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--- version:Public Act No. 26-52
+++ version:(document, no version)
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-House Bill No. 5215
-
-Public Act No. 26-52
-
+OFFICE OF FISCAL ANALYSIS
+Legislative Office Building, Room 5200
+Hartford, CT 06106  (860) 240-0200
+http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa
+HB-5215
 AN ACT CONCERNING THE LEGISLATIVE COMMISSIONERS'
 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TECHNICAL REVISIONS TO THE
 EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD STATUTES.
-Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
-Assembly convened:
 
-Section 1. Subdivision (2) of subsection (d) of section 10 -220 of the
-2026 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is
-substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
-(2) On and after January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter,  a local or
-regional board of education shall provide for a uniform inspection and
-evaluation program of the indoor air quality within each school
-building using  the Environmental Protection Agency's Indoor Air
-Quality Tools for Schools Program. The inspection and evaluation
-program shall include, but not be limited to, a review, inspection or
-evaluation of the following: (A) The heating, ventilation and air
-conditioning systems; (B) radon levels in the air; (C) potential for
-exposure to microbiological airborne particles, including, but not
-limited to, fungi, mold and bacteria; (D) chemical compounds of concern
-to indoor air quality including, but not limited to, volatile organic
-compounds; (E) the degree of pest infestation, including, but not limited
-to, insects and rodents; (F) the degree of pesticide usage; (G) the
-presence of and the plans for removal of any hazardous substances that
-House Bill No. 5215
+Primary Analyst: CF 3/9/26
+Contributing Analyst(s): LD, EMG
+Reviewer: JS
 
-Public Act No. 26-52 2 of 15
+OFA Fiscal Note
 
-are contained on the list prepared pursuant to Section 302 of the federal
-Emergency Planning and Community Right -to-Know Act, 42 USC
-[9601] 11001 et seq.; (H) ventilation systems; (I) plumbing, including
-water distribution systems, drainage systems and fixtures; (J) moisture
-incursion; (K) the overall cleanliness of the facilities; (L) building
-structural elements, including, but not limited to, roofing, basements or
-slabs; (M) the use of space, particularly areas that were designed to be
-unoccupied; and (N) the provision of indoor air quality maintenance
-training for building staff. Local and regional boards of education
-conducting evaluations pursuant to this subsection shall (i) make
-available for public inspection the results of the inspection and
-evaluation at a regularly scheduled board of education meeting and on
-the Internet web site of such board and on the Internet web site, if any,
-of each individual school, and (ii) submit the report and results of such
-inspection and evaluation to the Department of Administrative Services
-using the form developed pursuant to section 10-231h.
-Sec. 2. Subsection (c) of section 10 -512 of the 2026 supplement to the
-general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
-thereof (Effective from passage):
-(c) The State Treasurer shall be responsible for the receipt,
-maintenance, administration, investing and release of amounts from the
-endowment. The endowment shall not receive deposits in any form
-other than cash.
-Sec. 3. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 10 -512a of the 2026
-supplement to the general statutes are repealed and the following is
-substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
-(a) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, based on an estimate
-prepared by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management
-between June 15, 2025, to June 30, 2025, inclusive, of the amount of
-current unappropriated surplus for such fiscal year, the amount of such
-House Bill No. 5215
-
-Public Act No. 26-52 3 of 15
-
-estimated surplus, if any, up to a maximum of three hundred million
-dollars shall be transferred on or before June 30, 2025, by the State
-Treasurer from the General Fund to the Early Childhood Education
-Endowment established under section 10-512, as amended by this act.
-(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, and each fiscal year
-thereafter, based on such estimated amount of current unappropriated
-surplus described in subsection (a) of this section, if any, the entire
-amount of such estimated surplus for each such fisca l year shall be
-transferred by the State Treasurer from the General Fund to the Early
-Childhood Education Endowment, except that if the amount in the
-Budget Reserve Fund is estimated by the secretary to be less than
-eighteen per cent of the estimated n et General Fund appropriations for
-the ensuing fiscal year, the amount of such transfer shall be reduced by
-the amount necessary to increase the amount in the Budget Reserve
-Fund to eighteen per cent of the estimated net General Fund
-appropriations for the ensuing fiscal year, or by the maximum amount
-of the projected surplus, whichever is less, and an amount equal to such
-reduction shall be transferred to the Budget Reserve Fund.
