OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS Legislative Office Building, Room 5200 Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200 http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa sHB-6651 AN ACT RESPONDING TO ISSUES RELATED TO COVID-19 AND GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION. Primary Analyst: CP 4/17/21 Contributing Analyst(s): DC OFA Fiscal Note State Impact: None Municipal Impact: None Explanation This bill, which codifies parts of five different executive orders issued by the governor during the COVID-19 pandemic, has no fiscal impact on the state or municipalities. The bill allows public agencies to hold meetings remotely through conference call, videoconference, or other technology. It specifies that public agency meetings held remotely satisfy the Freedom of Information Act’s (FOIA’s) requirement that these meetings be open to the public. The bill also exempts appeals filed or pending with the Freedom of Information Commission on or after the bill's effective date from certain FOIA deadlines until December 31, 2021. It also allows executive branch agency heads to modify or suspend their agency’s regulatory requirements. Lastly, the bill requires officials administering certain district or town meetings or elections to use their best efforts to conduct them remotely and allows notaries public and Superior Court commissioners to perform notarial acts electronically until December 31, 2021. 2021HB-06651-R000510-FN.DOCX Page 2 of 2 The Out Years State Impact: None Municipal Impact: None