AN ACT ESTABLISHING A REFUNDABLE TAX CREDIT FOR NEWS ORGANIZATIONS THAT COVER LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on the duration of the tax credit or additional requirements for qualification.

Tax Credit for Local News Organizations

This act creates a refundable tax credit for news organizations covering local communities, providing financial support based on the number of journalists they employ and hire.

What This Bill Does

• Creates a new refundable tax credit for news organizations that cover local areas in the state.
• Provides $15,000 per journalist already working at these news organizations.
• Offers an additional $25,000 for each new journalist hired by these organizations.
• Limits the total amount one organization can receive from this tax credit to a maximum of $150,000.

Who It Names or Affects

• News organizations that cover local communities in the state.
• Journalists working or planning to work for these news organizations.

Terms To Know

Tax Credit

Money a person or business can subtract from what they owe in taxes, which helps them save money.

Refundable Tax Credit

A tax credit that gives back more than the amount of taxes owed, providing extra financial support to the recipient.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how long this tax credit will be available.
• It is unclear if there are any additional requirements for news organizations to qualify beyond covering local communities.

Official Summary Text

To establish a refundable tax credit to news organizations that cover local communities in the state.

Current Bill Text

LCO No. 959 1 of 1

General Assembly Proposed Bill No. 5137
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 959

Referred to Committee on FINANCE, REVENUE AND
BONDING

Introduced by:
REP. FARRAR, 20th Dist.
REP. BROWN, 56th Dist.
REP. FORTIER, 79th Dist.

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A REFUNDABLE TAX CREDIT FOR NEWS
ORGANIZATIONS THAT COVER LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN THE
STATE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

That the general statutes be amended to establish a refundable tax 1
credit to news organizations that cover local communities in the state, 2
in the amount of fifteen thousand dollars per journalist employed in the 3
state by such organization and twenty -five thousand dollars per new 4
journalist hired in the state by such organization, with a cap on the 5
amount a news organization is allowed of one hundred fifty thousand 6
dollars. 7
Statement of Purpose:
To establish a refundable tax credit to news organizations that cover
local communities in the state.