-Sec. 4. Section 10-512b of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes
-is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from
-passage):
-(a) For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2026, and June 30, 2027, the
-State Treasurer, in consultation with the Early Childhood Education
-Endowment Advisory Board, shall annually authorize the release of
-funds from the Early Childhood Education Endowment in an amount
-not to exceed twelve per cent of the total amount of the endowm ent to
-the Commissioner of Early Childhood. Such released funds shall be
-expended by the Commissioner of Early Childhood in accordance with
-the provisions of section 10-512c, as amended by this act.
-(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2028, and each fiscal year
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-thereafter, the State Treasurer shall, in consultation with the Early
-Childhood Education Endowment Advisory Board, annually authorize
-the release of funds from the endowment in an amount not to exceed
-ten per cent of the total amount of the endowment to the Commissioner
-of Ea rly Childhood. Such released funds shall be expended by the
-Commissioner of Early Childhood in accordance with the provisions of
-section 10-512c, as amended by this act.
-Sec. 5. Section 10-512c of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes
-is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from
-passage):
-(a) As used in this section:
-(1) "Expansion costs" includes expenses to increase early care and
-education program provider payment rates, increase equitable access
-and affordability of high quality early childhood education, extend the
-hours of operation per day or portion of the year cov ered or to sustain
-services previously funded by the Early Childhood Education
-Endowment;
-(2) "Programmatic costs" includes costs for parent and early care and
-education program enrollment campaigns, local governance partners,
-needs assessment technical assistance, facilities program technical
-assistance and workforce recruitment and scholarships for educators in
-alignment with the early childhood priorities of the Early Childhood
-Education Endowment Advisory Board and the Office of Early
-Childhood; and
-(3) "Administrative costs" includes costs relating to (A) personnel,
-including, but not limited to, the salary and fringe benefits of the
-employees of the State Treasurer's office responsible for administering
-the Early Childhood Education Endowment and the employees of the
-Office of Early Childhood and the Department of Education responsible
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-Public Act No. 26-52 5 of 15
-
-for administering programming that utilizes funds from the
-endowment, and the stipends provided to parent and program provider
-members of the Early Childhood Education Endowment Advisory
-Board pursuant to subsection (g) of section 10-512g, as amended by this
-act, and (B) data and technology, including, but not limited to, the
-development and maintenance of payment or parent enrollment portals,
-establishing or managing memoranda of understanding between the
-Office of Early Childhood and other [states] state agencies related to the
-provision of child care.
-(b) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, the Commissioner of Early
-Childhood, upon receipt of the funds released by the State Treasurer
-from the Early Childhood Education Endowment pursuant to section
-10-512b, as amended by this act, is authorized to expend such funds for
-the following purposes and in the following manner: (1) Up to eight per
-cent of such released funds for administrative costs, and (2) of such
-remaining released funds (A) three hundred thousand dollars for the
-health insurance subsidy pro gram established pursuant to section 10 -
-531b, and (B) the remaining balance for expansion costs and
-programmatic costs.
-(c) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, the Commissioner of Early
-Childhood, upon receipt of the funds released by the State Treasurer
-from the endowment pursuant to section 10 -512b, as amended by this
-act, is authorized to expend such funds for the following purposes and
-in the following manner: (1) Up to twelve per cent of such released funds
-for administrative costs, and (2) of such remaining released funds (A)
-ten million dollars for the health insurance subsidy program established
-pursuant to sec tion 10 -531b, and (B) the remaining balance for
-expansion costs and programmatic costs.
-(d) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2028, and each fiscal year
-thereafter, the Commissioner of Early Childhood, upon receipt of the
-funds released by the State Treasurer from the endowment pursuant to
-House Bill No. 5215
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-Public Act No. 26-52 6 of 15
-
-section 10-512b, as amended by this act , is authorized to expend such
-funds for the following purposes and in the following manner: (1) Up to
-seven per cent of such released funds for administrative costs, and (2) of
-such remaining released funds for (A) the health insurance subsidy
-program est ablished pursuant to section 10 -531b, and (B) expansion
-costs and programmatic costs.
-(e) Any funds from the endowment that have been released by the
-State Treasurer to the Commissioner of Early Childhood pursuant to
-section 10-512b, as amended by this act, shall:
-(1) Supplement and not supplant any other local, state or federal
-funds otherwise available for early childhood care and education;
-(2) Not be comingled with any state or federal funding received
-under the child care development block grant pursuant to the Child
-Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990; and
-(3) Not lapse if not expended by the commissioner at the end of the
-fiscal year and shall be transferred to the State Treasurer and deposited
-in the endowment.
