OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS
Legislative Office Building, Room 5200
Hartford, CT 06106 (860) 240-0200
http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa
sHB-5494
AN ACT CONCERNING REFERENDA ON REVISIONS TO
MUNICIPAL CHARTERS AND HOME RULE ORDINANCES.
Primary Analyst: TM 4/15/24
Contributing Analyst(s): BP
Reviewer: PR
OFA Fiscal Note
State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 25 $ FY 26 $
Secretary of the State GF - Cost 85,000 85,000
State Comptroller - Fringe
Benefits
1
GF - Cost 35,000 35,000
Note: GF=General Fund
Municipal Impact:
Municipalities Effect FY 25 $ FY 26 $
Various Municipalities Potential
Cost
See Below See Below
Explanation
The bill establishes procedures for review and structure for ballot
designations, proposed changes and amendments to town charters or
home rule ordinances and creates additional oversight responsibility for
the Secretary of the State (SOTS) resulting in a cost to the state of
$120,000 in FY 25 and FY 26, and a potential cost to municipalities.
The bill establishes a set of standard processes for petitioning and
ballot designation requirements and puts SOTS in an oversight role in
the petitioning process when a petition of 1% of a municipalities
electorate, and is required to approve or reject ballot language under
1
The fringe benefit costs for most state employees are budgeted centrally in accounts
administered by the Comptroller. The estimated active employee fringe benefit cost
associated with most personnel changes is 41.25% of payroll in FY 25. 2024HB-05494-R000490-FN.DOCX Page 2 of 2
those circumstances. Due to the unique nature of each town charter and
home rule ordinances, SOTS will require one additional Staff Attorney
I
2
to review petitions and referenda at a cost of $85,000 in FY 25 and FY
26 an associated fringe cost to the State Comptroller of $35,000 in FY 25
and FY 26.
There is a potential cost to municipalities depending on if the
designations and description of the issues on the ballot are challenged.
There would be a potential cost to reprint ballots should SOTS reject a
challenged proposed municipal ballot.
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to inflation, wage increases, and the
number of ballots rejected.
2
The annual salary cost of a Staff Attorney I is $84,000.