Connecticut HB 5467: AN ACT CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF A DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT EMPLOYEE FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING CONCIERGE SERVICES TO SMALL BUSINESSES.

Bill Text

Substitute House Bill No. 5467 
 
Public Act No. 26-135 
 
 
AN ACT CONCERNING THE DESIGNATION OF A DEPARTMENT OF 
ECONOMIC  AND  COMMUNITY  DEVELOPMENT  EMPLOYEE  FOR 
THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING CONCIERGE SERVICES TO SMALL 
BUSINESSES. 
Be  it enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section  1.  Section  32-9n  of  the  general  statutes  is  repealed  and  the 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 
(a)  There  is  established  within  the  Department  of  Economic  and 
Community  Development  an  Office  of  Small  Business  Affairs.  Such 
office  shall  aid  and  encourage  small  business  enterprises,  particularly 
those   owned   and   operated   by   minorities   and   other   socially or 
economically disadvantaged individuals in Connecticut. As used in this 
section,  "minority"  means:  (1)  Black  Americans,  including  all  persons 
having origins in any of the Black African racial groups not of Hispanic 
origin; (2) Hispanic Americans, including all persons of Mexican, Puerto 
Rican,  Cuban,  Central  or  South  American,  or  other Spanish  culture  or 
origin,  regardless  of  race;  (3)  all  persons  having  origins  in  the  Iberian 
Peninsula, including Portugal, regardless of race; (4) women; (5) Asian 
Pacific  Americans  and  Pacific  islanders;  or  (6)  American  Indians  and 
persons having origins in any of the original peoples of North America 
and maintaining identifiable tribal affiliations through membership and 

Substitute House Bill No. 5467 
 
Public Act No. 26-135 2 of 3 
 
participation or community identification. 
(b) Said Office of Small Business Affairs shall: (1) Administer at least 
one  regional  office  of  the  small  business  development  center  program 
within the Department of Economic and Community Development; (2) 
coordinate, with the director of the small business development center 
program, the flow of information within the technical and management 
assistance    program    within    the    Department    of    Economic    and 
Community   Development;   (3)   encourage   Connecticut   Innovations, 
Incorporated  to  grant  loans  to  small  businesses,  particularly  those 
owned  and  operated  by  minorities  and  other  socially  or  economically 
disadvantaged   individuals;   (4)   coordinate   and   serve   as   a   liaison 
between   all   federal,   state,   regional   and   municipal   agencies   and 
programs  affecting  small  business  affairs;  (5)  administer  any  business 
management  training  program  established  under  section  32-352  or 
section  32-355  as  the  Commissioner  of  Economic  and  Community 
Development  may  determine;  (6)  provide  a  single  point  of  contact  for 
small  businesses  seeking  financial  and  technical  assistance  from  the 
state and quasi-public agencies; (7) coordinate all state funded revolving 
loan   funds   used   to   assist   small   businesses;   and   (8)   establish,   in 
cooperation  with  the  Commissioner  of  Economic  and  Community 
Development,  and  within  available  appropriations,  an  informational 
web page with a list and links to all small business resources available 
and post them in a conspicuous place on the department's web site. The 
office shall update this information on its web site on at least a quarterly 
basis. 
(c) The  Commissioner  of  Economic  and  Community  Development 
shall  designate  an existing employee  of  the  Department  of  Economic 
and Community Development to be responsible for providing concierge 
services to small businesses in the state. For purposes of this subsection, 
"concierge   services"   includes,   but   is   not   be   limited   to,   providing 
information   and   assistance   relating   to   economic   or   community 

Substitute House Bill No. 5467 
 
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development projects or programs administered by the department. 
[(c)] (d) On  or  after  February  1,  2011,  the  Office  of  Small Business 
Affairs  shall  compile  a  summary  of  all  small  business  activities  and 
programs  available  and  incorporate  such  summary  into  the  report 
required pursuant to section 32-1m. 
 
 
 
Governor's Action: 
Approved June 2, 2026