Connecticut SB 237: AN ACT CONCERNING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

Bill Text

LCO  
 
1 of 7 
  
General Assembly  
Substitute Bill No. 237  
February Session, 2026 
 
 
 
 
 
AN ACT CONCERNING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.  
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section  1.  (Effective  from  passage)  Not  later  than  July  1,  2026,  the 1 
Department  of  Transportation  shall  increase  the  frequency  of  service 2 
and number of runs on the Shore Line East rail line to a level comparable 3 
to  the  level  of  service  and  number  of  runs  that  existed  prior  to  the 4 
reduction in service due to the COVID-19 public health emergency and 5 
the civil preparedness emergency declared by the Governor on March 6 
10,  2020.  In  establishing  such  level  of  service,  the  department  shall 7 
consider  ridership  data,  connectivity  with  other  rail  lines  and  public 8 
transportation   services,   workforce   commuting   patterns,   employer 9 
hiring activity and feedback and the demands of seasonal tourism. The 10 
goal of such increase in service and number of runs shall be to reduce 11 
the  waiting  times  for passengers  and  increase  the  reliability  of  service 12 
on the Shore Line East rail line. 13 
Sec. 2. (Effective from passage) In conjunction with any state-wide study 14 
on bus service undertaken by the Department of Transportation in the 15 
calendar year ending December 31, 2026, the department shall include 16 
in such study an assessment of the feasibility of increasing the frequency 17 
of service on the bus transit route between the Naugatuck Valley region 18 
and the city of New Haven at peak times and any recommendations to 19 

Substitute Bill No. 237 
 
 
LCO      2 of 7 
 
ensure  such  service  meets  the  demand  of  the  traveling  public  and 20 
reduces   waiting   times   for   passengers.   Not   later   than   thirty   days 21 
following the completion of any such state-wide study on bus service, 22 
the department shall submit the results of such state-wide study to the 23 
joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of 24 
matters relating to transportation, in accordance with the provisions of 25 
section 11-4a of the general statutes. 26 
Sec.  3.  Section  13b-38h  of  the  general  statutes  is  repealed  and  the 27 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 28 
(a)  The  Department  of  Transportation  shall  provide  for  changes  in 29 
fares for mass transportation by land in accordance with the provisions 30 
of this section and shall not be required to conform to the procedures in 31 
chapter 54. 32 
(b) Prior   to   adopting   any [change] increase in   fares   for   mass 33 
transportation  by  land,  the  department  shall  (1)  give  notice  of  the 34 
proposed fare [change] increase, its amount and the date and time it is 35 
proposed  to  take  effect  by  advertising,  at  least  once,  in  one  or  more 36 
newspapers  having [general] circulation  in  all  areas [of  the  state] that 37 
[may] would be  affected  by  such [change  in  fares] proposed  fare 38 
increase, and (2) in such notice, provide information on the date, time 39 
and place a public hearing is to be held on such proposed [change] fare 40 
increase. Such notice shall be provided at least fifteen days prior to such 41 
public hearing. The department shall, at least fifteen days prior to such 42 
public  hearing,  send  a  copy  of  such  notice  to  the  chairpersons  and 43 
ranking  members  of  the  joint  standing  committees  of  the  General 44 
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation and 45 
finance   and   to   the   Connecticut   Public   Transportation   Council, 46 
established under section 13b-212b. A public hearing on the proposed 47 
fare [change] increase shall be held at such date, time and place as will 48 
be convenient for public attendance. 49 
(c) When  the  department  is  required  to  hold  a  public  hearing 50 
regarding a proposed major service change to commuter rail service in 51 

Substitute Bill No. 237 
 
 
LCO      3 of 7 
 
accordance  with  the  Federal  Transit  Administration  Title  VI  Circular 52 
4702.1B,  as  amended  from  time  to  time,  the  department  shall,  at  least 53 
fifteen days prior to such public hearing, provide notice of such public 54 
hearing to the chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing 55 
committees  of  the  General  Assembly  having  cognizance  of  matters 56 
relating  to  transportation  and  finance  and  to  the  Connecticut  Public 57 
Transportation Council. 58 
Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) The Department of Education 59 
shall administer a grant program to provide grants to local and regional 60 
boards of education for the purchase of passes for the use of state-owned 61 
or state-controlled bus public transportation services and distribution of 62 
such passes, without cost, to students who are enrolled i