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Connecticut Bills

Track legislation and stay informed about the bills that matter to you.

State Legislature US Congress

All 25,009 Active 13 In committee 20,814 Passed 2,253 Signed 1,925 Failed 111

signed · Connecticut · House May 30, 2024

HB 5458: AN ACT CONCERNING HOMELESSNESS.

This bill establishes a new program called CHESS to help people with complex health needs who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. It requires state officials to create a strategic plan that simplifies how agencies work together to get benefits quickly and explores ways to secure additional funding for housing and health support. The legislation also mandates that a progress report be submitted to the state legislature by October 1, 2024, detailing how the program is improving health and housing stability for participants.

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 30, 2024

SB 121: AN ACT CONCERNING THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE BANKING COMMISSIONER, THE DODD-FRANK WALL STREET REFORM AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT AND TELEPHONIC SALES CALLS FOR SOLICITING CONSUMER GOODS OR SERVICES.

This bill empowers Connecticut's Attorney General to enforce specific provisions of the federal Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act against individuals or entities operating within the state. It grants the Attorney General new authority to issue subpoenas to demand documents, testimony, and written answers during investigations into potential violations of these financial regulations. The law also establishes strict confidentiality rules, ensuring that sensitive information gathered during these investigations remains private and is protected from public disclosure unless specific legal exceptions apply.

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 28, 2024

SB 109: AN ACT MODIFYING THE CONNECTICUT AUTOMATIC ADMISSIONS PROGRAM.

This bill modifies the Connecticut Automatic Admissions Program by replacing the requirement for a minimum class rank percentile with a minimum grade point average for high school students to qualify for automatic college admission. Under the new rules, the Board of Regents will set a statewide GPA standard, while individual colleges can establish their own academic thresholds using this GPA or combining it with scores from a college readiness assessment. Local school districts are required to calculate each student's GPA using a standardized method and inform the student, their parents, and the Department of Education whether the student meets the minimum state threshold. Additionally, schools must notify graduating students if they qualify for admission to at least one participating institution, but they are not required to publish these GPA calculations on official transcripts.

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 28, 2024

SB 333: AN ACT CONCERNING LOCAL CHARTER REVISIONS.

SB 333 repeals a state law that currently prevents local governments from changing specific rules in their municipal charters. The bill allows municipalities to amend their charters to adjust how citizens file petitions to challenge planning or zoning decisions, including changes to signature counts and residency requirements. It also permits local governments to modify vote thresholds and public notice procedures related to eminent domain and the sale of municipal property. This change directly affects local legislative bodies and zoning boards by giving them more flexibility to update their internal processes without needing separate state legislation.

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 28, 2024

SB 304: AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CONNECTICUT HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPLEMENTAL LOAN AUTHORITY.

This bill allows Connecticut residents under the age of eighteen to apply for and repay loans from the state's Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority as if they were adults. It also grants the authority the power to create special reserve funds to ensure it can pay off future debt and requires that any bonds issued for education programs be backed by sufficient revenue to cover costs and interest. Additionally, the legislation sets a limit of $300 million on the total amount of bonds that can be secured by these new reserve funds.

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 28, 2024

SB 215: AN ACT CONCERNING YOUTH CAMPS.

This bill updates safety regulations for youth camps in Connecticut by changing how often facilities are inspected and creating a new advisory group. It requires the state office to inspect camps before they open and within 48 hours of starting operations, while reducing the need for annual checks for accredited camps with no recent complaints. Additionally, the legislation establishes a Youth Camp Safety Advisory Council composed of representatives from various camp types and organizations to advise the state on safety issues. The council will meet regularly to provide guidance, ensuring a broader range of stakeholders have a voice in camp safety policy.

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 28, 2024

SB 238: AN ACT EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY FOR GRANTS FROM THE MILITARY RELIEF FUND.

This bill expands eligibility for financial assistance from the Military Relief Fund to help service members and their immediate family members. It allows the Military Department to provide grants for essential personal or household goods and services when paying for them would cause a hardship due to military service, a serious injury or illness, or the death of the member or family member. The assistance is limited to a maximum of five thousand dollars or the total amount available in the fund, whichever is less. These changes are set to take effect on July 1, 2024.

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 28, 2024

SB 307: AN ACT CONCERNING MEDICAID COVERAGE OF BIOMARKER TESTING.

This bill directs the Commissioner of Social Services to cover biomarker testing for Medicaid recipients to help diagnose, treat, and monitor various diseases. The law defines biomarker testing as the analysis of a patient's biological samples to identify specific indicators related to their health condition. Coverage will be approved if there is scientific evidence supporting the test, such as FDA approval, Medicare coverage, or recommendations from independent medical guidelines. Additionally, the bill establishes an online system allowing patients and providers to request exceptions to prior authorization rules for these tests.

signed · Connecticut · House May 28, 2024

HB 5189: AN ACT CONCERNING A SMALL HARBOR IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS ACCOUNT.

This bill directs the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development to conduct a study on the state's "blue economy" and methods to boost economic activity along the coastline and waterways. The commissioner must complete this research and submit a report to the commerce committee no later than January 1, 2025. The legislation does not authorize funding or create new programs but instead mandates an analysis to inform future policy decisions.

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 28, 2024

SB 263: AN ACT CONCERNING CITIZENS' ELECTION PROGRAM GRANTS FOR COURT-ORDERED PRIMARIES AND ELECTIONS AND FUNDING.

This bill updates funding rules for the Citizens' Election Fund to provide financial grants to candidates running for Governor and other state offices. It establishes specific dollar amounts for primary and general election campaigns, including special provisions for court-ordered primaries and adjourned elections. The legislation also sets deadlines by which candidates must apply for their general election grants, with the amount received decreasing if they apply later in the election cycle. These changes take effect on July 1, 2024, and include automatic adjustments for future years.

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 28, 2024

SB 224: AN ACT REQUIRING NOTICE OF REVALUATION TO CERTAIN OWNERS OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS WITH DEFECTIVE CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS.

This bill requires municipal assessors to send written notice to owners of residential buildings with defective concrete foundations when a general property revaluation is scheduled. It allows these owners to submit professional engineering reports to trigger a one-time reassessment of their property value and ensures their homes are included in future revaluations to reflect current worth. Additionally, the law mandates that if a foundation is repaired or replaced, the owner must inform the assessor within thirty days so the property value can be adjusted again. These changes aim to improve transparency and ensure accurate tax assessments for homeowners affected by structural concrete issues.

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 28, 2024

SB 178: AN ACT REQUIRING THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF BARBERS, HAIRDRESSERS AND COSMETICIANS TO INCLUDE WORKING WITH TEXTURED HAIR.

This bill requires barber, hairdressing, and cosmetology schools in Connecticut to include training on working with textured hair, which is defined as hair that is coiled, curly, or wavy. The Commissioner of Public Health, in consultation with the state's examining board, will update curriculum standards to cover techniques for various curl patterns, hair thicknesses, and volumes. These new educational requirements are set to take effect on July 1, 2024, ensuring that students learn to provide services to individuals with diverse hair types.