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General Assembly Governor's Bill No. 6448
January Session, 2021
LCO No. 3270
Referred to Committee on PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Introduced by:
Request of the Governor Pursuant
to Joint Rule 9
AN ACT EXPANDING ACC ESS TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND
MODERNIZING LOCAL GO VERNMENT OPERATIONS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 1-200 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 2
As used in this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have 3
the following meanings, except where such terms are used in a context 4
which clearly indicates the contrary: 5
(1) "Public agency" or "agency" means: 6
(A) Any executive, administrative or legislative office of the state or 7
any political subdivision of the state and any state or town agency, any 8
department, institution, bureau, board, commission, authority or official 9
of the state or of any city, town, borough, municipal corporation, school 10 Governor's Bill No. 6448
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district, regional district or other district or other political subdivision of 11
the state, including any committee of, or created by, any such office, 12
subdivision, agency, department, institution, bureau, board, 13
commission, authority or official, and also includes any judicial office, 14
official, or body or committee thereof but only with respect to its or their 15
administrative functions, and for purposes of this subparagraph, 16
"judicial office" includes, but is not limited to, the Division of Public 17
Defender Services; 18
(B) Any person to the extent such person is deemed to be the 19
functional equivalent of a public agency pursuant to law; or 20
(C) Any "implementing agency", as defined in section 32-222. 21
(2) "Meeting" means any hearing or other proceeding of a public 22
agency, any convening or assembly of a quorum of a multimember 23
public agency, and any communication by or to a quorum of a 24
multimember public agency, [whether in person or by means of 25
electronic equipment,] to discuss or act upon a matter over which the 26
public agency has supervision, control, jurisdiction or advisory power. 27
"Meeting" does not include: Any meeting of a personnel search 28
committee for executive level employment candidates; any chance 29
meeting, or a social meeting neither planned nor intended for the 30
purpose of discussing matters relating to official business; strategy or 31
negotiations with respect to collective bargaining; a caucus of members 32
of a single political party notwithstanding that such members also 33
constitute a quorum of a public agency; an administrative or staff 34
meeting of a single-member public agency; and communication limited 35
to notice of meetings of any public agency or the agendas thereof. A 36
quorum of the members of a public agency who are present at any event 37
which has been noticed and conducted as a meeting of another public 38
agency under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act shall not 39
be deemed to be holding a meeting of the public agency of which they 40
are members as a result of their presence at such event. 41
(3) "Caucus" means (A) a convening or assembly of the enrolled 42 Governor's Bill No. 6448
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members of a single political party who are members of a public agency 43
within the state or a political subdivision, or (B) the members of a 44
multimember public agency, which members constitute a majority of 45
the membership of the agency, or the other members of the agency who 46
constitute a minority of the membership of the agency, who register 47
their intention to be considered a majority caucus or minority caucus, as 48
the case may be, for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Act, 49
provided (i) the registration is made with the office of the Secretary of 50
the State for any such public agency of the state, in the office of the clerk 51
of a political subdivision of the state for any public agency of a political 52
subdivision of the state, or in the office of the clerk of each municipal 53
member of any multitown district or agency, (ii) no member is 54
registered in more than one caucus at any one time, (iii) no such 55
member's registration is rescinded during the member's remaining term 56
of office, and (iv) a member may remain a registered member of the 57
majority caucus or minority caucus regardless of whether the member 58
changes his or her party affiliation under chapter 143. 59
(4) "Person" means natural person, partnership, corporation, limited 60
liability company, association or society. 61
(5) "Public records or files" means any recorded data or information 62
relating to the conduct of the public's business prepared, owned, used, 63
received or retained by a public agency, or to which a public agency is 64
entitled to receive a copy by law or contract under section 1-218, 65
whether such data or information be handwritten, typed, tape-recorded, 66
videotaped, printed, photostated, photographed or recorded by any 67
other method. 68
(6) "Executive sessions" means a meeting of a public agency at which 69
the public is excluded for one or more of the following purposes: (A) 70
Discussion concerning the appointment, employment, performance, 71
evaluation, health or dismissal of a public officer or employee, provided 72
that such individual may require that discussion be held at an open 73
meeting; (B) strategy and negotiations with respect to pending claims or 74
pending litigation to which the public agency or a member thereof, 75 Governor's Bill No. 6448
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because of the member's conduct as a member of such agency, is a party 76
until such litigation or claim has been finally adjudicated or otherwise 77
settled; (C) matters concerning security strategy or the deployment of 78
security personnel, or devices affecting public security; (D) discussion 79
of the selection of a site or the lease, sale or purchase of real estate by the 80
state or a political subdivision of the state when publicity regarding such 81
site, lease, sale, purchase or construction would adversely impact the 82
price of such site, lease, sale, purchase or construction until such time as 83
all of the property has been acquired or all proceedings or transactions 84
concerning same have been terminated or abandoned; and (E) 85
discussion of any matter which would result in the disclosure of public 86
records or the information contained therein described in subsection (b) 87
of section 1-210. 88
(7) "Personnel search committee" means a body appointed by a public 89
agency, whose sole purpose is to recommend to the appointing agency 90
a candidate or candidates for an executive-level employment position. 91
Members of a "personnel search committee" shall not be considered in 92
determining whether there is a quorum of the appointing or any other 93
public agency. 94
(8) "Pending claim" means a written notice to an agency which sets 95
forth a demand for legal relief or which asserts a legal right stating the 96
intention to institute an action in an appropriate forum if such relief or 97
right is not granted. 98
(9) "Pending litigation" means (A) a written notice to an agency which 99
sets forth a demand for legal relief or which asserts a legal right stating 100
the intention to institute an action before a court if such relief or right is 101
not granted by the agency; (B) the service of a complaint against an 102
agency returnable to a court which seeks to enforce or implement legal 103
relief or a legal right; or (C) the agency's consideration of action to 104
enforce or implement legal relief or a legal right. 105
(10) "Freedom of Information Act" means this chapter. 106
(11) "Governmental function" means the administration or 107 Governor's Bill No. 6448
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management of a program of a public agency, which program has been 108
authorized by law to be administered or managed by a person, where 109
(A) the person receives funding from the public agency for 110
administering or managing the program, (B) the public agency is 111
involved in or regulates to a significant extent such person's 112
administration or management of the program, whether or not such 113
involvement or regulation is direct, pervasive, continuous or day-to-114
day, and (C) the person participates in the formulation of governmental 115
policies or decisions in connection with the administration or 116
management of the program and such policies or decisions bind the 117
public agency. "Governmental function" shall not include the mere 118
provision of goods or services to a public agency without the delegated 119
responsibility to administer or manage a program of a public agency. 120
(12) "Electronic equipment" means any technology that facilitates 121
real-time public access to meetings, including, but not limited to, 122
telephonic, video or other conferencing platforms. 123
(13) "Electronic transmission" means any form or process of 124
communication not directly involving the physical transfer of paper or 125
another tangible medium, which (A) is capable of being retained, 126
retrieved and reproduced by the recipient, and (B) is retrievable in paper 127
form by the recipient. 128
Sec. 2. Section 1-206 of the general statutes is repealed and the 129
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 130
(a) Any denial of the right to inspect or copy records provided for 131
under section 1-210 shall be made to the person requesting such right 132
by the public agency official who has custody or control of the public 133
record, in writing, within four business days of such request, except 134
when the request is determined to be subject to subsections (b) and (c) 135
of section 1-214, in which case such denial shall be made, in writing, 136
within ten business days of such request. Failure to comply with a 137
request to so inspect or copy such public record within the applicable 138
number of business days shall be deemed to be a denial. 139 Governor's Bill No. 6448
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(b) (1) Any person denied the right to inspect or copy records under 140
section 1-210 or wrongfully denied the right to attend any meeting of a 141
public agency or denied any other right conferred by the Freedom of 142
Information Act may appeal therefrom to the Freedom of Information 143
Commission, by filing a notice of appeal with said commission. A notice 144
of appeal shall be filed not later than thirty days after such denial, except 145
in the case of an unnoticed or secret meeting, in which case the appeal 146
shall be filed not later than thirty days after the person filing the appeal 147
receives actual or constructive notice that such meeting was held. For 148
purposes of this subsection, such notice of appeal shall be deemed to be 149
filed on the date it is received by said commission or on the date it is 150
postmarked, if received more than thirty days after the date of the denial 151
from which such appeal is taken. Upon receipt of such notice, the 152
commission shall serve upon all parties, by certified or registered mail 153
or by electronic transmission received in the manner described in 154
section 1-280, a copy of such notice together with any other notice or 155
order of such commission. In the case of the denial of a request to inspect 156
or copy records contained in a public employee's personnel or medical 157
file or similar file under subsection (c) of section 1-214, the commission 158
shall include with its notice or order an order requiring the public 159
agency to notify any employee whose records are the subject of an 160
appeal, and the employee's collective bargaining representative, if any, 161
of the commission's proceedings and, if any such employee or collective 162
bargaining representative has filed an objection under said subsection 163
(c), the agency shall provide the required notice to such employee and 164
collective bargaining representative by certified mail, return receipt 165
requested, electronic transmission received in the manner described in 166
section 1-280 or by hand delivery with a signed receipt. A public 167
employee whose personnel or medical file or similar file is the subject of 168
an appeal under this subsection may intervene as a party in the 169
proceedings on the matter before the commission. Said commission 170
shall, after due notice to the parties, hear and decide the appeal within 171
one year after the filing of the notice of appeal. The commission shall 172
adopt regulations in accordance with chapter 54, establishing criteria for 173
