LCO 3622 1 of 8
General Assembly Raised Bill No. 6440
January Session, 2025
LCO No. 3622
Referred to Committee on VETERANS' AND MILITARY
AFFAIRS
Introduced by:
(VA)
AN ACT CONCERNING THE ORGANIZED MILITIA AND THE
GOVERNOR'S GUARDS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2025) On or after July 1, 2025, the 1
members of the former four companies of the Governor's Guards may 2
organize or associate as a private military force, as defined in section 27-3
101 of the general statutes and subject to the provisions of section 27-102 4
of the general statutes, for the purposes of carrying on said former 5
companies' history, tradition and honors. 6
Sec. 2. Section 3-10d of the general statutes is repealed and the 7
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 8
The Governor may reactivate any military unit of the state or of the 9
colony of Connecticut, including any private military force, as defined 10
in section 27-101, that is historically related to the former four companies 11
of the Governor's Guards, for participation in any parade, celebration or 12
other ceremony taking place within or outside the state. No state funds 13
shall be expended for reactivation of any such units and no person shall 14 Raised Bill No. 6440
LCO 3622 2 of 8
be involuntarily activated under the authority of this section. 15
Sec. 3. Section 27-2 of the general statutes is repealed and the 16
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 17
The militia shall be divided into four classes as follows: The 18
unorganized militia, the organized militia, the National Guard and the 19
naval militia. The National Guard for the purposes of this chapter shall 20
consist of the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. The 21
unorganized militia shall consist of all male citizens and all male 22
residents of the state who have declared their intention to become 23
citizens of the United States, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five 24
years, not exempt from military duty by federal or state laws or by such 25
reasons of physical or mental disabilities as shall be prescribed in 26
general orders or regulations published by the Adjutant General and 27
approved by the Governor and who are not members of the organized 28
militia or of the National Guard or of the naval militia, and all female 29
citizens and all female residents of the state who have declared their 30
intention to become citizens of the United States, between the ages of 31
eighteen and forty-five years, who may voluntarily offer their services 32
to the state. The organized militia shall consist of [the Governor's 33
Guards,] the State Guard and such other military forces as may be 34
designated by the Governor as commander-in-chief, which may 35
hereafter be organized under the provisions of the laws of this state. The 36
National Guard shall consist of such forces as may be organized and 37
maintained by this state pursuant to the laws and regulations of the 38
United States relating to the National Guard. The naval militia shall 39
consist of such persons as may enlist or be appointed or commissioned 40
therein as a special force for coast protection and as a naval reserve and 41
shall be organized and maintained by this state pursuant to the laws and 42
regulations of the United States relating to the naval militia and may 43
include a marine corps branch of the naval militia subordinate thereto 44
in all matters pertaining to command, discipline or administration. The 45
organized militia, the National Guard, the naval militia and marine 46
corps branch of the naval militia, whenever organized, shall be, for all 47
purposes under the general statutes, the armed forces of the state. 48 Raised Bill No. 6440
LCO 3622 3 of 8
Sec. 4. Section 27-15 of the general statutes is repealed and the 49
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 50
The Governor shall appoint the military staff that shall consist of the 51
Adjutant General, who shall be chief of staff with the rank of lieutenant 52
general; the assistant adjutant generals, one of whom shall serve as 53
deputy chief of staff as provided under subsection (c) of section 27-24; 54
the chief of staff for the Connecticut Air National Guard; an air aide-de-55
camp with the rank of colonel, who shall be the senior aviation officer 56
of the Connecticut National Guard; a Surgeon General, who shall be the 57
senior medical officer of the National Guard; one aide-de-camp with the 58
rank of colonel from the United States Air Force Reserve; one aide-de-59
camp with the rank of captain from the United States Naval Reserve; 60
one aide-de-camp with the rank of colonel from the United States 61
Marine Corps Reserve; one aide-de-camp with the rank of colonel from 62
the United States Army Reserve; one aide-de-camp with the rank of 63
lieutenant commander from the United States Coast Guard Reserve; five 64
aides-de-camp, two with the rank of colonel, two with the rank of 65
lieutenant colonel and one with the rank of major, all of whom shall be 66
