Connecticut Bills

in committee · Connecticut · House Feb 23, 2026

HB 5266: AN ACT ADOPTING THE UNIFORM REAL PROPERTY TRANSFER ON DEATH ACT.

HB 5266 adopts the Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act, allowing property owners in this state to transfer real estate (like homes or land) directly to named beneficiaries upon their death, bypassing probate. Owners create a "transfer on death deed" that must be recorded before their death, naming beneficiaries who receive the property automatically when the owner dies, without affecting the owner's rights during their lifetime. The deed is revocable at any time before death and does not create beneficiary interests during the owner's life, affect creditor claims, or impact public assistance eligibility. This bill directly affects property owners who choose this method for estate planning, providing a straightforward way to transfer real property outside of court proceedings.

in committee · Connecticut · House Feb 23, 2026

HJ 5: RESOLUTION CONFIRMING THE CLAIMS COMMISSIONER'S COMPENSATION AWARD TO CHARLES WILLIAMS WITH RESPECT TO HIS CLAIM AGAINST THE STATE FOR WRONGFUL INCARCERATION.

This House Joint Resolution (HJ 5) confirms a $2,237,901.68 compensation award to Charles Williams for wrongful incarceration by the state. The resolution formally approves a prior decision by the Claims Commissioner (file #27161), directing payment from the state's General Fund. It directly affects Charles Williams (the claimant) and the state treasury (which must pay the funds). The bill is procedural - it confirms an existing administrative award without creating new laws or altering policies.

in committee · Connecticut · House Feb 20, 2026

HB 5293: AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AND A CONNECTICUT VETERANS CEMETERY.

HB 5293 transfers specific land parcels in Middletown to the Veterans' Home and Hospital Commission for use as a Connecticut Veterans Cemetery, replacing an older land transfer provision. It requires the Commissioner of Veterans Affairs to designate additional state-owned land for a new veterans' cemetery by July 1, 2027, in addition to the existing cemetery. The bill expands burial eligibility to include Connecticut National Guard veterans with 20+ years of service, those killed in action (including Hmong Laotian veterans who served in the Vietnam War), and veterans entitled to retirement pay under federal law. Requests for burial in these cemeteries, submitted by veterans or their next of kin, must be granted. This law directly affects Connecticut veterans and their families seeking burial options.

Topics ✓ Veterans

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 283: AN ACT CONCERNING MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES, VETERANS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES.

SB 283 extends the grace period for military members to renew motor vehicle licenses and registrations from 60 to 90 days after returning from active duty. It waives fees for both new driver's licenses and identity cards for veterans verified by Connecticut's Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill directly affects Connecticut residents on active military duty and veterans, providing financial relief during license renewals and identity verification. Key provisions include the 90-day extension for license/registration renewals (Section 1) and fee waivers for veterans (Sections 2 and 3), effective October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Veterans

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 281: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY MEANS OF ENCOURAGING MORE NURSING HOMES IN THE STATE TO CONTRACT WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.

SB 281 establishes a task force to study ways to encourage nursing homes in the state to contract with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for veteran care. The task force, composed of legislative leaders and the Veterans Affairs Commissioner, will examine financial incentives like reimbursement supplements and tax credits to make VA contracting more attractive for nursing homes. Its goal is to increase access to VA-covered nursing home care for veterans who need it, focusing specifically on facilities meeting VA requirements. The task force must submit findings and recommendations to the legislature by January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare ✓ Veterans

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 280: AN ACT CONCERNING THE LEGISLATIVE COMMISSIONERS' RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MINOR AND TECHNICAL REVISIONS TO STATUTES RELATING TO VETERANS' AND MILITARY AFFAIRS.

