HB 5249 Connecticut House · 2026 Regular Session

AN ACT AMENDING THE CHARTER OF THE SOUTH CENTRAL CONNECTICUT REGIONAL WATER AUTHORITY CONCERNING THE POTENTIAL ACQUISITION OF A WATER COMPANY.

HB 5249 amends the charter of the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority to adjust its board composition if it acquires Aquarion Water Company. The bill reduces the number of South Central district-appointed board members from six to five and increases Aquarion Regional Water District-appointed members from five to six, totaling eleven members. All board members must be Connecticut residents without political affiliation, appointed by local boards under specific voting rules, with staggered terms (including a 3-year initial term). The changes only apply after the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority approves the acquisition, requiring written notice to relevant entities upon approval. This is a procedural adjustment to governance structure, not a policy change affecting water rates or service.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 19, 2026 Last action Apr 2, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Raised Bill ET Joint Favorable Substitute · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill was converted from a 'Raised Bill' to a 'Substitute Bill' following committee review, indicating it has been amended to address concerns or align with other legislation. The substantive changes redefine the legal definition of a 'water company' to clarify which entities are subject to regulation, specifically narrowing the scope to exclude certain homeowner and condominium associations. Additionally, the bill updates the statutory citations and procedural language regarding the appointment and authority of the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority board.
Scope change
The scope of the bill was narrowed regarding the definition of regulated entities; the new definition explicitly excludes specific types of residential water associations that were previously included or ambiguously defined.
DEFINITION

The definition of 'water company' was rewritten to clarify that it includes owners of water systems for 50+ consumers but explicitly excludes homeowners associations and condominium associations that provide water only to their own unit owners.

REQUIREMENT

The bill updated the legal citations for the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority, changing references from 'special acts' to 'public act 24-1 of the June special session' to reflect current statutory status.

TECHNICAL

The bill header was changed from 'Raised Bill' to 'Substitute Bill' and the committee reference was updated to reflect its status as a joint substitute favorably reported by the committee.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
9
Key actions
1
Committee
2
Mar 17, 2026
Lower · Passed
Joint Favorable Substitute
lower
Feb 19, 2026
Committee
REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Energy and Technology
lower
14 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors