Connecticut SB 380: AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF A PENSION BUYOUT PLAN FOR STATE EMPLOYEES.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 380
February Session, 2026

AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE TASK
FORCE TO SUPPORT PROMISE PROGRAMS 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) As used in this section, 1
"promise program" means a scholarship program that provides a 2
scholarship in conjunction with services and resources, including, but 3
not limited to, mentoring, peer support networks and internships, to 4
scholarship recipients to ensure the postsecondary academic success of 5
such recipients. 6
(b) (1) Not later than September 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the 7
Office of Higher Education shall provide a grant to each promise 8
program in the state that was established during or prior to the previous 9
fiscal year. Such grant shall be in an amount equal to three thousand 10
dollars per student enrolled in such promise program. 11
(2) Not later than July 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, each promise 12
program that receives a grant pursuant to subdivision (1) of this 13
subsection shall report to the Office of Higher Education the rate of 14
graduation, postsecondary program enrollment and job placement 15
achieved by the students enrolled in such promise program during the 16
fiscal year in which such grant was received. 17

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(c) The Office of Higher Education shall establish a program to 18
support the establishment of new promise programs throughout the 19
state, with a goal of establishing eight new promise programs not later 20
than January 1, 2031, prioritizing the establishment of promise 21
programs that serve students in alliance districts, as defined in section 22
10-262u of the general statutes. The office shall coordinate with 23
municipalities and regional coalitions interested in establishing new 24
promise programs. The office shall support each new promise program 25
through the provision of (1) funding, in an amount designated by the 26
commissioner of said office, for the start-up expenses of such promise 27
program, and (2) technical assistance to start such promise program, 28
including, but not limited to, (A) initial funding strategies, (B) 29
stakeholder engagement, including, but not limited to, with each local 30
or regional board of education, legislative body and local nonprofit 31
organization and business of the municipality or region in which such 32
new promise program is located, (C) program design based on the local 33
environment, (D) development of evaluation metrics, and (E) 34
sustainability planning. The office shall hire a consultant with expertise 35
in the development and operation of promise programs to implement 36
the provisions of this subsection. 37
(d) Not later than January 1, 2027, and annually thereafter until 38
January 1, 2031, or until the establishment of eight new promise 39
programs, whichever is earlier, the Office of Higher Education shall 40
submit, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general 41
statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly 42
having cognizance of matters relating to higher education and 43
employment advancement a progress report from the consultant hired 44
pursuant to subsection (c) of this section on the establishment of new 45
promise programs in the state. 46
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) As used in this section: 47
(1) "Net cost of attendance" means the rate of tuition and required 48
fees that are established by an institution of higher education for the 49
academic year commencing with the fall semester of 2026, minus an 50

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average amount of financial aid received by a student in such student's 51
income bracket; 52
(2) "Financial aid" means the sum of all scholarships, grants and 53
federal, state and institutional aid received each academic year by a 54
qualifying student. "Financial aid" does not include any federal, state or 55
private student loans received by a qualifying student; 56
(3) "Qualifying student" means any person who (A) is a resident of 57
the state, (B) attended from grades nine to twelve, inclusive, and 58
graduated from a public or nonpublic high school in the state, with a 59
cumulative attendance rate of not less than ninety per cent, (C) enrolls, 60
not more than one year after graduating from such high school, as a full-61
time student for the academic year commencing with the fall semester 62
of 2026, or any academic year thereafter, at an institution of higher 63
education in a program leading to a bachelor's degree, (D) is making 64
satisfactory academic progress while enrolled at such institution, (E) 65
maintains good academic standing, as determined by such institution, 66
while enrolled at such institution, (F) has completed the Free 67
Application for Federal Student Aid, and (G) has accepted all available 68
financial aid;