Yesterday marked the last day of this year’s legislative session, ensuring that state senators and representatives alike were busy discussing, debating, and ultimately voting on bills until the clock struck midnight. Here’s a list of bills that the House and Senate passed in concurrence in the final hour of last night’s session.

S.B. 200 AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY CONSUMER PROTECTION MEASURES

Establishes a task force to study consumer protection measures in the state.

S.B. No. 226 AN ACT INCREASING THE THRESHOLD FOR SEALED BIDDING ON CERTAIN MUNICIPAL CONTRACTS

Increases threshold for sealed bidding on municipal contracts for the purchase of real and personal property from $25,000 to $50,000.

S.B. 217 AN ACT CONCERNING A UNIVERSAL PATIENT INTAKE FORM FOR RECIPIENTS OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR CHILDREN

Creates a working group to create a universal patient form, so that parents can fill out a single form when bringing their children to different behavioral specialists, instead of filling out a separate form for each individual specialist.

S.B. 178 AN ACT REQUIRING THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF BARBERS, HAIRDRESSERS AND COSMETICIANS TO INCLUDE WORKING WITH TEXTURED HAIR

Mandates that all barbers, hairdressers, and cosmeticians must learn to work with textured hair (coily, wavy, or curvy hair) in order to become properly certified. 

S.B. 349 AN ACT CONCERNING DYSLEXIA SCREENING OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE INCARCERATED

Mandates the Department of Correction to create a system that would screen all new inmates for dyslexia within 60 days of their intake, and implement a system to screen all current inmates who began their stays before the bill was passed. Would also require screening for any pretrial detainees held for periods longer than six months.

S.B. No. 327 AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE EFFECTS OF HATE SPEECH AND BULLYING ON CHILDREN

Establishes a task force to study the impact of hate speech and bullying on children.

S.B. No. 341 AN ACT ESTABLISHING A FALLEN OFFICER FUND AND PROVIDING HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE TO SURVIVORS OF A POLICE OFFICER KILLED IN THE LINE OF DUTY.

Establishes a Fallen Officer Fund to provide lump-sum payments of $100,000 to families or beneficiaries of surviving officers who are lost in the line of duty. Also extends health insurance coverage to immediate surviving family members.

S.B. No. 307 AN ACT CONCERNING MEDICAID COVERAGE OF BIOMARKER TESTING.

Expands Medicaid coverage to include medically necessary biomarker testing, which is often used to identify and diagnose cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

S.B. No. 5 AN ACT CONCERNING SCHOOL RESOURCES

Makes several unrelated changes to education law. The two most notable changes include expanding eligibility for the Care 4 Kids program to parents enrolled in Medicaid, and making permanent the Open Choice pilot program for Norwalk schools.

S.B. 296 AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE ENFORCEMENT OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE GENERAL STATUTES CONCERNING ROAMING LIVESTOCK

Authorizes animal control officers to seek court orders and injunctions from the Superior Court in cases where dog and livestock owners allow their animals to graze on property they don’t own. Also requires livestock owners to install fences on their property, and creates a nine-member task force to study the enforcement of the law.

S.B. 435 AN ACT CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF FARM LAND AND OPEN SPACE LAND AND REVISIONS TO THE CONNECTICUT ENTITY TRANSACTIONS ACT.

Allows the Department of Agriculture to designate land as “farm land” or “open space land” so that owners can receive a reduced property tax rate. Bill also makes minor changes to existing law surrounding business mergers.

S.B. 220 AN ACT CONCERNING CLARIFYING THE APPEALS PROCESS UNDER THE PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE STATUTES.

Adds clarifying language to ensure residents receive a more consistent appeals process when appealing the State’s Department of Labor for previously denied Paid Family Medical Leave claims.

S.B. 360 AN ACT CONCERNING THE TRANSCRIPT FEES CHARGED BY OFFICIAL COURT REPORTERS AND COURT REPORTING MONITORS

Increases the per-page wage paid to official court reporters and reporting monitors from $3 per-page for the first transcript to $3.60 and from $1.75 per-page for subsequent copies to $2.10 per-page.