those appeals which shall be privileged in their assignment for hearing. 174 Governor's Bill No. 6448
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Any such appeal shall be heard not later than thirty days after receipt of 175
a notice of appeal and decided not later than sixty days after the hearing. 176
If a notice of appeal concerns an announced agency decision to meet in 177
executive session or an ongoing agency practice of meeting in executive 178
sessions, for a stated purpose, the commission or a member or members 179
of the commission designated by its chairperson shall serve notice upon 180
the parties in accordance with this section and hold a preliminary 181
hearing on the appeal not later than seventy-two hours after receipt of 182
the notice, provided such notice shall be given to the parties at least 183
forty-eight hours prior to such hearing. During such preliminary 184
hearing, the commission shall take evidence and receive testimony from 185
the parties. If after the preliminary hearing the commission finds 186
probable cause to believe that the agency decision or practice is in 187
violation of sections 1-200, as amended by this act, and 1-225, as 188
amended by this act, the agency shall not meet in executive session for 189
such purpose until the commission decides the appeal. If probable cause 190
is found by the commission, it shall conduct a final hearing on the 191
appeal and render its decision not later than five days after the 192
completion of the preliminary hearing. Such decision shall specify the 193
commission's findings of fact and conclusions of law. 194
(2) In any appeal to the Freedom of Information Commission under 195
subdivision (1) of this subsection or subsection (c) of this section, the 196
commission may confirm the action of the agency or order the agency 197
to provide relief that the commission, in its discretion, believes 198
appropriate to rectify the denial of any right conferred by the Freedom 199
of Information Act. The commission may declare null and void any 200
action taken at any meeting which a person was denied the right to 201
attend and may require the production or copying of any public record. 202
In addition, upon the finding that a denial of any right created by the 203
Freedom of Information Act was without reasonable grounds and after 204
the custodian or other official directly responsible for the denial has 205
been given an opportunity to be heard at a hearing conducted in 206
accordance with sections 4-176e to 4-184, inclusive, the commission 207
may, in its discretion, impose against the custodian or other official a 208 Governor's Bill No. 6448
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civil penalty of not less than twenty dollars nor more than one thousand 209
dollars. If the commission finds that a person has taken an appeal under 210
this subsection frivolously, without reasonable grounds and solely for 211
the purpose of harassing the agency from which the appeal has been 212
taken, after such person has been given an opportunity to be heard at a 213
hearing conducted in accordance with sections 4-176e to 4-184, 214
inclusive, the commission may, in its discretion, impose against that 215
person a civil penalty of not less than twenty dollars nor more than one 216
thousand dollars. The commission shall notify a person of a penalty 217
levied against him pursuant to this subsection by written notice sent by 218
certified or registered mail or electronic transmission received in the 219
manner described in section 1-280. If a person fails to pay the penalty 220
within thirty days of receiving such notice, the Superior Court shall, on 221
application of the commission, issue an order requiring the person to 222
pay the penalty imposed. If the executive director of the commission has 223
reason to believe an appeal under subdivision (1) of this subsection or 224
subsection (c) of this section (A) presents a claim beyond the 225
commission's jurisdiction; (B) would perpetrate an injustice; or (C) 226
would constitute an abuse of the commission's administrative process, 227
the executive director shall not schedule the appeal for hearing without 228
first seeking and obtaining leave of the commission. The commission 229
shall provide due notice to the parties and review affidavits and written 230
argument that the parties may submit and grant or deny such leave 231
summarily at its next regular meeting. The commission shall grant such 232
leave unless it finds that the appeal: (i) Does not present a claim within 233
the commission's jurisdiction; (ii) would perpetrate an injustice; or (iii) 234
would constitute an abuse of the commission's administrative process. 235
Any party aggrieved by the commission's denial of such leave may 236
apply to the superior court for the judicial district of New Britain, within 237
fifteen days of the commission meeting at which such leave was denied, 238
for an order requiring the commission to hear such appeal. 239
(3) In making the findings and determination under subdivision (2) 240
of this subsection the commission shall consider the nature of any 241
injustice or abuse of administrative process, including but not limited 242 Governor's Bill No. 6448
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to: (A) The nature, content, language or subject matter of the request or 243
the appeal, including, among other factors, whether the request or 244
appeal is repetitious or cumulative; (B) the nature, content, language or 245
subject matter of prior or contemporaneous requests or appeals by the 246
person making the request or taking the appeal; (C) the nature, content, 247
language or subject matter of other verbal and written communications 248
to any agency or any official of any agency from the person making the 249
request or taking the appeal; (D) any history of nonappearance at 250
commission proceedings or disruption of the commission's 251
administrative process, including, but not limited to, delaying 252
commission proceedings; and (E) the refusal to participate in settlement 253
conferences conducted by a commission ombudsman in accordance 254
with the commission's regulations. 255
(4) Notwithstanding any provision of this subsection to the contrary, 256
in the case of an appeal to the commission of a denial by a public agency, 257
the commission may, upon motion of such agency, confirm the action of 258
the agency and dismiss the appeal without a hearing if it finds, after 259
examining the notice of appeal and construing all allegations most 260
favorably to the appellant, that (A) the agency has not violated the 261
Freedom of Information Act, or (B) the agency has committed a technical 262
violation of the Freedom of Information Act that constitutes a harmless 263
error that does not infringe the appellant's rights under said act. 264
(5) Notwithstanding any provision of this subsection, a public agency 265
may petition the commission for relief from a requester that the public 266
agency alleges is a vexatious requester. Such petition shall be sworn 267
under penalty of false statement, as provided in section 53a-157b, and 268
shall detail the conduct which the agency alleges demonstrates a 269
vexatious history of requests, including, but not limited to: (A) The 270
number of requests filed and the total number of pending requests; (B) 271
the scope of the requests; (C) the nature, content, language or subject 272
matter of the requests; (D) the nature, content, language or subject 273
matter of other oral and written communications to the agency from the 274
requester; and (E) a pattern of conduct that amounts to an abuse of the 275
right to access information under the Freedom of Information Act or an 276 Governor's Bill No. 6448
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interference with the operation of the agency. Upon receipt of such 277
petition, the executive director of the commission shall review the 278
petition and determine whether it warrants a hearing. If the executive 279
director determines that a hearing is not warranted, the executive 280
director shall recommend that the commission deny the petition 281
without a hearing. The commission shall vote at its next regular meeting 282
after such recommendation to accept or reject such recommendation 283
and, after such meeting, shall issue a written explanation of the reasons 284
for such acceptance or rejection. If the executive director determines that 285
a hearing is warranted, the commission shall serve upon all parties, by 286
certified or registered mail or electronic transmission received in the 287
manner described in section 1-280, a copy of such petition together with 288
any other notice or order of the commission. The commission shall, after 289
due notice to the parties, hear and either grant or deny the petition 290
within one year after its filing. Upon a grant of such petition, the 291
commission may provide appropriate relief commensurate with the 292
vexatious conduct, including, but not limited to, an order that the 293
agency need not comply with future requests from the vexatious 294
requester for a specified period of time, but not to exceed one year. Any 295
party aggrieved by the commission's granting of such petition may 296
apply to the superior court for the judicial district of New Britain, within 297
fifteen days of the commission meeting at which such petition was 298
granted, for an order reversing the commission's decision. 299
(c) Any person who does not receive proper notice of any meeting of 300
a public agency in accordance with the provisions of the Freedom of 301
Information Act may appeal under the provisions of subsection (b) of 302
this section. A public agency of the state shall be presumed to have given 303
timely and proper notice of any meeting as provided for in said 304
Freedom of Information Act if notice is given in the Connecticut Law 305
Journal or a Legislative Bulletin. A public agency of a political 306
subdivision shall be presumed to have given proper notice of any 307
meeting, if a notice is timely sent under the provisions of said Freedom 308
of Information Act by (1) first-class mail to the address, or (2) electronic 309
transmission to the information processing system, as defined in section 310 Governor's Bill No. 6448
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1-267, indicated in the request of the person requesting the same. If such 311
commission determines that notice was improper, it may, in its sound 312
discretion, declare any or all actions taken at such meeting null and 313
void. 314
(d) Any party aggrieved by the decision of said commission may 315
appeal therefrom, in accordance with the provisions of section 4-183. 316
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 4-183, in any such appeal of 317
a decision of the commission, the court may conduct an in camera 318
review of the original or a certified copy of the records which are at issue 319
in the appeal but were not included in the record of the commission's 320
proceedings, admit the records into evidence and order the records to 321
be sealed or inspected on such terms as the court deems fair and 322
appropriate, during the appeal. The commission shall have standing to 323
defend, prosecute or otherwise participate in any appeal of any of its 324
decisions and to take an appeal from any judicial decision overturning 325
or modifying a decision of the commission. If aggrievement is a 326
jurisdictional prerequisite to the commission taking any such appeal, 327
the commission shall be deemed to be aggrieved. Notwithstanding the 328
provisions of section 3-125, legal counsel employed or retained by said 329
commission shall represent said commission in all such appeals and in 330
any other litigation affecting said commission. Notwithstanding the 331
provisions of subsection (c) of section 4-183 and section 52-64, all process 332
shall be served upon said commission at its office. Any appeal taken 333
pursuant to this section shall be privileged in respect to its assignment 334
for trial over all other actions except writs of habeas corpus and actions 335
brought by or on behalf of the state, including informations on the 336
relation of private individuals. Nothing in this section shall deprive any 337
party of any rights he may have had at common law prior to January 1, 338
1958. If the court finds that any appeal taken pursuant to this section or 339
section 4-183 is frivolous or taken solely for the purpose of delay, it shall 340
order the party responsible therefor to pay to the party injured by such 341
frivolous or dilatory appeal costs or attorney's fees of not more than one 342
thousand dollars. Such order shall be in addition to any other remedy 343
