Connecticut Bills

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 3, 2025

SB 1454: AN ACT CONCERNING ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION IN BROWNFIELD PROGRAMS FOR CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES.

SB 1454 requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Economic and Community Development to study whether to expand eligibility for state brownfield cleanup programs to municipalities that previously created pollution at a site but have not added new pollution there for at least ten years. The study must examine existing programs under statutes 32-768 and 32-769, focusing on feasibility and potential benefits, and report findings to the legislature by February 1, 2026. This bill does not change current program rules or provide immediate eligibility - it only mandates a one-time study costing up to $250,000. It directly affects municipalities that meet the pollution history criteria but have no current pollution at the site. The study's purpose is to inform future legislative decisions about program expansion.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 3, 2025

SB 1467: AN ACT REQUIRING A REVIEW OF THE COSTS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES PROVIDED BY ALL PROVIDERS IN THIS STATE.

SB 1467 requires the state education commissioner to review all costs charged by providers of special education services - including regional centers and private providers - to local school districts. The review will examine how rates are set, reasons for rapid increases, rate variances between districts, equity in service access, and the feasibility of a diagnosis-based fee system. It mandates a report to lawmakers by February 15, 2026, summarizing findings and potential policy recommendations. This bill directly affects school districts paying for special education services and the providers delivering them, without changing current funding or rates.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 3, 2025

SB 1178: AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF THE ELECTRONIC BUSINESS PORTAL.

SB 1178 requires Connecticut's Commissioner of Economic and Community Development to study the state's electronic business portal (operating at business.ct.gov under section 3-99d of general statutes). The study must assess the portal's effectiveness, usability, user experience, and website traffic, then provide improvement recommendations. The commissioner must submit a report to the Commerce committee by February 1, 2026. This bill does not change the portal's operations but mandates a review to identify potential enhancements. The study is funded through a one-time $250,000 General Fund allocation for consulting services.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 3, 2025

HB 5574: AN ACT REQUIRING THE REPORTING OF THE STATUS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CREATES PROJECT REPORT CONCERNING DIGITIZATION AND OTHER UPGRADES AND REPORTS CONCERNING OVERTIME AND FINGERPRINTING.

HB 5574 requires state agencies to submit specific reports on progress toward implementing digitization recommendations from the 2021 CREATES project report, as well as on overtime usage and fingerprinting procedures. By February 1, 2026, the Office of Policy and Management must report on digitization efforts across seven state programs (including tax compliance, grants portals, and electronic health records), detailing staffing, funding, and savings. It also mandates annual reports on agency overtime practices and a one-time report from the Department of Emergency Services on fingerprinting for criminal checks, including processing times and reasons. The bill affects all state agencies by requiring them to document and share these operational details to the Government Oversight Committee. No new costs are expected, as agencies already have resources to fulfill these reporting requirements.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 3, 2025

SB 1209: AN ACT PROHIBITING THE DISCLOSURE OF THE RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT AND ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS DISCLOSURE EXEMPTIONS UNDER SAID ACT.

SB 1209 prohibits public agencies from disclosing the home addresses of public school teachers under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). It adds teachers employed by local or regional school boards to an existing list of protected professions (like police officers and judges) whose addresses are exempt from public disclosure. The bill also establishes a task force to study whether similar address disclosure exemptions should be expanded to cover additional public employees. This directly affects public school teachers by preventing their home addresses from being released in public records requests.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 3, 2025

SB 1389: AN ACT AUTHORIZING CERTAIN ORDINANCES CONCERNING STREET TAKEOVERS.

SB 1389 allows municipalities to pass local ordinances prohibiting "street takeovers" - defined as blocking traffic with intent to cause disorder or nuisance. The bill authorizes municipalities to seize and sell motor vehicles used in violations of such ordinances, with proceeds going to support local police departments or state troopers. Vehicle owners or lienholders are protected if they didn’t know the vehicle was being misused, and existing liens must be respected. This policy directly affects municipalities (which gain enforcement authority), vehicle owners involved in street takeovers, and local law enforcement (which may receive funding).

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Transportation

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 3, 2025

SB 525: AN ACT CONCERNING THE SELECTION OF CONTRACTORS FOR PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS.