SB 280 makes minor technical revisions to statutes affecting veterans' services in Connecticut. It clarifies staffing requirements for the Office of Advocacy and Assistance, specifying it must have at least 19 staff (including 14 veteran service officers who must be veterans themselves) and 3 clerical personnel. The bill also establishes a dedicated "Hispanic-American Veterans of Connecticut" commemorative account within the General Fund to fund bilingual services for veterans, allowing private donations to support this account. These changes are purely procedural and technical, with no new funding or policy shifts, as stated in the bill's purpose.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Veterans

in committee · Connecticut · House Feb 20, 2026

HB 5297: AN ACT CONCERNING QUALIFIED VETERANS' CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS INTERNET WEB SITE.

HB 5297 requires Connecticut's Department of Veterans Affairs to annually update and publish a list of charitable organizations that serve veterans on its official website. To qualify, organizations must have operated for at least three years (as a nonstock corporation or tax-exempt 501(c) group) and focus on veteran-related causes like education, welfare, or advocacy. The published list will include each organization's website and a disclaimer stating it is for informational use only, with no state guarantee of accuracy. This replaces the current process and takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Veterans

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 102: AN ACT CONCERNING THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE SALES AND USE TAXES IMPOSED ON MEALS SOLD BY AN EATING ESTABLISHMENT, CATERER OR GROCERY STORE.

SB 102 redirects an additional 1% sales tax on meals sold by restaurants, caterers, and grocery stores to the specific municipalities where the sales occur. The bill requires that this tax revenue, collected from food purchases at these businesses, be distributed directly to the local governments (cities or towns) where the transactions happened. This changes how the tax revenue is allocated, shifting it from a state-level pool to the communities generating the income. The policy directly affects eateries, caterers, grocery stores, and the municipalities receiving the redistributed funds.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 249: AN ACT CONCERNING PENSION REVOCATION OR REDUCTION FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND STATE OR MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES CONVICTED OF CRIMES RELATED TO STATE OR MUNICIPAL OFFICE.

SB 249 would require the Attorney General to seek court orders to revoke or reduce pensions for public officials or state/municipal employees convicted of specific crimes related to their positions, such as embezzlement, theft, bribery, or fraud using their official authority. It directly affects individuals who hold public office or work for state/municipal entities and are later convicted of these crimes. The law establishes that courts must presume pension revocation for public officials and reduction for employees, but these presumptions can be overturned if the court considers factors like crime severity, financial harm caused, breach of public trust, or the role in a fraud scheme. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and applies to convictions occurring after October 1, 2008.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Connecticut · House Feb 20, 2026

HB 5187: AN ACT ADJUSTING THE FISCAL GUARDRAILS.

HB 5187 adjusts the state's budget management rules by changing how the threshold for transferring revenue to volatility funds is calculated, shifting to an inflation-adjusted five-year moving average instead of the current method. It also increases the maximum capacity of the Budget Reserve Fund to 20% of net General Fund appropriations. These changes aim to stabilize state budgeting by better accounting for inflation and allowing a larger reserve for fiscal uncertainty. The bill affects the state's budgeting procedures and the legislature's oversight of the Budget Reserve Fund.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · House Feb 20, 2026

HB 5285: AN ACT CONCERNING THE ASSESSMENT OF CERTAIN MOTOR VEHICLES.

HB 5285 changes how Connecticut municipalities assess property tax on older motor vehicles. It establishes a standard rate of 10% of a vehicle's original manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) or $500 (whichever is lower) for vehicles 20+ years old. Municipalities may instead adopt a modified rate of 15% of MSRP or $500 for the same vehicles. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, affecting property tax bills for owners of older vehicles across participating towns.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 276: AN ACT REQUIRING MUNICIPALITIES TO POST MONTHLY REPORTS CONCERNING REVENUE AND CERTAIN EXPENDITURES.

SB 276 requires all municipalities to publicly post monthly reports on their websites detailing revenue and spending by department. Starting January 2027, municipalities must upload these reports by the 15th of each month, showing budget allocations, actual expenditures, and revenue compared to projections for the prior month. Reports must be available in both PDF and CSV formats and maintained online for three years. This bill directly affects all local governments in the state, aiming to increase transparency in how public funds are used.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill results