AN ACT CONCERNING NOISE POLLUTION.

House of Representatives
sHB5462 / File No. 388 1

General Assembly File No. 388
February Session, 2026 Substitute House Bill No. 5462

House of Representatives, April 2, 2026

The Committee on Transportation reported through REP.
BERGER-GIRVALO of the 111th Dist., Chairperson of the
Committee on the part of the House, that the substitute bill
ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING NOISE POLLUTION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective October 1, 2026) (a) As used in this section, "solar 1
photovoltaic noise barrier" means a structure constructed between a 2
highway and adjacent property that incorporates solar photovoltaic 3
technology designed to generate electricity and provide highway noise 4
mitigation. 5
(b) The Commissioner of Transportation shall establish a solar 6
photovoltaic noise barrier pilot program for the purpose of evaluating 7
the feasibility, cost -effectiveness, environmental benefits and 8
effectiveness of integrating solar photovoltaic technology into noise 9
barriers located alongside state highways. The pilot program shall 10
include the design, installation, operation, maintenance and evaluation 11
of at least one, but not more than three, solar photovoltaic noise barriers. 12
The commissioner may enter into agreements with third parties for the 13
design, installation, operation or maintenance, or any combination 14
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thereof, of solar photovoltaic noise barriers. The commissioner shall 15
consult with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority regarding electric 16
interconnection and net metering eligibility. 17
(c) Not later than January 1, 2028, the commissioner shall submit a 18
report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general 19
statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly 20
having cognizance of matters relating to transportation. Such report 21
shall include information concerning the total costs of the pilot program; 22
electricity generation data; maintenance and performance, safety and 23
structural findings; environmental impacts and any recommendation 24
for the continuation, expansion or modification of the pilot program. 25
Sec. 2. Section 14 -80 of the general statutes is repealed and the 26
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 27
(a) Each motor vehicle and the devices on such vehicle shall be 28
operated, equipped, constructed and adjusted to prevent unnecessary 29
or unusual noise. 30
(b) (1) Each motor vehicle operated by an internal combustion engine 31
shall be equipped, except as hereinafter provided, with a muffler or 32
mufflers designed to prevent excessive, unusual or unnecessary exhaust 33
noise. The muffler or mufflers shall be maintained by the owner in good 34
working order and shall be in use whenever the motor vehicle is 35
operated. 36
(2) No person, including a motor vehicle dealer or repairer or a 37
motorcycle dealer, shall install, and no person shall use, on a motor 38
vehicle, a muffler or mufflers lacking interior baffle plates or other 39
effective muffling devices, a gutted muffler, a muffler cutout or a 40
straight exhaust except when the motor vehicle is operated in a race, 41
contest or demonstration of speed or skill as a public exhibition 42
pursuant to subsection (a) of section 14 -164a, or any mechanical device 43
which will amplify the noise emitted by the vehicle. 44
(3) No person, including a motor vehicle dealer or repairer or a 45
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motorcycle dealer, shall remove all or part of any muffler on a motor 46
vehicle except to repair or replace the muffler or part for the more 47
effective prevention of noise. 48
(4) No person shall use on the exhaust system or tail pipe of a motor 49
vehicle any extension or device which will cause excessive or unusual 50
noise. 51
(c) The engine of every motor vehicle shall be equipped and adjusted 52
to prevent excessive fumes or exhaust smoke. 53
(d) All pipes carrying exhaust gases from the motor shall be 54
constructed of, and maintained with, leak -proof metal. Exhaust pipes 55
shall be directed from the muffler or mufflers toward the rear of the 56
vehicle and shall be approximately parallel with the longitudinal axis of 57
the vehicle and approximately parallel to the surface of the roadway, or 58
shall be directed from the muffler upward to a location above the cab or 59
body of the vehicle so that fumes, gases and smoke are directed away 60
from the occupants of the vehicle. Exhaust pipes on a passenger vehicle 61
shall extend to the extreme rear end of the vehicle's body, not including 62
the bumper and its attachments to the body, or shall be attached to the 63
vehicle in such a way that the exhaust pipes direct the exhaust gases to 64
either side of the vehicle ensuring that fresh ambient air is located under 65
the vehicle at all times. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may adopt 66
regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to establish 67
safety standards for passenger vehicles equipped with exhaust pipes 68
located in front of the rear axle. 69
(e) Every motor vehicle shall, when operated on a highway, be 70
equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting 71
sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than 72
two hundred feet, but no horn or other warning device shall emit an 73
unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle. 74
(f) (1) No vehicle shall be equipped with, nor shall any person use on 75
a vehicle, any siren, whistle or bell as a warning signal device, except as 76
otherwise permitted by this section. 77
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(2) Any motor vehicle may be equipped with a theft alarm signal 78
device which is so arranged that it cannot be used by the driver as an 79
ordinary warning signal. 80
(3) Any authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with a siren, 81
whistle or bell, capable of emitting sound audible under normal 82
conditions from a distance of not less than five hundred feet and of a 83
type approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Such signal shall 84
not be used unless the vehicle is operated in response to an emergency 85
call or in the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the 86
law, in which event the driver of the vehicle shall sound the signal when 87
reasonably necessary to warn pedestrians and other drivers of the 88
approach of the vehicle. 89
(g) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be 90
fined one [hundred fifty] thousand dollars for each offense. 91
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2026 New section
Sec. 2 October 1, 2026 14-80

Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Section 1(b), "performance" was changed to "effectiveness" for clarity.

