Connecticut HB 5243: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO DEVELOP AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM PLAN FOR THE GREATER MYSTIC AREA.

Bill Text

Substitute House Bill No. 5243 
 
Special Act No. 26-30 
 
 
AN  ACT  ESTABLISHING  A  WORKING  GROUP  TO  DEVELOP  AN 
ECONOMIC   DEVELOPMENT   AND   TOURISM   PLAN   FOR   THE 
GREATER MYSTIC AREA. 
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of Representatives  in  General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section  1.  (Effective  from  passage)  (a)  There  is  established  a  working 
group to develop a plan relating to economic development and tourism 
in  the  greater  Mystic  area.  Such  plan  shall  include,  but  need  not  be 
limited  to,  an  examination  of  (1)  the  potential  federal,  state  or  other 
sources  of  funding  for  the  restoration  of  any  breakwater  located  in 
Stonington Harbor, (2) transportation options to ease traffic congestion 
and   alleviate   parking   pressure,   and   (3)   potential   easements   and 
infrastructure   improvements   to   enhance   accessibility   and   coastal 
resiliency. For the purposes of this subsection, "the greater Mystic area" 
means the towns of Groton and Stonington. 
(b) The working group shall consist of the following members: (1) The 
chairpersons  and  ranking  members  of  the  joint  standing  committee  of 
the   General   Assembly   having   cognizance   of   matters   relating   to 
commerce,  or  their  designees;  (2)  the  state  representatives  and  state 
senators of the General Assembly representing the town of Groton, or 
their  designees;  (3)  the  state  representatives  and  state  senators  of  the 
General   Assembly   representing   the   town   of   Stonington,   or   their 

Substitute House Bill No. 5243 
 
Special Act No. 26-30 2 of 2 
 
designees; (4) the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or 
the   secretary's   designee;   (5) the   Commissioner   of   Economic   and 
Community  Development,  or  the  commissioner's  designee;  (6) the 
Commissioner   of   Energy   and   Environmental   Protection,   or   the 
commissioner's  designee;  (7)  the  Commissioner  of  Transportation,  or 
the commissioner's designee; (8) the chief elected official of Groton, or 
the official's designee; (9) the chief elected official of Stonington, or the 
official's   designee;   (10)   a   representative   of   a   regional   economic 
development   organization;   (11)   a   representative   of   a   chamber   of 
commerce;  (12)  a  representative  of  the  Bureau  of  Aquaculture  of  the 
Department of Agriculture; and (13) any individuals the chairpersons of 
the   joint   standing   committee   of   the   General   Assembly   having 
cognizance   of   matters   relating   to   commerce   deem   relevant   and 
necessary to carry out the duties of the working group, including,  but 
not limited to, a representative of the local traffic authority of the town 
of Groton and a representative of the local traffic authority of the town 
of Stonington. 
(c)  The  administrative  staff  of  the  joint  standing  committee  of  the 
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce 
shall serve as administrative staff of the working group. 
(d) Not later than February 1, 2027, the working group shall submit a 
report  on  its  findings  and  recommendations  to  the  joint  standing 
committee  of  the  General  Assembly  having  cognizance  of  matters 
relating to commerce, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a 
of the general statutes. The working group shall terminate on the date 
that it submits such report or February 1, 2027, whichever is later. 
 
 
Governor's Action: 
Approved June 2, 2026