Manufacturing laws might be changing in Connecticut.
The Commerce Committee moved forward two manufacturing bills at its meeting on March 13. These proposed laws lessen reporting requirements for manufacturing companies and propose that the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) study industry needs in the state.
The first bill, SB1455, “An Act Concerning Certain Business Report Requirements,” was moved to the Committee’s consent calendar. The bill would change reporting requirements for manufacturing businesses. This is a line item that would incorporate three data points that will be required for manufacturing businesses to self-report.
“Several years ago, there was a proposal to add 15 data points to the quarterly reporting that employers must file. This committee at that time dialed that back having heard the business community that it would be an incredible burden (and) expense to add that number of data points. At that time, we kept three of those data points,” Committee Co-Chair Sen. Joan Hartley (D-Waterbury, Middlebury, Naugatuck) said. “We now have before us, in the appropriations budget, a line item to incorporate those three because they are scheduled to start in 2026.”
If SB1455 is passed, every quarter, employers in the manufacturing sector will be required to report: each employee’s name, each employee’s Social Security number, and the amount of money each employee was paid during the quarter.
“This is a cost saving proposal,” Hartley said. “It simply brings us back to the original data points that are required for the quarterly reporting for employees.”
The second bill, HB6879, “An Act Concerning Manufacturing,” is a placeholder bill that will be sent to the floor of the Legislative Commissioner’s Office. HB6879 proposes that the Commissioner of Economics and Community Development conduct a study of the manufacturing needs in the state, and that the study be submitted by the DECD to the General Assembly by Feb. 1, 2026.
The manufacturing sector in Connecticut is struggling to find employees. There are thousands of open jobs in the state, which businesses are struggling to fill. At the same time, the overall number of jobs in Connecticut has been stagnant for about five years.
However, the overall manufacturing output in the state has increased, at least by dollar value. Between 2022 and 2023, business in the state increased their output from $33.74 billion to $34.55 billion, according to the report.
In January, the DECD announced that it will be administering $25 million in supply chain grants for “core industries” in Connecticut, including manufacturing.
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