from the National Guard; and two enlisted aides-de-camp with the rank 67
of sergeant major from the National Guard. Members appointed from 68
the armed forces of the state shall retain their federal or state grades and 69
shall remain subject to duty therein and, if appointed to such staff in a 70
rank lower than the highest grade attained in federal or state service, 71
shall serve on the staff in their highest recognized grade. Any 72
requirement of this section that any member of the Governor's military 73
staff shall be a member of, or hold any rank in, the National Guard shall 74
be inapplicable whenever the National Guard is in active service with 75
the Army, Navy or Air Force of the United States and at such time the 76
military staff of the Governor may be appointed by the Governor from 77
the organized or unorganized militia, ex-members of the United States 78
Army or Navy or the Connecticut National Guard, or from civil life; and 79
in addition to the active military staff the Governor may, at said 80
Governor's discretion, appoint honorary staff members from the former 81
National Guard or naval militia then on active military duty. The 82 Raised Bill No. 6440
LCO 3622 4 of 8
Governor, at any other time, may appoint honorary staff members to the 83
Connecticut National Guard without regard to affiliation who shall 84
serve without the pay, honors, privileges and benefits afforded the 85
active staff members, including, but not limited to, allowances and 86
tuition waivers. [The majors commandant of the first and second 87
companies Governor's Foot Guards and the Governor's Horse Guards 88
shall be ex-officio members of the Governor's military staff. The 89
Governor shall also appoint the immediate predecessors of such majors 90
commandant to serve as additional ex-officio members.] In addition to 91
the above-named officers, the Governor shall appoint three additional 92
staff members, one of whom shall be a colonel or of equivalent naval 93
rank and two of whom shall be majors or of equivalent naval rank. 94
Sec. 5. Section 27-21 of the general statutes is repealed and the 95
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 96
The Adjutant General [is directed to issue to] shall supply the 97
organized militia with such arms, equipment, ammunition and 98
uniforms as the [commanding officer of each company may make 99
requisition for] Adjutant General deems necessary for the performance 100
of the assigned mission, provided such [requisition] supplies shall be 101
approved by the Governor; and the cost of such supplies shall be paid 102
by the Comptroller. 103
Sec. 6. Section 27-39 of the general statutes is repealed and the 104
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 105
(a) As used in this section "military facility" means any military 106
building, structure, parcel of land or training site owned, leased or 107
controlled by the state. 108
(b) The Adjutant General is charged with the responsibility for the 109
use, maintenance, security and leasing of all military facilities and other 110
military property under the provisions for such use imposed by the 111
statutes. Each military facility shall be under the charge of a 112
commissioned officer, designated by the Adjutant General. Each 113
application for the lease or use of such facility shall be made to the 114 Raised Bill No. 6440
LCO 3622 5 of 8
Adjutant General, who shall approve or disapprove such application 115
and so advise the applicant. Prior to any such approval, each applicant 116
for lease or use of such facility shall furnish a certificate of insurance or 117
self-insurance indemnifying the state and federal governments against 118
any bodily injury to persons or damage to property. Any cost of such 119
certificate shall be in addition to any other cost incurred as a result of 120
such lease or use. Except as provided in subsection (e) of this section, 121
the Adjutant General shall limit the lease or use of military facilities to 122
(1) military organizations, including youth military organizations and 123
any private military force, as defined in section 27-101, that is 124
historically related to the former four companies of the Governor's 125
Guards, (2) nonprofit organizations, (3) organizations receiving state 126
aid, (4) governmental agencies, and (5) members of the armed forces of 127
the state. Proceeds from the lease of military facilities shall be paid to 128
the Adjutant General, who shall promptly transmit such proceeds [, 129
except proceeds received from the lease of certain military facilities 130
pursuant to subsection (e) of this section,] to the State Treasurer for 131
deposit in the military facilities account established under subsection (f) 132
of this section. The Adjutant General shall, in military facilities where 133
space is available, assign space to veterans' service organizations for 134
their joint uses, subject to the regulations concerning military facilities. 135
Units of the armed forces of the state and veterans' organizations jointly 136