or disciplinary action required or permitted by statute or by rules of 344 Governor's Bill No. 6448
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court. 345
(e) Within sixty days after the filing of a notice of appeal alleging 346
violation of any right conferred by the Freedom of Information Act 347
concerning records of the Department of Energy and Environmental 348
Protection relating to the state's hazardous waste program under 349
sections 22a-448 to 22a-454, inclusive, the Freedom of Information 350
Commission shall, after notice to the parties, hear and decide the appeal. 351
Failure by the commission to hear and decide the appeal within such 352
sixty-day period shall constitute a final decision denying such appeal 353
for purposes of this section and section 4-183. On appeal, the court may, 354
in addition to any other powers conferred by law, order the disclosure 355
of any such records withheld in violation of the Freedom of Information 356
Act and may assess against the state reasonable attorney's fees and other 357
litigation costs reasonably incurred in an appeal in which the 358
complainant has prevailed against the Department of Energy and 359
Environmental Protection. 360
Sec. 3. Section 1-225 of the general statutes is repealed and the 361
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 362
(a) The meetings of all public agencies, except executive sessions, as 363
defined in subdivision (6) of section 1-200, as amended by this act, shall 364
be open to the public by means of electronic equipment. If two or more 365
members of a public agency conduct a meeting in person, members of 366
the public shall be permitted to attend such meeting in person. Any 367
public agency that conducts a meeting, other than an executive session 368
or emergency special meeting, as described in section 1-225, as amended 369
by this act, solely by means of electronic equipment shall provide the 370
public (1) a physical location and any electronic equipment necessary to 371
attend such meeting in real-time, and (2) the opportunity to provide 372
comment or testimony, vote and otherwise participate in such meeting, 373
as applicable. 374
(b) The votes of each member of any such public agency upon any 375
issue before such public agency shall be taken by a roll call whenever 376 Governor's Bill No. 6448
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one or more members are participating by means of electronic 377
equipment, reduced to writing, [and] made available for public 378
inspection within forty-eight hours and [shall also be] recorded in the 379
minutes of the [session] meeting at which taken. Such minutes shall 380
record a list of members that attended such meeting in person and a list 381
of members that attended such meeting by means of electronic 382
equipment. Not later than seven days after the date of the [session] 383
meeting to which such minutes refer, such minutes and an audio or 384
video recording or transcript of such meeting shall be available for 385
public inspection and posted on such public agency's Internet web site, 386
if available, except that no public agency of a political subdivision of the 387
state shall be required to post such minutes, recording or transcript on 388
an Internet web site. Such audio or video recording or transcript shall 389
be retained in accordance with standards and guidelines established by 390
the State Librarian or the Public Records Administrator in accordance 391
with sections 11-8 and 11-8a. Each public agency shall make, keep and 392
maintain a record of the proceedings of its meetings. 393
[(b)] (c) Each such public agency of the state shall file not later than 394
January thirty-first of each year in the office of the Secretary of the State 395
the schedule of the regular meetings of such public agency for the 396
ensuing year and shall post such schedule on such public agency's 397
Internet web site, if available, except that such requirements shall not 398
apply to the General Assembly, either house thereof or to any committee 399
thereof. Any other provision of the Freedom of Information Act 400
notwithstanding, the General Assembly at the commencement of each 401
regular session in the odd-numbered years, shall adopt, as part of its 402
joint rules, rules to provide notice to the public of its regular, special, 403
emergency or interim committee meetings. The chairperson or secretary 404
of any such public agency of any political subdivision of the state shall 405
file, not later than January thirty-first of each year, with the clerk of such 406
subdivision the schedule of regular meetings of such public agency for 407
the ensuing year, and no such meeting of any such public agency shall 408
be held sooner than thirty days after such schedule has been filed. The 409
chief executive officer of any multitown district or agency shall file, not 410 Governor's Bill No. 6448
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later than January thirty-first of each year, with the clerk of each 411
municipal member of such district or agency, the schedule of regular 412
meetings of such public agency for the ensuing year, and no such 413
meeting of any such public agency shall be held sooner than thirty days 414
after such schedule has been filed. 415
[(c)] (d) The agenda of [the regular meetings of every] any regular 416
meeting of a public agency, except for the General Assembly, shall be 417
available to the public and shall be filed, not less than twenty-four hours 418
before the [meetings] meeting to which [they refer,] it refers (1) in such 419
agency's regular office or place of business, [and] (2) in the office and on 420
the Internet web site of the Secretary of the State for any such public 421
agency of the state, in the office of the clerk of such subdivision for any 422
public agency of a political subdivision of the state or in the office of the 423
clerk of each municipal member of any multitown district or agency, [. 424
For any such public agency of the state, such agenda shall be posted on 425
the public agency's and the Secretary of the State's web sites] and (3) on 426
such public agency's Internet web site. Not less than twenty-four hours 427
before such meeting, such public agency shall post on its Internet web 428
site (A) any relevant documents prepared prior to the meeting by the 429
public agency or any party to a matter on the meeting agenda, including, 430
but not limited to, applications before such public agency, and (B) 431
instructions for the public to, by means of electronic equipment or in 432
person, attend and provide comment, vote or otherwise participate in 433
such meeting, as applicable. Not more than three business days after the 434
adjournment of a meeting, such public agency shall post on its Internet 435
web site any relevant documents produced fewer than twenty-four 436
hours prior to or during such meeting by the public agency or any party 437
to a matter that appeared on the meeting agenda. Upon the affirmative 438
vote of two-thirds of the members of a public agency present and voting, 439
any subsequent business not included in such filed [agendas] agenda 440
may be considered and acted upon at such meetings. 441
[(d)] (e) Notice of each special meeting of every public agency, except 442
for the General Assembly, either house thereof or any committee 443
thereof, shall be posted not less than twenty-four hours before the 444 Governor's Bill No. 6448
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meeting to which such notice refers on the public agency's Internet web 445
site, if available, and given not less than twenty-four hours prior to the 446
time of such meeting by filing a notice of the time and place thereof in 447
the office of the Secretary of the State for any such public agency of the 448
state, in the office of the clerk of such subdivision for any public agency 449
of a political subdivision of the state and in the office of the clerk of each 450
municipal member for any multitown district or agency. The secretary 451
or clerk shall cause any notice received under this section to be posted 452
in his office. Such notice shall be given not less than twenty-four hours 453
prior to the time of the special meeting; provided, in case of emergency, 454
except for the General Assembly, either house thereof or any committee 455
thereof, any such special meeting may be held without complying with 456
the foregoing requirement for the filing of notice but a copy of the 457
minutes of every such emergency special meeting adequately setting 458
forth the nature of the emergency and the proceedings occurring at such 459
meeting shall be filed with the Secretary of the State, the clerk of such 460
political subdivision, or the clerk of each municipal member of such 461
multitown district or agency, as the case may be, not later than seventy-462
two hours following the holding of such meeting. The notice shall (1) 463
specify the time and place of the special meeting, [and] (2) specify the 464
business to be transacted, and (3) include instructions for the public to, 465
by means of electronic equipment or in person, attend and provide 466
comment, vote and otherwise participate in the special meeting, as 467
applicable. No other business shall be considered at such meetings by 468
such public agency. In addition, such written notice shall be delivered 469
by mail to the usual place of abode of or by electronic transmission to 470
each member of the public agency so that the same is received prior to 471
such special meeting. The requirement of delivery or transmission of 472
such [written] notice may be dispensed with as to any member who at 473
or prior to the time the meeting convenes files with the clerk or secretary 474
of the public agency a written waiver of delivery or transmission of such 475
notice. Such waiver may be given by [telegram] electronic transmission. 476
The requirement of delivery or transmission of such [written] notice 477
may also be dispensed with as to any member who is actually present 478
at the meeting at the time it convenes. Nothing in this section shall be 479 Governor's Bill No. 6448
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construed to prohibit any agency from adopting more stringent notice 480
requirements. 481
[(e)] (f) No member of the public shall be required, as a condition to 482
attendance at a meeting of any such body, to register the member's 483
name, or furnish other information, or complete a questionnaire or 484
otherwise fulfill any condition precedent to the member's attendance. 485
(g) Any member of a public agency or the public who participates 486
orally in a meeting of a public agency conducted by means of electronic 487
equipment shall state such member's name and title, if applicable, at the 488
outset of each occasion that such member participates orally during an 489
uninterrupted dialogue or series of questions and answers. 490
[(f)] (h) A public agency may hold an executive session, as defined in 491
subdivision (6) of section 1-200, as amended by this act, upon an 492
affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of such body present and 493
voting, taken at a public meeting and stating the reasons for such 494
executive session, as defined in section 1-200, as amended by this act. 495
[(g)] (i) In determining the time within which or by when a notice, 496
agenda, record of votes or minutes of a special meeting or an emergency 497
special meeting are required to be filed under this section, Saturdays, 498
Sundays, legal holidays and any day on which the office of the agency, 499
the Secretary of the State or the clerk of the applicable political 500
subdivision or the clerk of each municipal member of any multitown 501
district or agency, as the case may be, is closed, shall be excluded. 502
Sec. 4. Section 1-226 of the general statutes is repealed and the 503
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 504
(a) (1) At any meeting of a public agency which is open to the public, 505
pursuant to the provisions of section 1-225, as amended by this act, 506
proceedings of such public agency may be recorded, photographed, 507
broadcast or recorded for broadcast, subject to such rules as such public 508
agency may have prescribed prior to such meeting, by any person or by 509
any newspaper, radio broadcasting company or television broadcasting 510 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 17 of 49
company. Any recording, radio, television or photographic equipment 511
may be so located within the meeting room as to permit the recording, 512
broadcasting either by radio, or by television, or by both, or the 513
photographing of the proceedings of such public agency. The 514