-Sec. 6. Section 10-512d of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes
-is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from
-passage):
-For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2026, and each fiscal year
-thereafter, the Commissioner of Early Childhood may expend, in
-accordance with the provisions of section 10 -512c, as amended by this
-act, funds released by the State Treasurer from the Early Childhood
-Education Endowment, pursuant to section 10-512b, as amended by this
-act, to any early care and education program providing child care
-services, as described in section 19a-77, or preschool program operated
-by a local or regional board of education  that is (1) receiving financial
-assistance under Early Start CT pursuant to section 10 -550b, (2)
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-Public Act No. 26-52 7 of 15
-
-participating in the quality improvement system established by the
-Office of Early Childhood under subdivision (15) of subsection (b) of
-section 10-500, and (3) participating in the Child and Adult Care Food
-Program, 42 USC 1766, as amended from time to ti me, unless such
-program has received a waiver from participation in said program by
-the Commissioner of Early Childhood or is a public school preschool
-program that offers free or reduced priced lunches pursuant to federal
-law and regulations.
-Sec. 7. Section 10-512g of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes
-is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from
-passage):
-(a) There is established the Early Childhood Education Endowment
-Advisory Board. The board shall be responsible for (1) providing
-oversight of the administration of the Early Childhood Education
-Endowment, (2) ensuring that funds from the endowment are expended
-in accordance with the provisions of section 10-512c, as amended by this
-act, (3) reviewing all reports and expenditure plans concerning the
-endowment submitted by the State Treasurer and Commissioner of
-Early Childhood, (4) reviewing and assessing t he outcomes related to
-the expenditure of funds from the endowment, and (5) preparing and
-submitting reports and recommendations to the General Assembly
-concerning the administration of the endowment and permissible
-expenditure of funds from the endowment, including recommendations
-for expansion of permissible expenditures of funds from the
-endowment.
-(b) The board shall consist of the following members:
-(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives,
-one of whom shall be a parent who is a member of the parent cabinet
-established by the Office of Early Childhood pursuant to section 10-500
-and one of whom shall be a member of the House of Representatives;
-House Bill No. 5215
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-Public Act No. 26-52 8 of 15
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-(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of
-whom shall be the licensee of a family child care home and one of whom
-shall be a member of the Senate;
-(3) Two appointed by the majority leader of the House of
-Representatives, one of whom shall be an educator in an early care and
-education program in the state and one of whom shall be the parent or
-guardian of a child receiving services under the birth -to-three program
-established under section 17a-248b;
-(4) Two appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, one of whom
-shall be a representative of a philanthropic organization that is engaged
-in early childhood education issues or child care issues in the state and
-one of whom shall be a special education tea cher or administrator in a
-public school preschool program that is providing services under Part B
-of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 USC 1431 et seq.,
-as amended from time to time;
-(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of
-Representatives, who is a representative of a child care center;
-(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who is an
-educator in a preschool program provided by a local or regional board
-of education;
-(7) Two appointed by the Governor, one of whom shall be a
-representative of a corporation with a significant physical presence in
-the state and that employs individuals who may benefit from early
-childhood education and state child care initiatives and one of whom
-shall be a representative from a Head Start program;
-(8) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, or the commissioner's
-designee;
-(9) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the
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-Public Act No. 26-52 9 of 15
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-secretary's designee;
-(10) The Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee;
-and
-(11) The State Treasurer, or the State Treasurer's designee.
-(c) All initial appointments to the board shall be made not later than
-September 1, 2025. Each appointed member shall serve in accordance
-with the provisions of section 4 -1a and the appointing authorities shall
-appoint members to ensure representation on the board of all
-geographic areas in the state, to the extent practicable. Any vacancy
-shall be filled by the appointing authority. Any vacancy occurring other
-than by expiration of term shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired
-term.
-(d) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, or the commissioner's
-designee, the member of the House of Representatives and the member
-of the Senate shall serve as the chairpersons of the board. The
-chairpersons shall jointly schedule the first meeting of the boar d to be
-held not later than October 1, 2025. The board shall meet at least
-quarterly and host an annual public hearing prior to the completion of
-the annual report described in subsection (f) of this section.
