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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 20,688 In committee 20,675 Passed 2,253 Signed 1,925 Failed 111

in committee · Connecticut · House May 12, 2025

HB 7271: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY BEVERAGE CONTAINER REDEMPTION RATES IN THE STATE AND REDUCING A FEE ON INFUSED BEVERAGE CONTAINERS.

HB 7271 establishes a working group to study beverage container redemption rates across the state, examining factors like regional redemption patterns, the impact of a 10-cent refund on consumption, and whether redemption exceeds container sales. The group, including state agencies, legislators, and industry representatives, must submit a report by January 1, 2026. Additionally, the bill reduces a fee on cannabis-infused beverage containers from $1 to $0.05 for retailers, resulting in an annual $250,000 revenue loss to a consumer protection fund. This affects cannabis retailers and state agencies managing the fund.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · House May 12, 2025

HB 7175: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A FARM INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT AND INCREASING THE FARM MACHINERY PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION AMOUNT.

HB 7175 creates a 20% tax credit for eligible farmers who purchase or build qualifying farm machinery, equipment, and buildings after January 1, 2026. To qualify, farmers must earn at least two-thirds of their total income from farming above $30,000, and the property must be used for farming in the state for at least five years. The credit applies to machinery and equipment bought after 2026, as well as qualifying buildings constructed or placed in service after that date, provided they are not leased or acquired from related parties. Farmers, or owners of pass-through entities like S corporations, can claim the credit against state income tax, with unused portions refunded by the state.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 1462: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TAX CREDIT FOR EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS TO EMPLOYEES' CHET ACCOUNTS AND CONCERNING THE CONNECTICUT HIGHER EDUCATION TRUST AND CONNECTICUT BABY SCHOLARS FUND.

SB 1462 creates a 25% tax credit for Connecticut employers who contribute to employees' CHET accounts (education savings accounts for higher education costs), capped at $500 per employee annually. It directly affects Connecticut employers and their non-owner, non-family-member employees who use CHET accounts for qualified college expenses like tuition and books. The credit applies to contributions made after January 1, 2025, and allows S corporations, partnerships, or single-member LLCs to claim the credit through shareholders or owners. The bill also updates definitions for the Connecticut Higher Education Trust and Baby Scholars Fund to align with federal 529 plan rules.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

in committee · Connecticut · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 1349: AN ACT CONCERNING THE CHARTER SCHOOL APPROVAL PROCESS.

SB 1349 creates a new State-wide Office of School Choice within Connecticut's Department of Education, effective July 2025. This office will oversee charter school applications, renewals, and maintain a centralized online hub for all charter school and interdistrict magnet program information, including board details, budgets, and policies. The bill also requires the office to develop a transparency report by July 2026, analyzing funding processes and stakeholder communication, after consulting with educators and advocacy groups. It directly affects charter schools, school districts, and the Department of Education by centralizing approval processes and improving public access to charter school data.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Connecticut · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 1556: AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE CONNECTICUT APPEALS BOARD FOR PROPERTY VALUATION.

SB 1556 creates a new state-level Connecticut Appeals Board for Property Valuation to handle property tax appeals, replacing local boards of assessment appeals in municipalities that choose to adopt it. Property owners who disagree with their town assessor's valuation can appeal directly to this board (instead of local boards) for assessments starting with the initial year specified, filing within two months of the assessor's action. The board, consisting of five full-time members appointed by the governor with specific appraisal/legal experience requirements, reviews appeals "de novo" (from scratch, without being bound by prior local decisions) and allows municipalities to collect up to 75% of the disputed tax while appeals are pending. This affects all Connecticut property owners in participating municipalities and shifts the appeal process from local to state oversight.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 1560: AN ACT CONCERNING CONNECTICUT'S ECONOMY, ELECTRICITY AFFORDABILITY AND BUSINESS COMPETITIVENESS AND ESTABLISHING THE CONNECTICUT ENERGY PROCUREMENT AUTHORITY AND THE GREEN BOND FUND.

SB 1560 creates the Connecticut Energy Procurement Authority (CEPA) to address electricity affordability by improving system efficiency and reducing costs for residents and businesses. The bill establishes CEPA to coordinate electricity procurement, grid investments, and demand management - specifically targeting inefficient peak usage (where systems run at twice average capacity) and shifting costs from solar adopters to remaining ratepayers. Key mechanisms include promoting smart meters for dynamic pricing, supporting heat pumps and EV charging infrastructure, and encouraging efficient electricity use through demand-side management. This directly affects all Connecticut electricity customers, aiming to lower bills by optimizing grid utilization and aligning infrastructure with actual demand patterns.

