HB 5010 would amend state tax law to exclude tips or gratuities and overtime pay from taxable personal income. This change directly affects workers who earn these specific income types, such as servers, hospitality staff, and hourly employees receiving overtime. The bill's key provision requires updating the tax code to remove these earnings from the base used to calculate personal income tax. As a result, individuals would pay income tax only on their regular wages, not on declared tips or overtime earnings.
SB 346 modifies Connecticut's Governor's Workforce Council membership to align with federal law. The bill specifies that the council must include 30 business representatives (with at least one representing small businesses and one an expert in residential construction), four labor organization representatives, and members from education, community organizations, vocational schools, local government, and workforce training programs. It requires all appointments to reflect state diversity (geographic, gender, racial, and ethnic) and mandates quarterly meetings. The changes aim to comply with the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014.
HB 5267 modifies Connecticut's workers' compensation law to clarify eligibility for incapacity benefits. It specifically prohibits employees who have elected to retire from receiving benefits if they later experience an injury or illness that causes incapacity. The key provision (Section 31-307(a), effective October 1, 2026) states that retirement eligibility eliminates future benefit claims for work-related incapacity. This directly affects workers who retire and then suffer work-related injuries, removing their access to weekly compensation payments under the current system.
SB 61 creates a voluntary payroll tax that employers may choose to pay, paired with a personal income tax credit for eligible employees. Employers who opt to participate in this program would pay the tax, and their qualifying employees would receive a corresponding tax credit on their state income tax returns. The bill specifically targets certain employees of participating employers, though it does not detail eligibility criteria in the provided text. This establishes a direct financial benefit for employees through the tax credit mechanism, contingent on employer participation.
SB 69 would eliminate Connecticut's Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) by repealing the statute (section 12-704e) that created the program. This change would directly affect low-to-moderate income working individuals and families, particularly those with children, who currently qualify for the credit. The bill's key mechanism is the simple repeal of the existing law, removing the eligibility and calculation rules for the credit. As a result, qualifying residents would no longer receive this refundable tax credit, reducing their annual tax refund or increasing their tax liability. The bill does not create new provisions but removes the current program.
SB 66 would create a temporary tax deduction for workers who declare tips or gratuities on their income tax returns. It allows a deduction of up to $25,000 per year for tips earned during 2026-2028, reducing taxable income for affected workers. The deduction phases out for single filers with incomes over $150,000 and married couples filing jointly over $300,000. This policy directly impacts service industry workers who report tip income, lowering their tax burden for the specified period.
This bill requires healthcare facilities and schools to cover medical costs and pay full salary for staff injured during work-related assaults or aggressive incidents. It creates a system for reporting patient violence in digital health records (with patient appeal options) and ensures absences due to such incidents don’t count against paid leave. Directly affects healthcare workers, teachers, and school staff who face workplace violence while performing job duties.
HB 5227 requires anyone performing paid mold remediation in Connecticut to hold a state-issued certification starting January 1, 2027. Certification must be obtained from approved organizations like the Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC) or the National Organization of Remediators and Microbial Inspectors (NORM), with existing licensed contractors exempt from this requirement. The law also mandates a public awareness campaign about mold health risks and annual reports from the Department of Consumer Protection on mold science, remediation standards, and recommended policy changes. These provisions directly affect mold remediation service providers, aiming to standardize practices and improve public safety information.
HB 5280 prevents employers from being charged for unemployment benefits paid to employees participating in the state's voluntary shared work program during periods of high unemployment or extended benefit periods. It directly affects employers using the shared work program and employees receiving benefits through it during designated high-unemployment periods. The key mechanism requires that no employer experience account be charged for such benefits starting January 1, 2027, until the federal government ends the high-unemployment designation. This change shifts the cost of these benefits from employers to the state unemployment fund during qualifying periods.
HB 5051 would allow Connecticut taxpayers to deduct tips or gratuities and overtime pay from their state personal income tax, but only for amounts already deductible on federal income tax returns. This directly affects service industry workers (like servers or hospitality staff) and employees who regularly earn overtime, potentially reducing their state tax burden. The bill’s key mechanism is aligning Connecticut’s tax deduction with federal tax rules, meaning the state would mirror the federal treatment of these income types. It does not create new deductions but expands existing federal-eligible deductions to state tax filings. The bill is sponsored by Representatives Carney, Pavalock-D’Amato, Polletta, and Vail.