utilizing military facilities shall be allowed the use of the drill shed and 137
such other common areas of the facility. 138
(c) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed as allowing the lease or 139
use of, or assignment of space in, any military facility (1) on the drill 140
night of any active military organization stationed in the facility or in a 141
manner that conflicts with the military usage of the facility, (2) at a 142
reduced rate, except as provided in subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of 143
this section, or (3) in a manner that conflicts with federal military 144
regulations or the use of the facility for military purposes. In no case 145
shall any lease approved by the Adjutant General pursuant to 146
subsection (b) of this section permit subleasing. 147
(d) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, the 148 Raised Bill No. 6440
LCO 3622 6 of 8
Adjutant General may allow lease or use of any military facility, at a cost 149
not exceeding the actual operating cost of such facility during the period 150
of such lease or use, to (A) any public or private nonprofit elementary 151
or secondary school or any public institution of higher education for 152
purposes of athletic events with respect to which no admission is 153
charged, (B) the American Red Cross for purposes of blood supply 154
programs, (C) any local, state or federal governmental agency, (D) any 155
agricultural or other association that receives state aid, (E) any charitable 156
military organization, or (F) any member of the armed forces of the state 157
for the limited purpose of holding a ceremony to recognize such 158
member's significant military career event, including promotion, receipt 159
of an award, enlistment, commission as an officer, marriage or 160
retirement. 161
(2) The Adjutant General may allow use of any military facility, at no 162
cost, to any youth military organization or to any private military force 163
that is historically related to the former four companies of the 164
Governor's Guards. 165
(e) The Adjutant General may lease the military facilities previously 166
associated with the former first and second companies of the Governor's 167
Horse Guards in the towns of Avon and Newtown to any person, 168
provided the terms of such lease do not conflict with the use of such 169
facilities for military purposes. Proceeds from the lease of such military 170
facilities in Avon and Newtown shall be paid to the Adjutant General, 171
who shall promptly transmit such proceeds to the State Treasurer for 172
deposit in the [Governor's Guards horse] military facilities account 173
established under [section 27-19e] subsection (f) of this section. 174
(f) There is established an account to be known as the "military 175
facilities account" which shall be a separate, nonlapsing account within 176
the General Fund. The account shall contain (1) any amounts 177
appropriated or otherwise made available by the state for the purposes 178
of the account, (2) any moneys required by law to be deposited in the 179
account, and (3) gifts, grants, donations or bequests made for the 180
purposes of the account. Moneys in the account shall be expended by 181 Raised Bill No. 6440
LCO 3622 7 of 8
the Military Department for the maintenance and renovation of military 182
facilities. 183
(g) Not later than August first, annually, the Adjutant General shall 184
submit a report of the amount of proceeds received from leasing each 185
military facility and the expenses of each such facility, for the twelve-186
month period ending on June thirtieth of the same year, to the joint 187
standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 188
matters relating to veterans' affairs, in accordance with the provisions of 189
section 11-4a. 190
Sec. 7. (Effective from passage) Not later than June 30, 2025, the 191
Comptroller shall transfer the balance remaining in the Governor's 192
Guards account, created pursuant to section 27-19d of the general 193
statutes, to the Military Department state morale, welfare and recreation 194
account, created pursuant to section 27-19b of the general statutes. 195
Sec. 8. (Effective from passage) Not later than June 30, 2025, the 196
Comptroller shall transfer the balance remaining in the Governor's 197
Guards horse account, created pursuant to section 27-19e of the general 198
statutes, to the military facilities account, created pursuant to subsection 199
(f) of section 27-39 of the general statutes, as amended by this act. 200
Sec. 9. Sections 27-6a, 27-7, 27-8, 27-19d, 27-19e, 27-58 and 27-64 of the 201
general statutes are repealed. (Effective July 1, 2025) 202
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2025 New section
Sec. 2 July 1, 2025 3-10d
Sec. 3 July 1, 2025 27-2
Sec. 4 July 1, 2025 27-15
Sec. 5 July 1, 2025 27-21
Sec. 6 July 1, 2025 27-39
Sec. 7 from passage New section
Sec. 8 from passage New section
Sec. 9 July 1, 2025 Repealer section Raised Bill No. 6440
LCO 3622 8 of 8
VA Joint Favorable