SB00417 • 2026

AN ACT REQUIRING THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO ESTABLISH AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM.

Small Business Technology

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Commerce Committee
Last action: 2026-05-29
Official status: Transmitted by Secretary of the State to Governor
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not provide details about training programs or employee displacement, only that applicants must train their employees to work with AI technology.

Act Requiring AI Small Business Program Plan

This act requires the Department of Economic and Community Development to develop a plan for an artificial intelligence small business program that provides financial assistance to eligible small businesses.

What This Bill Does

Requires the Department of Economic and Community Development to develop a plan for an AI small business program.
The plan must include ways to provide financial assistance to eligible small businesses adopting AI technology.
The plan should establish eligibility criteria, application process guidelines, and terms for financial assistance.
The department needs to report its progress by January 1, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

Small businesses that want to use artificial intelligence technology.
The Department of Economic and Community Development.

Terms To Know

artificial intelligence: A machine-based system that makes predictions, recommendations or decisions influencing real or virtual environments.
financial assistance: Grants, loans, and other forms of financial help provided to small businesses.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much funding will be available for the AI small business program.
It is unclear what specific criteria are needed for a small business to qualify for this program.

Bill History

2026-05-29 Connecticut General Assembly
Transmitted to the Secretary of State
2026-05-29 Connecticut General Assembly
Transmitted by Secretary of the State to Governor
2026-05-20 LCO
Special Act 26-23
2026-05-05 Connecticut General Assembly
House Adopted Senate Amendment Schedule A
2026-05-05 Connecticut General Assembly
House Passed as Amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A
2026-05-05 Connecticut General Assembly
In Concurrence
2026-04-28 Connecticut General Assembly
Senate Adopted Senate Amendment Schedule A 4459
2026-04-28 Connecticut General Assembly
Senate Passed as Amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A
2026-04-28 Connecticut General Assembly
Rules Suspended, Transmitted to the House
2026-04-28 Connecticut General Assembly
Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, House
2026-04-28 Connecticut General Assembly
House Calendar Number 522
2026-04-08 LCO
Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-04-08 Connecticut General Assembly
Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate
2026-04-08 Connecticut General Assembly
Senate Calendar Number 311
2026-04-08 LCO
File Number 499
2026-03-31 LCO
Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/07/26 5:00 PM
2026-03-24 CE
Joint Favorable
2026-03-24 LCO
Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office
2026-03-06 Connecticut General Assembly
Public Hearing 03/10
2026-03-05 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred to Joint Committee on Commerce

Official Summary Text

To require the Department of Economic and Community Development to develop a plan to establish an artificial intelligence small business program.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Senate Bill No. 417

Special Act No. 26-23

AN ACT REQUIRING THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO
ESTABLISH AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SMALL BUSINESS
PROGRAM.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. ( Effective from passage ) (a) As used in this section, (1)
"artificial intelligence" means a machine -based system that makes
predictions, recommendations or decisions influencing real or virtual
environments, (2) "artificial intelligence technology" means a computer
system, application or other product that uses or incorporates one or
more forms of artificial intelligence, and (3) "financial assistance" means
any and all forms of grants, extensions of credit, loans or loan
guarantees, equity investments or other forms of financing.
(b) The Department of Economic and Community Development, in
consultation with other relevant state agencies, public institutions of
higher education or any other public entity that the Department of
Economic and Community Development deems necessary, shal l
develop a plan to establish an artificial intelligence small business
program for the purpose of (1) providing financial assistance to eligible
small businesses to adopt and deploy artificial intelligence to achieve
improvements in productivity and the q uality of any products or
Senate Bill No. 417

Special Act No. 26-23 2 of 2

services offered by such small businesses, and (2) establishing a
competitive small business environment for the development and
deployment of artificial intelligence technologies. Such plan shall
include, but need not be limited to, eligibility criteria and an application
process with guidelines and terms for financial assistance for the
program, and a requirement that, as a condition of receiving financial
assistance, any applicant train such applicant's employees to work with
artificial intelligence and prepare any such employees, whose jobs may
be displaced as a result of the adoption of artificial intelligence, for new
roles with the applicant.
(c) Not later than January 1, 2027, the Department of Economic and
Community Development shall report on such plan, including any
recommendations for legislative action required to implement such
plan, in accordance with the provisions of section 11 -4a of the general
statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly
having cognizance of matters relating to commerce.