KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Connecticut

HB05397 • 2026

AN ACT AUTHORIZING MUNICIPALITIES TO REGULATE CERTAIN STONE WALLS.

AN ACT AUTHORIZING MUNICIPALITIES TO REGULATE CERTAIN STONE WALLS.

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Planning and Development Committee
Last action
2026-02-27
Official status
Public Hearing 03/04
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on penalties for non-compliance with regulations and does not specify which highways or streets are included in the act.

Act Allowing Towns to Control Stone Walls Near Roads

This act allows towns to make rules about stone walls next to certain roads and highways.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows municipalities to create rules for stone walls near specific streets or highways.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Municipalities that want to make rules about stone walls near roads and highways.
  • Owners of property with stone walls abutting certain streets or highways.

Terms To Know

municipality
A town, city, or other local government unit.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify which highways or streets are included.
  • Does not provide details on penalties for non-compliance with regulations.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-27 Connecticut General Assembly

    Public Hearing 03/04

  2. 2026-02-26 Connecticut General Assembly

    Referred to Joint Committee on Planning and Development

Official Summary Text

To authorize municipalities to, by ordinance, regulate stone walls abutting certain highways or streets.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
LCO No. 2026 1 of 2

General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5397
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 2026

Referred to Committee on PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Introduced by:
(PD)

AN ACT AUTHORIZING MUNICIPALITIES TO REGULATE CERTAIN
STONE WALLS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1 . Subparagraph (C) of subdivision (6) of subsection (c) of 1
section 7 -148 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is 2
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 3
(C) (i) Lay out, construct, reconstruct, alter, maintain, repair, control, 4
operate, and assign numbers to streets, alleys, highways, boulevards, 5
bridges, underpasses, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, public walks and 6
parkways; 7
(ii) Keep open and safe for public use and travel and free from 8
encroachment or obstruction the streets, sidewalks and public places in 9
the municipality; 10
(iii) Control the excavation of highways and streets; 11
(iv) Regulate and prohibit the excavation, altering or opening of 12
sidewalks, public places and grounds for public and private purposes 13

Raised Bill No. 5397

LCO No. 2026 2 of 2

and the location of any work or things thereon, whether temporary or 14
permanent, upon or under the surface thereof; 15
(v) Require owners or occupants of land adjacent to any sidewalk or 16
public work to remove snow, ice, sleet, debris or any other obstruction 17
therefrom, provide penalties upon their failure to do so, and cause such 18
snow, ice, sleet, debris or other obstruction to be removed and make the 19
cost of such removal a lien on such property; 20
(vi) Grant to abutting property owners a limited property or 21
leasehold interest in abutting streets and sidewalks for the purpose of 22
encouraging and supporting private commercial development; 23
(vii) Regulate and prohibit the excavation, altering or opening of 24
stone walls within the rights-of-way of highways or streets; 25
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2026 7-148(c)(6)(C)

Statement of Purpose:
To authorize municipalities to, by ordinance, regulate stone walls
abutting certain highways or streets.

[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.]