CCM Legislative Action Center

Information on this page is updated regularly to keep municipal officials informed
of important legislative and state activities affecting cities and towns.

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HB05326 CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS IN SCHOOLS Would mandate that all school buildings be equipped with carbon monoxide (CO) detectors. The fiscal note on this bill is inaccurate. The reality, based on the educated input of public safety officials, in order for a CO system to work correctly and provide the appropriate protection, it would need to be professionally installed and tied into the hard-wired emergency system of the building. This would cost in excess of $10,000 per school – Fairfield has estimated that it would cost them over $120,000; Bristol, with ten schools in their district, would incur $100,000 in costs. The statewide ramifications of this proposal would cost in excess of $5 million. [Details on Bill HB05326] [E-Mail Legislators Regarding HB05326]

HB06103 REVIEW OF SPECIAL EDUCATION MANDATES Would require a comprehensive review of state-mandated special education requirements. Special education costs are the single largest cost accelerant of education spending in Connecticut. It is estimated that special education costs grow 5%-6% per year, 1%-2% faster than most other education costs. How, and at what level, the State reimburses municipalities for these mandated costs are among the hottest state-local issues – and the State has been falling behind. With special education expenditures now topping the $1.5 billion mark, the local share may now reach $1 billion. Special education spending accounts for at least 14% of all education spending in Connecticut and costs keep growing faster than other school spending (5%-6% vs. 3%-4%). Complicating matters, unforeseen demands for the most expensive special education services too often result in local mid-year budget shuffling, supplementary appropriations, and other extraordinary measures. This is particularly true in smaller towns where the arrival of a single new high-cost special education student during the school year can create a budget crisis. [Details on Bill HB06103]

HB06221 SUNSET DATES Would eliminate the sunset clause on the tax increment financing (TIF) mechanism. TIF can be a useful mechanism that provides for greater economic self-sufficiency for promoting projects of benefit to the prospective city or town -- without huge upfront costs. TIF has proven to be an effective alternative method to finance needed projects and the programs should be retained. Eliminating the sunsets currently included in the statutes would do just that. [Details on Bill HB06221]

HB06250 SITING OF CERTAIN FACILITIES Would, among other things, (1) require that telecommunications tower developers begin consulting with potentially affected municipalities 90, rather than 60, days before applying for a Siting Council certificate, (2) limit the circumstances in which the council can approve a tower proposed for installation located within 250 feet near a school or commercial day care center unless (i) the location is acceptable to the municipality's chief elected official or (ii) the council finds that the tower will not have a substantial adverse effect on the aesthetics or scenic quality of the neighborhood where they are located, and (3) requires certificate applicants, other than applicants for telecommunications towers, to pay municipal participation fees of up to $ 25,000 and requires the fees to be deposited in a non-lapsing “municipal participation account” in the General Fund. [Details on Bill HB06250]

HB06263 ASSESSMENT OF CERTAIN FOREST LANDS Would allow properties currently in the 10 mil Preservation Program for forest lands to convert to PA 490 for assessment purposes. [Details on Bill HB06263]

HB06292 WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATION PERSONAL PROPERTY Signed by the Governor on April 16th -- this bill is now law! CCM has successfully negotiated and expedited a compromise to fix the "gap" in payments this year. As a result -- 50% of the statutory payments to certain towns and cities, that are scheduled to be paid July 2011, will be paid by June 30, 2011 (thus, in this fiscal year). The remaining 50% of the statutory payments scheduled for July 2011, will then be paid in July 2011. Thereafter July 2011 (i.e. starting July 2012) - the affected municipalities shall receive 100% of the PILOT payments from these 3 companies every July. Background: this compromise addresses issues related to the reporting of certain wireless telecommunication personal property. Under previous state law - certain wireless telecommunication companies (1. Cellco Partnership [Verizon Wireless], 2. Sprint Nextel [Nextel Communications of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc.], and 3. Sprint Spectrum) used to report to the State (OPM) for 10/01/10 -- and therefore, certain towns could have expected a PILOT payment in April. However, under PA 10-171 these three companies now report directly to the towns and therefore, such payments will now to be made in July. An unintended consequence of last year's law is that some towns and cities would not have received any PILOT payments from these 3 companies in FY 2011, despite having budgeted for them. Again, PA 10-171 dictates that such payments are to be made starting in July 2011 (i.e. FY 2012), and each July thereafter. [Details on Bill HB06292]

HB06330 ELECTION MANDATE REFORM Among other things, this bill would allow local registrars or voters the option to appoint (1) one or two official checkers, instead of requiring two, and giving them the same discretion concerning ballot clerks; and, (2) a single certified moderator per polling place when more than one political party holds a primary on the same day. [Details on Bill HB06330]

