SB00310 • 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PILOT PROGRAM TO TRAIN CERTIFIED WASTEWATER TREATMENT FACILITY OPERATORS.

Education Labor

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: 2026-05-06
Official status: House Calendar Number 572
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official status indicates the bill passed, but no effective date is listed in the metadata section; however, Section 1 of the text explicitly states it takes effect July 1, 2026.

Pilot Program to Train Wastewater Treatment Operators

This law creates a short-term training program at career schools so students can learn how to become certified wastewater treatment facility operators.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Technical Education and Career System to start a pilot program for one or more courses on wastewater treatment operations starting July 1, 2026.
Orders a report by January 1, 2027 that lists how many students enrolled and how long it takes to get certified after finishing the course.
Asks the report to include suggestions on funding or new laws needed if the pilot program should continue or become permanent.

Who It Names or Affects

Students attending technical education and career schools who want training in wastewater treatment.
The Technical Education and Career System, which must run the courses and write the report.
The joint standing committee of the General Assembly that handles education matters.

Terms To Know

Pilot program: A test version of a project used to see if it works before making it permanent or expanding it.
Certified wastewater treatment facility operator: A worker who has passed tests and received official approval to run machines that clean dirty water at treatment plants.

Limits and Unknowns

The law only funds this program for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027.
It does not say if the training will continue after the pilot ends without new laws or funding.
The exact number of courses offered is not set; it could be one course or more.

Bill History

2026-05-06 Connecticut General Assembly
Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, House
2026-05-06 Connecticut General Assembly
House Calendar Number 572
2026-05-04 Connecticut General Assembly
Senate Passed
2026-05-04 Connecticut General Assembly
On Consent Calendar
2026-04-07 LCO
Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-04-07 Connecticut General Assembly
Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate
2026-04-07 Connecticut General Assembly
Senate Calendar Number 269
2026-04-07 LCO
File Number 457
2026-03-30 LCO
Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/07/26 12:00 PM
2026-03-19 LCO
Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-03-16 ED
Joint Favorable Substitute
2026-02-27 Connecticut General Assembly
Public Hearing 03/04
2026-02-26 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred to Joint Committee on Education

Official Summary Text

To require a study for expanding vocational education to grades kindergarten to eight, inclusive, and establish a pilot program for training wastewater treatment facility operators.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Senate
sSB310 / File No. 457 1

General Assembly File No. 457
February Session, 2026 Substitute Senate Bill No. 310

Senate, April 7, 2026

The Committee on Education reported through SEN.
MCCRORY, D. of the 2nd Dist., Chairperson of the Committee
on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PILOT
PROGRAM TO TRAIN CERTIFIED WASTEWATER TREATMENT
FACILITY OPERATORS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective July 1, 2026) For the school year commencing July 1
1, 2026, the executive director of the Technical Education and Career 2
System shall establish a pilot program for the provision of one or more 3
courses to train students to become certified wastewater treatment 4
facility operators at technical education and career schools throughout 5
the state. Not later than January 1, 2027, the executive director shall 6
submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the 7
general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General 8
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to education. Such 9
report shall include the number of students who enrolled in such course 10
or courses, the timeframe in which such students may become certified 11
wastewater treatment facility operators after completion of such course 12
and recommendations for any funding or legislation to expand such 13
pilot program or to make such pilot program permanent. 14
sSB310 File No. 457

sSB310 / File No. 457 2

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

Section 1 July 1, 2026 New section

ED Joint Favorable Subst.

sSB310 File No. 457

sSB310 / File No. 457 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:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 27 $ FY 28 $
Technical Education and Career
System
GF - Cost 18,000 None
Note: GF=General Fund

Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill results in a one -time cost of approximately $18,000 in FY 27
to the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS).
The bill requires CTECS to conduct a pilot program to train students to
become certified wastewater treatment facility operators. The cost is
associated with additional staff hours worked and supplies as well as
materials needed to administer the program.
The Out Years
There is no fiscal impact in the out years, as the bill specifies that the
pilot program is for FY 27 only.

sSB310 File No. 457

sSB310 / File No. 457 4

OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 310

AN ACT CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PILOT
PROGRAM TO TRAIN CERTIFIED WASTEWATER TREATMENT
FACILITY OPERATORS.

SUMMARY
The Office of Legislative Research does not analyze Special Acts.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Education Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 42 Nay 3 (03/16/2026)