AN ACT APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO THE NEGLECTED CEMETERY ACCOUNT AND CONCERNING CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF WARTIME VETERANS' GRAVES.
SB 282 requires Connecticut towns and cities to establish veteran oversight committees by January 2027 to monitor the care of veterans' graves from pre-1776 conflicts through modern U.S. military service. It mandates electronic complaint systems for both public cemeteries (managed by towns) and private cemeteries (e.g., nonprofit associations), with towns posting complaint addresses online. The bill also creates a grant program through the Department of Consumer Protection, providing funds to municipalities for grave maintenance costs starting October 2026. These provisions directly affect local governments, cemetery operators, and the ongoing upkeep of veterans' graves across Connecticut.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
House Passage
May 2026
Signed into Law
Jun 2026
Introduced Feb 19, 2026
Signed Jun 4, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
Raised Bill
→
VA Joint Favorable Substitute
·
5 edits
MODERATE
The bill was fundamentally rewritten to shift focus from a general veterans' grave upkeep program to a specific initiative for neglected cemeteries. The new version appropriates $100,000 to fund grants for towns with overgrown or decaying burial grounds, replacing the previous requirement for cities to appoint veteran committees to monitor individual graves.
Scope change
The bill's scope narrowed from a broad mandate for all municipalities to care for war veterans' graves to a targeted program for towns with neglected cemeteries containing more than six interments.
SCOPE
The primary purpose changed from appointing veteran committees to oversee individual graves to authorizing towns to clear weeds and repair fences in neglected cemeteries.
FISCAL
A specific appropriation of $100,000 was added to fund grants for municipal maintenance of neglected burial grounds.
TIMELINE
The effective date for the new cemetery maintenance provisions was changed from October 1, 2026, to July 1, 2026.
REQUIREMENT
The requirement for cities to appoint a committee of three veteran citizens to monitor individual graves was removed.
ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility for funding was changed to towns with burial grounds containing more than six interments that are overgrown or have broken fences.
Floor votes · Senate Apr 30, 2026 · House May 6, 2026
How they voted
36–0
Passed
Total votes 36
Apr 30, 2026
D
Democratic25
100% Yea
R
Republican11
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
29
Key actions
8
Committee
4
Amendments
2
Jun 4, 2026
Signed into law
SIGNED BY GOVERNOR
upper
May 6, 2026
Lower · Passed
HOUSE PASSED, SEN. AMEND. SCH. A
lower
May 6, 2026
Lower · Passed
HOUSE ADOPTED SEN. AMEND. SCH. A
lower
Apr 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
SEN. PASSED, SEN. AMEND. SCH. A
upper
Apr 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
SEN. ADOPTED SEN. AMEND. SCH. A
upper
Apr 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
Joint Favorable
upper
Apr 28, 2026
Upper · Passed
IMMEDIATE TRANSMITTAL TO COMMITTEE
upper
Mar 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Joint Favorable Substitute
upper
Feb 19, 2026
Committee
REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Veterans' and Military Affairs
upper
17 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Chris Poulos
DDemocratic
P
Christine Cohen
DDemocratic
P
Craig Fishbein
RRepublican
P
Donna Veach
RRepublican
P
Jaime Foster
DDemocratic/Independence/Working Families
P
Jason Doucette
DDemocratic
P
Jill Barry
DDemocratic
P
John Kissel
RRepublican
P
Kathy Kennedy
RRepublican
P
Ken Gucker
DDemocratic/Working Families
P
Kerry Wood
DDemocratic
P
Mary Welander
DDemocratic/Working Families
P
Michael DiGiovancarlo
DDemocratic/Working Families
P
Saud Anwar
DDemocratic
P
Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox
DDemocratic
P
Tami Zawistowski
RRepublican
P
Tom Delnicki
RRepublican
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