-(e) The State Treasurer, or the State Treasurer's designee, shall, at the
-first meeting of the board and semiannually thereafter, submit to the
-board an actuarial chart that includes a review of the total amount of
-funds within the endowment, the health of the investments of the
-endowment, th e anticipated growth of the endowment and any
-recommended models for the timing and rate of drawing down from
-the endowment.
-(f) Not later than January 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the board
-shall develop a report that includes, but is not limited to, (1) the financial
-health and actuarial future of the endowment based on information
-House Bill No. 5215
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-Public Act No. 26-52 10 of 15
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-received from the State Treasurer, (2) the expenditures of funds from the
-endowment, (3) status updates of early care and education programs,
-early childhood educators, families and children served, and (4) any
-recommendations for legislation. The board shall submit such report to
-the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having
-cognizance of matters relating to education, children, appropriations
-and finance, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.
-(g) The members of the board shall serve without compensation,
-except the parent and program provider members of the board may,
-within available resources, be provided a stipend for serving on the
-board.
-(h) The board shall be within the office of the State Treasurer for
-administrative purposes only.
-Sec. 8. Subsection (a) of section 10-512i of the 2026 supplement to the
-general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
-thereof (Effective from passage):
-(a) Not later than January 1, 2032, and every five years thereafter, the
-Commissioner of Early Childhood shall prepare an impact analysis
-concerning the operations of the Early Childhood Education
-Endowment and the effect that the expenditure of funds from  the
-endowment have had on the availability, affordability and quality of
-early child care in the state. Such impact analysis shall include, but need
-not be limited to, (1) a report on the solvency of the endowment
-prepared by the State Treasurer, and (2) an analysis of the effect that the
-expenditure of funds from the endowment has had on (A) early care and
-education programs receiving financial assistance under Early Start CT
-pursuant to section 10-550b, (B) early care and education programs that
-are not receiving state financial assistance, (C) access of families to early
-care and education programs receiving state financial assistance under
-Early Start CT, (D) tuition and family contribution rates, (E) early
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-Public Act No. 26-52 11 of 15
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-childhood educator salaries and benefits, and (F) the state-wide demand
-for child care.
-Sec. 9. Section 10-512j of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes
-is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from
-passage):
-Upon receipt and review of the impact analysis prepared by the
-Commissioner of Early Childhood pursuant to section 10 -512i, as
-amended by this act , and following consultation with the State
-Treasurer regarding the solvency of the Early Childhood Education
-Endowment, the Early Childhood Education Endowment Advisory
-Board shall develop recommendations concerning the expansion of
-permissible expenditures of funds from the endowment under sectio n
-10-512c, as amended by this act . Not later than January 1, 2032, the
-advisory board shall submit such recommendations to the joint standing
-committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters
-relating to education, children, appropriations and finance, in
-accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a.
-Sec. 10. Section 10-512k of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes
-is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from
-passage):
-(a) The State Treasurer, on behalf of the Early Childhood Education
-Endowment and for purposes of the endowment, may:
-(1) Receive and invest moneys in the endowment in any instruments,
-obligations, securities or property in accordance with section 10-512l, as
-amended by this act;
-(2) Enter into one or more contractual agreements, including
-contracts for legal, actuarial, accounting, custodial, advisory,
-management, administrative, advertising, marketing and consulting
-services for the endowment, and pay for such services from the asset s
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-Public Act No. 26-52 12 of 15
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-of the endowment;
-(3) Procure insurance in connection with the endowment's property,
-assets, activities or deposits to the endowment;
-(4) Apply for, accept and expend gifts, grants or donations from
-public or private sources to enable the endowment to carry out its
-objectives;
-(5) Adopt regulations in accordance with chapter 54 for purposes of
-section 3-13c, sections 10 -512 to 10 -512l, inclusive, as amended by this
-act, and section 10-531b;
-(6) Sue and be sued;
-(7) Establish one or more funds within the endowment; and
-(8) Take any other action necessary to carry out the purposes of
-section 3-13c, sections 10 -512 to 10 -512l, inclusive, as amended by this
-act, and section 10 -531b and incidental to the duties imposed on the
-State Treasurer pursuant to said sections.
-(b) The State Treasurer, on behalf of the endowment and for purposes
-of the endowment, shall enter into a memorandum of understanding
-with the Commissioner of Early Childhood to establish information -
-sharing practices for purposes of section 3 -13c, sections 10 -512 to 1 0-
-512l, inclusive , as amended by this act , and section 10 -531b. Such
-memorandum of understanding shall be in accordance with applicable
-state and federal laws.
