ACTIVE BILLS
SB 1147 – AN ACT CONCERNING THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PROGRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION.
To enhance the environmental and public health considerations made under the state’s environmental justice statute and provide the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Connecticut Siting Council with the ability to deny certain permits for a new affecting facility and apply conditions to the expansion of an existing facility.
Bill Activity: Public Hearing March 10 in the Environment Committee, Passed the Environment Committee on 3.27, passed Senate on June 2, sent to House
HB 6397 – AN ACT CONCERNING ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS
This bill would create policies and accountability for reaching the state’s carbon emissions goals. It would also require a clear timeline for implementing policies and reducing greenhouse gases.
Bill Activity: Public Hearing on Feb 15, Passed out of Environment Committee on March 10, Passed out of Committee on Government Administration and Elections on April 19, Passed the House on June 2, sent to the Senate
SB 961 – AN ACT CONCERNING CARBON-FREE SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AND ESTABLISHING OTHER SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
To require the use of project labor agreements when certain solar and energy efficiency projects are required of school districts and to require certain measures by the Department of Public Health concerning air quality and drinking water in school settings.
Bill Activity – Public Hearing 2/15 in Environment Committee, Passed out of Environment Committee on 3/10, Passed the Senate on 5/24, waiting on a vote in the House
SB 963 – AN ACT CONCERNING NEONICOTINOIDS FOR NON-AGRICULTURAL USE.
To prohibit the nonagricultural use of neonicotinoids.
Bill Activity: Public Hearing 2/15 in Environment Committee, Passed out of Environment Committee on 3/10.
SB 962 – AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF CERTAIN RODENTICIDES.
To prohibit the use of second-generation rodenticides in order to preserve hawk and other raptor populations in the state.
Bill Activity: Public Hearing 2/15 in Environment Committee, Passed out of Environment Committee but with language to only restrict the use of rodenticides, not ban them, this bill has been linked to SB 963
HB 6484 – AN ACT CONCERNING CERTAIN HARVESTING OF HORSESHOE CRABS.
To prohibit the hand-harvesting of horseshoe crabs.
Bill Activity: Public Hearing 1/30, Voted out of Environment 2/7, Reported out of Legislative Commissioners Office on 3/7, Passed the House on 4/27, Passed the Senate on May 30, sent to the Governor for signature
SB 979 – AN ACT PROMOTING ENERGY AFFORDABILITY, ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND GREEN CITIES.
To implement the Governor’s budget recommendations.
Bill Activity: Public Hearing 2/27 in Environment Committee, Passed out of the Environment Committee on 3/10
Notes: this bill includes a energy labeling system for homes that will encourage landlords and sellers to undergo energy efficiency measures. SB 969 will also promote workforce training for non-fossil fuel based technologies, incorporate energy efficiency into new buildings, and it will increase the tree canopy in urban cities. Update: tree canopy portion was added to a different bill.
SB 4 – AN ACT CONCERNING CONNECTICUT’S PRESENT AND FUTURE HOUSING NEEDS.
To promote fair and equitable housing opportunities in every community in the state.
Bill Activity: Public Hearing in Housing Committee on 2/27, Passed out of Housing Committee on 3/2
Notes: this bill includes renter protections and energy efficiency measures for income-eligible housing
SB 100 – AN ACT ESTABLISHING AN ACCOUNT IN THE GENERAL FUND TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO TOWNS THAT NEED PFAS TESTING AND REMEDIATION.
To provide municipalities with needed resources to test for and remediate PFAS contamination on town-owned properties and to assist residential homeowners impacted by such contamination.
Bill Activity: Public Hearing 2/15, Passed out of Environment committee on 3/3, filed with Legislative Commissioner’s Office on 3/6, Passed as amended by House on May 23, passed Senate on June 2.
Notes: This bill was heavily amended to remove funding.
HB 5004 – AN ACT IMPLEMENTING EARLY VOTING.
To (1) establish early voting beginning in 2023 for certain elections and beginning in 2024 for certain primaries, special elections and referenda, (2) establish the number of days and hours of, and implement procedures for the conduct of, such early voting, (3) provide for same-day election and same-day primary registrations during periods of early voting, (4) make conforming changes to deadlines for the performance of certain duties prior to an election or primary, and (5) require the Secretary of the State to undertake efforts to educate the public about early voting and train registrars of voters regarding the administration of early voting.
Bill Activity: Public Hearing 2/22 in Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections, Passed out of Committee on 3/14, Passed House on May 4, Passed Senate on May 30
DEAD BILLS
The bills below received a public hearing, but were not voted on by the deadline or failed their vote in committee
HJ 37 – RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION TO PROVIDE FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT.
Bill Activity: Public hearing 2/27 in Environment Committee
B 389 – AN ACT CONCERNING RANKED-CHOICE VOTING.
To provide for ranked-choice voting in elections for members of Congress and allow its use for presidential preference primaries and certain municipal elections.
Bill Activity: Public Hearing 3/6 in Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections
HB 5634 – AN ACT INCREASING FUNDING FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROGRAMS.
To supplement funding for energy efficiency programs identified in the Conservation and Load Management Plan by allocating twenty million dollars from the state budget to support such programs.
Bill Activity– Public Hearing March 2 in Energy and Technology, Passed out of E&T Committee on 3/14, was sent to Appropriations Committee, but wasn’t raised for a vote.
SB 1145 – AN ACT CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SECTOR SPECIFIC SUBTARGETS FOR GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS AND REGULATING EMISSIONS OF SMALL-OFF ROAD ENGINES.
To enforce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions goals through the establishment of certain sector subtargets and authorize emission standards for certain small off-road engines.
Bill Activity: Public Hearing in the Environment Committee on 3/10, Passed the Environment Committee on 3/27, this bill was sent to Appropriations, but failed the vote
HB 6606 – AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS MADE FROM POLYSTYRENE.
To eliminate the use of school trays made from polystyrene and prohibit the use of certain polystyrene food containers by restaurants.
Bill Activity: Public Hearing on 2/9, Passed out of Environment Committee 3/3, filed with Legislative Commissioner’s office 3/6, referred to Appropriations on 4/25, was not raised for a vote in time.
