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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1114
January Session, 2025
LCO No. 3551
Referred to Committee on HIGHER EDUCATION AND
EMPLOYMENT ADVANCEMENT
Introduced by:
(HED)
AN ACT CONCERNING THE LEGISLATIVE COMMISSIONERS'
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TECHNICAL REVISIONS TO THE HIGHER
EDUCATION STATUTES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 4-124z of the general statutes is 1
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2
2025): 3
(a) Not later than January 1, 2022, and as necessary thereafter, the 4
board of the Technical Education and Career System, in consultation 5
with the Chief Workforce Officer, the Labor Commissioner, the 6
Commissioners of Economic and Community Development, Education 7
and Social Services, the Secretary of the Office of Policy and 8
Management and the chancellor of the Connecticut State Colleges and 9
Universities and one member of industry representing each of the 10
economic clusters identified by the Commissioner of Economic and 11
Community Development pursuant to section 32-1m shall (1) review, 12
evaluate and, as necessary, recommend improvements for certification 13
and degree programs offered by the Technical Education and Career 14 Raised Bill No. 1114
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System and the community-technical college system to ensure that such 15
programs meet the employment needs of business and industry, (2) 16
develop strategies to strengthen the linkage between skill standards for 17
education and training and the employment needs of business and 18
industry, (3) assess the unmet demand from employers in the state to 19
hire graduates of trade programs from technical education and career 20
schools and the unmet demand from students in the state to enroll in a 21
trade program at a technical education and career school, and (4) assess 22
opportunities to increase utilization of technical education and career 23
schools during [after school] after-school hours and on weekends. 24
Sec. 2. Subsection (b) of section 4-124ff of the general statutes is 25
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 26
2025): 27
(b) There is established a Council of Advisors on Strategies for the 28
Knowledge Economy to promote the formation of university-industry 29
partnerships, identify benchmarks for technology-based workforce 30
innovation and competitiveness and advise the award process for (1) 31
[for] innovation challenge grants to public postsecondary schools and 32
their business partners, and (2) grants under section 4-124hh. The 33
council shall be chaired by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and 34
Management and shall include the Commissioner of Economic and 35
Community Development, the chancellor of the Connecticut State 36
Colleges and Universities, the Labor Commissioner, the Chief 37
Workforce Officer, the chief executive officer of Connecticut 38
Innovations, Incorporated and four representatives from the technology 39
industry, one of whom shall be appointed by the president pro tempore 40
of the Senate, one of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the 41
House of Representatives, one of whom shall be appointed by the 42
minority leader of the Senate and one of whom shall be appointed by 43
the minority leader of the House of Representatives. 44
Sec. 3. Subsection (a) of section 10-16z of the general statutes is 45
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 46
2025): 47 Raised Bill No. 1114
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(a) There is established the Early Childhood Cabinet. The cabinet 48
shall consist of: (1) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, or the 49
commissioner's designee, (2) the Commissioner of Education, or the 50
commissioner's designee, (3) the Commissioner of Social Services, or the 51
commissioner's designee, (4) the chancellor of the Connecticut State 52
Colleges and Universities, or the chancellor's designee, (5) the 53
Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's designee, (6) the 54
Commissioner of Developmental Services, or the commissioner's 55
designee, (7) the Commissioner of Children and Families, or the 56
commissioner's designee, (8) the executive director of the Commission 57
on Women, Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity or the executive 58
director's designee, (9) the project director of the Connecticut Head Start 59
State Collaboration Office, (10) a parent or guardian of a child who 60
attends or attended a school readiness program appointed by the 61
minority leader of the House of Representatives, (11) a representative of 62
a local provider of early childhood education appointed by the minority 63
leader of the Senate, (12) a representative of the Connecticut Family 64
Resource Center Alliance appointed by the majority leader of the House 65
of Representatives, (13) a representative of a state-funded child care 66
center appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, (14) two 67
appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, one of whom 68
is a member of a board of education for a town designated as an alliance 69
district, as defined in section 10-262u, and one of whom is a parent who 70
has a child attending a school in an educational reform district, as 71
defined in section 10-262u, (15) two appointed by the president pro 72
tempore of the Senate, one of whom is a representative of an association 73
of early education and child care providers and one of whom is a 74
representative of a public elementary school with a prekindergarten 75
program, (16) ten appointed by the Governor, one of whom is a 76
representative of the Connecticut Head Start Association, one of whom 77