photographer or broadcaster and its personnel, or the person recording 515
the proceedings, shall be required to handle the photographing, 516
broadcast or recording as inconspicuously as possible and in such 517
manner as not to disturb the proceedings of the public agency. As used 518
herein the term television shall include the transmission of visual and 519
audible signals by cable. 520
(2) At any meeting of a public agency which is open to the public 521
pursuant to the provisions of section 1-225, as amended by this act, such 522
public agency shall create an audio or visual recording or transcript of 523
such meeting, and post such recording or transcript on the Internet web 524
site of such public agency in the manner described in section 1-225, as 525
amended by this act. 526
(b) Any such public agency may adopt rules governing such 527
recording, photography or the use of such broadcasting equipment for 528
radio and television stations but, in the absence of the adoption of such 529
rules and regulations by such public agency prior to the meeting, such 530
recording, photography or the use of such radio and television 531
equipment shall be permitted as provided in subsection (a) of this 532
section. 533
(c) Whenever there is a violation or the probability of a violation of 534
subsections (a) and (b) of this section the superior court, or a judge 535
thereof, for the judicial district in which such meeting is taking place 536
shall, upon application made by affidavit that such violation is taking 537
place or that there is reasonable probability that such violation will take 538
place, issue a temporary injunction against any such violation without 539
notice to the adverse party to show cause why such injunction should 540
not be granted and without the plaintiff's giving bond. Any person or 541
public agency so enjoined may immediately appear and be heard by the 542
court or judge granting such injunction with regard to dissolving or 543 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 18 of 49
modifying the same and, after hearing the parties and upon a 544
determination that such meeting should not be open to the public, said 545
court or judge may dissolve or modify the injunction. Any action taken 546
by a judge upon any such application shall be immediately certified to 547
the court to which such proceedings are returnable. 548
Sec. 5. Section 1-227 of the general statutes is repealed and the 549
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 550
The public agency shall, where practicable, give notice by mail or 551
electronic transmission of each regular meeting, and of any special 552
meeting which is called, at least one week prior to the date set for the 553
meeting, to any person who has filed a written request for such notice 554
with such body, except that such body may give such notice as it deems 555
practical of special meetings called less than seven days prior to the date 556
set for the meeting. Such notice requirement shall not apply to the 557
General Assembly, either house thereof or to any committee thereof. 558
Any request for notice filed pursuant to this section shall be valid for 559
one year from the date on which it is filed unless a renewal request is 560
filed. Renewal requests for notice shall be filed within thirty days after 561
January first of each year. Such public agency may establish a reasonable 562
charge for sending such notice based on the estimated cost of providing 563
such service. 564
Sec. 6. Section 1-228 of the general statutes is repealed and the 565
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 566
The public agency may adjourn any regular or special meeting to a 567
time and place specified in the order of adjournment. Less than a 568
quorum may so adjourn from time to time. If all members are absent 569
from any regular meeting the clerk or the secretary of such body may 570
declare the meeting adjourned to a stated time and place and shall cause 571
a written notice of the adjournment to be given in the same manner as 572
provided in section 1-225, as amended by this act, for special meetings, 573
unless such notice is waived as provided for special meetings. A copy 574
of the order or notice of adjournment shall be conspicuously posted on 575 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 19 of 49
or near the door of the place where the regular or special meeting was 576
held and on the Internet web site of the public agency, within twenty-577
four hours after the time of the adjournment. When an order of 578
adjournment of any meeting fails to state the hour at which the 579
adjourned meeting is to be held, it shall be held at the hour specified for 580
regular meetings, by ordinance, resolution, by law or other rule. 581
Sec. 7. Section 7-7 of the general statutes is repealed and the following 582
is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 583
All towns, when lawfully assembled for any purpose other than the 584
election of town officers, and all societies and other municipal 585
corporations when lawfully assembled, shall choose a moderator to 586
preside at such meetings, unless otherwise provided by law; and, except 587
as otherwise provided by law, all questions arising in such meetings 588
shall be decided in accordance with standard parliamentary practice, 589
and towns, societies and municipal corporations may, by ordinance, 590
adopt rules of order for the conduct of their meetings. At any such town 591
meeting the moderator shall be chosen from the last-completed registry 592
list of such town. Two hundred or more persons or ten per cent of the 593
total number qualified to vote in the meeting of a town or other 594
municipal corporation, whichever is less, may petition the clerk or 595
secretary of such town or municipal corporation, in writing, at least 596
twenty-four hours prior to any such meeting, requesting that any item 597
or items on the call of such meeting be submitted to the persons 598
qualified to vote in such meeting not less than seven nor more than 599
fourteen days thereafter, on a day to be set by the town meeting or, if 600
the town meeting does not set a date, by the town selectmen, for a vote 601
by paper ballots or by a "Yes" or "No" vote on the voting machines, 602
during the hours between twelve o'clock noon and eight o'clock p.m.; 603
but any municipality may, any provision of any special act to the 604
contrary notwithstanding, by vote of its legislative body provide for an 605
earlier hour for opening the polls but not earlier than six o'clock a.m. 606
The selectmen of the town may, not less than five days prior to the day 607
of any such meeting, on their own initiative, remove any item on the call 608
of such meeting for submission to the voters in the manner provided by 609 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 20 of 49
this section or may submit any item which, in the absence of such a vote, 610
could properly come before such a meeting to the voters at a date set for 611
such vote or along with any other vote the date of which has been 612
previously set. The paper ballots or voting machine ballot labels [, as the 613
case may be,] shall be provided by such clerk or secretary. When such a 614
petition has been filed with such clerk or secretary, the moderator of 615
such meeting, after completion of other business and after reasonable 616
discussion, shall adjourn such meeting and order such vote on such item 617
or items in accordance with the petition; and any item so voted may be 618
rescinded in the same manner. If such moderator resigns or is for any 619
other cause unable to serve as moderator at such adjourned meeting, 620
such clerk or secretary shall serve, or may appoint an elector of such 621
municipality to serve, as moderator of such adjourned meeting. Such 622
clerk or secretary, as the case may be, shall phrase such item or items in 623
a form suitable for printing on such paper ballots or ballot labels, or 624
viewing, if such vote is taken by means of electronic equipment, 625
provided that the designation of any such item shall be in the form of a 626
question, as prescribed under section 9-369. The vote on any item on the 627
call of a town or other municipal corporation shall be taken by paper 628
ballot if so voted at the meeting, if no petition has been filed under this 629
section with reference to such item, except that any person attending the 630
meeting by means of electronic equipment shall be permitted to vote by 631
such means, provided the moderator, clerk or secretary is able to see and 632
hear such person and authenticate that such person is eligible to vote 633
pursuant to section 7-6. 634
Sec. 8. Section 7-8 of the general statutes is repealed and the following 635
is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 636
The moderator of any town meeting, and of any meeting of any 637
society or other community lawfully assembled, may, when any 638
disorder arises in the meeting and the offender refuses to submit to the 639
moderator's lawful authority, order any proper officer to take the 640
offender into custody and, if necessary, to remove the offender from 641
such meeting until the offender conforms to order or, if need be, until 642
such meeting is closed, and thereupon such officer shall have power to 643 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 21 of 49
command all necessary assistance. Any person refusing to assist when 644
commanded shall be liable to the same penalties as for refusing to assist 645
constables in the execution of their duties; but no person commanded to 646
assist shall be deprived of such person's right to act in the meeting, nor 647
shall the offender be so deprived any longer than the offender refuses 648
to conform to order. If such offender is attending such meeting by means 649
of electronic equipment, as defined in section 1-200, as amended by this 650
act, the moderator may terminate such offender's attendance by 651
electronic equipment until such time as the offender conforms to order 652
or, if need be, until such meeting is closed. 653
Sec. 9. Section 4-124s of the general statutes is repealed and the 654
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 655
(a) For purposes of this section: 656
(1) "Regional council of governments" means any such council 657
organized under the provisions of sections 4-124i to 4-124p, inclusive; 658
(2) "Municipality" means a town, city or consolidated town and 659
borough; 660
(3) "Legislative body" means the board of selectmen, town council, 661
city council, board of alderman, board of directors, board of 662
representatives or board of the warden and burgesses of a municipality; 663
(4) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Office of Policy and 664
Management or the designee of the secretary; [and] 665
(5) "Regional educational service center" has the same meaning as 666
provided in section 10-282; and 667
(6) "Employee organization" means any lawful association, labor 668
organization, federation or council having as a primary purpose the 669
improvement of wages, hours and other conditions of employment. 670
(b) There is established a regional performance incentive program 671
that shall be administered by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and 672 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 22 of 49
Management. [On or before December 31, 2011, and annually thereafter, 673
any] Any regional council of governments, [any two or more 674
municipalities acting through a regional council of governments, any 675
economic development district, any] regional educational service center 676
or [any] a combination thereof may submit a proposal to the secretary 677
for: (1) The [joint] provision of any service that one or more participating 678
municipalities of such council [,] or local or regional board of education 679
of such regional educational service center [or agency] currently provide 680
but which is not provided on a regional basis, (2) [a planning study 681
regarding the joint provision of any service on a regional basis, or (3) 682
shared information technology services] the redistribution of grants 683
awarded pursuant to sections 4-66g, 4-66h, 4-66m and 7-536, according 684
to regional priorities, or (3) regional revenue sharing among said 685
participating municipalities pursuant to section 7-148bb. A copy of said 686
proposal shall be sent to the legislators representing said participating 687
municipalities or local or regional boards of education. Any [local or 688
regional board of education or] regional educational service center 689
serving a population greater than one hundred thousand may submit a 690
proposal to the secretary for a regional special education initiative. 691
