Connecticut Bills

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 7, 2025

SB 1243: AN ACT CONCERNING BUS PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR VETERANS AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

SB 1243 exempts veterans with a state-issued veteran ID (like a driver's license marking veteran status) from paying bus fares on state-operated routes. It also creates a program allowing public high schools (grades 9-12) to obtain discounted or free bus passes for students, requiring schools to negotiate contracts with the Department of Transportation to cover costs. The DOT must publish program details online by August 2025 and report annually on pass usage and expenses. This directly affects veterans seeking free bus access and school districts participating in the student pass program.

Topics ✓ Transportation ✓ Veterans

Gary Winfield (D) Jenn Leeper (D) Steven Winter (D) Aundré Bumgardner (D) Jason Doucette (D)

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 3, 2025

HB 6881: AN ACT CONCERNING ARTS, CULTURE AND TOURISM.

HB 6881 requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Economic and Community Development to conduct a study on arts, culture, and tourism sectors, including investment and participation levels across the state. The study must examine current issues in these areas and be completed by January 1, 2026, with a final report submitted to the General Assembly's commerce committee. This bill does not create new programs or allocate funding, as it directs the existing agency to use current resources for the analysis. The study will provide data for future legislative decisions but does not directly affect residents, businesses, or cultural organizations. The bill has no fiscal impact on state or municipal budgets, as noted in the official fiscal analysis.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 3, 2025

HB 5609: AN ACT CONCERNING RETIREMENT BENEFITS AND WORKERS' COMPENSATION BENEFITS.

HB 5609 requires municipalities and special taxing districts with defined benefit pension systems to calculate retirement benefits using the higher of two amounts: the employee's regular wages used for final average salary (FAS), or the workers' compensation temporary disability benefits received during the same period used to determine FAS. This applies to all current and future employees whose disability benefits exceed their regular wages during the FAS calculation period, effective July 1, 2025. The bill does not affect existing collective bargaining agreements and will increase pension costs for municipalities when disability benefits are higher than regular wages. It directly affects municipal pension systems and employees who received workers' compensation during their FAS period.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 3, 2025

HB 7084: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM PLAN IN THE GREATER MYSTIC AREA.

HB 7084 establishes a working group to create an economic development and tourism plan for Groton and Stonington (the "greater Mystic area"). The group, composed of town officials, state transportation and revenue commissioners, and local traffic representatives, must develop a plan including tourism project proposals, transportation solutions (like water taxis and bike lanes), and parking analysis by February 1, 2026. The plan must also consider prior recommendations from a related special act. The bill has no fiscal impact on state or municipal budgets, as the working group will rely on existing expertise and consultations.

Topics ✓ Transportation

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 3, 2025

HB 7093: AN ACT CONCERNING REFERENDA, INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES AND OTHER CAMPAIGN FINANCE CHANGES.

HB 7093 removes limits on independent political spending by creating a new category of "independent expenditure political committee" that can make unlimited independent expenditures to support or oppose candidates, referendums, or political parties. It requires these committees to file detailed electronic reports within 24 hours for any expenditure over $1,000 related to state elections or referendums, including primary and general elections for governor, state senate, and state representative. The bill also clarifies that these committees may coordinate with other similar committees for spending purposes. This primarily affects political groups, nonprofits, and businesses engaging in election-related spending outside of direct candidate campaigns. The changes take effect upon passage and apply to all covered independent expenditures.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 3, 2025

HB 7089: AN ACT CONCERNING VARIOUS CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORMS RECOMMENDED BY THE STATE ELECTIONS ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION.

HB 7089 clarifies campaign finance rules by replacing the term "solicitor" with "collector" for individuals handling campaign funds. It strengthens enforcement by allowing the State Elections Enforcement Commission to remove or bar campaign finance managers for violations, and to suspend committee activities if needed. The bill requires all contributions to go directly to a committee's designated treasurer (not third parties), and updates rules about who can serve as a campaign finance manager. These changes directly affect political committees, candidate committees, and their finance managers operating under Connecticut's campaign finance laws.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 3, 2025

SB 515: AN ACT CONCERNING ADJUSTMENTS TO THE MAXIMUM INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTION AMOUNT UNDER THE CITIZENS' ELECTION PROGRAM.

SB 515 adjusts how the maximum individual contribution limit under Connecticut's Citizens' Election Program (CEP) is updated for inflation. It requires that once the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) adjusts the limit based on the consumer price index, the new amount remains in effect until the next adjustment - replacing the previous practice of annual changes. This directly affects individual donors and candidates seeking CEP funding, as it stabilizes contribution limits (currently $320 for 2024) until the next inflation update. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, with no fiscal impact to state or local governments.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 3, 2025

SB 1408: AN ACT REQUIRING A STUDY OF STATE AGENCY RESPONSE TIMES TO FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUESTS.

SB 1408 requires the Office of Policy and Management to study how quickly state agencies respond to public record requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The study, to be completed by February 15, 2026, will track average response times, document cases where delays led to complaints, and recommend potential improvements. This bill directly affects state agencies that handle FOIA requests and requires a one-time $300,000 expenditure for a consultant to conduct the analysis. It does not change FOIA laws but aims to identify systemic delays in government transparency.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 3, 2025

SB 1407: AN ACT CONCERNING AUDITS CONDUCTED BY THE STATE ELECTIONS ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION.

SB 1407 requires the State Elections Enforcement Commission (SEEC) to complete election audits within 12 months of receiving all necessary information, with audits of candidate committees for statewide offices always required. It mandates a public, weighted lottery system for selecting committees to audit (maximizing 50% of local candidate committees), and requires the SEEC to notify committees by May 31st after an election. The bill also obligates the SEEC to report annually to the Government Oversight Committee on any audits not completed within the 12-month deadline and the reasons for delays. This directly affects candidate committees for all state elections, particularly those seeking statewide office or local legislative seats.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 3, 2025

SB 1403: AN ACT CONCERNING BROWNFIELD REMEDIATION.

SB 1403 requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Economic and Community Development to study issues related to cleaning up and redeveloping brownfields - abandoned or underused properties with potential environmental contamination. The study must be completed by February 1, 2026, and reported to the legislature. This bill does not create new regulations, funding, or requirements; it solely directs a state agency to gather information on brownfield challenges. The study aims to inform future policy decisions but has no fiscal impact on state or local governments.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 3, 2025

HB 7195: AN ACT CONCERNING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR PARAEDUCATORS.

HB 7195 amends unemployment benefits to specifically include paraeducators (school support staff like instructional aides) employed by school districts, educational service centers, or charter schools. The bill requires administrators to determine on a case-by-case basis whether paraeducators have "reasonable assurance" of returning to the same job (e.g., via an offer for the next term at 90%+ of prior pay), and if denied benefits due to lack of assurance but no job offer was made, they receive retroactive payments. This directly affects paraeducators during typical school breaks, between academic terms, or during vacation periods when they would otherwise lose eligibility. The change ensures these workers qualify for unemployment benefits when not offered a return to work, aligning their eligibility with broader educational employee protections.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 3, 2025

HB 7197: AN ACT REQUIRING PAYCHECK TRANSPARENCY.

HB 7197 requires employers to provide employees with clear pay statements showing hours worked, gross earnings (separating regular and overtime pay), deductions, and net pay. Employers must also create a multilingual guide explaining all pay codes (like shift differentials, hazard pay, or holiday pay) and post it on their website with dispute resolution contact information. This guide must link to every pay statement, and employers must explain relevant pay codes to new hires. The law applies to all employers and takes effect October 1, 2025, with no fiscal impact to the state or municipalities.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill results