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HB 7059 Connecticut House · 2025 Regular Session

AN ACT STUDYING THE DANBURY BRANCH LINE OF THE METRO-NORTH COMMUTER RAILROAD AND CONCERNING THE CONNECTICUT PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL.

HB 7059 directs Connecticut's Commissioner of Transportation to study two specific actions: (1) operating hybrid trains on the Danbury Branch Line of Metro-North, and (2) extending the Danbury Branch Line to New Milford. The study must be completed by February 1, 2026, and reported to the legislature. Separately, the bill establishes the Connecticut Public Transportation Council - a 15-member body representing residents who use various rail lines (New Haven, Shore Line East, Hartford) and state-funded transit. Council members are appointed by legislative leaders and the governor, with terms of four years. This bill focuses solely on initiating studies and creating a council, not implementing immediate policy changes.
Issues: ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill studies rail line expansion and creates council to enhance public transit infrastructure, indicating support for transportation development.90% confidence
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 20, 2025 Last action May 7, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Raised Bill → TRA Joint Favorable Substitute · 6 edits
MODERATE
This bill was completely rewritten to shift focus from general rail funding to studying the Danbury Branch Line expansion and creating a new Connecticut Public Transportation Council. The original bill's funding provisions for the New Haven Line were removed, while a new council was established to oversee public transportation services across multiple rail lines.
Scope change
The bill's scope changed from general commuter rail funding to a specific study of Metro-North's Danbury Branch Line expansion to New Milford, and the creation of a new oversight council.
FISCAL

Removed all funding provisions for the New Haven Line that were designed to restore pre-pandemic funding levels.

Removed the State Bond Commission authorization for up to $20 million in bonds for commercial rail freight improvements.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for the Commissioner of Transportation to study hybrid train operations on the Danbury Branch Line and expansion to New Milford, with results due by February 1, 2026.

Removed the requirement that trains must have a minimum crew of two persons, which was previously in Section 2.

Removed the requirement for railroads to install hotbox detectors along every twenty-mile segment of passenger rail track.

SCOPE

Created a new Connecticut Public Transportation Council with 15 members representing various rail lines and public transit services.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
15
Key actions
3
Committee
4
May 5, 2025
Lower · Passed
Joint Favorable
lower
Apr 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
REF. BY HOUSE TO COMMITTEE ON Appropriations
lower
Mar 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Joint Favorable Substitute
lower
Feb 20, 2025
Committee
REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Transportation
lower
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.