Connecticut HB 5247: AN ACT CONCERNING A TEST BED TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM.

Bill Text

House Bill No. 5247 
 
Public Act No. 26-131 
 
 
AN ACT CONCERNING A TEST BED TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM. 
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section  1.  (NEW)  (Effective  October  1,  2026)  (a) (1)  Not  later  than 
January   1,   2027,   the   Governor   may   direct   the   Commissioner   of 
Administrative  Services  to  establish  and  administer,  within  available 
appropriations   and   in   consultation   with   Connecticut   Innovations, 
Incorporated, an online portal for the purpose of facilitating programs 
to  pilot  test  technologies,  products  or  processes  in  any  agency  of  the 
state  to  determine  whether  any  such  technology,  product  or  process 
may reduce operational costs in any state agency. Such portal shall be 
made   available   on   the   Internet   web   site   of   the   Department   of 
Administrative Services. 
(2)  If,  in  the  exercise  of  the  commissioner's  powers  and  duties 
pursuant   to   this   section,   the   commissioner,   in   consultation   with 
Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated finds that (A) the use of a certain 
technology,   product   or   process   would   promote   operational   cost 
reduction, and (B) the use of such technology, product or process would 
be feasible in the operations of a state agency and would not have any 
detrimental    effect    on    such    operations,    the    commissioner    shall 
recommend that such agency undertake a pilot test during which such 
agency shall use such technology, product or process in the operations 

House Bill No. 5247 
 
Public Act No. 26-131 2 of 5 
 
of such agency on a temporary basis. The purpose of such pilot test shall 
be to validate the effectiveness of such technology, product or process 
in reducing operational costs. 
(3) The commissioner shall not recommend a pilot test program by a 
state  agency  for  any  such  technology,  product  or  process  pursuant  to 
this  section  unless  the  business  that  manufactures  or  markets  the 
technology,  product  or  process  demonstrates  that  (A)  the  use  of  such 
technology, product or process by such agency will not adversely affect 
safety, (B) the technology, product or process is presently available for 
commercial sale and distribution or has potential for commercialization 
not later than two years following the completion of such pilot test by 
such  agency  pursuant  to  this  section,  (C)  such  technology,  product  or 
process was not developed by a business that is eligible to participate in 
such  pilot  test  established  pursuant  to  section  32-39e  of  the general 
statutes,  (D)  such  business  maintains  documentation  concerning  any 
patent   for   such   technology,   product   or   process   and   any   related 
intellectual  property,  and  (E)  such  business  is  certified  as  a  small 
contractor  or  a  minority  business  enterprise  by  the  Commissioner  of 
Administrative  Services  pursuant  to  section  4a-60g  of  the  general 
statutes. 
(4) The commissioner shall evaluate the effectiveness of any pilot test 
conducted pursuant to this section. Not later than October 1, 2030, the 
commissioner shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions 
of section 11-4a of the general statutes, concerning the findings of such 
evaluations  to  the  joint  standing  committee  of  the  General  Assembly 
having cognizance of matters relating to energy and technology. 
(b)  (1)  The  commissioner  of  each  state  agency  may  administer  a 
program  for  pilot  testing  technologies,  products  or  processes  that 
promote operational cost reduction. The purpose of any such pilot test 
program  shall  be  to  validate  the  effectiveness  of  any  such  technology, 
product or process in reducing operational costs. 

House Bill No. 5247 
 
Public Act No. 26-131 3 of 5 
 
(2)  (A)  A  person  who  seeks  to  participate  in  such  a  program  shall 
submit an application to the Commissioner of Administrative Services 
through the online portal administered by the commissioner pursuant 
to  subsection  (a)  of  this  section.  The  commissioner  shall  prescribe  the 
form and manner of such application. An applicant shall include in each 
application  an  assessment  of  the  potential  viability  of  a  pilot  test 
program for such technology, product or process at such agency. Such 
assessment shall be conducted by an independent consulting firm or a 
market  research  firm  that  specializes  in  market  research  for  similar 
technologies, products or processes described in such application. Such 
independent consulting firm or market research firm shall be classified 
as  a  provider  of  services  under  the  Department  of  Administrative 
Services industry code of 6000 for research and development services or 
the North American Industry Classification  System code of 541910 for 
marketing research and public opi