TRA Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO

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The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 27 $ FY 28 $
Department of Transportation TF - Cost See Below See Below
State Revenues GF&TF -
Revenue Gain
See Below See Below
Note: TF=Transportation Fund; GF&TF=General Fund & Transportation Fund

Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
Section 1 results in costs to the Department of Transportation (DOT)
by requiring the agency to establish a solar photovoltaic noise barrier
pilot program, which must include the design, installation, operation,
maintenance and evaluation of at least one and no mor e than three
barriers.
Costs to establish the pilot program will depend on implementation
decisions made by DOT and available funding but could reasonably
include the following: (1) approximately $500,000 annually in
consultant and/or staff costs to manage the pilot, including c osts for
planning, researching, training, evaluation, and reporting, (2) a detailed
technical noise study at each site, costing approximately $100,000 per
site, (3) construction and installation of the barriers themselves which,
according to preliminary DO T research, could be approximately $3
million per mile,1 and (4) ongoing maintenance costs particular to these

1 Costs for solar photovoltaic noise barriers are difficult to estimate because this
technology is not yet widely used on the U.S. highway system and costs are expected
to vary based on local conditions. For context, traditional noise barrier project costs are
approximately $2 million per mile in Connecticut.
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barriers, such as more complex vegetative management.
The bill also allows DOT to enter into agreements with third parties
for this work which may limit the upfront costs to the state depending
on the terms and scope of any agreement.
Section 2 increases the fine, from $150 per offense to $1,000 per
offense, for certain noise -related motor vehicle violations, resulting in
revenue gain from fines.2
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to the timing and scope of the pilot,
ongoing maintenance costs, the terms of any third-party agreement, and
the number of offenses.

2 Between FY 22 and FY 25, there were a total of 1 ,557 offenses recorded and $131,000
in fines collected under CGS § 14-80.
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OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 5462

AN ACT CONCERNING NOISE POLLUTION.

SUMMARY
This bill increases the fine, from $150 per offense to $1,000 per offense,
for violating certain requirements under existing law related to motor
vehicle mechanical equipment, primarily involving mufflers and
exhaust pipes (§ 2). As under existing law, these v iolations are (1)
processed through the Centralized Infractions Bureau ( CIB, see
BACKGROUND) and (2) subject to a Special Transportation Fund
surcharge of 50% of the fine (CGS § 13b-70).
Separately, t he bill requires the Department of Transportation
commissioner to create a solar photovoltaic noise barrier pilot program
to evaluate the feasibility, cost effectiveness, environmental benefits,
and effectiveness of using noise barriers with this technology along state
roads (§ 1). (These are generally noise barriers designed to both generate
electricity and lessen road noise.) Under the bill, the program must
include designing, installing, operating, maintaining, and evaluating
between one and three of these noise barriers, which may be done with
third-party entities. The commissioner must consult with the Public
Utilities Regulatory Authority on electric interconnection and net
metering eligibility.
By January 1, 2028, the commissioner must give a report on the pilot
program to the Transportation Committee that includes (1) information
on its total costs ; electricity generation data ; maintenance and
performance, safety , and structural findings ; and environmental
impacts and (2) any recommendations for continuing, expanding, or
modifying the program.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2026
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EQUIPMENT VIOLATIONS SUBJECT TO INCREASED FINE
The motor vehicle equipment offenses subject to the increased fine
generally include the following:
1. operating, constructing, equipping, or adjusting a motor vehicle
(or its devices) to cause unnecessary or unusual noise;
2. operating a motor vehicle with an improper muffler; failing to
maintain a muffler in good working order; installing or using a
muffler without interior baffle plates or other effective muffling
devices, a gutted muffler, a muffler cutout, or a straight exhaust;
installing or using a mechanical device that amplifies the
vehicle’s emitted noise; removing or replacing all or part of a
muffler except to repair or replace it; or using an extension or
device on an exhaust system or tail pipe that will cause excessive
or unusual noise;
3. operating a motor vehicle that emits excessive fumes or exhaust
smoke;
4. violating requirements for constructing, placing, or positioning
exhaust pipes on a motor vehicle;
5. operating a motor vehicle with a defective horn; and
6. operating a warning siren, whistle, or bell on a motor vehicle
except as the law allows.
BACKGROUND
Centralized Infractions Bureau
By law, individuals charged with a motor vehicle violation may,
generally, pay the fine through CIB without appearing in court.
Payment is considered a plea of nolo contendere (no contest) and is not
admissible in any civil or criminal proceeding. If an in dividual pleads
not guilty, CIB must send the plea and request for trial to the clerk of the
geographical area court where the trial is to take place. The practice,
procedure, rules of evidence, and burden of proof applicable in criminal
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proceedings apply in the trial (CGS § 51-164n).
COMMITTEE ACTION
Transportation Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 30 Nay 6 (03/16/2026)