Connecticut HB 5462: AN ACT CONCERNING NOISE POLLUTION.

Bill Text

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General Assembly  
Substitute Bill No. 5462  
February Session, 2026 
 
 
 
 
AN ACT CONCERNING NOISE POLLUTION.  
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General 
Assembly convened: 
 
Section 1. (Effective October 1, 2026) (a) As used in this section, "solar 1 
photovoltaic  noise  barrier"  means  a  structure  constructed  between  a 2 
highway  and  adjacent  property  that  incorporates  solar  photovoltaic 3 
technology designed to generate electricity and provide highway noise 4 
mitigation.  5 
(b)  The  Commissioner  of  Transportation  shall  establish  a  solar 6 
photovoltaic noise barrier pilot program for the purpose of evaluating 7 
the     feasibility,     cost-effectiveness,     environmental     benefits     and 8 
effectiveness of  integrating  solar photovoltaic  technology  into  noise 9 
barriers  located  alongside  state  highways.  The  pilot  program  shall 10 
include the design, installation, operation, maintenance and evaluation 11 
of at least one, but not more than three, solar photovoltaic noise barriers. 12 
The commissioner may enter into agreements with third parties for the 13 
design,  installation,  operation  or  maintenance,  or  any  combination 14 
thereof,  of  solar  photovoltaic  noise  barriers.  The  commissioner  shall 15 
consult with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority regarding electric 16 
interconnection and net metering eligibility.  17 
(c)  Not  later  than  January  1,  2028,  the  commissioner  shall  submit  a 18 
report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general 19 
statutes,  to  the  joint  standing  committee  of  the  General  Assembly 20 

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having  cognizance  of  matters  relating  to  transportation.  Such  report 21 
shall include information concerning the total costs of the pilot program; 22 
electricity  generation  data; maintenance  and  performance,  safety  and 23 
structural  findings; environmental  impacts  and  any  recommendation 24 
for the continuation, expansion or modification of the pilot program.  25 
Sec.  2.  Section  14-80  of  the  general  statutes  is  repealed  and  the 26 
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 27 
(a) Each  motor  vehicle  and  the  devices  on  such  vehicle  shall  be 28 
operated,  equipped,  constructed  and  adjusted  to  prevent  unnecessary 29 
or unusual noise. 30 
(b) (1) Each motor vehicle operated by an internal combustion engine 31 
shall  be  equipped,  except  as  hereinafter  provided,  with  a  muffler  or 32 
mufflers designed to prevent excessive, unusual or unnecessary exhaust 33 
noise. The muffler or mufflers shall be maintained by the owner in good 34 
working  order  and  shall  be  in  use  whenever  the  motor  vehicle  is 35 
operated.  36 
(2) No  person,  including  a  motor  vehicle  dealer  or  repairer  or  a 37 
motorcycle  dealer,  shall  install,  and  no  person  shall  use,  on  a  motor 38 
vehicle,  a  muffler  or  mufflers  lacking  interior  baffle  plates  or  other 39 
effective  muffling  devices,  a  gutted  muffler,  a  muffler  cutout  or  a 40 
straight  exhaust  except  when  the  motor  vehicle  is  operated  in  a  race, 41 
contest  or  demonstration  of  speed  or  skill  as  a  public  exhibition 42 
pursuant to subsection (a) of section 14-164a, or any mechanical device 43 
which will amplify the noise emitted by the vehicle.  44 
(3) No  person,  including  a  motor  vehicle  dealer  or  repairer  or  a 45 
motorcycle  dealer,  shall  remove  all  or  part  of  any  muffler  on  a  motor 46 
vehicle  except  to  repair  or  replace  the  muffler  or  part  for  the  more 47 
effective prevention of noise.  48 
(4) No person shall use on the exhaust system or tail pipe of a motor 49 
vehicle any extension or device which will cause excessive or unusual 50 
noise. 51 

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(c) The engine of every motor vehicle shall be equipped and adjusted 52 
to prevent excessive fumes or exhaust smoke. 53 
(d) All   pipes   carrying   exhaust   gases   from   the   motor   shall   be 54 
constructed  of,  and  maintained  with,  leak-proof  metal.  Exhaust  pipes 55 
shall  be  directed  from  the  muffler  or  mufflers  toward  the  rear  of  the 56 
vehicle and shall be approximately parallel with the longitudinal axis of 57 
the vehicle and approximately parallel to the surface of the roadway, or 58 
shall be directed from the muffler upward to a location above the cab or 59 
body of the vehicle so that fumes, gases and smoke are directed away 60 
from the occupants of the vehicle. Exhaust pipes on a passenger vehicle 61 
shall extend to the extreme rear end of the vehicle's body, not including 62 
the bumper and its attachments to the body, or shall be attached to the 63 
vehicle in such a way that the exhaust pipes direct the exhaust gases to 64 
either si