Connecticut Bills

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 1, 2026

SB 229: AN ACT CONCERNING LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS OF THE CONNECTICUT LOTTERY CORPORATION.

SB 229 requires online gambling platforms (including those offering fantasy contests, lottery draw games, and keno) to use geolocation systems that detect user location even when using proxies or VPNs. These systems must block users if location cannot be verified, display pop-up notifications in such cases, and flag accounts accessed from inconsistent locations. The bill also updates certification rules for lottery games, mandating testing by approved labs before new games launch or modifications occur, with the Department of Consumer Protection setting technical standards for gaming integrity. These changes directly affect Connecticut Lottery Corporation operators and online gaming platforms offering games to residents.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 1, 2026

SB 374: AN ACT CONCERNING THE EXPANSION OF THE CRISIS INITIATIVE PILOT PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

SB 374 requires the Division of State Police (within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection) to expand the CRISIS Initiative pilot program statewide by January 1, 2027, working with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The program, officially named "Connection to Recovery through Intervention, Support and Initiating Services," aims to provide crisis response services. This expansion will move the program from a limited pilot to full statewide implementation, directly affecting state law enforcement and mental health agencies. The bill mandates this structural change without specifying new services or funding details.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 1, 2026

SB 361: AN ACT CONCERNING FEES IN LIEU OF SIDEWALK REQUIREMENTS.

SB 361 allows local governments to permit new development projects to pay a fee instead of constructing public sidewalks, but only if the municipality's planning commission determines sidewalk construction is unnecessary or impractical for that specific project. The fee amount must be set by municipal regulations, require both developer consent and commission approval, and cannot be applied universally across the municipality. All collected fees must go into a dedicated fund used exclusively for sidewalk construction or maintenance, not general city expenses or operating costs. This applies to all new developments requiring sidewalk compliance under local zoning rules, effective October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Transportation

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 1, 2026

HB 5046: AN ACT SUPPORTING FIRST RESPONDER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION.

HB 5046 modifies existing tuition waiver policies at Connecticut's community colleges and universities to specifically support public safety personnel. It waives tuition for current police officers (with 5+ years service) and firefighters (with 5+ years service), as well as for their dependents if the officer or firefighter was killed in the line of duty. The bill also expands waivers to include students enrolled in state fire school programs and police academy coordination courses. These changes apply to Connecticut State Community College and Connecticut State University System programs, effective July 1, 2026. The policy directly affects active and retired public safety workers and their families by reducing education costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 31, 2026

HB 5454: AN ACT CONCERNING THE REFUND OF CERTAIN FIREARM PERMIT FEES.

This bill establishes refund conditions for firearm permit fees when local authorities fail to process applications within required time limits. It affects individuals who pay fees for state permits to carry pistols and revolvers, as well as local police departments and town officials who process these permits. The key provision requires local permitting authorities to refund $70 of the permit fee if they do not complete their duties within statutory timeframes, though the portion of the fee used for federal background checks is not refundable. The bill also clarifies permit expiration rules and renewal fees, with changes taking effect on October 1, 2026.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 31, 2026

SB 448: AN ACT AMENDING THE CHARTER OF THE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT OF HARTFORD COUNTY.

This bill amends the charter of the Metropolitan District of Hartford County to update how the district organizes its internal leadership and manages public notice for new rules. It allows district boards and commissions to appoint their own chairpersons and officers from within their membership, while clarifying that district employees cannot serve on the board of commissioners or its committees. The legislation also modifies how proposed ordinances are published and made available to the public, requiring full publication in a newspaper with substantial circulation in the district, though summaries may be used for non-appropriation ordinances with specific disclaimers. Additionally, the bill updates the maximum fines for ordinance violations to $250 and sets new requirements for the district attorney, who must have at least five years of practice and reside in the district or a nearby municipality. These changes take effect on October 1, 2026.

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 31, 2026

HB 5502: AN ACT CONCERNING HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ON CERTAIN LOTS ZONED FOR INDUSTRIAL USE OR PREVIOUSLY ZONED FOR RESIDENTIAL USE.

This bill requires Connecticut municipalities to allow the construction of middle housing developments near transit stations or highways on lots currently zoned for industrial use or previously zoned for residential use. It also permits such developments on lots zoned for general residential use, provided the municipality uses a streamlined review process. To encourage adoption, the bill awards municipalities additional points toward state housing goals for each approved middle housing unit, and it prevents towns from repealing these zoning rules during certain affordable housing moratorium periods.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Transportation

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 31, 2026

SB 320: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP CONCERNING ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION FACILITIES AND ELECTRIC GRID CAPACITY PLANNING.

SB 320 creates a working group within the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, required to begin by October 1, 2026. The group will examine delays in building electric transmission lines, costs for grid upgrades needed for new energy projects (like solar), and fair cost-sharing methods for infrastructure improvements. It must submit recommendations to the legislature by July 1, 2027, focusing on state agency coordination, grid planning, and potential policy changes affecting utilities and energy developers. This bill directly affects state agencies, electric distribution companies, and future energy infrastructure decisions.

Topics ✓ Energy ✓ Environment

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 31, 2026

SB 360: AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL ISSUES.

SB 360 allows Connecticut municipalities, districts, and municipal entities to jointly perform functions they could previously do separately through formal interlocal agreements. It replaces outdated language in the law (Section 7-148cc) with clearer rules permitting multiple local governments to collaborate on shared services or projects. The bill directly affects all Connecticut municipalities, metropolitan districts, and municipal districts by streamlining their ability to partner on matters like infrastructure, planning, or administration. This update makes no new policy changes but clarifies existing procedures for interlocal cooperation, effective October 1, 2026.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Mar 31, 2026

SB 372: AN ACT CONCERNING CONNECTICUT WING CIVIL AIR PATROL YOUTH CAMPS.

SB 372 establishes new licensing and background check requirements for all Connecticut youth camps. Camp operators must pay annual fees (up to $815 for for-profits, $315 for nonprofits) and conduct comprehensive background checks for all staff working with children, including criminal history, child abuse registry, and sex offender registry checks. Staff may work provisionally during background checks but must complete full checks within five years and renew them every five years. The commissioner can deny or revoke licenses for operators or staff with certain child-related criminal convictions, such as felonies involving child abuse or harm.

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 31, 2026

HB 5402: AN ACT CONCERNING A TECHNICAL REVISION TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY STATUTES.

HB 5402 makes a technical update to Connecticut's public safety statutes by reorganizing the Connecticut Boxing Commission. It moves the commission under the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and revises its appointment structure: three members appointed by the Governor, and one each by legislative leadership (House Speaker, Senate President Pro Tempore, and majority/minority leaders of both chambers). The bill also specifies that members serve terms aligned with their appointing authority and requires the commission to hold at least one meeting quarterly. This revision adjusts the commission's administrative structure without changing its regulatory responsibilities for boxing oversight.

in committee · Connecticut · House Mar 31, 2026

HB 5392: AN ACT CONCERNING MUNICIPAL AGENCIES.

HB 5392 makes a technical correction to the deadline for filing appeals to the State Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. It revises statute 7-148l to remove redundant wording ("of") from the requirement that appeals must be filed "within thirty days after the mailing" of a written decision. This change directly affects individuals appealing decisions made by municipal agencies established under statutes 7-148i to 7-148n. The bill takes effect October 1, 2026, with no substantive policy changes to existing appeal procedures.

Bill results