SJ 37 — RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION CONCERNING ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS.

Senate General Assembly SenateFile Joint Resolution No.

37510 February Session, 2026 LCOSenate Joint Resolution No.

210137 ReferredSenate, toApril 8, 2026 The Committee on GOVERNMENTGovernment ADMINISTRATIONAdministration ANDand ELECTIONSElections Introducedreported by:through SEN.

(GAE)FLEXER RESOLUTIONof PROPOSINGthe AN29th AMENDMENTDist., TOChairperson THEof STATEthe CONSTITUTIONCommittee CONCERNINGon ENVIRONMENTALthe RIGHTS.part of the Senate, that the joint resolution ought to be adopted.

RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION CONCERNING ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS.

Recognizing all of the residents of the state, including present and future generations, as the beneficiaries of a LCOSJ37 2101/ 1File of 2 Senate Joint Resolution No.

37510 healthy1 environment,SJ37 theFile stateNo. shall conserve, manage, protect and maintain, for these beneficiaries, all of the natural resources of Connecticut, including its waters, air, flora, fauna, soils and climate.

510 healthy environment, the state shall conserve, manage, protect and maintain, for these beneficiaries, all of the natural resources of Connecticut, including its waters, air, flora, fauna, soils and climate.

The designation of said proposed amendment to be used on the ballots at such election shall be "Shall the Constitution ofthe State be amended to (1) provide each citizen an enforceable individual right to clean and healthy air, water, soil, ecosystems and environment, and a safe and stable climate for the benefit of public health, safety and the general welfare, that is equivalent to all other inalienable rights, (2) place certain obligations upon the state, including requiring the state to conserve, manage, protect and maintain the state's natural resources, and (3) prohibit the diversion of funds supporting protection of such resources?" GAE Joint Favorable LCOSJ37 2101/ 2File ofNo. 2

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510 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 27 $ FY 28 $ Secretary of the State GF - Cost 25,000 None Note:

GF=General Fund Municipal Impact:

None Explanation The resolution places a proposed amendment on either the November 2026 or November 2028ballot to establish intheConstitution an individual right to clean and healthy air, water, soil, and ecosystems, resulting in a cost to the Secretary of the State (SOTS) of $25,000 in either FY 27 or FY 29.

The timing of the cost is dependent on when the requirements for the resolution's passage are met.

The resolutionmust pass by three-quarters of the General Assembly for the cost to be incurred in FY 27.

If the requisite votes are not met, but the resolution is approved by a majority in that session and the next, then the cost to SOTS will shift to FY 29.

The cost to SOTS for placing the proposed amendment on the ballot includes printing and postage for distributing the amendment to municipalities for inclusion.

The Out Years The SOTS cost of placing the amendment on the ballot may occur in FY 29, as described above.

SJ37 / File No.

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510 OLR Bill Analysis SJ 37 RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION CONCERNING ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS.

SUMMARY This resolution proposes a state constitutional amendment to give each person an individual right to clean and healthy air, water, soil, ecosystems, and environment and a safe and stable climate for the benefit of public health, safety, and the general welfare.

It prohibits anyone from infringing on these rights and requires the state to protect them equitably for all people regardless of race, ethnicity, tribal affiliation, gender, socioeconomic status, or geography.

It also requires the state to conserve, protect, and maintain all the state’s natural resources for its residents (present and future), including its waters, air, flora, fauna, soils, and climate.

The resolution directs that the state shall not allow, through government action or inaction, any avoidable degradation, diminution, or depletion of the natural environment that contributes to significant or widespread environmental harm, or results in an unhealthy or unsustainable environment.

Under the resolution, these rights are inalienable, and state residents may directly invoke and enforce them.

The resolution also prohibits diverting any funds supporting the protection of the state’s natural resources.

The ballot designation to be used when the amendment is presented at thegeneralelectionis:“ShalltheConstitutionoftheState beamended to (1) provide each citizen an enforceable individual right to clean and healthy air, water, soil, ecosystems and environment, and a safe and stable climate for the benefit of public health, safety and the general SJ37 / File No.

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510 welfare, that is equivalent to all other inalienable rights, (2) place certain obligations upon the state, including requiring the state to conserve, manage, protect and maintain the state’s natural resources, and (3) prohibit the diversion of funds supporting protection of such resources?” EFFECTIVE DATE:

If the resolution passes by at least three-fourths of the membership of each house of the General Assembly, it will be placed on the 2026 general election ballot.

If it passes by a majority of the membership of each house but less than three-fourths, it will be referred to the 2027 legislative session.

If it passes in that session by a majority of each house, it will appear on the 2028 general election ballot.

If a majority of those voting on the amendment in the general election approves it, the amendment will become part of the state constitution.

COMMITTEE ACTION Government Administration and Elections Committee Joint Favorable Yea 13 Nay 6 (03/20/2026) SJ37 / File No.

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