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HB 6277 Connecticut House · 2025 Regular Session

AN ACT CONCERNING THE ADOPTION OF ANIMALS FROM CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

HB 6277 (now Public Act 25-129) allows animals held at certain higher education institutions - such as university veterinary programs or research facilities - to be directly adopted by the public, rather than being transferred to shelters or euthanized. The bill establishes a streamlined process for these institutions to facilitate adoptions, removing prior barriers that required animals to be moved to external facilities first. This law applies specifically to institutions maintaining animal care programs and was signed into effect by the governor on July 8, 2025.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Jun 2025
Senate Passage
Jun 2025
Signed into Law
Jul 2025
Introduced Jan 23, 2025 Signed Jul 8, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Committee Bill → ENV Joint Favorable Substitute · 5 edits
MODERATE
The bill was significantly rewritten to change its focus from requiring animal breeders and testing facilities to adopt out animals, to requiring higher education institutions to adopt out research animals. The scope shifted from private breeders and testing facilities to public and independent colleges and universities.
Scope change
The bill's applicability changed from animal breeders and animal testing facilities to institutions of higher education (state system, public, and independent).
SCOPE

The bill now applies to institutions of higher education instead of animal breeders and animal testing facilities.

REQUIREMENT

Higher education institutions must offer cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, and dogs for adoption after research or testing is complete, provided the animals are no longer needed.

The previous requirement for animal breeders to offer animals for adoption for six weeks before euthanasia was replaced with the new higher education adoption requirements.

DEFINITION

A new definition was added for 'animal adoption or animal rescue organization' to specify it must be a nonprofit exempt from federal taxation that places animals from shelters or homes.

TIMELINE

The effective date remains October 1, 2025, but the bill structure changed from adding a new section to repealing and substituting an existing section (10a-150e).

Floor votes · Senate Jun 4, 2025 · House Jun 3, 2025

How they voted

36–0
Passed
Total votes 36
Jun 4, 2025
D Democratic25
25 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican11
11 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
22
Key actions
5
Committee
4
Jul 8, 2025
Signed into law
SIGNED BY GOVERNOR
lower
Jun 4, 2025
Upper · Passed
SENATE PASSED
upper
Jun 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
HOUSE PASSED
lower
Mar 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Joint Favorable Substitute
lower
Mar 17, 2025
Committee
REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Environment
lower
Mar 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
DRAFTED BY COMMITTEE
lower
Jan 23, 2025
Committee
REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Environment
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.