Connecticut Bills

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 9, 2026

SB 464: AN ACT STUDYING COMPENSATION OF ELECTION WORKERS DURING THE EARLY VOTING PERIODS PRECEDING AND ON THE DAY OF ELECTIONS, PRIMARIES AND REFERENDA.

This bill establishes a task force to study how election workers are paid during early voting periods and on election days. The task force will include members appointed by both major political parties in the House and Senate, along with the ability for General Assembly members to serve. The group is required to submit a report with findings and recommendations by January 1, 2027, to the committee overseeing election matters. The study focuses specifically on compensation for registrars, town clerks, and other local election officials, but does not implement any immediate changes to pay rates.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 9, 2026

SB 461: AN ACT CONCERNING POLITICAL SPENDING AND STATE-GRANTED CORPORATE POWERS.

This bill restricts corporations from making political expenditures directly, requiring them to channel such spending through established political committees instead. It applies to all corporations formed or authorized to do business in Connecticut and takes effect on January 1, 2027. Corporations that violate this spending restriction face potential administrative dissolution or revocation of their authority to conduct business in the state. The legislation also updates existing corporate powers and administrative dissolution procedures to enforce these new political spending rules.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 9, 2026

HB 5517: AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION SERVICES' RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING RECOVERY-FRIENDLY LANGUAGE AND VARIOUS REVISIONS TO MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION STATUTES.

This bill updates Connecticut's mental health and addiction statutes to promote recovery-friendly language and clarify definitions related to prevention and research-based programs. It requires the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to incorporate specific terminology changes and mandates a ten-year plan addressing child poverty reduction through various support services. The legislation also expands required school curricula to include mental health, substance use prevention, and financial literacy education while allowing local advisory councils to assist schools with prevention efforts. These changes aim to standardize language across state programs and enhance educational resources for students and families.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 9, 2026

SB 474: AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROVISION OF ANNUAL TRAINING TO A PERSON APPOINTED AS A CONSERVATOR IN A PROBATE COURT PROCEEDING.

This bill requires individuals appointed as conservators in Connecticut Probate Court proceedings to complete an annual training program starting October 1, 2026. The training, funded by the Probate Court Administrator, covers legal duties, ethical responsibilities, court procedures, and available support resources. Conservators who fail to complete the training without good cause may face removal from their position. The program will also be available to conservators appointed before the deadline, with a potential fee of up to $35 for those early participants.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 9, 2026

HB 5548: AN ACT CONCERNING REVISIONS TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT CONCERNING EMPLOYEE RESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES AND CERTAIN HIGHER EDUCATION RECORDS.

This bill amends Connecticut's Freedom of Information Act to protect the residential addresses of specific public employees, including judges, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and social workers, from being disclosed in public records. It requires agencies to redact these addresses from released documents and lists when individuals in these roles submit a written request for privacy and provide a business or office address instead. The law also extends similar protections to municipal election officials, with special timing rules that apply before and after elections. While business addresses and office locations remain publicly accessible, the residential addresses of covered personnel can no longer be shared through FOIA requests once they have opted for confidentiality.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

passed · Connecticut · Senate Apr 9, 2026

SB 402: AN ACT REVISING THE DEFINITION OF "RETIRED POLICE OFFICER" FOR PURPOSES OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS REGARDING SCHOOL SECURITY SERVICES.

This bill updates the definition of "retired police officer" to clarify who can be hired for armed security work in Connecticut public schools. It specifically disqualifies individuals who are prohibited from being hired by law enforcement units due to past misconduct, such as dismissal for malfeasance or resignation during an investigation. To qualify, retired officers must have served with local, state, federal, or out-of-state police agencies, retired in good standing, and meet federal standards for qualified retired law enforcement officers. The law also requires these officers to complete annual firearms training and exempts them from certain licensing requirements.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Education

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 9, 2026

HB 5516: AN ACT CONCERNING REPRODUCTIVE AND GENDER-AFFIRMING HEALTH CARE SERVICES.

This bill protects health care providers from being fired, disciplined, or demoted if they provide reproductive health care services or gender-affirming care within their professional scope and standard of practice. It requires health care entities to allow providers to give patients comprehensive, medically accurate information about their health status and available treatment options without fear of retaliation. However, the law does not prevent health care entities from requiring providers to share information about all legal care options, including vaccinations, or from enforcing insurance network rules and quality safety guidelines. The protections apply only to providers acting in good faith and within their licensed areas of expertise.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 9, 2026

HB 5513: AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING VARIOUS REVISIONS TO THE PUBLIC HEALTH STATUTES.

This bill updates Connecticut public health statutes to address three main areas: handling abandoned human remains, protecting Social Security numbers on death certificates, and clarifying food safety regulations. It allows the Department of Public Health to appoint licensed embalmers to dispose of abandoned bodies or cremated remains when funeral directors fail to transfer custody, requiring notification within seven days. The bill also restricts access to Social Security numbers on death certificates to specific authorized parties like family members and government agencies, mandating redaction for most requests. Finally, it redefines categories of food establishments and related terms to improve clarity in food safety enforcement, distinguishing between different types of retail food operations based on their risk levels.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 9, 2026

SB 451: AN ACT ESTABLISHING AN ADVISORY COUNCIL ON CHIMERIC ANTIGEN RECEPTOR T-CELL THERAPY AND OTHER GENE THERAPIES.

This bill creates a new advisory council to oversee the development and delivery of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy and other gene therapies for cancer treatment within the state. The council will advise the Department of Public Health on issues such as patient access, safety protocols, training for medical providers, and equitable distribution of care across different communities. It will be composed of 22 members including state officials, medical experts, patient advocates, and representatives from healthcare organizations, with appointments beginning by October 2026. The council will hold public hearings, research best practices, and work to establish centers of excellence and a statewide referral network to ensure all eligible patients can receive these advanced treatments.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 9, 2026

HB 5511: AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING CONSENT ORDERS.

This bill updates the Connecticut General Statutes to clarify the Department of Public Health's authority to resolve compliance disputes through agreed settlements or consent orders. It directly affects the state's public health commissioner, local health directors, and regulated entities by formalizing the department's ability to use consent orders as an enforcement tool. The key provision allows the commissioner to include necessary conditions in permits and orders to ensure regulatory compliance while maintaining confidentiality for client identifier systems. The law also strengthens the commissioner's oversight role over local health directors, including procedures for investigating impropriety and requiring written reports on compliance reviews.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 9, 2026

HB 5449: AN ACT CONCERNING AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER SYSTEMS.

This bill restricts how Connecticut public agencies and law enforcement can use automated license plate reader systems starting October 1, 2026. It limits their use to specific purposes like weighing station operations, vehicle maintenance, and comparing plates against criminal or missing person databases, while requiring most collected data to be deleted within seven days. The legislation also prohibits using this technology to monitor individuals based on protected characteristics such as race, gender identity, or immigration status, and bans collecting data near reproductive health facilities or immigrant-serving organizations.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 9, 2026

HB 5552: AN ACT CONCERNING REQUIREMENTS FOR STATE CONTRACTS CONCERNING AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE READER INFORMATION.

This bill establishes new rules for contracts between Connecticut public agencies and companies that operate automated license plate readers, effective October 1, 2026. It requires these contracts to prohibit vendors from selling, sharing, or storing license plate data outside the state without specific written permission, and mandates that vendors agree to Connecticut law and local courts for any legal disputes. The bill also classifies license plate information as confidential, limiting public access except for vehicle owners or non-identifying data used for auditing. These provisions aim to control how private companies handle vehicle data collected by law enforcement and traffic monitoring systems.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

Bill results