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Connecticut2026Passed Legislature

SB00137

Act to Implement Office of Early Childhood Recommendations

Last scannedAug 25, 2026, 6:19 AM

In one sentence

This law creates the Early Childhood Cabinet, funds preschool programs through Connecticut Smart Start grants, requires youth camps to share contact details for emergency alerts, and sets rules about criminal records for family child care home staff.

What it does

  • Creates the Early Childhood Cabinet made up of government commissioners, school leaders, parents, community representatives, a pediatrician, and other appointed members.
  • Funds a competitive grant program called Connecticut Smart Start to help local boards of education pay for building or expanding preschool classrooms.
  • Requires youth camp owners to give their name, address, and phone number to the Office of Early Childhood.
  • Allows state officials to share youth camp location data with emergency services during fires, storms, crimes, or other emergencies nearby.
  • Gives the Commissioner of Early Childhood power to deny licenses if staff members or household residents aged 18 or older have certain criminal records.

Who it affects

  • State government agencies and commissioners who will join the new cabinet.
  • Local school boards that apply for grants to start or grow preschool programs.
  • Owners and operators of youth camps in Connecticut.
  • People who own, work in, or live in family child care homes.

Limits and unknowns

  • The official text cuts off before finishing the full description of criminal record restrictions, specifically regarding convictions involving child abuse or neglect.
  • Some specific dates and dollar amounts in the law were changed during the legislative process compared to earlier drafts.

Plain language

Terms to know

Early Childhood Cabinet
A new group created by this law that includes government officials and community members to guide early childhood programs.
Connecticut Smart Start
A grant program that gives money to schools for building or running preschool classrooms.
Family Child Care Home
A home where a person is licensed by the state to care for children who are not their own.

Official record

Sources

Validated
Official bill pageIntroduced textOfficial digestCurrent bill textStored full record

Official summary

To implement the recommendations of the Office of Early Childhood.

Official activity

Bill history

  1. Signed by the Governor
  2. Transmitted to the Secretary of State
  3. Transmitted by Secretary of the State to Governor
  4. Public Act 26-105LCO
  5. House Adopted Senate Amendment Schedule A
  6. House Passed as Amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A
  7. In Concurrence
  8. Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, House
  9. House Calendar Number 546
  10. Senate Adopted Senate Amendment Schedule A 4116
  11. Senate Passed as Amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A
  12. Rules Suspended, Transmitted to the House
  13. Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' OfficeLCO
  14. Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate
  15. Senate Calendar Number 304
  16. File Number 492LCO
  17. Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/07/26 5:00 PMLCO
  18. Filed with Legislative Commissioners' OfficeLCO
  19. Joint Favorable SubstituteED
  20. Public Hearing 02/20