HB 5299 allows trained assisted living aides employed by an assisted living agency to administer medication to residents, directly affecting residents who receive care in these facilities. The bill permits registered nurses (RNs) to delegate medication administration to these trained aides, provided the aides have completed specific training. Agencies must indemnify RNs against liability for non-wanton negligence during this delegated task, and the Public Health Commissioner will create implementing regulations. This changes current practice by expanding aides' responsibilities under RN supervision, without altering prescription authority.
HB 5253 requires all fire district meetings in Connecticut to use paper ballots for voting on officers and business, with only in-person voters allowed (no absentee ballots). It directly affects fire district voters and officers, mandating in-person voting at all meetings starting July 2027. The bill creates a complaint process where voters can report voting rule violations to the State Elections Enforcement Commission, which gains new authority to investigate, impose penalties, and order re-votes if violations occur. The Commission can also hold fire district officers personally liable for knowingly violating these rules, with courts able to award fines and legal costs.
This bill requires the Connecticut Department of Transportation to create and update guidelines for managing vegetation along state highways, balancing environmental protection with public safety and maintenance needs. The guidelines will cover activities like mowing, herbicide use, replanting with native species, and protecting pollinator habitats, while excluding emergency removals needed for public safety or weather-related emergencies. Additionally, the bill mandates a study by the University of Connecticut to assess carbon sequestration by roadside vegetation, with results to be reviewed by the transportation commissioner and reported to legislative committees by October 1, 2026.
This bill modifies Connecticut's unemployment insurance rules to allow striking workers to receive benefits after a labor dispute has lasted for 14 consecutive days, starting in 2027. Currently, workers who lose jobs due to strikes are generally ineligible for unemployment benefits, but this change would apply only to disputes beginning on or after December 14, 2027. The law already permits benefits for workers locked out by employers or those not involved in the strike, such as non-union employees at a temporarily closed business. The bill requires workers to meet standard eligibility criteria like being able and available to work, and it would require updates to the state's unemployment insurance system to track strike duration.
This bill establishes a new fund to provide a one-time $100,000 death benefit to the surviving families of correction officers and investigators from specific state agencies who are killed in the line of duty. The fund is financed through available appropriations and interest earnings, with payments distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible survivors including spouses, dependent children, and other family members listed on beneficiary forms. The bill also defines key terms such as "killed in the line of duty" and "dependent child," and requires the Comptroller to submit annual reports on fund expenditures and balances to relevant legislative committees. Additionally, the legislation repeals an existing tax provision related to income derived from the death benefit.
This bill requires the Department of Correction and other state facilities that detain offenders to adopt and follow national standards for preventing, detecting, and responding to sexual abuse. It mandates specific policies including zero tolerance for abuse, enhanced privacy protections for transgender individuals, improved surveillance coverage, and specialized training for staff and volunteers. The legislation also establishes reporting requirements, mandates investigations within 30 days of abuse reports, and requires regular compliance certifications to be submitted to state oversight committees.
This bill restricts the enforceability of noncompete agreements in Connecticut by limiting which workers can be bound by such contracts. It directly affects employees and independent contractors by establishing wage thresholds that determine whether a noncompete is valid. Under the new rules, noncompete agreements are automatically unenforceable for workers earning less than twice the state minimum wage, and for independent contractors earning less than five times the minimum wage. Additionally, noncompetes cannot restrict workers from working in geographic areas or performing job types where they had no significant presence or activity in the two years before leaving their job. The law also clarifies that certain agreements like nonsolicitation, nondisclosure, and business sale contracts are not considered noncompetes and remain unaffected.
This bill allows state employees to appeal decisions made by the Connecticut State Employees Retirement Commission and the Medical Examining Board regarding disability retirement eligibility to the Superior Court. It requires these boards to hold hearings before making such decisions and provides a clear timeline for filing appeals, including specific rules for serving legal documents. The legislation also permits appeals of preliminary agency actions if waiting for a final decision would cause inadequate remedies, and it clarifies that filing an appeal does not automatically stop the enforcement of the original decision. The changes take effect on October 1, 2026, but only after the State Employees' Bargaining Agent Coalition agrees to include them in its collective bargaining agreement.
SB 221 establishes a state scholarship program to support aspiring educators in Connecticut. It provides up to $10,000 annually to diverse students who graduated from public high schools in designated "alliance districts" and are enrolled in teacher preparation programs at four-year colleges. Recipients must teach as certified educators in Connecticut, particularly in identified shortage areas (like specific subjects or geographic regions), or repay the scholarship. The program requires annual reporting on scholarship recipients' demographics and program data, with implementation effective July 1, 2026.
SB 243 requires the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to study how residential electric bills display the "public benefits charge" (funding programs like energy efficiency or low-income assistance). The study must determine if current bill designs adequately inform customers about this charge and recommend clearer bill formats or new cost categories to improve transparency. If needed, the Authority must provide detailed redesign suggestions, including input from electric companies, by January 1, 2027. The bill directly affects residential electricity customers by aiming to make bill costs more understandable.
SB 244 requires the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection to study the market for renewable energy certificates (RECs) issued by the New England Power Pool system. The study must examine how RECs support renewable energy development, current market trends in supply/demand/pricing, and whether RECs deliver environmental or grid benefits. The Commissioner must submit a report to the legislature by March 1, 2027, detailing findings on these aspects. This bill does not change existing law but mandates a review to inform future policy decisions.
HB 5248 updates Connecticut's appliance efficiency standards to promote energy conservation. It requires the Energy Commissioner to periodically review and raise efficiency standards for products like appliances and plumbing fixtures, ensuring they are cost-effective for consumers (with a 5-year payback period max) and may incorporate standards from other states or third parties. The bill also clarifies that these efficiency standards take precedence over conflicting building codes and allows for adopting standards from states like California without new state-specific testing. It directly affects appliance manufacturers, retailers, and consumers purchasing new energy-efficient products.
