Researcher: SM Page 1 5/12/23
OLR Bill Analysis
HB 6779 (as amended by House "A")*
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TASK FORCE TO STUDY A HOUSING
OPPORTUNITIES TAX CREDIT.
SUMMARY
This bill establishes three separate task forces on (1) a housing
opportunities tax credit, (2) homelessness, and (3) rental savings
accounts. It requires the task forces to undertake studies that include
certain components and specifies membership for each.
The bill requires the legislative leaders to (1) make their initial
appointments to the task forces no later than 30 days after the bill’s
passage and (2) fill any vacancies. The House speaker and Senate
president pro tempore jointly select the task forces’ chairpersons. The
chairpersons must schedule the task forces’ first meeting and hold it
within 60 days after the bill’s passage.
The bill also requires each task force to report on its findings and
recommendations to the Housing Committee by January 1, 2024.
However, the homelessness task force must continue to report to the
committee annually on January 1 until 2029; this task force terminates
on January 1, 2029. The task forces on a housing opportunities tax credit
and rental savings accounts terminate on January 1, 2024, or the date
they submit their reports, whichever is later.
Under the bill, the Housing Committee’s administrative staff serve as
the administrative staff of each task force.
*House Amendment “A” (1) reduces, from two to one, the
appointments of the House speaker and Senate president pro tempore
to the tax credit task force and (2) adds the provisions establishing the
homelessness and rental savings accounts task forces. 2023HB-06779-R010776-BA.DOCX
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EFFECTIVE DATE: Upon passage
§ 1 — HOUSING OPPORT UNITIES TAX CREDIT TASK FORCE
The bill establishes a nine-member task force to study the feasibility
and potential benefits of a housing opportunities tax credit (1) provided
to landlords who offer housing to formerly incarcerated people and (2)
that would be (a) equal to 25% of the rental income landlords receive
from these tenants and (b) applied against any state income taxes the
landlords owe. The study must consider best practices for implementing
the tax credit program and the credit’s potential:
1. impact on housing availability for formerly incarcerated people,
2. financial benefits for qualifying landlords,
3. impact on recidivism rates and financial benefits to the state from
a reduction in these rates, and
4. administrative costs associated with implementation.
Membership
Under the bill, the task force consists of the housing, revenue services,
and correction commissioners, or their designees, and six members
whom the legislative leaders appoint. The legislative appointees may be
General Assembly members and some must have certain qualifications,
as shown in the table below.
Table: Housing Opportunities Tax Credit Task Force — Legislative Appointees
Appointing Authority Required Qualifications
House speaker A formerly incarcerated person
Senate president pro tempore Representative of a nonprofit housing services provider
House majority leader None
Senate majority leader None
House minority leader A landlord
Senate minority leader Representative of a nonprofit providing services to formerly
incarcerated people
§ 2 — HOMELESSNESS TASK FO RCE
The bill establishes a seven-member task force to study homelessness 2023HB-06779-R010776-BA.DOCX
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and policies to prevent it in the state and requires that the study
examine, at a minimum, the following components:
1. strategies to prevent and reduce homelessness;
2. coordinating services and providing services and support for
individuals and families experiencing homelessness (e.g., health
care, education, and employment training);
3. providing emergency shelter and long-term housing solutions
for these individuals and families; and
4. the availability and accessibility of affordable housing in
Connecticut.
Membership
Under the bill, the task force consists of the Department of Housing
(DOH) commissioner, or her designee, and six members whom the
legislative leaders appoint. The legislative appointees may be General
Assembly members and must have certain qualifications, as shown in
the table below.
Table: Homelessness Task Force — Legislative Appointees
Appointing Authority Required Qualifications
House speaker Experience in homelessness policies and programs
Senate president pro tempore Expertise in fair housing protections
House majority leader Represents a homeless service provider
Senate majority leader Represents a low-income housing advocacy organization
House minority leader Represents a landlord association
Senate minority leader Represents a faith-based organization that provides
services to households experiencing homelessness
§ 3 — RENTAL SAVINGS ACCO UNTS TASK FORCE
The bill establishes an eight-member task force to study the feasibility
of, and methods for, implementing rental savings accounts in the state.
It requires that the study include the design and operation of tax-
advantaged rental savings accounts for tenants to use for rental
expenses and the potential impact of these accounts on (1) the banking
industry, (2) tenants and landlords, (3) employers and the state 2023HB-06779-R010776-BA.DOCX
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economy, and (4) state revenue.
Membership
Under the bill, the task force consists of the DOH commissioner and
Connecticut Housing Finance Authority chief executive officer, or their
designees, and six members whom the legislative leaders appoint. The
legislative appointees may be General Assembly members and
generally must have certain qualifications, as shown in the table below.
Table: Rental Savings Accounts Task Force — Legislative Appointees
Appointing Authority Required Qualifications
House speaker Representative of the banking industry
Senate president pro tempore Representative of a housing advocacy group
House majority leader Representative of tenants
Senate majority leader None
House minority leader Representative of landlords
Senate minority leader Representative of employers
COMMITTEE ACTION
Housing Committee
Joint Favorable Change of Reference - FIN
Yea 15 Nay 0 (03/02/2023)
Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 51 Nay 0 (04/18/2023)