF NONRESIDENT OWNERS OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.

This bill requires municipalities with populations over 25,000 to collect current home addresses and basic identifying information (name, date of birth, license number) from nonresident owners of rental properties. It directly affects individual owners who don't live at the property, as well as corporations, partnerships, or trusts owning rental units, and project-based housing providers under federal housing programs. Owners must report this information to the municipal tax assessor and update it within 21 days of any address change; failure to comply results in fines of $250-$1,000. The collected data remains confidential and is used primarily for service of legal notices related to property maintenance or code compliance.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 7, 2026

HB 5221: AN ACT REESTABLISHING THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM REVIEW AND INVESTIGATIONS COMMITTEE.

HB 5221 reestablishes a permanent Legislative Program Review and Investigations Committee as a standing body of the General Assembly. The committee, composed of six Senate members (appointed by leadership) and six House members (appointed by leadership), will review state agency programs for effectiveness and conduct investigations into matters referred to it. It can access state records, recommend policy changes, and issue annual reports to the legislature. This procedural bill directly affects the legislature and state departments by creating a formal mechanism for oversight, without changing substantive policies or impacting citizens.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 7, 2026

HB 5330: AN ACT CONCERNING CERTAIN WILDLIFE ACTION PLANS.

HB 5330 establishes a state conservation program for wildlife species not traditionally harvested, requiring Connecticut's Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to implement actions like habitat protection, climate impact monitoring, and assistance for private landowners. The bill creates a legislative working group with representatives from conservation groups, universities, local governments, water utilities, and agricultural organizations to develop a funding plan for the program, with a report due by January 15, 2027. It also authorizes the sale of wildlife-themed merchandise (e.g., stamps, posters) to generate revenue for the program, which will be allocated to the conservation efforts. The program takes effect on October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Environment

Bill results