is a representative of the business community in this state, one of whom 78
is a representative of the philanthropic community in this state, one of 79
whom is a representative of the Connecticut State Employees 80
Association, one of whom is an administrator of the child care 81
development block grant pursuant to the Child Care and Development 82 Raised Bill No. 1114
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Block Grant Act of 1990, one of whom is responsible for administering 83
grants received under [section] Section 1419 of Part B of the Individuals 84
with Disabilities Education Act, 20 USC 1419, as amended from time to 85
time, one of whom is responsible for administering the provisions of 86
Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, 20 USC 6301 et 87
seq., one of whom is responsible for coordinating education services to 88
children and youth who are homeless, one of whom is a licensed family 89
child care home provider and a member of a staffed family child care 90
network identified by the Commissioner of Early Childhood, and one of 91
whom is a parent recommended by a parent advisory group that has 92
been appointed by the Commissioner of Early Childhood, (17) the 93
Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the secretary's 94
designee, (18) the Lieutenant Governor, or the Lieutenant Governor's 95
designee, (19) the Commissioner of Housing, or the commissioner's 96
designee, and (20) the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction 97
Services, or the commissioner's designee. 98
Sec. 4. Subsection (c) of section 10-220q of the general statutes is 99
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 100
2025): 101
(c) For the school year commencing July 1, 2022, and each school year 102
thereafter, each local and regional board of education shall notify each 103
student enrolled in his or her final year of high school, and the parent or 104
guardian of such student, whether such student may be admitted to at 105
least one participating institution under the Connecticut Automatic 106
Admissions Program based on the academic threshold established by 107
such institution pursuant to subsection (e) of section 10a-11h. 108
Sec. 5. Subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of section 10-233d of the 109
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 110
thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 111
(3) Unless an emergency exists, no pupil shall be expelled without a 112
formal hearing held pursuant to sections 4-176e to 4-180a, inclusive, and 113
section 4-181a, provided whenever such pupil is a minor, the notice 114 Raised Bill No. 1114
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required by section 4-177 and section 4-180 shall also be given to the 115
[parents] parent or guardian of the pupil at least five business days 116
before such hearing, not including the day of such hearing. If an 117
emergency exists, such hearing shall be held as soon after the expulsion 118
as possible. The notice shall include information concerning the parent's 119
or guardian's and the pupil's legal rights and concerning legal services 120
provided free of charge or at a reduced rate that are available locally and 121
how to access such services. An attorney or other advocate may 122
represent any pupil subject to expulsion proceedings. The parent or 123
guardian of the pupil shall have the right to have the expulsion hearing 124
postponed for up to one week to allow time to obtain representation, 125
except that if an emergency exists, such hearing shall be held as soon 126
after the expulsion as possible. 127
Sec. 6. Subsection (a) of section 10-239e of the general statutes is 128
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 129
2025): 130
(a) The demonstration board shall authorize the parents or legal 131
guardian of scholarship recipients to use the demonstration 132
scholarships at any public or private school in which the scholarship 133
recipient is enrolled provided such public or private school: (1) Meets 134
all educational, fiscal, health and safety standards required by law, (2) 135
does not discriminate against the admission of students and the hiring 136
of teachers on the basis of race, color or economic status and has filed a 137
certificate with the State Board of Education that the school is in 138
compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, (3) in no case 139
levies or requires any tuition, fee or charge above the value of the 140
education scholarship, (4) is free from sectarian control or influence 141
except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, (5) provides public 142
access to all financial and administrative records and provides to the 143
parent or guardian of each eligible child in the demonstration area 144
comprehensive information, in written form, on the courses of study 145
offered, curriculum, materials and textbooks, the qualifications of 146
teachers, administrators and paraeducators, the minimum school day, 147
the salary schedules, financial reports of money spent per pupil and 148 Raised Bill No. 1114
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such other information as may be required by the demonstration board, 149
(6) provides periodic reports to the parents or legal guardians on the 150
average progress of the pupils enrolled, and (7) meets any additional 151
requirements established for all participating schools by the 152
demonstration board. 153
Sec. 7. Subsection (d) of section 10a-35b of the general statutes is 154
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 155
2025): 156
(d) Not later than July 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, each regional 157
workforce development board, community action agency, as defined in 158
