Transportation

This bill authorizes the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles to issue permits allowing organ transport vehicles to use specific colored lights, including blue, red, yellow, or white, either steady or flashing. It directly affects vehicles operated by employees of licensed organ procurement organizations while they are transporting organs, eyes, or human tissue for transplantation. The legislation creates a new permit category for these vehicles, enabling them to use lighting that would otherwise require authorization under current state law, which generally restricts colored and flashing lights on motor vehicles. The bill takes effect on October 1, 2026, and establishes that these vehicles must still comply with existing restrictions on light use for police officers and DMV inspectors.

This bill updates Connecticut's distracted driving laws by clarifying definitions of mobile phone use and restricting hand-held phone usage while driving. It directly affects all motor vehicle operators by prohibiting the use of hand-held mobile phones to make calls or operate mobile electronic devices like text messaging apps while operating a vehicle on highways. Key provisions establish a rebuttable presumption that holding a phone to or near the ear constitutes call engagement, while allowing exceptions for emergency communications, official duties of first responders and military personnel, and hands-free phone use. The law takes effect on October 1, 2026, and does not authorize confiscation of phones unless other laws permit it.

This bill requires Connecticut municipalities to allow the construction of middle housing developments near transit stations or highways on lots currently zoned for industrial use or previously zoned for residential use. It also permits such developments on lots zoned for general residential use, provided the municipality uses a streamlined review process. To encourage adoption, the bill awards municipalities additional points toward state housing goals for each approved middle housing unit, and it prevents towns from repealing these zoning rules during certain affordable housing moratorium periods.

This bill updates motor vehicle and medical licensing laws to improve accessibility and professional training. It requires disability parking placards to display expiration dates prominently in boldface and establishes an advisory council to prevent fraud while protecting disabled individuals. The council will develop educational materials and review best practices for placard use and parking access. Additionally, the bill mandates that physicians include specific training topics like cultural competency and risk management in their continuing medical education requirements. These changes aim to enhance system integrity and improve healthcare standards without altering existing rights for qualified individuals.

This bill updates Connecticut law to automatically suspend driver's licenses for individuals who repeatedly fail to stop for school buses with flashing red lights. It applies to all licensed drivers, youth instruction permit holders under 18, and unlicensed individuals attempting to operate vehicles. The law establishes specific suspension periods ranging from 30 days to five years depending on the type of violation and whether it is a first or subsequent offense. The commissioner of motor vehicles must enforce these suspensions without a hearing once the required number of violations is documented.

This bill amends a previous agreement to transfer three parcels of state land in Cheshire, Connecticut, to the town, allowing the town to sell the land for economic development, medical facilities, housing, or open space preservation. The town must sell the land at fair market value within five years, or by July 1, 2031, or the land will return to state ownership, with proceeds from any sale going to the state's Transportation Fund. The State Properties Review Board must approve the transfer within 30 days, and the Department of Transportation retains control of the land until the official conveyance is completed.

This bill updates Connecticut's highway safety laws by clarifying definitions of mobile devices and expanding restrictions on their use while driving. It directly affects all motor vehicle operators by prohibiting the use of hand-held mobile electronic devices for calls, texting, or viewing non-navigation content while operating a vehicle. The law allows exceptions for emergency communications with first responders, official duties of peace officers and emergency personnel, and the use of hands-free modes that keep both hands on the steering wheel. Navigation apps remain permitted if the device is securely mounted on the windshield, dashboard, or center console without obstructing the driver's view.

This bill establishes a new grant program to help municipalities and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection pay for training police officers in impaired driving enforcement and drug recognition. The program allows these entities to receive funding either to reimburse costs for training already completed on or after July 1, 2026, or to pay for future training sessions. Additionally, the bill changes how certain cannabis taxes are distributed, directing five percent of tax revenue from fiscal years 2027 and 2028 onward into a dedicated account that will fund this training program. The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management will manage the grants and submit annual reports to the legislature starting in 2028.

This bill establishes a rebate program to help Connecticut residents, businesses, and municipalities purchase or lease new or used electric vehicles, with priority given to low-income households and environmental justice communities. It also creates a matching grant program to help municipalities upgrade traffic signals for better transit efficiency and reduces congestion. Additionally, the bill sets a timeline requiring most school buses to be zero-emission or alternative fuel vehicles by 2035, with accelerated adoption in distressed municipalities.

This bill establishes a pilot program to test solar-powered noise barriers along state highways, aiming to reduce traffic noise while generating electricity. It requires the state transportation commissioner to install and evaluate one to three of these structures, consulting with utility regulators on power connections, and submit a detailed report by January 2028 on costs, performance, and environmental impacts. The legislation also updates vehicle noise regulations by reinforcing requirements for mufflers, exhaust systems, and horns, while increasing the fine for violations to $150,000 per offense. These changes directly affect state highway infrastructure projects and motor vehicle owners and operators.