S.B. 439 AN ACT CONCERNING COMPENSATION FOR PERSONS WHO ARE WRONGFULLY INCARCERATED

Expands the rights and benefits of residents who pursue compensation from the state after being wrongfully incarcerated.

S.B. 339 AN ACT REQUIRING RESTITUTION WHEN A POLICE ANIMAL OR DOG IN A VOLUNTEER CANINE SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM IS INJURED OR KILLED

If a police dog is killed or injured in the line of duty, the person who killed or injured it now has to pay restitution to whichever law enforcement unit employs the dog.

S.B. 396 AN ACT IMPLEMENTING TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE ELDERLY NUTRITION PROGRAM

Makes changes to the elderly nutrition program’s funding and administration. 

S.B. 13 AN ACT INCENTIVIZING STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE

Expands employers’ student loan repayment program, allowing employers to claim tax credits on any loans paid for their employees, rather than just loans provided by the Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority (CHESLA). Caps the amount of yearly tax credits payable by the Department of Revenue Services at $10 million, with credits awarded on a first come, first serve basis. Also requires CHESLA to establish a subsidy program that would subsidize interest rates on loans issued to students who are employed in “high priority” occupations. Eligible occupations will be determined by CHESLA and the Office of Workforce Strategy.

S.B. 372 AN ACT CONCERNING PAYMENTS BY INSURANCE COMPANIES FOR DEPOSIT INTO THE INSURANCE FUND

Changes the structure of payments by insurance companies into the state Insurance Fund.

S.B. 407 AN ACT GRANTING VOCATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STUDENTS ACCESS TO WORKERS COMPENSATION

Establishes a 10 person task force to research the issue of granting agricultural students doing field work access to workers compensation.

H.B. 5512 AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF STATE REVENUE COLLECTIONS

Requires the Commissioner of Revenue Services to study the Department of Revenue Services’ collections processes.

S.B. 250 AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE GLOBAL ENTREPRENEUR IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM

Requires the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) to make recommendations to the Commerce Committee on the design and implementation of a program that would seek to attract and retain highly qualified employees from foreign countries.

S.B. 420 AN ACT CONCERNING ILLEGALLY PASSING A SCHOOL BUS

Changes existing law in regards to illegal passage of school buses.

S.B. 303 AN ACT CONCERNING THE LEGISLATIVE COMMISSIONERS’ RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TECHNICAL REVISIONS TO THE HIGHER EDUCATION STATUTES

Makes minor grammatical and technical changes to the State’s Higher Education Statutes.

S.B. 263 AN ACT CONCERNING CITIZENS’ ELECTION PROGRAM GRANTS FOR COURT-ORDERED PRIMARIES AND ELECTIONS AND FUNDING

Provides Citizens’ Election Program grants for certain primaries and court-ordered elections of primaries. Ensures adequate funding for the Program and includes events at which candidates are present in the definition of “organization expenditures.”

S.B. 264 AN ACT CONCERNING THE BONDING AUTHORITY OF THE CONNECTICUT MUNICIPAL REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, THE REPORTING OF MATERIAL FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS BY STATE AGENCIES, TAX-EXEMPT PROCEEDS FUND REFERENCES AND THE NOTIFICATION OF THE SALE OR LEASE OF PROJECTS FINANCED WITH BOND PROCEEDS

Aligns the Bonding Authority of the Connecticut Municipal Redevelopment Authority with other quasi-public organizations and makes procedural changes to how such organizations make transactions.

H.B. 5176 AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE PROVISION OF EMERGENCY TREATMENT AND TRANSPORTATION TO AN ANIMAL THAT IS INJURED IN THE PERFORMANCE OF ITS DUTIES UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A PEACE OFFICER

Creates a task force to study how service animals injured in the line of duty are treated.

S.B. 224 AN ACT REQUIRING NOTICE OF REVALUATION TO CERTAIN OWNERS OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS WITH DEFECTIVE CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS

Requires town assessors to notify owners of buildings that have been reassessed due to faulty foundations of upcoming revaluation cycles.

