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sSB456 / File No. 478 1
General Assembly File No. 478
February Session, 2026 Substitute Senate Bill No. 456
Senate, April 7, 2026
The Committee on Environment reported through SEN. LOPES
of the 6th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the
Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.
AN ACT CONCERNING A GRANT PROGRAM FOR WILDLIFE
REHABILITATION FACILITIES IN THE STATE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) ( Effective July 1, 2026 ) (a) The Commissioner of 1
Energy and Environmental Protection may establish a grant program 2
for the issuance of grants to nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation 3
organizations with one or more facilities in the state that register with 4
the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and that meet 5
any requirements the commissioner establishes for the registration of 6
such wildlife rehabilitation organizations. The commissioner may 7
accept any funds or donations for the purpose of issuing such grants 8
and may establish an account for the receipt of any such funds or 9
donations. Any funds in such account shall not lapse at the conclusion 10
of any fiscal year and shall remain available to the commissioner for the 11
issuance of such grants. 12
(b) Any such registration requirement shall require a nonprofit 13
wildlife organization to submit, on an annual basis, to the commissioner 14
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information concerning such organization, including, but not limited to, 15
the name and contact information for the owner or operator of such 16
wildlife rehabilitation organization, the location of any such facility in 17
the state, the specific species of wildlife rehabilitated at any such facility, 18
the financial structure of such wildlife rehabilitation organization, and 19
the background, education and training of any staff member or 20
volunteer, including, but not limited to, any veterinarian, utilized or 21
employed by any such wildlife rehabilitation organization and any 22
other information that the commissioner deems relevant. The 23
commissioner may impose an annual registration fee for any such 24
wildlife rehabilitation organization. 25
(c) The commissioner may establish criteria for the issuance of any 26
such grants, including, but not limited to, priority criteria for the 27
issuance of any such grants. The commissioner may adopt regulations, 28
in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 of the general statutes, 29
to implement the provisions of this section. 30
Sec. 2. ( Effective July 1, 2026 ) The sum of five hundred thousand 31
dollars is appropriated to the Department of Energy and Environmental 32
Protection from the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 33
2027, for the purpose of funding the wildlife rehabilitation organization 34
grant program described in section 1 of this act. 35
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2026 New section
Sec. 2 July 1, 2026 New section
ENV Joint Favorable Subst.
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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:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 27 $ FY 28 $
Department of Energy and
Environmental Protection
GF - Cost 581,304 81,304
State Comptroller - Fringe
Benefits1
GF - Cost 34,001 34,001
Note: GF=General Fund
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill results in a cost to the state of $615,305 in FY 27 and $115,305
in FY 28, associated with establishing a grant program for certain
nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation organizations.
In order to facilitate the program, set criteria for grants, and adopt
implementing regulations, the Department of Energy and
Environmental Protection (DEEP) w ill require one Environmental
Analyst 2 with an annual salary of $81,304 and corresponding fringe
benefits of $34,001.
Additionally, the bill appropriates $500,000 to DEEP in FY 27 for
purposes of this program. The bill also allows DEEP to accept any funds
or donations for purposes of issuing grants to qualifying organizations.
Spending Cap
sHB 5032, the FY 27 Revised Budget as favorably reported by the
1The fringe benefit costs for most state employees are budgeted centrally in accounts
administered by the Comptroller. The estimated active employee fringe benefit cost
associated with most personnel changes is 41.82% of payroll in FY 27.
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Appropriations Committee, is under the spending cap by $16.1 million
in FY 27. The appropriation contained within the bill would result in
the budget being under the spending cap by $15.6 million in FY 27.
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to inflation.
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OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 456
AN ACT CONCERNING A GRANT PROGRAM FOR WILDLIFE
REHABILITATION FACILITIES IN THE STATE.
SUMMARY
This bill allows the Department of Energy and Environmental
Protection (DEEP) commissioner to create a grant program for certain
nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation organizations and appropriates
$500,000 in FY 27 for the program. Specifically, organizations eligible to
receive grants under this program must (1) have at least one in -state
facility registered with DEEP and (2) meet registration requirements the
commissioner sets.
Under the bill, any registration requirements the commissioner sets
must require a wildlife rehabilitation organization to annually give
DEEP information on the (1) organization’s owner or operator,
including their name and contact information; (2) applicable facility’s
location; (3) rehabilitated species it works with ; (4) organization’s
financial structure; and (5) organization’s employees’ or volunteers’
background, education, and training relevant to their work there,
including any veterinarians it uses or employs. The DEEP commissioner
may also require any other registration information she determines
necessary and charge wildlife rehabilitation organizations an annual
registration fee.
The bill allows the DEEP commissioner to (1) set criteria for the grant
program, including priority criteria for grants, and (2) adopt
implementing regulations. The commissioner may also create a
nonlapsing account for the program and accept any funds or donations
for making grants.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2026
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COMMITTEE ACTION
Environment Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 34 Nay 0 (03/18/2026)