This bill removes sales tax on clothing under $100, school supplies, and appliances, and eliminates a 1% tax on meals sold by grocery stores. It creates new tax credits for homeowners (increasing the existing credit), caregivers of elderly or disabled family members, and renters earning $75,000 or less for primary residence costs. These changes directly lower tax burdens for Connecticut residents, particularly lower- and middle-income households. The bill modifies sales tax rules and expands income tax credits to improve affordability.
HB 5288 modifies zoning and utility rules for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), commonly called "granny flats" or secondary units on the same property as a main home. The bill requires municipalities to allow ADUs on single-family lots "as of right" (without special approval) and prohibits local governments from charging separate utility connection fees for ADUs connected to the main house's existing utilities. It also bans requirements like separate utility billing, extra parking, or restrictions on tenant relationships. This directly affects homeowners seeking to create ADUs and local governments managing zoning and utility regulations.
SB 256 requires private equity entities (firms that pool investment capital to buy residential properties) to wait 75 days after a single-family or two-family home is listed for public sale before purchasing it. The bill mandates that if the listing price changes, the 75-day clock restarts. Private equity buyers must also provide written notice confirming the waiting period was observed. Violations may result in civil penalties up to $250,000, enforced by the Attorney General. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.
SB 272 modifies municipal blight enforcement by removing the requirement for municipalities to provide written notice and a remediation period for properties with three or more blight violations within a 12-month timeframe. It directly affects property owners in municipalities that enforce blight regulations, particularly those with repeated violations. The bill specifies that for such repeat cases, enforcement actions (including civil penalties) can occur immediately without prior notice or opportunity to fix issues. Penalties include daily fines ranging from $150 to $1,000 for residential properties and per-square-foot charges for larger residential or commercial properties, depending on violation history and property size. This change streamlines enforcement for persistent blight issues but maintains the core definitions and standards for blight regulation.
This bill allows homeowners to rent up to three bedrooms in their single-family home for six months or longer without needing special municipal approval. It directly affects single-family homeowners (who can rent bedrooms without permits) and municipalities (which can no longer ban such rentals through zoning rules). The key mechanism amends zoning laws to prohibit local bans on this rental type, making it "as of right" (meaning no special permit is required). This applies only to owner-occupants living in the home, not absentee landlords.
SB 274 requires nonresident rental property owners (those who don’t live at their properties) to register their current address and identifying information with municipalities. Cities with populations over 25,000 must collect this data from owners or their agents, and owners must update it within 21 days of any address change. The bill also increases fines for repeat violations of building and fire safety codes by property owners, and uses registered addresses to legally serve compliance notices.