HB06344 EYEWITNESS IDENTIFICATION Would alter the process for police department line-up eyewitness identification of suspects. Requires municipal police departments to comply with certain eyewitness identification procedures as prescribed in the bill, including detailed “photo lineup” or “live lineup” protocols. [Details on Bill HB06344]

HB06410 MUNICIPAL CHARTER REFORM Would remove some of the gridlock associated with charter reform by allowing towns to update specific parts of their charters without opening it up to wholesale re-write. Existing law may actually be preventing municipalities from appointing charter revision commissions. CCM knows of at least one town that has typos in its charter, but will not correct it for fear of opening a long, unnecessarily laborious process. Those towns and cities which do want to open up their charters for a full-blown review could easily draft the commission's charging resolution accordingly. [Details on Bill HB06410]

HB06489 DNA TESTING MANDATE Would require that persons arrested on serious felony charges submit to DNA testing. DNA testing is an expensive endeavor. The bill saddles police departments with these costs. It could have a significant impact on local budgets. [Details on Bill HB06489]

HB06498 MANDATE RELIEF - HIGH SCHOOL REFORM Would, among other things, provide some relief from the High School Reform mandate set forth by Public Act 10-111 by postponing the implementation dates. Public Act 10-111 imposed new graduation and other requirements on local school districts in the hope that the State would receive funds from the federal Race to the Top (RTTT) program. According to the Office of Fiscal Analysis, this new mandate will cost local school districts an estimated $12 to $18 million. Unfortunately, the State was not awarded the RTTT funds, and this unfunded mandate must be repealed or modified. Of course it is important for education results to improve – but a new $12-$18 million mandate is untenable when the State is already underfunding existing education programs. In addition, Section 9 establishes a task force to “examine issues related to the changes to the high school graduation requirements.” CCM hopes that this will be a much more all-inclusive and open process to examine the many high-impact matters this subject entails - unlike the closed door meetings that produced PA 10-111, which excluded municipal CEOs - those with the sole responsibility of raising revenue to cover new unfunded state mandates. [Details on Bill HB06498]

HB06557 RECREATIONAL LAND USE Would provide some liability relief to municipalities for certain cases involving injuries as a result of recreational activities on certain lands made available as open space. Would provide liability relief for certain undeveloped land. [Details on Bill HB06557]

HB06629 POLICE: NEW FAMILY VIOLENCE GUIDELINES Would, among other things, require that police departments “duly” promulgate new guidelines regarding “arrest polices in family violence incidents” due to changes contained in this bill. It will require updating procedures and manuals. [Details on Bill HB06629]

HB06642 COMPLIANCE WITH NATIONAL PRISON RAPE ELIMINATION COMMISSION RECOMMENDATIONS Would require that municipalities, the State and private providers comply with the National Prison Rape Elimination Commission-recommended standards regarding "prevention, detection and monitoring of, and response to, sexual abuse in adult prisons and jails, community correction facilities, juvenile facilities and lockups." OFA states that the Commission's standards have not been finalized and "may be subject to damage." CCM has concerns with towns being mandated to comply with requirements that have not been finalized. [Details on Bill HB06642]

SB00888 TRAINING EXEMPTIONS FOR CERTAIN PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL Would allow certain public safety personnel to be exempt from emergency medical dispatch training (1) if such PSAPs contract with another entity to provide local emergency medical dispatch services (i.e., medical interrogation, dispatch prioritization, and pre-arrival instructions); or (2) if the police officer is certified through POST. This is a reasonable means to streamline the implementation of this vital training – while not compromising emergency response services provided by local emergency personnel. [Details on Bill SB00888]

SB00913 PAID SICK LEAVE MANDATE Would, among other things, mandate that municipalities provide paid sick days to employees. CCM is sympathetic to the intent of this proposal. However, according to OFA, this proposal would be a new "STATE MANDATE" on municipalities that would cost towns and cities additional money with regard to associated wages and overtime costs. [Details on Bill SB00913]

SB00954 ELECTRONIC RECORDING OF POLICE INTERROGATIONS Would mandate that law enforcement agency interrogations for capital felony A or B crimes be inadmissible in court, unless such interrogations are recorded electronically. OFA identified this bill as a "STATE MANDATE" that could cost municipalities at least $2.3 million - providing each municipality purchases just one recording system (larger communities would have to purchase several). [Details on Bill SB00954]

SB01138 NEW EDUCATION MANDATE: TRAINING FOR UNCERTIFIED SCHOOL EMPLOYEES Among other things, would require that certain uncertified school employees be trained in bullying prevention. The OFA has indicated that this is a STATE MANDATE that could cost local boards of education upwards of $20,000 each, per year, to implement. [Details on Bill SB01138]