S.B. 343 AN ACT CONCERNING MEMBERSHIP OF THE CODES AND STANDARDS COMMITTEE AND BATTERY-CHARGED SECURITY FENCES

Expands membership of the Codes and Standards Committee and makes changes to the process through which the state Buildings Code is amended. Includes changes related to fences around swimming pools, battery-charged security fences and prohibits parking of electric vehicles in parking garages.

H.B. 5433 AN ACT ESTABLISHING A PROCEDURE FOR THE STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER TO MAKE DETERMINATIONS CONCERNING CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS

Establishes procedures through which State Historic Preservation Officers can make determinations and create mitigation plans for historic properties at risk of damage from environmental factors.

S.B. 199 AN ACT REQUIRING ONLINE PREVENTION EDUCATION FOR ELECTRONIC NICOTINE DELIVERY SYSTEM DEALER REGISTRATION

Requires the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) to create and administer an online prevention education program that must be completed by businesses that apply to sell e-cigarette devices.

S.B. 290 AN ACT CONCERNING MINOR REVISIONS TO ENVIRONMENT RELATED STATUTES

Makes technical revisions to environment-related statutes.

H.B. 5507 AN ACT CONCERNING STATE AGENCY AND COURT PROCEEDINGS RELATING TO ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINES 

Makes changes to how municipalities grant environmental compatibility and public need certificates to utility companies. These certificates are required for the construction of new electric lines. Also increases the fees utility providers must pay to municipalities from $25,000 to $75,000 when new electric or fuel lines, and other related utility infrastructure, are approved.

H.B. 5522 AN ACT CONVEYING A PARCEL OF STATE LAND IN THE TOWN OF WOODSTOCK

Will transfer a parcel of state land in the town of Woodstock into the possession of the YMCA of Metropolitan Hartford for seasonal use by Camp Woodstock.

Bills passed via Consent Calendar by the Senate

In an effort to maximize the amount of bills passed within time constraints, the Senate passed a large number of bills via consent calendar. Bills added to a consent calendar are voted on as a package, instead of individually. 

HB 5428, HB 5429, HB 5430, HB 5190, HB5299, HB 5227, HB 5407, HB 5517, HB 5518, HB 5149, HB 5338, HB 5128, HB 5239, HB 5363, HB 5367, HB 5373, HB 5426, HB 5153, HB 5155, HB 5157, HB 5466, HB 5500, HB 5262, HB 5267, HB 5273, HB 5199, HB 5285, HB 5399, HB 5291, HB 5293, HB 5483, HB 5200, HB 5198, HB 5352, HB 5503, HB 5350, HB 5171, HB 5003, HB 5304, HB 5353, HB 5428, HB 5429, HB 5430, HB 5511, HB 5190, HB 5299, HB 5227, HB 5407, HB 5517, HB 5518, HB 5149, HB 5338, HB 5128, HB 5239, HB 5363, HB 5367, HB 5373, HB 5426, HB 5153, HB 5155, HB 5157, HB 5466, HB 5500, HB 5262, HB 5267, HB 5273, HB 5199, HB 5285, HB 5399, HB 5291, HB 5293, HB 5483, HB 5200, HB 5198, HB 5352, HB 5503, HB 5350, HB 5171.

H.B. 5431 AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE STABILIZATION SUPPORT AND ARPA REPLACEMENT FUND

Easily the most controversial bill of the night, it creates a $3 million fund for “low income workers”, which would be disbursed at the discretion of the State Comptroller. Per the CT Mirror, House Speaker Matt Ritter (D-Hartford) admitted last week that the fund would be used to give unemployment benefits to striking workers.

Sen. Eric Berthel (R-Bethlehem) criticized the manner in which the bill was brought before the Senate, calling it “more trickery” and Sen. Robert Sampson (R-Southington) called it “the most brazen and absurd piece of legislation I’ve seen to date.” Sen. Sampson grilled the bill’s proponent, Sen. Julie Kushner (D-Danbury), in an attempt to get her to admit the true purpose of the bill, to which she did not budge. Sen. Sampson criticized the vague language of the bill, calling it a “slush fund.” In spite of Republican protests, it passed in a 23-12 vote, putting it in concurrence with the House. Governor Lamont called this bill “too cute by half” in a press conference on Thursday after the close of session, and has already announced his intent to veto the bill.

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