HB05217 • 2026

AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION AS THE DEPARTMENT HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Education Committee
Last action: 2026-02-19
Official status: Public Hearing 02/23
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text removes references to the 'State Board of Education' in Sections 4-5 and 10-3a, but does not explicitly state whether the State Board is abolished entirely or retains other functions.

Making the Commissioner of Education the Head of the Department

This law changes state rules so that the Commissioner of Education becomes the official head of the Department of Education instead of serving under a board.

What This Bill Does

Updates the definition of 'department head' to include the Commissioner of Education alongside other agency leaders, removing the State Board of Education from this list.
Removes language stating that the department serves as an administrative arm for the State Board of Education.
Changes the appointment process so the Governor appoints the Commissioner directly, rather than having a board recommend them.
Gives the Commissioner full authority to organize bureaus and divisions within the Department of Education.
Allows the Commissioner to create or remove internal units as needed for efficient work.

Who It Names or Affects

The Governor, who gains direct power to appoint the Commissioner of Education.
The Commissioner of Education, who becomes the official department head with new organizational powers.
The Department of Education staff and internal units that will be organized by the Commissioner.

Terms To Know

Department Head: The top leader responsible for running a state agency or department, as defined in this law to include the Commissioner of Education.
Coterminous with the term of the Governor: A job that lasts for the same amount of time as the current Governor's four-year term in office.

Limits and Unknowns

The changes do not take effect until July 1, 2028.
The text does not explain why this change is being made or what problems it solves.
The bill removes the State Board of Education from specific appointment and organizational roles but does not say if the board still exists for other purposes.

Bill History

2026-02-19 Connecticut General Assembly
Public Hearing 02/23
2026-02-18 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred to Joint Committee on Education

Official Summary Text

To make the Commissioner of Education the department head of the Department of Education.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

LCO No. 1407 1 of 3

General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5217
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 1407

Referred to Committee on EDUCATION

Introduced by:
(ED)

AN ACT ESTABLISHING THE COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION AS
THE DEPARTMENT HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 4 -5 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2028): 2
As used in sections 4 -6, 4 -7 and 4 -8, the term "department head" 3
means the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, 4
Commissioner of Administrative Services, Commissioner of Revenue 5
Services, Banking Commissioner, Commissioner of Children and 6
Families, Commissioner of Consumer Protection, Commissioner of 7
Correction, Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, 8
[State Board of Education ] Commissioner of Education, Commissioner 9
of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Commissioner of Energy 10
and Environmental Protection, Commissioner of Agriculture, 11
Commissioner of Public Health, Insurance Commissioner, Labor 12
Commissioner, Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction 13
Services, Commissioner of Social Services, Commissioner of 14
Developmental Services, Commissioner of Motor Vehicles, 15

Raised Bill No. 5217

LCO No. 1407 2 of 3

Commissioner of Transportation, Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, 16
Commissioner of Housing, Commissioner of Aging and Disability 17
Services, Commissioner of Early Childhood, Commissioner of Health 18
Strategy, executive director of the Office of Military Affairs, executive 19
director of the Technical Education and Career System, Chief Workforce 20
Officer and Commissioner of Higher Education. [As used in sections 4-21
6 and 4 -7, "department head" also means the Commissioner of 22
Education.] 23
Sec. 2. Section 10 -3a of the general statutes is repealed and the 24
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2028): 25
(a) There shall be a Department of Education . [which shall serve as 26
the administrative arm of the State Board of Education.] The department 27
shall be under the direction of the Commissioner of Education, [whose 28
appointment shall be recommended to ] who shall be appointed by the 29
Governor [by the State Board of Education ] for a term of four years to 30
be coterminous with the term of the Governor. Such appointment shall 31
be in accordance with the provisions of sections 4 -5 to 4-7, inclusive, as 32
amended by this act . The Commissioner of Education shall be the 33
[administrative officer ] department head of the department and shall 34
administer, coordinate and supervise the activities of the department . 35
[in accordance with the policies established by the board.] 36
(b) The [State Board of Education ] Commissioner of Education shall 37
organize the Department of Education into such bureaus, divisions and 38
other units as may be necessary for the efficient conduct of the business 39
of the department, and may, from time to time, create, abolish, transfer 40
or consolidate within the department any bureau, division or other unit 41
as may be necessary for the efficient conduct of the business of [said 42
board] the department. Upon such organization or reorganization the 43
[board] commissioner shall adopt regulations pursuant to the 44
provisions of chapter 54. The [board] commissioner may create such 45
advisory boards as it deems necessary for the efficient conduct of the 46
business of the department. 47

Raised Bill No. 5217

LCO No. 1407 3 of 3

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 July 1, 2028 4-5
Sec. 2 July 1, 2028 10-3a

Statement of Purpose:
To make the Commissioner of Education the department head of the
Department of Education.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]