HB05553 • 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING MINOR AND TECHNICAL CHANGES TO AN ABSENTEE VOTING STATUTE.

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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: 2026-04-08
Official status: File Number 526
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text does not define section 9-135 reasons for inability to appear; readers must refer to that separate statute.

Technical Updates to Absentee Voting Rules

This law updates the list of people who can use federal forms to request absentee ballots and sets an effective date for these changes.

What This Bill Does

Replaces Section 9-153a of the state statutes with new text regarding absentee ballot applications.
Allows specific groups to use either a state form or a federal department form to apply for an absentee ballot.
Updates and renumbers the list of eligible categories, including military members, their families, certain religious group workers assisting the military, civilian U.S. employees living outside states with their families, citizens temporarily residing outside the United States, and overseas citizens qualified under federal law.
Sets October 1, 2026, as the date when these new rules begin.

Who It Names or Affects

Members of the armed forces and their spouses or dependents
Members of religious groups or welfare agencies assisting military members who are officially attached to them, along with those workers' spouses and dependents
Civilian employees of the United States living outside state borders when residing with or accompanying such employees, including their spouses and dependents
Citizens temporarily residing outside the territorial limits of the several states and the District of Columbia
Overseas citizens qualified to vote under federal law

Terms To Know

Absentee ballot application: A form a voter fills out to request their voting materials by mail instead of going to the polling place.
Statute: An official written law passed by the legislature and recorded in state books.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not explain why these specific technical changes were needed.
The text notes no fiscal impact to the state or municipalities for implementing this change.
Eligibility requires that a person is eligible to vote and expects to be unable to appear at their polling place for reasons specified in section 9-135.

Bill History

2026-04-08 LCO
Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-04-08 Connecticut General Assembly
Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, House
2026-04-08 Connecticut General Assembly
House Calendar Number 346
2026-04-08 LCO
File Number 526
2026-03-31 LCO
Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/07/26 5:00 PM
2026-03-23 GAE
Joint Favorable
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 minor and technical changes to an absentee voting statute.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

House of Representatives
HB5553 / File No. 526 1

General Assembly File No. 526
February Session, 2026 House Bill No. 5553

House of Representatives, April 8, 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
bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING MINOR AND TECHNICAL CHANGES TO AN
ABSENTEE VOTING STATUTE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 9 -153a of the 2026 supplement to the general 1
statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 2
(Effective October 1, 2026): 3
The form of absentee ballot application provided by any federal 4
department or agency, referred to in section 9-140, may be used only by 5
a person in any one of the following categories who is eligible to vote 6
and who expects to be unable to appear at his proper polling place for 7
any reason specified in section 9 -135: (1) Members of the armed forces 8
and their spouses and dependents , (2) [the spouses and dependents of 9
such members, (3) ] members of religious groups or welfare agencies 10
assisting members of the armed forces, who are officially attached to 11
and serving with the armed forces, and their spouses and dependents, 12
[(4)] (3) civilian employees of the United States in all categories serving 13
HB5553 File No. 526

HB5553 / File No. 526 2

outside the territorial limits of the several states of the United States and 14
the District of Columbia and their spouses and dependents when 15
residing with or accompanying them, whether or not the employee is 16
subject to the civil service laws and the Federal Classification Act of 17
1949, and whether or not paid from funds appropriated by the Congress, 18
[(5)] (4) citizens of the United States temporarily residing outside of the 19
territorial limits of the several states of the United States and the District 20
of Columbia, and [(6)] (5) overseas citizens qualified to vote under the 21
Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, 100 Stat. 924, 42 22
USC 1973ff et seq., as amended from time to time. Any such person may 23
apply for an absentee ballot in the manner provided in section 9 -140, 24
either on the form prescribed by the Secretary of the State under section 25
9-140 [,] or on the application form provided by any federal department 26
or agency. [hereinbefore referred to.] 27
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2026 9-153a

GAE Joint Favorable

HB5553 File No. 526

HB5553 / File No. 526 3

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 makes minor and technical changes to the existing absentee
voting statute resulting in no fiscal impact to the state or municipalities.
The Out Years
State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None

HB5553 File No. 526

HB5553 / File No. 526 4

OLR Bill Analysis
HB 5553

AN ACT CONCERNING MINOR AND TECHNICAL CHANGES TO AN
ABSENTEE VOTING STATUTE.

SUMMARY
This bill makes technical changes to an absentee voting statute.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2026
COMMITTEE ACTION
Government Administration and Elections Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 13 Nay 6 (03/23/2026)