HB05550 • 2026

AN ACT EXEMPTING COURSE SYLLABI FROM DISCLOSURE UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

Education Elections

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Government Administration and Elections Committee
Last action: 2026-04-09
Official status: File Number 554
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text confirms the exemption is for 'records created by or for' faculty/staff that consist of syllabi, but does not explicitly define what constitutes a syllabus beyond common understanding.

Exempting Course Syllabi from Public Disclosure

This law stops public colleges and universities in the state from having to share course syllabi when people ask for them under freedom of information rules.

What This Bill Does

Adds a new rule that keeps course syllabi private at public higher education schools.
Changes existing laws so these records do not have to be given out during official requests.
Applies only to documents created by or for faculty and staff members.
Takes effect on October 1, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

Public institutions of higher education in the state
Faculty and staff who create course syllabi
People who request government records under freedom of information laws

Terms To Know

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA): A law that lets the public ask to see official government documents and records.
Course Syllabus: A document made by a teacher that lists what will be taught in a class, including rules and assignments.

Limits and Unknowns

The law only covers public colleges and universities, not private schools.
It does not say if this rule applies to syllabi from before October 1, 2026.
Other types of teaching records may still be available under different rules.

Bill History

2026-04-09 LCO
Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-04-09 Connecticut General Assembly
Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, House
2026-04-09 Connecticut General Assembly
House Calendar Number 374
2026-04-09 LCO
File Number 554
2026-04-02 LCO
Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/08/26 5:00 PM
2026-03-23 GAE
Joint Favorable Substitute
2026-03-23 LCO
Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-03-13 Connecticut General Assembly
Public Hearing 03/18
2026-03-12 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred to Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections

Official Summary Text

To make a technical change to a statute concerning government administration and to exempt course syllabi at an institution of higher education from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

House of Representatives
sHB5550 / File No. 554 1

General Assembly File No. 554
February Session, 2026 Substitute House Bill No. 5550

House of Representatives, April 9, 2026

The Committee on Government Administration and Elections
reported through REP. BLUMENTHAL of the 147th Dist.,
Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the House, that the
substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT EXEMPTING COURSE SYLLABI FROM DISCLOSURE
UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (b) of section 1 -210 of the 2026 supplement to 1
the general statutes is amended by adding subdivision (29) as follows 2
(Effective October 1, 2026): 3
(NEW) (29) Records created by or for the faculty or staff of a public 4
institution of higher education that consist of course syllabi. 5
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2026 1-210(b)(29)

GAE Joint Favorable Subst.

sHB5550 File No. 554

sHB5550 / File No. 554 2

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: None
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill expands existing provisions prohibiting disclosure of certain
records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to include course
syllabi, resulting in no fiscal impact to the state or municipalities.
The Out Years
State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None

sHB5550 File No. 554

sHB5550 / File No. 554 3

OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 5550

AN ACT EXEMPTING COURSE SYLLABI FROM DISCLOSURE
UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

SUMMARY
This bill exempts from disclosure under the Freedom of Information
Act (FOIA) records created by or for the faculty or staff of a public
institution of higher education that consist of course syllabi.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2026
BACKGROUND
FOIA Exceptions
FOIA generally requires government documents and records to be
made available to the public, however, there are exceptions. Among
others, existing exceptions include test questions, scoring keys, and
other examination data used to administer a licensing, e mployment, or
academic exam.
Related Bills
HB 5548, favorably reported by the Government Administration and
Elections Committee, exempts from disclosure under FOIA records
maintained or kept on file by or for the faculty or staff of a public higher
education institution arising out of teaching or research on medical,
artistic, scientific, legal, or other scholarly issues, including any records
of legal clinics or centers, excluding financial records.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Government Administration and Elections Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 13 Nay 6 (03/23/2026)