Connecticut SB 444: AN ACT AUTHORIZING CERTAIN MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES TO SERVE ON MUNICIPAL BOARDS OF FINANCE.

Bill Text

Substitute Senate Bill No. 444 
 
Public Act No. 26-136 
 
 
AN  ACT  AUTHORIZING  CERTAIN  MUNICIPAL  EMPLOYEES  TO 
SERVE ON MUNICIPAL BOARDS OF FINANCE. 
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section  1.  Subsection  (e)  of  section  7-421  of  the  general  statutes  is 
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 
1, 2026): 
(e) Any  municipal  employee  shall  have  the  right  to  serve  on  any 
governmental body of the town in which such employee resides except 
any  body  which  has  responsibility  for  direct  supervision  of  such 
employee.  Notwithstanding  the  provisions  of  this  subsection,  (1)  no 
such employee shall serve on any of the following unless such employee 
is permitted to serve pursuant to the provisions of a municipal charter 
or  home  rule  ordinance  or  serves  because  of  membership  on  the 
legislative body of the municipality [: (A) Any board of finance created 
pursuant to chapter 106 or any special act or municipal charter; (B)] (A) 
any  body  exercising  zoning  powers  pursuant  to  chapter  124  or  any 
special act or municipal charter; [(C)] (B) any body exercising land use 
powers pursuant to chapter 125a or any special act or municipal charter; 
[(D)] (C) any body exercising planning powers pursuant to chapter 126 
or any special act or municipal charter; or [(E)] (D) any body regulating 
inland  wetlands  and  watercourses  pursuant  to  chapter 440  or  any 

Substitute Senate Bill No. 444 
 
Public Act No. 26-136 2 of 3 
 
special act or municipal charter; (2) no such employee shall serve on a 
board  of  finance  created  pursuant  to  chapter  106  or  any  special  act  or 
municipal  charter  unless  such  employee  (A)  is  permitted  to  serve 
pursuant   to   the   provisions   of   a   municipal   charter   or   home   rule 
ordinance, (B) serves because of membership on the legislative body of 
the   municipality,   or   (C)   earned   a stipend for   such   municipal 
employment  totaling  less  than  ten  thousand  dollars  in  the  previous 
twelve-month period; and [(2)] (3) any municipality may, by ordinance 
adopted  by  its  legislative  body,  authorize  such  employees  to  serve  on 
(A) any body exercising zoning powers pursuant to chapter 124 or any 
special  act  or  municipal  charter;  (B)  any  body  exercising  land  use 
powers pursuant to chapter 125a or any special act or municipal charter; 
(C) any body exercising planning powers pursuant to chapter 126 or any 
special  act  or  municipal  charter;  or  (D)  any  body  regulating  inland 
wetlands and watercourses pursuant to chapter 440 or any special act or 
municipal charter. 
Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 8-19 of the general statutes is repealed 
and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 
(a) Any   municipality   may   create   by   ordinance   a   planning 
commission, which shall consist of five members, who shall be electors 
of such municipality and whose terms of office and method of election 
or  appointment  shall  be  fixed  in  the  ordinance.  The  ordinance  may 
provide that members may be municipal employees if the municipality 
has adopted an ordinance authorizing such membership pursuant to the 
provisions of subparagraph (C) of subdivision [(2)] (3) of subsection (e) 
of  section  7-421,  as  amended  by  this  act.  The  chief  executive  officer  of 
the  municipality  and  the  engineer  thereof  or  commissioner  of  public 
works, if any, shall also be members of the commission, without voting 
privileges. The terms of office shall be so arranged that the terms of not 
more than three members shall expire in any one year. Unless otherwise 
provided by charter, vacancies shall be filled by the commission for the 

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unexpired  portion  of  the  term.  Upon  the  adoption  of  this  section  by 
ordinance  as  herein  provided,  and  the  appointment  or  election  of  a 
commission thereunder, any planning commission in the municipality 
established under any previous act of the General Assembly shall cease 
to   exist,   and   its   books   and   records   shall   be   turned   over   to   the 
commission  established  under  this  section,  provided  all  regulations 
promulgated  by  such  planning  commission  prior  to  that  time  shall 
continue in full force and effect until modified, repealed or superseded 
in   accordance   with   the   provisions   of   this   chapter.   The   area   of 
jurisdiction  of  a  planning  commission  created  by  a  town  includes  any 
city   or   borough   therein   without   a   legally   constituted   planning 
commission for all planning purposes except those specified in sections 
8-24 and 8-29. Powers granted under said sections may be delegated by 
the legislative body of such city or borough to the p