Connecticut Bills

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 486: AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES CONCERNING CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS OF EMPLOYEES WITH ACCESS TO TAX RECORDS.

This bill requires state agencies and contractors in Connecticut to conduct criminal background checks on employees who have access to federal tax records. The law mandates that applicants, transfer candidates, and current employees with such access submit written statements about any criminal convictions or pending charges and undergo fingerprinting for state and national criminal history checks. These background checks must occur at least every five years for all covered employees and contractors, ensuring ongoing security for sensitive tax information. The bill also extends these requirements to any subcontractors whose work involves accessing federal tax data, maintaining consistent security standards across all levels of employment.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 507: AN ACT CONCERNING THE CORRECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

This bill restructures the Correction Advisory Committee by updating how its eleven members are appointed to ensure broader representation of incarcerated individuals, legal experts, mental health and medical professionals, victims' rights advocates, and correctional specialists. The committee members will be selected by various legislative leaders, the Senate and House chairs, minority leaders, and the Governor, with specific roles assigned to each appointee to balance expertise with lived experience. The changes take effect on October 1, 2026, and aim to improve the committee's composition while maintaining its advisory function to the Department of Correction.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 8, 2026

HB 5512: AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING REAL PROPERTY CHANGE OF OWNERSHIP.

This bill amends Connecticut's public health regulations to clarify when ownership changes at healthcare facilities require state approval. It defines specific situations that do not count as ownership changes, such as corporate restructuring where beneficial ownership stays the same, public stock offerings that don't allow new owners to reach 10% stake, and transfers to nonprofit hospitals. The law also establishes a timeline requiring owners to submit applications at least 120 days before planned ownership transfers, while defining serious risks to patient safety that would trigger stricter review. Healthcare facility owners and operators will be directly affected by these new reporting and approval requirements.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 465: AN ACT CONCERNING EXPLORATORY COMMITTEES.

This bill updates Connecticut's campaign finance laws to clarify how candidates can form exploratory committees before officially announcing their candidacy. It allows candidates to raise small amounts of money, capped at $5,000, to gauge interest in running for public office without immediately establishing a full campaign committee. The bill requires candidates to convert these exploratory committees into official single-candidate committees within 15 days of publicly declaring their intent to seek office, with specific timing rules for state legislative and state office positions. Additionally, it mandates that any remaining funds from the exploratory committee be transferred to the official campaign committee or distributed to the Citizens' Election Fund under certain conditions. These changes aim to provide more structure and transparency for early-stage campaign fundraising while maintaining existing campaign finance regulations.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 8, 2026

HB 5549: AN ACT CONCERNING TECHNICAL REVISIONS TO STATUTES RELATED TO ELECTIONS.

This bill makes technical updates to Connecticut election laws to clarify how voter qualifications are examined and approved. It allows town clerks and registrars of voters to review voter applications at various locations including DMV offices, public places, and the officials' regular offices, provided proper notice is given for non-standard locations. The legislation also defines who qualifies as a permanently physically disabled person and establishes procedures for their admission as electors, including home visits for those unable to travel to official offices. These changes take effect on October 1, 2026, and aim to streamline the voter registration process while maintaining existing oversight requirements.

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 8, 2026

HB 5553: AN ACT CONCERNING MINOR AND TECHNICAL CHANGES TO AN ABSENTEE VOTING STATUTE.

This bill updates Connecticut's absentee voting laws to clarify which groups can use federal absentee ballot forms. It allows members of the armed forces, their families, certain religious and welfare group members serving with the military, U.S. civilian employees working outside the state, temporarily residing U.S. citizens abroad, and overseas citizens under federal voting acts to use federal application forms. The changes take effect on October 1, 2026, and streamline the process for eligible voters who cannot appear at their polling place for reasons specified in state law.

Topics ✓ Veterans

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 459: AN ACT CONCERNING THE SECRETARY OF THE STATE'S RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE CIRCULATION OF PRIMARY AND NOMINATING PETITIONS AND DISTRIBUTION OF ABSENTEE BALLOT APPLICATIONS.

This bill requires that anyone collecting signatures for primary election petitions be a registered party member of the municipality where they circulate the petition, and it mandates that petition pages include a registrar statement confirming the circulator's status. The legislation also introduces criminal background checks for all petition circulators and prohibits individuals convicted of crimes under election laws from circulating petitions during probation, parole, and for twelve years after release. Additionally, the bill restricts candidates from circulating petitions for other candidates in the same race and limits how many petition pages a single person can collect. These measures apply to both the Secretary of the State and local registrars who process and verify petition pages.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 91: AN ACT ENHANCING THE INVESTIGATIVE AUTHORITY OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AND ESTABLISHING PROTECTED AREAS.

This bill (SB 91) is a definitional update, not a substantive policy change. It repeals and replaces existing legal definitions in the statutes (specifically Section 53a-3) to standardize terms like "person," "physical injury," "deadly weapon," and "peace officer" for consistent legal interpretation. The bill does not create new laws, affect specific groups, or establish "protected areas" as its title suggests - those terms do not appear in the actual text. It solely clarifies terminology used in criminal and legal contexts across Connecticut statutes.

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 193: AN ACT ESTABLISHING LICENSURE FOR LONG-TERM ACUTE CARE HOSPITALS.

SB 193 establishes a licensing requirement for long-term acute care hospitals in the state. This bill directly affects facilities that provide extended, intensive medical care for patients with complex, chronic conditions requiring hospital-level treatment beyond typical acute care stays. The legislation repeals an existing section of law and creates a new licensing framework, requiring these hospitals to obtain and maintain a state license to operate. The bill defines "long-term acute care hospital" as a specific type of facility within broader healthcare definitions but does not detail the specific licensing standards or requirements.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Connecticut · House Apr 8, 2026

HB 5147: AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES REGARDING THE SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECTS STATUTES.

HB 5147 revises the formula for calculating school building project grants, directly affecting all towns and school districts applying for these funds. It bases grant percentages on a town's wealth ranking (using adjusted equalized net grand list per capita from prior years) and sets specific ranges: 10-70% for new construction, 20-80% for renovations, and requires large towns (80,000+ population) to receive at least 60% of funding. The bill also guarantees Cheshire a minimum of 50% for eligible projects. This change implements Department of Administrative Services recommendations to modernize grant distribution.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 194: AN ACT CONCERNING CARDIAC SCREENING AND SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST PREVENTION FOR CERTAIN STUDENT ATHLETES.

SB 194 requires cardiac screening for student athletes participating in high-intensity sports like football, basketball, and soccer. Starting July 1, 2027, schools must provide parents with a screening form asking about chest pain, fainting, or family history of sudden cardiac death. Students reporting these risk factors must get an EKG test and doctor's written clearance before participating. The bill also mandates schools to implement a cardiac awareness program for athletes and coaches, outlining warning signs and medical response protocols, with parent consent forms distributed annually. This directly affects student athletes in specified sports and their families through new health screening and education requirements.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

in committee · Connecticut · Senate Apr 8, 2026

SB 290: AN ACT CLARIFYING THE MEANINGS OF "SEXUAL INTERCOURSE" AND "SEXUAL CONTACT".

SB 290 clarifies the legal definitions of "sexual intercourse" and "sexual contact" in the state's sexual assault laws. It specifies that prosecutions under sections 53a-70 to 53a-73a may be based on either a single act or multiple acts occurring as a continuous pattern of behavior. This change directly affects prosecutors, defendants, and courts handling sexual assault cases by providing a clear standard for what constitutes a single course of conduct. The bill does not alter criminal penalties but ensures consistent application of these definitions to all cases occurring before, on, or after its effective date.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Bill results