(c) (1) A regional council of governments [, an economic development 692
district, a] or regional educational service center [or a local or regional 693
board of education] shall submit each proposal in the form and manner 694
the secretary prescribes and shall, at a minimum, provide the following 695
information for each proposal: (A) Service or initiative description; (B) 696
the explanation of the need for such service or initiative; (C) the method 697
of delivering such service or initiative on a regional basis; (D) the 698
organization that would be responsible for regional service or initiative 699
delivery; (E) a description of the population that would be served; (F) 700
the manner in which the proposed regional service or initiative delivery 701
will achieve economies of scale for participating municipalities or 702
boards of education; (G) the amount by which participating 703
municipalities will reduce their mill rates as a result of savings realized; 704
(H) a cost benefit analysis for the provision of the service or initiative by 705
each participating municipality and by the entity or board of education 706 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 23 of 49
submitting the proposal; (I) a plan of implementation for delivery of the 707
service or initiative on a regional basis; (J) a resolution endorsing such 708
proposal approved by the [legislative] governing body of [each 709
participating municipality; and (K)] the council or center, which shall 710
include a statement that not less than twenty-five per cent of the cost of 711
such proposal shall be funded by the council or center in the first year 712
of operation, and that by the fourth year of operation the council or 713
center shall fund one hundred per cent of such cost; (K) an 714
acknowledgment from any employee organization that may be 715
impacted by such proposal that they have been informed of and 716
consulted about the proposal; and (L) an explanation of the potential 717
legal obstacles, if any, to the regional provision of the service or 718
initiative, and how such obstacles will be resolved. 719
(2) The secretary shall review each proposal and shall award grants 720
for proposals the secretary determines best [meet the requirements of 721
this section. In awarding such grants, the secretary shall give priority to 722
a proposal submitted by (A) any entity specified in subsection (a) of this 723
section that includes participation of all of the member municipalities of 724
such entity, and which may increase the purchasing power of 725
participating municipalities or provide a cost savings initiative resulting 726
in a decrease in expenses of such municipalities, allowing such 727
municipalities to lower property taxes, (B) any economic development 728
district, and (C) any local or regional board of education] satisfy the 729
following criteria: (A) The proposed service or initiative will be 730
available to or benefit all participating members of the regional council 731
of governments or regional educational service center regardless of such 732
members' participation in the grant application process; (B) when 733
compared to the existing delivery of services by participating members 734
of the council or center, the proposal demonstrates (i) a positive cost 735
benefit to such members, (ii) increased efficiency and capacity in the 736
delivery of services, (iii) a diminished need for state funding, and (iv) 737
increased cost savings; (C) the proposed service or initiative promotes 738
cooperation among participating members that may lead to a reduction 739
in economic or social inequality; (D) the proposal has been approved by 740 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 24 of 49
a majority of the members of the council or center, and pursuant to 741
subsection (c) of this section, contains a statement that not less than 742
twenty-five per cent of the cost of such proposal shall be funded by the 743
council or center in the first year of operation, and that by the fourth 744
year of operation the council or center shall fund one hundred per cent 745
of such cost; and (E) any employee organizations that may be impacted 746
by such proposal have been informed of and consulted about such 747
proposal, pursuant to subsection (c) of this section. 748
(d) [On or before December 31, 2013, and annually thereafter until 749
December 31, 2018, in addition to any proposal submitted pursuant to 750
this section, any municipality or regional council of governments may 751
apply to the secretary for a grant to fund: (1) Operating costs associated 752
with connecting to the state-wide high speed, flexible network 753
developed pursuant to section 4d-80, including the costs to connect at 754
the same rate as other government entities served by such network; and 755
(2) capital cost associated with connecting to such network, including 756
expenses associated with building out the internal fiber network 757
connections required to connect to such network, provided the secretary 758
shall make any such grant available in accordance with the two-year 759
schedule by which the Bureau of Enterprise Systems and Technology 760
recommends connecting each municipality and regional council of 761
governments to such network. Any municipality or regional council of 762
governments shall submit each application in the form and manner the 763
secretary prescribes.] Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 7-339a 764
to 7-339l, inclusive, or any other provision of the general statutes, no 765
regional council of governments or regional educational service center 766
or any member municipalities or local or regional boards of education 767
of such councils or centers shall be required to execute an interlocal 768
agreement to implement a proposal submitted pursuant to subsection 769
(c) of this section. 770
(e) Any board of education awarded a grant for a proposal submitted 771
pursuant to subsection (c) of this section may deposit any cost savings 772
realized as a result of the implementation of the proposed service or 773
initiative into a nonlapsing account pursuant to section 10-248a. 774 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 25 of 49
[(e)] (f) The secretary shall submit to the Governor and the joint 775
standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 776
matters relating to finance, revenue and bonding a report on the grants 777
provided pursuant to this section. Each such report shall (1) include 778
information on the amount of each grant [,] and the potential of each 779
grant for leveraging other public and private investments, and (2) 780
describe any property tax reductions and improved services achieved 781
by means of the program established pursuant to this section. The 782
secretary shall submit a report for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 783
2011, not later than February 1, 2012, and shall submit a report for each 784
subsequent fiscal year not later than the first day of March in such fiscal 785
year. [Such reports shall include the property tax reductions achieved 786
by means of the program established pursuant to this section.] 787
Sec. 10. Subsection (b) of section 8-31b of the general statutes is 788
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 789
passage): 790
(b) A regional council of governments may accept or participate in 791
any grant, donation or program available to any political subdivision of 792
the state and may also accept or participate in any grant, donation or 793
program made available to counties by any other governmental or 794
private entity. Notwithstanding the provisions of any special or public 795
act, any political subdivision of the state may enter into an agreement 796
with a regional council of governments to perform jointly or to provide, 797
alone or in cooperation with any other entity, any service, activity or 798
undertaking that the political subdivision is authorized by law to 799
perform. A regional council of governments established pursuant to this 800
section may administer and provide regional services to municipalities 801
by affirmative vote of the member municipalities of such council, and 802
may delegate such authority to subregional groups of such 803
municipalities. Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 7-339a to 7-804
339l, inclusive, the administration and provision of such services shall 805
not require the execution of any interlocal agreement. Regional services 806
provided to member municipalities shall be determined by each 807
regional council of governments, except as provided in subsection (b) of 808 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 26 of 49
section 9-229 and section 9-229b, and may include, without limitation, 809
the following services: (1) Engineering; (2) inspectional and planning; 810
(3) economic development; (4) public safety; (5) emergency 811
management; (6) animal control; (7) land use management; (8) tourism 812
promotion; (9) social; (10) health; (11) education; (12) data management; 813
(13) regional sewerage; (14) housing; (15) computerized mapping; (16) 814
household hazardous waste collection; (17) recycling; (18) public facility 815
siting; (19) coordination of master planning; (20) vocational training and 816
development; (21) solid waste disposal; (22) fire protection; (23) regional 817
resource protection; (24) regional impact studies; and (25) 818
transportation. 819
Sec. 11. Section 4-66k of the general statutes is repealed and the 820
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 821
(a) There is established an account to be known as the "regional 822
planning incentive account" which shall be a separate, nonlapsing 823
account within the General Fund. The account shall contain any moneys 824
required by law to be deposited in the account. Except as provided in 825
subsection [(d)] (e) of this section, moneys [,] in the account shall be 826
expended by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management [in 827
accordance with subsection (b) of this section] for the purposes of first 828
providing funding to regional planning organizations in accordance 829
with the provisions of subsections (b), [and] (c) and (d) of this section 830
and then to providing grants under the regional performance incentive 831
program established pursuant to section 4-124s, as amended by this act. 832
(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, funds from the regional 833
planning incentive account shall be distributed to each regional 834
planning organization, as defined in section 4-124i, revision of 1958, 835
revised to January 1, 2013, in the amount of one hundred twenty-five 836
thousand dollars. Any regional council of governments that is 837
comprised of any two or more regional planning organizations that 838
voluntarily consolidate on or before December 31, 2013, shall receive an 839
additional payment in an amount equal to the amount the regional 840
planning organizations would have received if such regional planning 841 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 27 of 49
organizations had not voluntarily consolidated. 842
(c) [Beginning in the fiscal year] For the fiscal years ending June 30, 843
2015, [and annually thereafter] to June 30, 2021, inclusive, funds from 844
the regional planning incentive account shall be distributed to each 845
regional council of governments formed pursuant to section 4-124j, in 846
the amount of one hundred twenty-five thousand dollars plus fifty cents 847
per capita, using population information from the most recent federal 848
decennial census. Any regional council of governments that is 849
comprised of any two or more regional planning organizations, as 850
defined in section 4-124i, revision of 1958, revised to January 1, 2013, 851
that voluntarily consolidated on or before December 31, 2013, shall 852
receive a payment in the amount of one hundred twenty-five thousand 853
dollars for each such regional planning organization that voluntarily 854
consolidated on or before said date. 855
(d) (1) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, and each fiscal year 856
thereafter, funds from the regional planning incentive account shall be 857
distributed to each regional council of governments formed pursuant to 858
section 4-124j, in the amount of one hundred twenty-five thousand 859
dollars plus an additional amount, which shall be based on a formula 860
determined by the secretary. 861
(2) Not later than July 1, 2021, and annually thereafter, each regional 862
council of governments shall submit to the secretary a proposal for 863
expenditure of the funds described in subdivision (1) of this subsection. 864
Such proposal may include, but need not be limited to, a description of 865
