Connecticut SB 395: AN ACT STUDYING EFFORTS TO INCREASE VOTER PARTICIPATION AND AUTHORIZING MUNICIPAL PILOT PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE SUCH EFFORTS.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 395
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 2144

Referred to Committee on GOVERNMENT
ADMINISTRATION AND ELECTIONS

Introduced by:
(GAE)

AN ACT STUDYING EFFORTS TO INCREASE VOTER
PARTICIPATION AND AUTHORIZING MUNICIPAL PILOT PROGRAMS
TO PROMOTE SUCH EFFORTS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) There is established a task force to 1
study (1) efforts to achieve one hundred per cent voter participation in 2
this state by January 1, 2030, (2) means of enhancing civic engagement 3
generally in this state, (3) experiences of jurisdictions that have enacted 4
policies to require citizens to vote as a civic duty, (4) potential 5
implementation options in pursuit of achieving such one hundred per 6
cent voter participation goal, (5) needs of registrars of voters, town 7
clerks and other municipal officials in administering elections in which 8
one hundred per cent of voters participate, and (6) state and municipal 9
budgetary resources that may be required to achieve such one hundred 10
per cent voter participation goal. 11
(b) The task force shall consist of the following members: 12
(1) One appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives; 13

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(2) One appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate; 14
(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 15
Representatives; 16
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate; 17
(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of 18
Representatives; 19
(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; 20
(7) The Secretary of the State, or the Secretary's designee; and 21
(8) Two appointed by the Governor. 22
(c) Any member of the task force appointed under subdivision (1), 23
(2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) of subsection (b) of this section may be a member 24
of the General Assembly. 25
(d) All initial appointments to the task force shall be made not later 26
than August 1, 2026. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing 27
authority. 28
(e) The speaker of the House of Representatives and the president pro 29
tempore of the Senate shall select the chairpersons of the task force from 30
among the members of the task force. Such chairpersons shall schedule 31
the first meeting of the task force, which shall be held not later than 32
September 1, 2026. 33
(f) The administrative staff of the joint standing committee of the 34
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to elections 35
shall serve as administrative staff of the task force. 36
(g) Not later than February 1, 2027, the task force shall submit a report 37
on its findings and recommendations, including potential legislation to 38
appropriate funds or provide other resources to municipalities for the 39
purposes of increasing voter participation, to the joint standing 40
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 41

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relating to elections, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a 42
of the general statutes. The task force shall terminate on the date that it 43
submits such report or February 1, 2027, whichever is later. 44
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) Subject to the provisions of title 9 45
of the general statutes and section 7-192a of the general statutes, any 46
municipality may, within existing resources, establish a pilot program 47
to promote the goal of achieving one hundred per cent voter 48
participation in such municipality. Such pilot program may include 49
efforts to enhance civic engagement, including, but not limited to, the 50
development and conduct of a voter outreach and education campaign 51
within such municipality. 52
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

GAE Joint Favorable