Budget & Taxes

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 100: AN ACT REDUCING CERTAIN PERSONAL INCOME TAX MARGINAL RATES.

SB 100 reduces the two lowest personal income tax rates for eligible taxpayers. It eliminates the 2% tax rate for single filers earning under $100,000 annually and lowers the 4.5% rate to 3% for those in that bracket. Similarly, it removes the 2% rate for married couples filing jointly earning under $200,000 and reduces the 4.5% rate to 3% for them. The bill directly affects low-to-moderate income earners by decreasing their tax burden on the lowest income levels. These changes apply to taxable income falling within the specified thresholds under the state's income tax code.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReduces tax rates for low-to-moderate income earners, providing direct tax relief as explicitly stated in the bill's summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Income Tax

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in committee · Connecticut · House Feb 10, 2026

HB 5129: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A SURCHARGE ON HIGH-VALUE RECREATIONAL VESSELS AND CONCERNING THE USE OF THE REVENUE GENERATED.

HB 5129 would require owners of high-value recreational vessels (such as expensive boats and yachts) to pay an additional surcharge. The revenue generated from this surcharge would be dedicated to reducing and eliminating the property tax on motor vehicles, including cars and trucks. This bill directly affects vessel owners through a new fee and vehicle owners through potential tax relief, creating a funding mechanism to lower vehicle taxes by taxing a specific category of recreational boats.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill imposes surcharge on luxury vessels to fund vehicle tax relief, directly shifting tax burden to high-value recreational boats while reducing property taxes on cars/trucks, advancing fiscal management.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Fees & Licensing Property Tax Sales Tax

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in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 20, 2026

SB 3: AN ACT CONCERNING HEALTH CARE AFFORDABILITY.

SB 3 requires the state to cover the full cost of health care premium increases for people enrolled in Access Health CT who have household incomes between 500% and 600% of the federal poverty level. This directly affects moderate-income residents who rely on Access Health CT for health insurance, ensuring they do not face higher out-of-pocket costs due to premium hikes. The bill mandates a state appropriation from the General Fund to pay for these increases, rather than shifting the cost to enrollees. It aims to maintain affordability amid federal subsidy reductions, without creating new programs or altering eligibility criteria.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates state appropriation from General Fund to cover health care premiums, increasing public spending on essential services for moderate-income residents.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds premium coverage for moderate-income Access Health CT enrollees, preventing out-of-pocket cost increases and protecting access to health insurance.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Insurance

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in committee · Connecticut · Senate Feb 4, 2026

SB 40: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TAX CREDIT FOR EDUCATIONAL ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS.

SB 40 establishes a state tax credit for individuals and businesses that donate to nonprofit organizations providing educational access and opportunity scholarships. The credit would allow donors to reduce their state income tax liability by a portion of their donation amount, directly incentivizing private funding for scholarship programs. This bill primarily affects taxpayers who make qualifying donations and the nonprofits administering these scholarships, without specifying credit percentages or donation limits. The legislation aims to expand private support for educational opportunities through tax incentives, as stated in its purpose.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates tax credit providing tax relief to donors, incentivizing private funding for education scholarships, directly addressing tax policy and fiscal management.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates tax incentives for donations to scholarship programs, directly expanding educational access and opportunity through private funding mechanisms.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Tax Credits Tax Incentives School Choice Student Financial Aid

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in committee · Connecticut · Senate Feb 20, 2026

SB 114: AN ACT ELIMINATING THE QUALIFYING INCOME THRESHOLDS FOR THE PERSONAL INCOME TAX DEDUCTIONS FOR SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS.

SB 114 eliminates income limits that currently restrict who can deduct Social Security benefits from their state personal income tax. It directly affects all Social Security benefit recipients in the state who pay income tax, removing the previous requirement that their total income must fall below specific thresholds to qualify for the deduction. The bill amends Section 12-701 of the general statutes to remove these qualifying income thresholds entirely. This change means anyone receiving Social Security benefits would automatically qualify for the tax deduction regardless of their total income level. The policy change simplifies the deduction process for eligible taxpayers without altering the deduction amount itself.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEliminates income limits for Social Security tax deduction, providing tax relief to more recipients by expanding eligibility.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransRemoves income limits on Social Security tax deductions, directly benefiting veterans who receive Social Security benefits as a primary income source.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax

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in committee · Connecticut · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 211: AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO INVESTIGATE AND ENFORCE CONDUCT RELATING TO HEALTH INSURANCE PRACTICES.

