Connecticut HB 5235: AN ACT CONCERNING HOME INSPECTIONS OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5235
February Session, 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING NOTICE REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS
FOR THE REMOVAL OF ENCAMPMENTS ON PROPERTY UNDER
THE CONTROL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section: 1
(1) "Removal" means the clearing of an encampment, or a portion 2
thereof, by the Department of Transportation or an agent or contractor 3
of the department and includes, but is not limited to, requiring persons 4
to vacate the property and collecting, relocating, discarding or disposing 5
of any structures or materials used for habitation and personal property; 6
(2) "Encampment" means any outdoor location where one or more 7
persons sleep, reside or store personal property using tents, tarps, 8
bedding or other temporary shelter or structures for the purposes of 9
habitation. "Encampment" does not include a campground or other 10
location that is designated or authorized for recreational camping by a 11
federal, state or municipal agency or by a private property owner and 12
where camping occurs; and 13
(3) "Personal property" means an item that can reasonably be 14
identified as belonging to a person, has apparent value or utility and is 15
not hazardous. 16

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(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, prior to the 17
removal of an encampment located upon any state highway right-of-18
way or real property owned by the state and in the custody and control 19
of the Department of Transportation, the department shall provide at 20
least fourteen days' written notice that specifies the date and time such 21
removal will take place and that no person or personal property is 22
permitted to remain on the state highway right-of-way or real property 23
after such date. The department shall, at a minimum, post any such 24
notice at the apparent place of ingress and egress to the encampment 25
and at any apparent common area of the encampment. Such notice shall 26
be printed in English and Spanish. When posting such notice, the 27
department may provide oral or written notice to any person present at 28
the encampment. 29
(c) The notice required by subsection (b) of this section shall not be 30
required if the Commissioner of Transportation determines the removal 31
of an encampment is necessary to respond to any transportation 32
operations or infrastructure emergency or a public safety emergency. 33
The commissioner shall document, in writing, the reasons for such 34
determination. 35
Sec. 2. (Effective from passage) (a) As used in this section, "removal", 36
"encampment" and "personal property" have the same meanings as 37
provided in section 1 of this act. 38
(b) The Commissioners of Transportation and Mental Health and 39
Addiction Services shall jointly study and make recommendations 40
regarding best practices and standards to adhere to when responding 41
to, managing or removing an encampment upon any state highway 42
right-of-way or real property owned by the state and in the custody and 43
control of the Department of Transportation. 44
(c) Such study shall, at a minimum, identify: (1) Best practices from 45
other states or municipalities regarding (A) the provision of advance 46
notices concerning the removal of an encampment to a person residing 47
at such encampment, including methods and reasonable timeframes for 48

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providing such notices and the frequency of such notices, and (B) the 49
treatment of personal property during a removal of an encampment, (2) 50
procedures for outreach and engagement by trained personnel that 51
ensure respect for the personal dignity and property of persons at such 52
encampments, (3) appropriate state and local agencies to offer 53
immediate assistance and support to such persons for emergency 54
shelters, transitional housing or permanent housing, social services or 55
other interventions prior to and during the removal of an encampment, 56
(4) guidance, training or technical assistance that could be provided to 57
state and local agencies and municipalities regarding humane and 58
effective practices for responding to, managing and removing such 59
encampments, and (5) ways to ensure coordination with the 60
municipality where the encampment is located, community-based 61
organizations serving persons experiencing homelessness, local 62
housing authorities, other local service providers and the local law 63
enforcement agency, as appropriate, prior to the removal of an 64
encampment. 65
(d) Not later than January 15, 2027, the Commissioners of 66
Transportation and Mental Health and Addiction Services shall jointly 67
submit, in accordance with provisions of section 11-4a of the general 68
statutes, the results of such study and any recommendations to the joint 69
standing committee of the Gener