AN ACT CONCERNING VEGETATION MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

Senate
sSB414 / File No. 359 1

General Assembly File No. 359
February Session, 2026 Substitute Senate Bill No. 414

Senate, April 2, 2026

The Committee on Transportation reported through SEN.
COHEN of the 12th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the
part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING VEGETATION MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES
BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 13b-31h of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 2
(a) The Department of Transportation shall develop, and thereafter 3
revise as necessary, guidelines governing tree and vegetation 4
management, removal and replacement along state highways for use by 5
its employees and contractors when undertaking maintenance and 6
construction projects. The goal of the guidelines shall be to ensure the 7
impacts of maintenance and construction projects on the environment, 8
landscape and noise pollution are balanced or outweighed by measures 9
taken to avoid and minimize the impacts. 10
(b) Such guidelines shall include, but need not be limited to, 11
provisions addressing (1) the safety of the traveling public; (2) general 12
roadside vegetation management activities performed by the 13
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sSB414 / File No. 359 2

department, including, but not limited to, mowing, herbicide 14
application, grassing, replanting with native species whenever 15
practicable, limb management, tree removal and debris removal; (3) 16
beautification, enhancements and the effect on scenic roads designated 17
pursuant to section 13b -31c; (4) visibility enhancement; and (5) the 18
environmental impact of such work, including (A) preventing invasive 19
tree, brush or plant species' growth and impact, (B) storm water run-off, 20
(C) erosion, (D) replanting of vegetation species to expand and improve 21
pollinator habitats, as described in section 22 -90b, and (E) reduced 22
mowing. Such guidelines shall apply to construction projects financed, 23
in whole or in part, with federal funds to the extent such guidelines do 24
not conflict with federal laws and regulations. 25
(c) Such guidelines shall not apply to the removal of any trees or 26
vegetation necessary to maintain public safety or that is performed 27
because of a weather -related civil preparedness emergency declared 28
pursuant to section 28-9. 29
(d) [On or before January 1, 2024] Not later than February 1, 2027, the 30
Commissioner of Transportation shall consider the results of the study 31
and recommendations conducted pursuant to section 63 of public act 32
24-151, as amended by this act, by the Department of Natural Resources 33
and the Environment at The University of Connecticut concerning the 34
carbon sequestration by trees and other vegetation along highways and 35
other areas in the state , and determine the need, if any, for revisions to 36
the guidelines adopted pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. If the 37
commissioner determines a revision to such guidelines is not warranted, 38
the commissioner shall submit a report, in accordance with the 39
provisions of section 11 -4a, to the joint standing committees of the 40
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to 41
transportation and the environment explaining the reasons for such 42
determination. If the commissioner revises such guidelines in response 43
to the results of such study, the commissioner shall submit such revised 44
guidelines to [the] such joint standing committees , [of the General 45
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation and 46
the environment, ] in accordance with the provisions of section 11 -4a. 47
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[The] Such joint standing committees shall hold a joint public hearing 48
on such revised guidelines and the commissioner shall present such 49
revised guidelines at the public hearing. 50
Sec. 2. Section 63 of public act 24-151 is repealed and the following is 51
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 52
(a) The Department of Transportation shall provide a grant from 53
available resources to the Department of Natural Resources and the 54
Environment at The University of Connecticut for the purpose of 55
studying the carbon sequestration by trees and other vegetation along 56
highways and other areas in the state. 57
(b) The Department of Natural Resources and the Environment at 58
The University of Connecticut shall (1) submit an interim report, not 59
later than January 1, 2025, and a final report, not later than [July 1, 2025] 60
October 1, 2026, concerning the [department's findings] results of such 61
study and any recommendations to the Department of Transportation 62
and the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having 63
cognizance of matters relating to transportation and the environment, 64
in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, 65
and (2) present either or both such reports at a hearing held jointly by 66
said joint standing committees. 67
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2026 13b-31h
Sec. 2 July 1, 2026 PA 24-151, Sec. 63

Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Section 1(d), " conducted pursuant to section 63 of public act 24 -151,
as amended by this act" was moved to after "recommendations" and "in
response to the results of such study" was inserted in the third sentence
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: None
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill, which has no fiscal impact, requires the Department of
Transportation (DOT) to consider whether any revisions are needed to
its vegetative management guidelines based on the results of a
forthcoming UConn study and to report to the Transportation and
Environment Committees, as specified in the bill. It is anticipated that
DOT has the expertise to meet the provisions of the bill within existing
resources.
The Out Years
State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None

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OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 414

AN ACT CONCERNING VEGETATION MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES
BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

SUMMARY
This bill delays, from July 1, 2025, to October 1, 2026, the due date for
the UConn Department of Natural Resources and the Environment ’s
final report on its study of carbon sequestration by trees and other
vegetation along highways and other areas in Connecticut. (Under
current law, its interim report was due by January 1, 2025, but, in
practice, the department published that report on February 1, 2026.)
Along with the final report, the bill also requires the UConn department
to submit its study results an d any related recommendations to the
Department of Transportation ( DOT), which is in addition to the
Transportation and Environment committees as current law requires.
Relatedly, the bill requires the DOT commissioner, by February 1,
2027, to consider the results of UConn’s study and determine whether
DOT’s vegetation management guidelines need to be accordingly
revised. If the commissioner determines that the guidelines do not need
to be revised, he must report to the Transportation and Environment
committees explaining why. Alternatively, if he revises the guidelines
based on UConn’s study, he must submit them to these legislative
committees and the committees must hold a joint public hearing for the
commissioner to present on the revised guidelines.
The bill also makes technical and conforming changes, including
deleting obsolete language.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2026, except the DOT commissioner and
legislative committee requirement provisions are effective October 1,
2026.
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BACKGROUND
DOT Vegetation Management Guidelines
Existing law requires DOT to develop, and revise as necessary,
guidelines on tree and vegetation management, removal, and
replacement along state highways for its employees and contractors to
use for maintenance and construction projects. The guidelines mu st
include certain components and aim to ensure that maintenance and
construction projects’ impacts on the environment, landscape, and noise
pollution are balanced or outweighed by measures taken to avoid and
minimize them. The guidelines apply to construction projects financed,
wholly or partially, with federal funds to the extent that they do not
conflict with federal laws and regulations. They do not apply to tree or
vegetation removal that is (1) needed to maintain public safety or (2)
due to a weather-related civil preparedness emergency.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Transportation Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 36 Nay 0 (03/16/2026)