SB 211 appropriates $5 million from the General Fund to the Attorney General's office for fiscal year 2027. This funding expands the office's capacity to investigate and enforce actions by health insurance companies (referred to as "health carriers") that impact healthcare access, inflate consumer costs, or violate federal/state law. The bill requires the Attorney General to submit a report to relevant legislative committees by February 1, 2028, summarizing all investigations or enforcement actions taken. The measure directly affects health insurance carriers and the Attorney General's office, with no new regulatory requirements for insurers beyond existing enforcement authority.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $5M from General Fund to enforce health insurance regulations, increasing state budget allocation for consumer protection and healthcare access oversight.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds $5M to investigate health insurers impacting access/costs, advancing consumer protections and enforcement against harmful practices.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget Insurance

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in committee · Connecticut · House Feb 10, 2026

HB 5103: AN ACT INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF THE PERSONAL INCOME TAX DEDUCTION FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO 529 QUALIFIED STATE TUITION PROGRAMS.

HB 5103 increases the personal income tax deduction for contributions to state-run 529 college savings plans from $5,000 to $15,000 annually for individual taxpayers. The bill directly affects residents who contribute to Connecticut's 529 tuition programs, allowing them to reduce taxable income by a larger amount. Key provision: it amends the tax code to raise the deduction limit without changing eligibility rules for the state's 529 plans. This is a concrete policy change to enhance tax benefits for college savings, not a procedural measure. The bill aims to make saving for education more financially accessible for Connecticut taxpayers.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases tax deduction for 529 contributions, providing direct tax relief to individual taxpayers saving for education.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases tax deduction for 529 college savings, enhancing higher education access and affordability through direct financial incentive to families.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Higher Education

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in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 7, 2026

HB 5298: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A GRANT PROGRAM FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURE PROJECTS TO PLACE OR MAINTAIN WAR OR VETERANS' MEMORIALS OR MONUMENTS.

HB 5298 establishes a state grant program administered by Connecticut's Department of Veterans Affairs, providing funding for capital projects benefiting veterans. It directly assists municipalities and nonprofit veterans' organizations by covering costs for repairing mechanical systems at homes of elderly, disabled, or low-income veterans, and maintaining veterans' memorials or monuments. The program, effective October 1, 2026, will be funded through state bonds (with bond details to be finalized), requiring the department to develop eligibility criteria by January 2027 and submit annual reports to the legislature. This creates a structured, state-funded mechanism to support physical infrastructure needs specific to veterans' communities.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state bond funds for veterans' capital projects, increasing government spending on public services (veterans' programs). Directly supports budget & taxes through new appropriations.90% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransEstablishes grant program funding home repairs for vulnerable veterans and memorial maintenance, directly advancing veterans' services through state-funded capital projects.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Government Spending Memorials & Recognition Veteran Healthcare Veteran Housing

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in committee · Connecticut · Senate Feb 4, 2026

SB 62: AN ACT AUTHORIZING BONDS OF THE STATE FOR THE ENHANCEMENT AND EXTENSION OF HIGH-SPEED BROADBAND INTERNET ACCESS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES.

SB 62 authorizes the state to issue bonds up to a specified amount to fund high-speed broadband improvements in rural areas. The proceeds will be distributed as grants by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to enhance and extend broadband internet and cellular service access. This bill directly affects rural communities by targeting funding to address connectivity gaps in underserved areas. It creates a mechanism for state financial support through bond issuance, with no specific dollar amount listed in the proposed text. The policy change focuses on expanding infrastructure access, not on regulatory or tax measures.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes state bond issuance to fund rural broadband infrastructure, constituting government spending for public service expansion under budget appropriations.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyAuthorizes state bonds to fund rural broadband expansion, directly advancing internet access in underserved areas per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Debt & Bonds Broadband Access Telecommunications Tags Rural Communities

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in committee · Connecticut · Senate Feb 4, 2026

SB 73: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A NONREFUNDABLE PERSONAL INCOME TAX CREDIT FOR THE PURCHASE OF A GUN SAFE.

This bill establishes a nonrefundable personal income tax credit of up to $150 for individuals who purchase a gun safe for personal use. The credit reduces the amount of state income tax owed but cannot result in a refund if the credit exceeds the tax liability. It directly affects individual taxpayers who buy gun safes, providing a tax benefit for this specific purchase. The policy change creates a new tax incentive without altering firearm regulations or safety standards.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates a tax credit (reducing tax liability) for gun safe purchases, providing direct tax relief under state tax policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Sales Tax Tax Credits

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