(A) functions, activities or services currently performed by the state or 866
municipalities that may be provided in a more efficient, cost-effective, 867
responsive or higher quality manner by such council, a regional 868
educational service center or similar regional entity, (B) anticipated cost 869
savings relating to the sharing of government services, including, but 870
not limited to, joint purchasing, (C) the standardization and alignment 871
of various regions of the state, or (D) any other initiatives that may 872
facilitate the delivery of services to the public in a more efficient, cost-873
effective, responsive or higher quality manner. 874 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 28 of 49
[(d)] (e) There is established a regionalization subaccount within the 875
regional planning incentive account. If the Connecticut Lottery 876
Corporation offers online its existing lottery draw games through the 877
corporation's Internet web site, online service or mobile application, the 878
revenue from such online offering that exceeds an amount equivalent to 879
the costs of the debt-free community college program under section 10a-880
174 shall be deposited in the subaccount, or, if such online offering is not 881
established, the amount provided under subsection (b) of section 364 of 882
public act 19-117 for regionalization initiatives shall be deposited in the 883
subaccount. Moneys in the subaccount shall be expended only for the 884
purposes recommended by the task force established under section 4-885
66s. 886
Sec. 12. Section 4-66r of the general statutes is repealed and the 887
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 888
(a) For the fiscal [year] years ending June 30, 2018, [and each fiscal 889
year thereafter] and June 30, 2019, each regional council of governments 890
shall, within available appropriations, receive a grant-in-aid to be 891
known as a regional services grant, the amount of which shall be based 892
on a formula to be determined by the Secretary of the Office of Policy 893
and Management. No such council shall receive a grant for the fiscal 894
year ending June 30, 2018, unless the secretary approves a spending plan 895
for such grant moneys submitted by such council to the secretary on or 896
before November 1, 2017. No such council shall receive a grant for the 897
fiscal year ending June 30, 2019, [or any fiscal year thereafter,] unless the 898
secretary approves a spending plan for such grant moneys submitted by 899
such council to the secretary on or before July 1, 2018. [, and annually 900
thereafter.] 901
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 29 of public act 19-117, 902
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, and each fiscal year thereafter, 903
each regional council of governments shall receive a grant-in-aid to be 904
known as a regional services grant, the amount of which shall be 905
determined pursuant to section 4-66k, as amended by this act. No such 906
council shall receive a grant for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, or 907 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 29 of 49
any fiscal year thereafter, unless the secretary approves a spending plan 908
for such grant moneys submitted by such council to the secretary on or 909
before July 1, 2019, and annually thereafter. 910
(c) Each regional council of governments shall use such grant funds 911
for planning purposes and to achieve efficiencies in the delivery of 912
municipal services, without diminishing the quality of such services. On 913
or before October 1, 2018, and annually thereafter, each regional council 914
of governments shall submit a report, in accordance with section 11-4a, 915
to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having 916
cognizance of matters relating to planning and development and 917
finance, revenue and bonding, and to the secretary. Such report shall (1) 918
summarize the expenditure of such grant funds in the prior fiscal year, 919
(2) describe any regional program, project or initiative currently 920
provided or planned by the council, (3) review the performance of any 921
existing regional program, project or initiative relative to its initial goals 922
and objectives, (4) analyze the existing services provided by member 923
municipalities or by the state that, in the opinion of the council, could 924
be more effectively or efficiently provided on a regional basis, and (5) 925
provide recommendations for legislative action concerning potential 926
impediments to the regionalization of services. 927
Sec. 13. Section 4-66l of the general statutes is repealed and the 928
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 929
(a) For the purposes of this section: 930
(1) "FY 15 mill rate" means the mill rate a municipality used during 931
the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015; 932
(2) "Mill rate" means, unless otherwise specified, the mill rate a 933
municipality uses to calculate tax bills for motor vehicles; 934
(3) "Municipality" means any town, city, consolidated town and city 935
or consolidated town and borough. "Municipality" includes a district for 936
the purposes of subdivision (1) of subsection (d) of this section; 937 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 30 of 49
(4) "Municipal spending" means: 938
T1
Municipal
spending for
the fiscal year
prior to the
current fiscal
–
Municipal
spending for
the fiscal year
two years
prior to the
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
year current year
X 100
= Municipal
spending;
T7 _______________________________
T8 Municipal spending for the fiscal
T9
year two years prior to the
T10 current year
(5) "Per capita distribution" means: 939
T11
Municipal population
T12
X Sales tax revenue = Per capita distribution
T13
Total state population
(6) "Pro rata distribution" means: 940
T14 Municipal weighted
mill rate
calculation
X Sales tax revenue = Pro rata distribution;
T15
T16 ___________________
T17 Sum of all municipal
weighted mill rate
calculations combined
T18
T19
(7) "Regional council of governments" means any such council 941
organized under the provisions of sections 4-124i to 4-124p, inclusive; 942
(8) "Municipal population" means the number of persons in a 943
municipality according to the most recent estimate of the Department of 944
Public Health; 945
(9) "Total state population" means the number of persons in this state 946 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 31 of 49
according to the most recent estimate published by the Department of 947
Public Health; 948
(10) "Weighted mill rate" means a municipality's FY 15 mill rate 949
divided by the average of all municipalities' FY 15 mill rate; 950
(11) "Weighted mill rate calculation" means per capita distribution 951
multiplied by a municipality's weighted mill rate; 952
(12) "Sales tax revenue" means the moneys in the account remaining 953
for distribution pursuant to subdivision (7) of subsection (b) of this 954
section; 955
(13) "District" means any district, as defined in section 7-324; and 956
(14) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Office of Policy and 957
Management. 958
(b) There is established an account to be known as the "municipal 959
revenue sharing account" which shall be a separate, nonlapsing account 960
within the General Fund. The account shall contain any moneys 961
required by law to be deposited in the account. The secretary shall set 962
aside and ensure availability of moneys in the account in the following 963
order of priority and shall transfer or disburse such moneys as follows: 964
(1) Ten million dollars for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2016, shall 965
be transferred not later than April fifteenth for the purposes of grants 966
under section 10-262h; 967
(2) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, and each fiscal year 968
thereafter, moneys sufficient to make motor vehicle property tax grants 969
payable to municipalities pursuant to subsection (c) of this section shall 970
be expended not later than August first annually by the secretary; 971
(3) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, and each fiscal year 972
thereafter, moneys sufficient to make the grants payable from the select 973
payment in lieu of taxes grant account established pursuant to section 974
12-18c shall annually be transferred to the select payment in lieu of taxes 975 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 32 of 49
account in the Office of Policy and Management; 976
(4) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2018, and June 30, 2019, 977
moneys sufficient to make the municipal revenue sharing grants 978
payable to municipalities pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection (d) 979
of this section shall be expended not later than October thirty-first 980
annually by the secretary; 981
[(5) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, and each fiscal year 982
thereafter, seven million dollars shall be expended for the purposes of 983
the regional services grants pursuant to subsection (e) of this section to 984
the regional councils of governments;] 985
[(6)] (5) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, and each fiscal year 986
thereafter, moneys may be expended for the purpose of supplemental 987
motor vehicle property tax grants pursuant to subsection (c) of this 988
section; and 989
[(7)] (6) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, and each fiscal year 990
thereafter, moneys in the account remaining shall be expended annually 991
by the secretary for the purposes of the municipal revenue sharing 992
grants established pursuant to subsection [(f)] (e) of this section. Any 993
such moneys deposited in the account for municipal revenue sharing 994
grants between October first and June thirtieth shall be distributed to 995
municipalities on the following October first and any such moneys 996
deposited in the account between July first and September thirtieth shall 997
be distributed to municipalities on the following January thirty-first. 998
Any municipality may apply to the Office of Policy and Management 999
on or after July first for early disbursement of a portion of such grant. 1000
The Office of Policy and Management may approve such an application 1001
if it finds that early disbursement is required in order for a municipality 1002
to meet its cash flow needs. No early disbursement approved by said 1003
office may be issued later than September thirtieth. 1004
(c) (1) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, motor vehicle property 1005
tax grants to municipalities that impose mill rates on real property and 1006
personal property other than motor vehicles greater than 39 mills or 1007 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 33 of 49
that, when combined with the mill rate of any district located within the 1008
municipality, impose mill rates greater than 39 mills, shall be made in 1009
an amount equal to the difference between the amount of property taxes 1010
levied by the municipality and any district located within the 1011
municipality on motor vehicles for the assessment year commencing 1012
October 1, 2013, and the amount such levy would have been if the mill 1013
rate on motor vehicles for said assessment year was 39 mills. 1014
(2) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, and each fiscal year 1015
thereafter, motor vehicle property tax grants to municipalities that 1016
impose mill rates on real property and personal property other than 1017
motor vehicles greater than 45 mills or that, when combined with the 1018
mill rate of any district located within the municipality, impose mill 1019
rates greater than 45 mills, shall be made in an amount equal to the 1020
difference between the amount of property taxes levied by the 1021
municipality and any district located within the municipality on motor 1022
vehicles for the assessment year commencing October 1, 2016, and the 1023
amount such levy would have been if the mill rate on motor vehicles for 1024
said assessment year was 45 mills. 1025
(3) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, any municipality that 1026
imposed a mill rate for real and personal property of more than 39 mills 1027
during the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017, and effected a revaluation of 1028
real property for the 2014 or 2015 assessment year that resulted in an 1029
increase of 4 or more mills over the prior mill rate, may apply to the 1030
Office of Policy and Management for a supplemental motor vehicle 1031
property tax grant. The Office of Policy and Management may approve 1032
such an application, within available funds, provided such 1033
supplemental grant does not reduce any amount payable to any other 1034
