Connecticut SB 416: AN ACT CONCERNING TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM MODERNIZATION.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 416
February Session, 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM
MODERNIZATION.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 13b-23c of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 2
The Commissioner of Transportation shall establish a matching grant 3
program for the purpose of assisting municipalities to modernize 4
existing traffic signal equipment and operations to (1) make such 5
equipment and operations capable of utilizing transit signal priority and 6
responsive to congestion, and [to] (2) reduce idling. Applications shall 7
be submitted annually to the commissioner at such times and in such 8
manner as the commissioner prescribes. The commissioner shall 9
develop the eligibility criteria for participation in the program and 10
determine the amount a municipality shall be required to provide to 11
match any such grant. The commissioner shall give preference to 12
applications [submitted by two or more municipalities and establish 13
incentives for projects undertaken by two or more municipalities] 14
involving projects located in heavily congested areas. 15
Sec. 2. Subsection (g) of section 21 of public act 20-1, as amended by 16
section 344 of public act 22-118 and section 74 of public act 23-205, is 17
amended to read as follows (Effective July 1, 2026): 18

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(g) For the Department of Transportation: For construction, repair or 19
maintenance of highways, roads, bridges, noise barriers or bus and rail 20
facilities and equipment, not exceeding $130,000,000, provided not more 21
than $75,000,000 shall be used for a matching grant program established 22
pursuant to section 13b-23c of the general statutes, as amended by this 23
act, to assist municipalities to modernize existing traffic signal 24
equipment and operations. 25
Sec. 3. Section 22a-201d of the general statutes is repealed and the 26
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 27
(a) As used in this section, (1) "zero-emission school bus" has the same 28
meaning as provided in 42 USC 16091(a)(8), as amended from time to 29
time, (2) "alternative fuel school bus" means a school bus that reduces 30
emissions and is operated entirely or in part using liquefied natural gas, 31
compressed natural gas, hydrogen, propane or biofuels, [and (3) 32
"environmental justice community" has the same meaning as provided 33
in subsection (a) of section 22a-20a] (3) "distressed municipality" means 34
a municipality that is a distressed municipality under the provisions of 35
subsection (b) of section 32-9p on July 1, 2026, (4) "carrier" has the same 36
meaning as provided in section 14-212, and (5) "biodiesel" has the same 37
meaning as provided in section 32-324. 38
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, (1) on and after 39
[January] July 1, 2035, one hundred per cent of the school buses that 40
provide transportation for [all school districts] each school district in the 41
state shall be zero-emission school buses or alternative fuel school buses, 42
and (2) on and after [January] July 1, 2040, [one hundred] ninety per cent 43
of the school buses that provide transportation for [all school districts] 44
each school district in the state shall be zero-emission school buses. 45
(c) (1) On and after [January] July 1, 2030, [one hundred] ten per cent 46
of the school buses that provide transportation for [school districts 47
entirely within an environmental justice community as of July 1, 2022, 48
or in an area that encompasses at least one environmental justice 49
community as of July 1, 2022,] each school district in a distressed 50

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municipality shall be zero-emission school buses. 51
(2) On and after July 1, 2035, fifty per cent of the school buses that 52
provide transportation for each school district in a distressed 53
municipality shall be zero-emission school buses. 54
(3) On and after July 1, 2040, ninety per cent of the school buses that 55
provide transportation for each school district in a distressed 56
municipality shall be zero-emission school buses. 57
(d) (1) Not later than July 1, 2029, each distressed municipality shall 58
submit a plan and schedule to the Commissioner of Energy and 59
Environmental Protection that outlines how such distressed 60
municipality will achieve compliance with the provisions of this section. 61
(2) Not later than July 1, 2035, each municipality that is not a 62
distressed municipality shall submit a plan and schedule to the 63
commissioner that outlines how such municipality will achieve 64
compliance with the provisions of this section. 65
(e) On and after July 1, 2027, and until the school buses in a 66
municipality are zero-emission school buses in accordance with the 67
provisions of subsection (b) of this section,