AN ACT CONCERNING THE LEGISLATIVE COMMISSIONERS' RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TECHNICAL REVISIONS TO THE EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD STATUTES.

House Bill No. 5215

Public Act No. 26-52

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2026 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is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
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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
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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 covered 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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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 program 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
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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 sec tion 10 -550b, (2)
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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;
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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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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 b oard 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
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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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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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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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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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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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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