municipality. 1035
(4) Not later than fifteen calendar days after receiving a property tax 1036
grant pursuant to this section, the municipality shall disburse to any 1037
district located within the municipality the amount of any such property 1038
tax grant that is attributable to the district. 1039 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 34 of 49
[(d) (1) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017, each municipality 1040
shall receive a municipal revenue sharing grant, which shall be payable 1041
August 1, 2016, from the Municipal Revenue Sharing Fund established 1042
in section 4-66p. The total amount of the grant payable is as follows: 1043
T20 Municipality Grant Amount
T21 Andover 66,705
T22 Ansonia 605,442
T23 Ashford 87,248
T24 Avon 374,711
T25 Barkhamsted 76,324
T26 Beacon Falls 123,341
T27 Berlin 843,048
T28 Bethany 114,329
T29 Bethel 392,605
T30 Bethlehem 42,762
T31 Bloomfield 438,458
T32 Bolton 106,449
T33 Bozrah 53,783
T34 Branford 570,402
T35 Bridgeport 14,476,283
T36 Bridgewater 15,670
T37 Bristol 1,276,119
T38 Brookfield 343,611
T39 Brooklyn 103,910
T40 Burlington 193,490
T41 Canaan 14,793
T42 Canterbury 58,684
T43 Canton 211,078
T44 Chaplin 48,563
T45 Cheshire 594,084
T46 Chester 57,736
T47 Clinton 268,611
T48 Colchester 330,363
T49 Colebrook 29,694 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 35 of 49
T50 Columbia 111,276
T51 Cornwall 11,269
T52 Coventry 252,939
T53 Cromwell 288,951
T54 Danbury 2,079,675
T55 Darien 171,485
T56 Deep River 93,525
T57 Derby 462,718
T58 Durham 150,019
T59 East Granby 106,222
T60 East Haddam 186,418
T61 East Hampton 263,149
T62 East Hartford 3,877,281
T63 East Haven 593,493
T64 East Lyme 243,736
T65 East Windsor 232,457
T66 Eastford 23,060
T67 Easton 155,216
T68 Ellington 321,722
T69 Enfield 911,974
T70 Essex 74,572
T71 Fairfield 795,318
T72 Farmington 335,287
T73 Franklin 26,309
T74 Glastonbury 754,546
T75 Goshen 30,286
T76 Granby 244,839
T77 Greenwich 366,588
T78 Griswold 243,727
T79 Groton 433,177
T80 Guilford 456,863
T81 Haddam 170,440
T82 Hamden 4,491,337
T83 Hampton 38,070
T84 Hartford 13,908,437 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 36 of 49
T85 Hartland 27,964
T86 Harwinton 113,987
T87 Hebron 208,666
T88 Kent 26,808
T89 Killingly 351,213
T90 Killingworth 85,270
T91 Lebanon 149,163
T92 Ledyard 307,619
T93 Lisbon 45,413
T94 Litchfield 169,828
T95 Lyme 21,862
T96 Madison 372,897
T97 Manchester 1,972,491
T98 Mansfield 525,280
T99 Marlborough 131,065
T100 Meriden 1,315,347
T101 Middlebury 154,299
T102 Middlefield 91,372
T103 Middletown 964,657
T104 Milford 1,880,830
T105 Monroe 404,221
T106 Montville 401,756
T107 Morris 28,110
T108 Naugatuck 2,405,660
T109 New Britain 5,781,991
T110 New Canaan 168,106
T111 New Fairfield 288,278
T112 New Hartford 140,338
T113 New Haven 2,118,290
T114 New London 750,249
T115 New Milford 565,898
T116 Newington 651,000
T117 Newtown 572,949
T118 Norfolk 20,141
T119 North Branford 292,517 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 37 of 49
T120 North Canaan 66,052
T121 North Haven 487,882
T122 North Stonington 107,832
T123 Norwalk 3,401,590
T124 Norwich 1,309,943
T125 Old Lyme 79,946
T126 Old Saybrook 101,527
T127 Orange 284,365
T128 Oxford 171,492
T129 Plainfield 310,350
T130 Plainville 363,176
T131 Plymouth 255,581
T132 Pomfret 54,257
T133 Portland 192,715
T134 Preston 58,934
T135 Prospect 197,097
T136 Putnam 76,399
T137 Redding 189,781
T138 Ridgefield 512,848
T139 Rocky Hill 405,872
T140 Roxbury 15,998
T141 Salem 85,617
T142 Salisbury 20,769
T143 Scotland 36,200
T144 Seymour 343,388
T145 Sharon 19,467
T146 Shelton 706,038
T147 Sherman 39,000
T148 Simsbury 567,460
T149 Somers 141,697
T150 South Windsor 558,715
T151 Southbury 404,731
T152 Southington 889,821
T153 Sprague 89,456
T154 Stafford 243,095 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 38 of 49
T155 Stamford 2,372,358
T156 Sterling 77,037
T157 Stonington 202,888
T158 Stratford 1,130,316
T159 Suffield 321,763
T160 Thomaston 158,888
T161 Thompson 114,582
T162 Tolland 303,971
T163 Torrington 2,435,109
T164 Trumbull 745,325
T165 Union 17,283
T166 Vernon 641,027
T167 Voluntown 33,914
T168 Wallingford 919,984
T169 Warren 11,006
T170 Washington 25,496
T171 Waterbury 13,438,542
T172 Waterford 259,091
T173 Watertown 453,012
T174 West Hartford 1,614,320
T175 West Haven 1,121,850
T176 Westbrook 80,601
T177 Weston 211,384
T178 Westport 262,402
T179 Wethersfield 940,267
T180 Willington 121,568
T181 Wilton 380,234
T182 Winchester 224,447
T183 Windham 513,847
T184 Windsor 593,921
T185 Windsor Locks 256,241
T186 Wolcott 340,859
T187 Woodbridge 247,758
T188 Woodbury 200,175
T189 Woodstock 97,708 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 39 of 49
T190 Borough of Danielson -
T191 Borough of Litchfield -
T192 Bloomfield, Blue Hills FD 92,961
T193 Enfield Thompsonville FD #2 354,311
T194 Manchester - Eighth Utility District 436,718
T195 Middletown - City Fire 910,442
T196 Middletown So Fire 413,961
T197 Norwich CCD 552,565
T198 Norwich TCD 62,849
T199 Simsbury FD 221,536
T200 Plainfield Fire District -
T201 Windham, Special Service District #2 640,000
T202 Windham 1st Taxing District -
T203 Windham First
T204 West Haven First Center (D1) 1,039,843
T205 West Haven: Allingtown FD (D3) 483,505
T206 West Haven: West Shore FD (D2) 654,640
(2) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2018, and June 30, 2019, each 1044
municipality shall receive a municipal sharing grant payable not later 1045
than October thirty-first of each year. The total amount of the grant 1046
payable is as follows: 1047
T207 Municipality Grant Amount
T208 Andover 96,020
T209 Ansonia 643,519
T210 Ashford 125,591
T211 Avon 539,387
T212 Barkhamsted 109,867
T213 Beacon Falls 177,547
T214 Berlin 1,213,548
T215 Bethany 164,574
T216 Bethel 565,146
T217 Bethlehem 61,554
T218 Bloomfield 631,150 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 40 of 49
T219 Bolton 153,231
T220 Bozrah 77,420
T221 Branford 821,080
T222 Bridgeport 9,758,441
T223 Bridgewater 22,557
T224 Bristol 1,836,944
T225 Brookfield 494,620
T226 Brooklyn 149,576
T227 Burlington 278,524
T228 Canaan 21,294
T229 Canterbury 84,475
T230 Canton 303,842
T231 Chaplin 69,906
T232 Cheshire 855,170
T233 Chester 83,109
T234 Clinton 386,660
T235 Colchester 475,551
T236 Colebrook 42,744
T237 Columbia 160,179
T238 Cornwall 16,221
T239 Coventry 364,100
T240 Cromwell 415,938
T241 Danbury 2,993,644
T242 Darien 246,849
T243 Deep River 134,627
T244 Derby 400,912
T245 Durham 215,949
T246 East Granby 152,904
T247 East Haddam 268,344
T248 East Hampton 378,798
T249 East Hartford 2,036,894
T250 East Haven 854,319
T251 East Lyme 350,852
T252 East Windsor 334,616
T253 Eastford 33,194 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 41 of 49
T254 Easton 223,430
T255 Ellington 463,112
T256 Enfield 1,312,766
T257 Essex 107,345
T258 Fairfield 1,144,842
T259 Farmington 482,637
T260 Franklin 37,871
T261 Glastonbury 1,086,151
T262 Goshen 43,596
T263 Granby 352,440
T264 Greenwich 527,695
T265 Griswold 350,840
T266 Groton 623,548
T267 Guilford 657,644
T268 Haddam 245,344
T269 Hamden 2,155,661
T270 Hampton 54,801
T271 Hartford 1,498,643
T272 Hartland 40,254
T273 Harwinton 164,081
T274 Hebron 300,369
T275 Kent 38,590
T276 Killingly 505,562
T277 Killingworth 122,744
T278 Lebanon 214,717
T279 Ledyard 442,811
T280 Lisbon 65,371
T281 Litchfield 244,464
T282 Lyme 31,470
T283 Madison 536,777
T284 Manchester 1,971,540
T285 Mansfield 756,128
T286 Marlborough 188,665
T287 Meriden 1,893,412
T288 Middlebury 222,109 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 42 of 49
T289 Middlefield 131,529
T290 Middletown 1,388,602
T291 Milford 2,707,412
T292 Monroe 581,867
T293 Montville 578,318
T294 Morris 40,463
T295 Naugatuck 1,251,980
T296 New Britain 3,131,893
T297 New Canaan 241,985
T298 New Fairfield 414,970
T299 New Hartford 202,014
T300 New Haven 114,863
T301 New London 917,228
T302 New Milford 814,597
T303 Newington 937,100
T304 Newtown 824,747
T305 Norfolk 28,993
T306 North Branford 421,072
T307 North Canaan 95,081
T308 North Haven 702,295
T309 North Stonington 155,222
T310 Norwalk 4,896,511
T311 Norwich 1,362,971
T312 Old Lyme 115,080
T313 Old Saybrook 146,146
T314 Orange 409,337
T315 Oxford 246,859
T316 Plainfield 446,742
T317 Plainville 522,783
T318 Plymouth 367,902
T319 Pomfret 78,101
T320 Portland 277,409
T321 Preston 84,835
T322 Prospect 283,717
T323 Putnam 109,975 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 43 of 49
T324 Redding 273,185
T325 Ridgefield 738,233
T326 Rocky Hill 584,244
T327 Roxbury 23,029
T328 Salem 123,244
T329 Salisbury 29,897
T330 Scotland 52,109
T331 Seymour 494,298
T332 Sharon 28,022
T333 Shelton 1,016,326
T334 Sherman 56,139
T335 Simsbury 775,368
T336 Somers 203,969
T337 South Windsor 804,258
T338 Southbury 582,601
T339 Southington 1,280,877
T340 Sprague 128,769
T341 Stafford 349,930
T342 Stamford 3,414,955
T343 Sterling 110,893
T344 Stonington 292,053
T345 Stratford 1,627,064
T346 Suffield 463,170
T347 Thomaston 228,716
T348 Thompson 164,939
T349 Tolland 437,559
T350 Torrington 1,133,394
T351 Trumbull 1,072,878
T352 Union 24,878
T353 Vernon 922,743
T354 Voluntown 48,818
T355 Wallingford 1,324,296
T356 Warren 15,842
T357 Washington 36,701
T358 Waterbury 5,595,448 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 44 of 49
T359 Waterford 372,956
T360 Watertown 652,100
T361 West Hartford 2,075,223
T362 West Haven 1,614,877
T363 Westbrook 116,023
T364 Weston 304,282
T365 Westport 377,722
T366 Wethersfield 1,353,493
T367 Willington 174,995
T368 Wilton 547,338
T369 Winchester 323,087
T370 Windham 739,671
T371 Windsor 854,935
T372 Windsor Locks 368,853
T373 Wolcott 490,659
T374 Woodbridge 274,418
T375 Woodbury 288,147
T376 Woodstock 140,648]
[(e) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017, and each fiscal year 1048
thereafter, each regional council of governments shall receive a regional 1049
services grant, the amount of which will be based on a formula to be 1050
determined by the secretary, except that, for the fiscal year ending June 1051
30, 2018, and each fiscal year thereafter, thirty-five per cent of such grant 1052
moneys shall be awarded to regional councils of governments for the 1053
purpose of assisting regional education service centers in merging their 1054
human resource, finance or technology services with such services 1055
provided by municipalities within the region. For the fiscal year ending 1056
June 30, 2017, three million dollars shall be expended by the secretary 1057
from the Municipal Revenue Sharing Fund established in section 4-66p 1058
for the purpose of the regional services grant. No such council shall 1059
receive a grant for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, or any fiscal year 1060
thereafter, unless the secretary approves a spending plan for such grant 1061
moneys submitted by such council to the secretary on or before July 1, 1062
2017, and annually thereafter. The regional councils of governments 1063 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 45 of 49
shall use such grants for planning purposes and to achieve efficiencies 1064
in the delivery of municipal services by regionalizing such services, 1065
including, but not limited to, region-wide consolidation of such services. 1066
Such efficiencies shall not diminish the quality of such services. A 1067
unanimous vote of the representatives of such council shall be required 1068
for approval of any expenditure from such grant. On or before October 1069
1, 2017, and biennially thereafter, each such council shall submit a 1070
report, in accordance with section 11-4a, to the joint standing 1071
committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 1072
relating to planning and development and finance, revenue and 1073
bonding. Such report shall summarize the expenditure of such grants 1074
and provide recommendations concerning the expansion, reduction or 1075
modification of such grants.] 1076
[(f)] (d) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, and each fiscal year 1077
thereafter, each municipality shall receive a municipal revenue sharing 1078
grant as follows: 1079
(1) (A) A municipality having a mill rate at or above twenty-five shall 1080
receive the per capita distribution or pro rata distribution, whichever is 1081
higher for such municipality. 1082
(B) Such grants shall be increased by a percentage calculated as 1083
follows: 1084
T377 Sum of per capita distribution amount
T378
for all municipalities having a mill rate
T379
below twenty-five – pro rata distribution
T380
amount for all municipalities
T381
having a mill rate below twenty-five
T382
_______________________________________
T383
Sum of all grants to municipalities
T384
calculated pursuant to subparagraph (A)
T385
of subdivision (1) of this subsection.