SB 525 requires state contracting agencies to prioritize in-state manufacturers, fabricators, and erectors when awarding contracts for public building construction, renovation, or demolition projects. If no qualified in-state contractors are available, agencies must then prefer U.S.-based contractors instead of following the current rule that mandates selecting the lowest-cost, responsible bidder. This change overrides existing laws (sections 4a-57 and 4a-59) and will cost the state approximately $319,412 annually starting in fiscal year 2026 for new staff to manage the revised bidding process. The bill directly affects all state agencies administering public works projects, including departments, boards, and commissions, but excludes judicial/legislative branches.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 3, 2025

HB 6906: AN ACT CONCERNING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR FORMER FEDERAL EMPLOYEES.

HB 6906 requires Connecticut state agencies to give hiring preference to former federal employees laid off or retired since January 1, 2025. It directs the Commissioner of Administrative Services to consider their federal service years when setting state pay grades and classification. Additionally, the Labor Commissioner must host job fairs for these individuals by September 2025, and the University of Connecticut and Connecticut State University System must create a job portal for those who performed federally funded research. The bill affects state hiring practices and reemployment support for this specific group of workers.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 3, 2025

SB 1406: AN ACT CONCERNING ONLINE PLATFORMS THAT COLLECT CONTRIBUTIONS AND AUTHORIZING STATE ELECTIONS ENFORCEMENT COMMISSION JURISDICTION OVER VOTING AT THE MEETINGS OF CERTAIN DISTRICTS.

SB 1406 clarifies that certain activities, such as volunteer services, low-cost food donations, and specific advertising, do not count as campaign contributions under state law. It also sets new requirements for online platforms that collect political contributions: these platforms must obtain approval from the State Elections Enforcement Commission for their contributor verification process and cannot set up recurring donations without the contributor's explicit consent (pre-checked boxes do not count). The bill updates campaign finance rules to address digital fundraising while maintaining transparency. These provisions directly affect online platforms and political committees that use them to collect funds.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 3, 2025

HB 6517: AN ACT CONCERNING DISCLOSURES OF SALARY RANGES ON PUBLIC AND INTERNAL JOB POSTINGS.

HB 6517 requires all Connecticut employers (including state/local government and private businesses) to disclose the wage range and benefits description for every job opening in both public and internal job postings. It prohibits employers from asking about a job applicant’s salary history and bans retaliation against employees who discuss or inquire about pay. The law applies to all positions performed within Connecticut and takes effect October 1, 2025. Employers must provide wage ranges to applicants upon request or before salary discussions, and to current employees upon hire, role changes, or annual updates.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 3, 2025

SB 1482: AN ACT CONCERNING MAXIMIZING USE OF FEDERAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FUNDS AND THE RESTAURANT MEALS PROGRAM FOR THE NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF ELDERLY PERSONS AND OTHERS.

SB 1482 directs Connecticut to implement the federal Restaurant Meals Program (RMP), allowing eligible SNAP beneficiaries (60+ years old, disabled, homeless, or spouses of eligible recipients) to use their benefits at participating restaurants for meals. The bill requires the Commissioner of Social Services to develop a state plan by November 2025, submit a USDA application by December 2025, and report progress to the legislature. It establishes an advisory committee with stakeholder input to study best practices and recommend implementation steps. The law aims to maximize existing federal nutrition funds for elderly and vulnerable residents who currently cannot access restaurant meals with SNAP benefits.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 3, 2025

HB 7165: AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REVISIONS TO THE COMMERCE STATUTES.

HB 7165 requires Connecticut contractors receiving state financial assistance exceeding $1 million for construction projects to pay prevailing wages and make welfare fund contributions for workers. It directly affects businesses and contractors working on projects funded by the Department of Economic and Community Development, excluding certain nonprofits and chambers of commerce. The law mandates contracts include wage provisions tied to local rates, with penalties including $2,500-$5,000 fines per violation, disqualification from future state contracts (6 months for first offense, 2+ years for repeat), and allows project owners to terminate contracts or withhold payments for wage violations. The Department of Labor must determine prevailing rates in each town, and violations can be reported to prosecutors.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Bill results