Connecticut Bills

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 5276: AN ACT CONCERNING VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND THE DEFINITION OF EMPLOYER UNDER THE STATE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ACT.

HB 5276 clarifies that volunteer fire departments and volunteer ambulance companies in Connecticut are explicitly considered "employers" under the state's workplace safety law (CONN-OSHA). The bill removes their previous exemption from CONN-OSHA regulations by redefining "employer" to include these organizations and amending the law to exclude them from the list of exempt entities. This means volunteer fire and ambulance departments will now fall under Connecticut's occupational health and safety standards starting October 1, 2026. The change directly affects all volunteer fire departments and ambulance companies in the state, requiring them to comply with state safety regulations previously not applied to them.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 5427: AN ACT EXPANDING THE DEBT-FREE COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROGRAM TO INCLUDE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

HB 5427 expands Connecticut's debt-free community college program to cover workforce development and continuing education programs, in addition to traditional degree/certificate programs. It directly affects Connecticut residents enrolled at community colleges who meet income and academic requirements, including part-time students and those in noncredit workforce training. The bill establishes a "Mary Ann Handley Award" covering tuition and required fees for up to 72 credit hours or six semesters, provided students complete the FAFSA and accept all available financial aid (excluding loans). Awards cannot replace existing state or institutional aid, and the program requires annual reporting on participation and completion rates. This change takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 5388: AN ACT CONCERNING PROCESSING FEES FOR MEDICAL RECORDS FOR APPLICATIONS FOR DISABILITY RETIREMENT.

HB 5388 prohibits healthcare providers from charging state employees applying for disability retirement benefits for copies of medical records needed to support their applications. The bill amends Connecticut law to require providers to furnish these specific records without fees, waiving the standard $0.65-per-page charge when the records are necessary for a state employees' retirement disability claim. It directly affects state employees seeking disability retirement who must submit medical documentation. The provision takes effect October 1, 2026, and applies to records requested for this specific purpose only.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 5315: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY CONSUMER FRAUD AND PROTECTIONS AGAINST SUCH FRAUD.

HB 5315 establishes a working group to study consumer fraud and existing protections against it. The group, to be convened by banking committee leaders, includes members representing financial institutions, credit unions, consumer advocates, senior citizens, and the Banking Commissioner. The working group must submit a report with findings and recommendations to the banking committee by January 1, 2027. This bill does not create new laws or protections but requires a formal study of the issue.

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 19, 2026

HB 5382: AN ACT REQUIRING THE COMPTROLLER TO CONDUCT A STUDY OF HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR RETIRED POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS.

HB 5382 requires Connecticut's Comptroller to study health insurance coverage gaps for retired police officers and firefighters, including those retiring due to illness or injury. The study must assess current coverage limitations and submit a report to the legislature by January 1, 2027. It directly affects retired state law enforcement and fire service personnel whose health insurance may diminish after retirement. The bill does not change current benefits but mandates a factual review to identify potential coverage shortfalls. This is a procedural study, not a policy change.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 284: AN ACT CONCERNING EMERGENCY POWER GENERATOR REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN MULTIFAMILY HOUSING PROJECTS.

SB 284 requires privately owned senior housing buildings (15+ stories, age-restricted, and federally mortgaged) in cities with 130,000-140,000 residents to install emergency power generators. These generators must provide 4-12 hours of electricity for heating, water, lighting, medical equipment in each unit, and passenger elevators during outages. The law applies specifically to multifamily housing projects meeting all three criteria: age-restricted, high-rise, and federally insured. It takes effect October 1, 2026, aiming to improve safety during power disruptions for vulnerable residents.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 287: AN ACT REQUIRING HOME HEALTH AIDE AGENCIES TO PROVIDE CERTAIN PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO HOME HEALTH AIDES.

SB 287 requires home health aide agencies to provide free personal protective equipment (PPE) to their home health aide employees. The bill directly affects home health aide employees (both staff and contracted workers) who provide in-home care services. Agencies must supply necessary PPE like gloves, N95 masks, gowns, and hand sanitizers to ensure safe client interactions. The law takes effect on October 1, 2026, mandating this provision without additional costs to workers.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 124: AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF AGING AND DISABILITY SERVICES' RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING MUNICIPAL AGENTS FOR AGING.

This bill requires Connecticut municipalities to appoint agents who assist older adults with accessing community resources, benefits, and housing opportunities. Agents must be staff from senior centers or community members with aging experience, certify they have no conflicts of interest, and report any conflicts that arise during their term. Municipalities may jointly appoint agents to share costs through a formal agreement. The state Department of Aging and Disability Services must create and maintain a public directory of all appointed agents by January 2025.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 19, 2026

SB 301: AN ACT REQUIRING THE DEPARTMENT OF BANKING TO CONDUCT A STUDY RELATING TO SIGNATURE GUARANTEE PROGRAMS.

SB 301 requires Connecticut's Department of Banking to study signature guarantee programs at state financial institutions. The study must assess program availability and consumer access issues, specifically how easily people can obtain guarantees for transactions like stock transfers. The department must submit a report to the banking committee by January 1, 2027. This bill does not change existing rules but mandates a review to identify potential barriers for consumers.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 18, 2026

SB 31: AN ACT INCREASING THE BOND AUTHORIZATION FOR THE CONNECTICUT BIOSCIENCE INNOVATION FUND.

SB 31 increases the bond authorization for Connecticut's Bioscience Innovation Fund by $25 million, directly expanding its funding mechanism. The bill amends Section 32-41dd of Connecticut's general statutes to authorize this additional bond amount. This change provides more capital available to support bioscience innovation initiatives in the state, without altering the fund's existing purpose or eligibility criteria.

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 5286: AN ACT CONCERNING A MUNICIPAL TAX ABATEMENT FOR SURVIVING DOMESTIC PARTNERS OF POLICE OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS.

HB 5286 allows municipalities to create property tax abatement programs for surviving domestic partners of police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians who die while on duty. The bill replaces existing law (which only covered surviving spouses) to explicitly include domestic partners, as defined by local ordinance, who own and live in the property as their primary residence. Municipalities would need to adopt specific ordinances to implement this tax relief, effective October 1, 2026. This policy directly affects eligible surviving domestic partners of covered first responders in communities that choose to adopt the program.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 18, 2026

SB 273: AN ACT CONCERNING LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

SB 273 modifies how local government civil service boards classify staff positions. It requires boards to classify all non-elective department employees within 90 days of new commissioners' appointments, clarifying existing procedures. Boards may still exempt certain high-level roles (like policy officers and confidential staff) from competitive hiring. This bill directly affects local government civil service boards in Connecticut and takes effect October 1, 2026. The change streamlines administrative requirements without altering substantive hiring rules.

Bill results