(C) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraphs (A) and (B) of 1085
this subdivision, Hartford shall receive not more than 5.2 per cent of the 1086 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 46 of 49
municipal revenue sharing grants distributed pursuant to this 1087
subsection; Bridgeport shall receive not more than 4.5 per cent of the 1088
municipal revenue sharing grants distributed pursuant to this 1089
subsection; New Haven shall receive not more than 2.0 per cent of the 1090
municipal revenue sharing grants distributed pursuant to this 1091
subsection and Stamford shall receive not more than 2.8 per cent of the 1092
equalization grants distributed pursuant to this subsection. Any excess 1093
funds remaining after such reductions in payments to Hartford, 1094
Bridgeport, New Haven and Stamford shall be distributed to all other 1095
municipalities having a mill rate at or above twenty-five on a pro rata 1096
basis according to the payment they receive pursuant to this 1097
subdivision; and 1098
(2) A municipality having a mill rate below twenty-five shall receive 1099
the per capita distribution or pro rata distribution, whichever is less for 1100
such municipality. 1101
(3) For the purposes of this subsection, "mill rate" means the mill rate 1102
for real property and personal property other than motor vehicles. 1103
[(g)] (e) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, a 1104
municipality may disburse any municipal revenue sharing grant funds 1105
to a district within such municipality. 1106
[(h)] (f) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, 1107
for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, and each fiscal year thereafter, 1108
the amount of the grant payable to a municipality in any year in 1109
accordance with subsection (d) [or (f)] of this section shall be reduced if 1110
such municipality increases its adopted budget expenditures for such 1111
fiscal year above a cap equal to the amount of adopted budget 1112
expenditures authorized for the previous fiscal year by 2.5 per cent or 1113
more or the rate of inflation, whichever is greater. Such reduction shall 1114
be in an amount equal to fifty cents for every dollar expended over the 1115
cap set forth in this subsection. For the purposes of this section, (A) 1116
"municipal spending" does not include expenditures for debt service, 1117
special education, implementation of court orders or arbitration awards, 1118 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 47 of 49
expenditures associated with a major disaster or emergency declaration 1119
by the President of the United States, a disaster emergency declaration 1120
issued by the Governor pursuant to chapter 517 or any disbursement 1121
made to a district pursuant to subsection (c) or [(g)] (e) of this section, 1122
budgeting for an audited deficit, nonrecurring grants, capital 1123
expenditures or payments on unfunded pension liabilities, (B) "adopted 1124
budget expenditures" includes expenditures from a municipality's 1125
general fund and expenditures from any nonbudgeted funds, and (C) 1126
"capital expenditure" means a nonrecurring capital expenditure of one 1127
hundred thousand dollars or more. Each municipality shall annually 1128
certify to the secretary, on a form prescribed by said secretary, whether 1129
such municipality has exceeded the cap set forth in this subsection and 1130
if so the amount by which the cap was exceeded. 1131
(2) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, and each fiscal year 1132
thereafter, the amount of the grant payable to a municipality in any year 1133
in accordance with subsection (d) or [(f)] (e) of this section shall not be 1134
reduced in the case of a municipality whose adopted budget 1135
expenditures exceed the cap set forth in subdivision (1) of this 1136
subsection by an amount proportionate to any increase to its municipal 1137
population from the previous fiscal year, as determined by the secretary. 1138
[(i)] (g) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, and each fiscal year 1139
thereafter, the amount of the grant payable to a municipality in any year 1140
in accordance with subsection [(f)] (d) of this section shall be reduced 1141
proportionately in the event that the total of such grants in such year 1142
exceeds the amount available for such grants in the municipal revenue 1143
sharing account established pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. 1144
Sec. 14. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) For the purposes of this 1145
section, "food establishment" means a food establishment that is 1146
licensed or permitted to operate pursuant to section 19a-36i of the 1147
general statutes, and "municipality" has the same meaning as provided 1148
in section 8-1a of the general statutes. 1149
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, special act, 1150 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 48 of 49
municipal charter or ordinance, the zoning commission of each 1151
municipality shall allow any licensee or permittee of a food 1152
establishment operating in such municipality to engage in outdoor food 1153
and beverage service as an accessory use of such food establishment's 1154
permitted use. Such accessory use shall be allowed as of right, subject 1155
only to any required administrative site plan review to determine 1156
conformance with zoning requirements not contemplated by this 1157
section. 1158
(c) Any such licensee or permittee may engage in outdoor food and 1159
beverage service (1) on public sidewalks and other pedestrian pathways 1160
abutting the area permitted for principal use and on which vehicular 1161
access is not allowed, (A) provided a pathway the length of the lot upon 1162
which the area permitted for principal use is located, and not less than 1163
six feet in width, not including any area on a street or highway, shall 1164
remain unobstructed for pedestrian use, and (B) subject to reasonable 1165
conditions imposed by the municipal official or agency that issues right-1166
of-way or obstruction permits; (2) on off-street parking spaces 1167
associated with the permitted use, notwithstanding any municipal 1168
ordinance establishing minimum requirements for off-street parking; (3) 1169
on any lot, yard, court or open space abutting the area permitted for 1170
principal use, provided (A) such lot, yard, court or open space is located 1171
in a zoning district where the operation of food establishments is 1172
permitted, and (B) the licensee or permittee obtains written 1173
authorization to engage in such service from the owner of such lot, yard, 1174
court or open space and provides a copy of such authorization to the 1175
zoning commission; and (4) until 9 o'clock p.m., or a time established by 1176
the zoning regulations of the municipality, whichever is later. 1177
Sec. 15. Subsection (a) of section 32-37 of the general statutes is 1178
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 1179
2021): 1180
(a) The powers of the corporation shall be vested in and exercised by 1181
the board of directors. Eight members of the board shall constitute a 1182
quorum and the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present 1183 Governor's Bill No. 6448
LCO No. 3270 49 of 49
at a meeting of the board shall be necessary and sufficient for any action 1184
taken by the board. No vacancy in the membership of the board shall 1185
impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform all 1186
the duties of the board. Any action taken by the board may be 1187
authorized by resolution at any regular or special meeting and shall take 1188
effect immediately unless otherwise provided in the resolution. Notice 1189
of any regular meeting shall be given in writing, by telephone or orally, 1190
not less than forty-eight hours prior to the meeting. Notice of any special 1191
meeting shall be given in accordance with subsection [(d)] (e) of section 1192
1-225, as amended by this act.1193
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2021 1-200
Sec. 2 July 1, 2021 1-206
Sec. 3 July 1, 2021 1-225
Sec. 4 July 1, 2021 1-226
Sec. 5 July 1, 2021 1-227
Sec. 6 July 1, 2021 1-228
Sec. 7 July 1, 2021 7-7
Sec. 8 July 1, 2021 7-8
Sec. 9 from passage 4-124s
Sec. 10 from passage 8-31b(b)
Sec. 11 July 1, 2021 4-66k
Sec. 12 July 1, 2021 4-66r
Sec. 13 July 1, 2021 4-66l
Sec. 14 July 1, 2021 New section
Sec. 15 July 1, 2021 32-37(a)
Statement of Purpose:
To implement the Governor's budget recommendations.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]