-Sec. 11. Section 10-512l of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes
-is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from
-passage):
-Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 3 -13 to 3 -13h, inclusive,
-the State Treasurer shall invest the amounts on deposit in the Early
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-Public Act No. 26-52 13 of 15
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-Childhood Education Endowment in a manner reasonable and
-appropriate to achieve the objectives of the endowment, exercising the
-discretion and care of a prudent person in similar circumstances with
-similar objectives. The State Treasurer shall give due consideration to
-rate of return, risk, term or maturity, diversification of the total portfolio
-within the endowment, liquidity, the projected disbursements and
-expenditures and the expected payments, deposits, contributions and
-gifts to be received. The State Treasurer shall not require the endowment
-to invest directly in obligations of the state or any political subdivision
-of the state or in any investment or other fund administered by the State
-Treasurer. The assets of the endowment shall be continuously invested
-and reinvested in a manner consistent with the objectives of the
-endowment until disbursed for eligible expenditures or expended on
-expenses incurred by the operations of the endowment.
-Sec. 12. Subdivision (2) of subsection (b) of section 10-264l of the 2026
-supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is
-substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
-(2) In determining whether an application shall be approved and
-funds awarded pursuant to this section, the commissioner shall
-consider, but such consideration shall not be limited to: (A) Whether the
-program offered by the school is likely to increase student achievement;
-(B) whether the program is likely to reduce racial, ethnic and economic
-isolation; (C) the percentage of the student enrollment in the program
-from each participating district; and (D) the proposed operating budget
-and the sources of fund ing for the interdistrict magnet school. For a
-magnet school not operated by a local or regional board of education,
-the commissioner shall only approve a proposed operating budget that,
-on a per pupil basis, does not exceed the maximum allowable threshold
-established in accordance with this subdivision. The maximum
-allowable threshold shall be an amount equal to one hundred twenty
-per cent of the state average of the quotient obtained by dividing net
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-Public Act No. 26-52 14 of 15
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-current expenditures, as defined in section 10 -261, by average daily
-membership, as defined in said section, for the fiscal year two years
-prior to the fiscal year for which the operating grant is requested. The
-Department of Education shall establish the maximum allowable
-threshold no later than December fifteenth of the fiscal year prior to the
-fiscal year for which the operating grant is requested. If requested by an
-applicant that is not a local or regional board of education, the
-commissioner may approve a proposed operating budget that exceeds
-the maximum allowable threshold if the commissioner determines that
-there are extraordinary programmatic needs. For the fiscal [years] year
-ending June 30, 2017, and each fiscal year thereafter, in the case of an
-interdistrict magnet school that will assist the state in meeting its
-obligations pursuant to the decision in Sheff v. O'Neill, 238 Conn. 1
-(1996), or any related stipulation or order in effect, as determined by the
-commissioner, the commissioner shall also consider whether the school
-is meeting the enrollment standards for interdistrict magnet school
-programs, developed by the commissioner pursuant to section 10 -264r.
-If such school has not met such enrollment standards, it shall not be
-entitled to receiv e a grant pursuant to this section unless the
-commissioner finds that it is appropriate to award a grant for an
-additional year or years and approves a plan to bring such school into
-compliance with such enrollment standards. If requested by the
-commissioner, the applicant shall meet with the commissioner or the
-commissioner's designee to discuss the budget and sources of funding.
-Sec. 13. Subdivision (2) of subsection (e) of section 10-222tt of the 2026
-supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is
-substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
-(2) Three appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one
-of whom is a parent of a child receiving special education services in the
-state, one of whom is a representative of the Connecticut Association of
-Public School Superintendents and one of whom is an individual who
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-Public Act No. 26-52 15 of 15
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-may be a member of the General Assembly;
-Sec. 14. Subdivision (3) of subsection (c) of section 11 -21a of the 2026
-supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is
-substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
-(3) Acknowledge that librarians are professionally trained to curate
-and develop a collection that provides [resident] residents with access
-to the widest array of library and other educational materials; and
-
-Governor's Action:
-Approved May 20, 2026
+State Impact: None
+Municipal Impact: None
+Explanation
+The bill makes technical changes to education and early childhood
+statutes which do not result in a fiscal impact.
+The Out Years
+State Impact: None
+Municipal Impact: None