section 17b-885, institution of higher education, private career school, 159
provider of an alternate route to certification program approved by the 160
State Board of Education [,] and provider of a training program listed 161
on the Labor Department's Eligible Training Provider List shall submit 162
information, in the form and manner prescribed by the Commissioner 163
of Higher Education, about any credential offered by such institution, 164
school or provider for inclusion in the database created pursuant to 165
subsection (b) of this section. Such information shall include, but need 166
not be limited to, the data described in subdivisions (1) to (12), inclusive, 167
of subsection (b) of this section, except an institution of higher education 168
may omit the data required pursuant to subdivisions (6), (9) and (10) of 169
subsection (b) of this section if such data is not applicable to a credential 170
offered by such institution. 171
Sec. 8. Subsection (a) of section 10a-104 of the general statutes is 172
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 173
2025): 174
(a) The Board of Trustees of The University of Connecticut shall: (1) 175
Make rules for the government of the university and shall determine the 176
general policies of the university, including those concerning the 177
admission of students and the establishment of schools, colleges, 178
divisions and departments, which policies shall be consistent with the 179
goals identified in section 10a-11c, and shall direct the expenditure of 180 Raised Bill No. 1114
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the university's funds within the amounts available; (2) develop the 181
mission statement for The University of Connecticut, and all campuses 182
thereof, that shall be consistent with such goals and include, but not be 183
limited to, the following elements: (A) The educational needs of and 184
constituencies served by said university and campuses; (B) the degrees 185
offered by said university; and (C) the role and scope of each institution 186
and campus within the university system, which shall include each 187
institution's and campus' particular strengths and specialties; (3) 188
establish policies for the university system and for the individual 189
institutions and campuses under its jurisdiction; (4) review and approve 190
recommendations for the establishment of new academic programs; (5) 191
report all new programs and program changes to the Office of Higher 192
Education; (6) make recommendations, when appropriate, regarding 193
institutional or campus mergers or closures; (7) coordinate the programs 194
and services of the institutions and campuses under its jurisdiction; (8) 195
be authorized to enter into agreements, consistent with the provisions 196
of section 5-141d, to save harmless and indemnify sponsors of research 197
grants to The University of Connecticut, provided such an agreement is 198
required to receive the grant and limits liability to damages or injury 199
resulting from acts or omissions related to such research by employees 200
of the university; (9) promote fund-raising to assist the university and 201
report to the Commissioner of Higher Education and the joint standing 202
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 203
relating to education by January 1, 1994, and biennially thereafter, on 204
such fund-raising; (10) charge the direct costs for a building project 205
under its jurisdiction to the bond fund account for such project, 206
provided (A) such costs are charged in accordance with a procedure 207
approved by the Treasurer, and (B) nothing in this subdivision shall 208
permit the charging of working capital costs, as defined in the applicable 209
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent 210
corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time 211
to time amended, or costs originally paid from sources other than the 212
bond fund account; (11) exercise the powers delegated to it pursuant to 213
section 10a-109d; and (12) establish by October 1, 1997, policies 214
governing the acceptance of gifts made by a foundation established 215 Raised Bill No. 1114
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pursuant to sections 4-37e and 4-37f to the university or its employees 216
for reimbursement of expenditures or payment of expenditures on 217
behalf of the university or its employees. 218
Sec. 9. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 10a-109f of the general 219
statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 220
(Effective July 1, 2025): 221
(a) The university may, when directed by vote of its board of trustees, 222
borrow money and enter into financing transactions proceedings in 223
anticipation of assured revenues, project revenues or other funding 224
sources in the name of the university, on behalf of the state, and issue 225
securities in connection with such proceedings, as follows: (1) To finance 226
the cost of UConn 2000 or any one project thereof, or more than one, or 227
any combination of projects thereof; (2) to refund securities issued 228
pursuant to sections 10a-109a to 10a-109y, inclusive; and (3) to refund 229
any such refunding borrowings. All securities issued in connection with 230
assured revenues, project revenues [,] or other funding sources 231
financing transaction proceedings entered into pursuant to this section 232
shall be authorized by a resolution approved by not less than a majority 233
vote of its board of trustees. Nothing in this subsection shall increase the 234
annual or aggregate cap on the amount of securities the special debt 235
service requirements of which are secured by the state debt service 236
commitment pursuant to section 10a-109g. 237
(b) The board of trustees shall submit each resolution for the issuance 238