Topics ✓ Energy

in committee · Connecticut · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 858: AN ACT CONCERNING THE MASHANTUCKET PEQUOT AND MOHEGAN FUND.

This bill establishes a permanent "Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Fund" to manage state payments received from the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes under historic agreements. It requires annual transfers of specific funds from the state General Fund to this new fund, with distributions paid to eligible towns - including Ledyard and Montville (each receiving up to $600,000 annually after 2026 if the state revokes taxation on tribal land) - in three installments each year. The fund replaces previous mechanisms for distributing tribal-related payments, ensuring consistent disbursements to affected municipalities. The fiscal note indicates towns will face a revenue loss in fiscal year 2027 due to the shift in funding source, while the Office of Policy and Management will see corresponding savings.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · House May 12, 2025

HB 7273: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY WAYS TO FUND A UNIVERSAL FREE SCHOOL MEALS PROGRAM.

HB 7273 establishes a working group to study how to fund a universal free school meals program for all public school students. The group will examine required funding amounts, potential sources like dedicated taxes, program rules, and other relevant factors. The working group, made up of legislative committee chairs, school representatives, and nutrition experts, must submit its report to the legislature by January 1, 2026, with no immediate cost to the state or municipalities.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Connecticut · House May 8, 2025

HB 6867: AN ACT CREATING THE UNIVERSAL PRESCHOOL ENDOWMENT.

HB 6867 creates the Universal Preschool Endowment, a dedicated fund to expand access to preschool for children aged 3-5. It is directly funded by transferring up to $300 million from the state’s unappropriated surplus into the endowment for the 2025 fiscal year, with an additional $30 million allowed for 2026. The endowment’s funds - held separately from state money - must be invested prudently and spent solely to build preschool capacity through competitive grants, prioritizing local needs and children not yet eligible for kindergarten. Annual spending is limited to 10% of the endowment’s balance (except for the initial $30 million), ensuring long-term sustainability while directing all resources toward making preschool universally available.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Education

in committee · Connecticut · House May 8, 2025

HB 6899: AN ACT CONCERNING EARLY EDUCATOR PAY EQUITY.

HB 6899 establishes new pay standards for early childhood educators starting July 1, 2025, requiring all early childhood care and education programs (including child care centers, preschools, and family child care homes receiving state funds) to pay employees according to a state-developed compensation schedule. Programs must cover the difference between current salaries and the new schedule using state-provided salary enhancement grants: $20,000 per family child care home licensee, plus $6,000 for full-time staff and $3,000 for part-time staff. The bill mandates that employees earn at least the schedule amount, but keeps higher existing salaries if they exceed the new standard. These grants, administered by the Office of Early Childhood, are designed to ensure equitable pay without requiring programs to pay more than the state grant covers.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Connecticut · Senate May 8, 2025

SB 1278: AN ACT CONCERNING LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE PREMIUM RATES.

SB 1278 modifies Connecticut's income tax code by updating specific deductions used to calculate taxable income. It repeals existing tax adjustments and adds new provisions, including adjustments for Social Security benefits and interest from Connecticut state bonds. The bill directly affects Connecticut residents who itemize deductions on their state tax returns, particularly those receiving Social Security income or investing in state-issued bonds. Key provisions allow taxpayers to subtract certain Social Security benefits (based on federal adjusted gross income thresholds) and interest from Connecticut government obligations from their taxable income. These changes apply to tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · Senate May 8, 2025

SB 1461: AN ACT CONCERNING THE TREASURER'S RECOMMENDATION FOR THE PAYDOWN OF SPECIAL TAX OBLIGATION INDEBTEDNESS.

SB 1461 establishes two new state funds to manage transportation debt: the Special Transportation Fund (for bonds financing infrastructure) and the Transportation Grants and Restricted Accounts Fund (for restricted transportation moneys). It requires the Treasurer to use any excess balance in the Special Transportation Fund (over 18% of annual appropriations) to pay down state transportation debt through redemption, open-market purchases, or setting aside funds to cover future payments. This directly affects state debt management for transportation projects funded by special tax bonds. The bill mandates annual reporting on these debt-reduction actions to the Governor and Investment Advisory Council.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Transportation