SB01243 ENERGY EFFICIENCY Would, among other things, (1) allow municipalities to establish a loan program to finance energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, (2) allow municipal customers of electric companies to share net metering credits among buildings the municipality owns (virtual net metering), (3) authorizes state agencies and municipalities to enter into energy saving performance contracts, and (4) requires the Energy Conservation Management Board to develop standardized performance contracting procedures, and authorizes municipalities to use these procedures or ones they develop themselves. [Details on Bill SB01243]

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Date Added	Click for Details
02/04	Public Safety (Feb 8); Children (Feb 8); Insurance (Feb 8); Human Services (Feb. 10); Public Safety (Feb 10); Banks (Feb 10); Insurance (Feb 10)
02/03	Select Committee on Veterns' Affairs (February 10); Labor Forum (February 8)
02/02	Planning & Development (Feb. 7); General Law (Feb. 8); Housing (Feb. 8); Public Safety & Security (Feb. 8); Labor & Public Empolyees (Feb. 10); Labor & Public Employees Informational Forum (Feb. 8)
02/01	Labor & Public Employees Updates; Environment Committee (February 9)
01/31	Planning & Development Committee (February 4)
01/28	Insurance Committee (February 1); Public Safety Committee (February 3); Insurance Committee (February 3); Committee on Children (February 3); Energy & Technology Committee (February 3)
01/27	Environment (January 31); Commerce (February 3)
01/26	Labor and Public Employees Committee (February 1)

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Date Added	Headline - Click for Details
03/29	PD - 5031 - Pensions - Alternave Benefits Plan
03/29	PD - 5031 and 5255 -Legal Notices
03/29	PD - 5269 -Delinquent Taxes
03/29	PD - Hotel Tax - 303 159 and 144
03/29	PD - Evicted Tenants -5255 and 5031
03/29	PD - Mandates - 5031 198 and 5257
03/29	JUD - 230- Police Interrogations
03/22	GAE - 5515 - Forced Regionalism
03/22	GAE - Memo on Posting of Legal Notices (SB 365)
03/15	ED - 5490 – Minimum Budget Requirement
03/15	ENV - 5418 – Integrated Pest Management
03/15	GAE - 363 – Polling Places for Primaries
03/15	ED - 5489 - Secondary School Reform
03/15	ED - 5493 - Money Follows the Child
03/15	ENV - 384 - Reimburse Towns for Emergency Responses in State Parks
03/15	ENV - 388 - Clean Water Fund
03/15	PH - 5477 - Streamflow Regulations
03/15	FIN - 434 - Conveyance Tax
03/15	FIN - 436 - Municipal Revenue Options
03/15	FIN - 5480 - Sales Tax
03/15	FIN - 5483 - Hotel Tax
03/12	APP - Governor’s March 1, 2010 Deficit Mitigation Plan
03/12	ET - 420 - An Act Concerning the Broadcast of Local Police Dispatch Calls
03/12	LAB - 5062 - An Act Concerning Municipal Arbitration and the Recommendations of the M.O.R.E. Commission
03/12	PS - 312 - An Act Mandating the Regionalization of Public Safety Emergency Telecommunication Centers
03/10	ED – 376 and 377 – School Construction Bills
03/10	ED – 5020 – Governor’s Education Proposals
03/10	ED – 5425 – Special Education
03/10	ED – 5422 – Revisions to the Education Statutes
03/10	ED – 5424 – Health Insurance Pooling
03/10	ENV – 205 and 123 – Inland Wetlands Commissions
03/10	ENV – 206 – Municipal Authority Over the Siting of Telecommunications Towers
03/10	GAE – 365 – Posting Minutes and Legal Notices on Municipal Websites
03/10	PRI – 5301 – Expanded Recycling
03/10	PRI – 5165 – Expanded High School Graduation Requirements
03/05	Municipal Forum Before The Appropriations Committee - CCM Testimony
03/03	ED - 5318 - New Training Requirements for School Resource Officers
03/03	ED - 278 and 5316 - Truancy Reporting and Adult Education Restrictions
03/03	ED - 5315 and 279 - New Graduation Requirements and Teacher In-Service Training
03/03	ENV - 5240 - Exemption of Environmentally Sensitive Lands from the Affordable Housing Appeals Act
03/03	ENV - 206 - Municipal Authority of the Siting of Telecommunications Towers
03/03	ENV - 5120 - Curbside and Expanded Recycling
03/03	ENV - 5122 - Creating a Paint Stewardship Program
02/26	COMM - 5208 - Expedited Permitting for Economic Development Projects
02/19	LAB - 5059 - Appointment of Assessors
02/19	ENV - SB 127 - DEP Recycling Bill
02/18	TRA - HB 5033 - Mandating Seat Belts on School Buses
02/12	INS - SB 16 - Premium Tax

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