of securities, approved pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, to the 239
Governor accompanied by a summary report of the estimated total 240
completion costs of projects that will not be completed within the 241
issuance which is the subject of the resolution. The Governor may, not 242
later than thirty days after such submission, disapprove such resolution 243
by notifying the board in writing of his disapproval and the reasons for 244
it. If the Governor does not act within such thirty-day period, the 245
resolution is deemed approved. 246
Sec. 10. Subsection (b) of section 20-281c of the general statutes is 247 Raised Bill No. 1114
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repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 248
2025): 249
(b) [Good character] "Good character", for purposes of this section, 250
means lack of a history of dishonest or felonious acts. The board may 251
refuse to grant a certificate on the grounds of failure to satisfy this 252
requirement only if there is a substantial connection between the lack of 253
good character of the applicant and the professional responsibilities of 254
a licensee and if the finding by the board of lack of good character is 255
supported by clear and convincing evidence, and when based upon the 256
prior conviction of a crime, is in accordance with the provisions of 257
section 46a-80. When an applicant is found to be unqualified for a 258
certificate because of a finding of lack of good character, the board shall 259
furnish the applicant a statement containing the findings of the board 260
and a complete record of the evidence upon which the determination 261
was based. 262
Sec. 11. Subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 20-195c of the 263
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 264
thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 265
(2) A license issued to a marital and family therapist associate (A) 266
prior to July 1, 2023, shall expire on or before twenty-four months after 267
the date on which such license was issued, and [,] (B) on or after July 1, 268
2023, shall expire on or before twelve months after the date on which 269
such license was issued. Such license may be renewed not more than 270
two times if issued prior to July 1, 2023, and not more than three times 271
if issued on or after July 1, 2023, for twelve months in accordance with 272
the provisions of section 19a-88. The fee for such renewal shall be one 273
hundred twenty-five dollars. Each licensed marital and family therapist 274
associate applying for license renewal shall furnish evidence 275
satisfactory to the commissioner of having satisfied the continuing 276
education requirements prescribed in subdivision (1) of this subsection. 277
Sec. 12. Subdivision (1) of subsection (g) of section 31-254 of the 278
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 279 Raised Bill No. 1114
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thereof (Effective July 1, 2025): 280
(g) (1) Notwithstanding any of the information disclosure provisions 281
of this section, the administrator shall disclose information obtained 282
pursuant to subsection (a) of this section to: (A) A regional workforce 283
development board, established pursuant to section 31-3k, to the extent 284
necessary for the effective administration of the federal Trade 285
Adjustment Assistance Program of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended 286
from time to time, the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 287
Act of 2014, as amended from time to time, and the state employment 288
services program established pursuant to section 17b-688c for recipients 289
of temporary family assistance, provided a regional workforce 290
development board [,] enters into a written agreement with the 291
administrator, pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection, concerning 292
protection of the confidentiality of such information prior to the receipt 293
of any such information; (B) a nonpublic entity that is under contract 294
with the administrator or another state agency where necessary for the 295
effective administration of this chapter or with the United States 296
Department of Labor to administer grants which are beneficial to the 297
interests of the administrator, provided such nonpublic entity enters 298
into a written agreement with the administrator, pursuant to 299
subdivision (2) of this subsection, concerning protection of the 300
confidentiality of such information prior to the receipt of any such 301
information; (C) the chancellor of the Connecticut State Colleges and 302
Universities, appointed under section 10a-1a, for use in the performance 303
of such chancellor's official duties to the extent necessary for evaluating 304
programs at institutions of higher education governed by said board 305
pursuant to section 10a-1a, provided such chancellor enters into a 306
written agreement with the administrator, pursuant to subdivision (2) 307
of this subsection, concerning protection of the confidentiality of such 308
information prior to the receipt of any such information; or (D) a third 309
party pursuant to written, informed consent of the individual or 310
employer to whom the information pertains. 311 Raised Bill No. 1114
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This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2025 4-124z(a)
Sec. 2 July 1, 2025 4-124ff(b)
Sec. 3 July 1, 2025 10-16z(a)
Sec. 4 July 1, 2025 10-220q(c)
Sec. 5 July 1, 2025 10-233d(a)(3)
Sec. 6 July 1, 2025 10-239e(a)
Sec. 7 July 1, 2025 10a-35b(d)
Sec. 8 July 1, 2025 10a-104(a)
Sec. 9 July 1, 2025 10a-109f(a) and (b)
Sec. 10 July 1, 2025 20-281c(b)
Sec. 11 July 1, 2025 20-195c(d)(2)
Sec. 12 July 1, 2025 31-254(g)(1)
HED Joint Favorable