Connecticut SB 456: AN ACT CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE INDIGENT INDIVIDUALS WITH ACCESS TO LEGAL SERVICES WHEN SEEKING A RESTRAINING ORDER UNDER SECTION 46B-15 OF THE GENERAL STATUTES.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 456
February Session, 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING A GRANT PROGRAM FOR WILDLIFE
REHABILITATION FACILITIES IN THE STATE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) The Commissioner of 1
Energy and Environmental Protection may establish a grant program 2
for the issuance of grants to nonprofit wildlife rehabilitation 3
organizations with one or more facilities in the state that register with 4
the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and that meet 5
any requirements the commissioner establishes for the registration of 6
such wildlife rehabilitation organizations. The commissioner may 7
accept any funds or donations for the purpose of issuing such grants 8
and may establish an account for the receipt of any such funds or 9
donations. Any funds in such account shall not lapse at the conclusion 10
of any fiscal year and shall remain available to the commissioner for the 11
issuance of such grants. 12
(b) Any such registration requirement shall require a nonprofit 13
wildlife organization to submit, on an annual basis, to the commissioner 14
information concerning such organization, including, but not limited to, 15
the name and contact information for the owner or operator of such 16
wildlife rehabilitation organization, the location of any such facility in 17
the state, the specific species of wildlife rehabilitated at any such facility, 18
the financial structure of such wildlife rehabilitation organization, and 19

Substitute Bill No. 456

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the background, education and training of any staff member or 20
volunteer, including, but not limited to, any veterinarian, utilized or 21
employed by any such wildlife rehabilitation organization and any 22
other information that the commissioner deems relevant. The 23
commissioner may impose an annual registration fee for any such 24
wildlife rehabilitation organization. 25
(c) The commissioner may establish criteria for the issuance of any 26
such grants, including, but not limited to, priority criteria for the 27
issuance of any such grants. The commissioner may adopt regulations, 28
in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 of the general statutes, 29
to implement the provisions of this section. 30
Sec. 2. (Effective July 1, 2026) The sum of five hundred thousand 31
dollars is appropriated to the Department of Energy and Environmental 32
Protection from the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 33
2027, for the purpose of funding the wildlife rehabilitation organization 34
grant program described in section 1 of this act. 35
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 July 1, 2026 New section
Sec. 2 July 1, 2026 New section

ENV Joint Favorable Subst.