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SB00460 • 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF WHETHER UNCLAIMED GIFT CERTIFICATES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ABANDONED PROPERTY.

AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF WHETHER UNCLAIMED GIFT CERTIFICATES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ABANDONED PROPERTY.

Elections
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 501
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify the impact on people who hold unredeemed gift certificates.

A Study on Unclaimed Gift Certificates

This bill requires the Treasurer to study whether unredeemed gift certificates should be considered abandoned property and escheat to the state.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Treasurer to conduct a study about unredeemed gift certificates.
  • The study will look at if these certificates can become unclaimed property after some years.
  • Includes examining the benefits and drawbacks of this change.
  • Treasurer must submit a report with findings and recommendations by January 1, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Treasurer

Terms To Know

Unredeemed gift certificate
A gift card or certificate that has not been used by the recipient.
Escheat to the state
Property that is turned over to the government because it has no known owner.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how many years must pass before gift certificates are considered abandoned.
  • It does not change current laws until a report and recommendations are made.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 LCO

    Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office

  2. 2026-04-08 Connecticut General Assembly

    Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate

  3. 2026-04-08 Connecticut General Assembly

    Senate Calendar Number 313

  4. 2026-04-08 LCO

    File Number 501

  5. 2026-04-01 LCO

    Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/07/26 5:00 PM

  6. 2026-03-23 GAE

    Joint Favorable

  7. 2026-03-23 LCO

    Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office

  8. 2026-03-09 Connecticut General Assembly

    Public Hearing 03/13

  9. 2026-03-06 Connecticut General Assembly

    Referred to Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections

Official Summary Text

To require the Treasurer to conduct a study of the feasibility, advantages and disadvantages of having unredeemed gift certificates escheat to the state.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Senate
SB460 / File No. 501 1

General Assembly File No. 501
February Session, 2026 Senate Bill No. 460

Senate, April 8, 2026

The Committee on Government Administration and Elections
reported through SEN. FLEXER of the 29th Dist., Chairperson
of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the bill ought to
pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF WHETHER UNCLAIMED GIFT
CERTIFICATES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ABANDONED
PROPERTY.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective from passage) The Treasurer shall conduct a study 1
of the feasibility, potential benefits and disadvantages of having the 2
balance of unredeemed gift certificates escheat to the state as unclaimed 3
property under chapter 32 of the general statutes after a certain number 4
of years. Not later than January 1, 2027, the Treasurer shall submit a 5
report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general 6
statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly 7
having cognizance of matters relating to government administration. 8
Such report shall include the results of such study and any 9
recommendations for statutory changes. 10
SB460 File No. 501

SB460 / File No. 501 2

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

Section 1 from passage New section

GAE Joint Favorable

SB460 File No. 501

SB460 / File No. 501 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 requires the Treasurer to conduct a study of the feasibility,
potential benefits and disadvantages of having the balance of
unredeemed gift certificates escheat to the state as unclaimed property.
This does not result in any fiscal impact to the state as such study can be
conducted within available resources.
The Out Years
State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None

SB460 File No. 501

SB460 / File No. 501 4

OLR Bill Analysis
SB 460

AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF WHETHER UNCLAIMED GIFT
CERTIFICATES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED ABANDONED
PROPERTY.

SUMMARY
The Office of Legislative Research does not analyze Special Acts.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Government Administration and Elections Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 14 Nay 5 (03/23/2026)