SB 428 — AN ACT CONCERNING RESEARCH FUNDING AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE STATE.

General Assembly RaisedSubstitute Bill No.

428 February Session, 2026 LCOAN No.ACT CONCERNING RESEARCH FUNDING AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE STATE.

2639 Referred to Committee on HIGHER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT ADVANCEMENT Introduced by:

(HED) AN ACT CONCERNING RESEARCH FUNDING AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE STATE.

(2) One appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, who is amemberofthefacultyatastateuniversitywithinamemberofthefacultyatastateuniversitywithintheConnecticut theConnecticut State University System;

LCO(4) No.One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who is a member of the faculty at The University of Connecticut;

2639(5) 1 of 5 Raised Bill No.428 (4) One appointed by the majorityminority leader of the Senate,House of Representatives, who is a member of the faculty at Thea Universitynonprofit, LCO 1 of Connecticut;5 Substitute Bill No.

(5)428 One appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives, who is a member of the faculty at a nonprofit, independent institution of higher education in the state;

(11) One person appointed by the Senate ranking member of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education and employment advancement, LCOwho No.is a member of the faculty at a nonprofit, independent institution of higher education in the state;

2639 2 of 5 Raised Bill No.428 who is a member of the faculty at a nonprofit, independent institution of higher education in the state;

(c)LCO All2 initial appointments to the commission pursuant to subdivisions (1) to (11), inclusive, of subsection5 (b)Substitute ofBill thisNo. section shall be made not later than September 1, 2026, and shall terminate on June 30, 2028, and June 30, 2029, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (f) of this section, regardless of when the initial appointment was made.

428 (c) All initial appointments to the commission pursuant to subdivisions (1) to (11), inclusive, of subsection (b) of this section shall be made not later than September 1, 2026, and shall terminate on June 30, 2028, and June 30, 2029, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (f) of this section, regardless of when the initial appointment was made.

(d) The vice presidents of research at The University of Connecticut andYale University shallserve astheasthecochairpersonsofthecommission. cochairpersonsofthe commission.

(f) Appointed members of the commission shall serve for two-year terms which shall commence on the date of appointment, except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, and members first appointed shallhave thefollowing terms:(1)Membersappointedby theGovernor, the majority leader of the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the House of Representatives and the chairpersons of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education and employment advancement shall haveinitially serve a term of two years, and (2) members appointed by the followingspeaker terms:of the House of Representatives, the president pro tempore of the Senate, the majority leader of the Senate, the minority leader of the Senate and the ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education and employment advancement shall initially serve a term of three years.

(1) Members appointed by the Governor and members appointed by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, the minority leader of the House of Representatives shall initially serve a term of two years and the chairpersons of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education and employment advancement, and (2) members appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, the president pro tempore of the Senate, the majority leaderoftheSenate,theminorityleaderoftheSenateshallinitially serve LCO No.

2639 3 of 5 Raised Bill No.428 a term of three years and the ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education and employment advancement.

(h)LCO A3 majority of the5 commissionSubstitute shallBill constituteNo. a quorum for the transaction of any business.

428 (h) A majority of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business.

(l) Not later than January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, the commission shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the Governor, the Commissioner of Higher Education and the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education and employment advancement on the research funding grants awarded by the commission during the prior fiscal year, which shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) the number and amount of research funding LCO 4 of 5 Substitute Bill No.

2639428 4grants awarded, (2) the types of 5research Raisedfor Billwhich No.the commission awarded research funding grants, (3) the number of applications the commission received from research faculty for research funding grants, and (4) recommendations for policy changes and amendments to the general statutes necessary to expand the impact of research funding grants on the scope of academic research conducted in the state and on the state economy.

428 (l) Not later than January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter, the commission shall submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the Governor, the Commissioner of Higher Education and the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education and employment advancement on the research funding grants awarded by the commission during the prior fiscal year, which shall include, but need not be limited to, (1) the number and amount of research funding grants awarded, (2) the types of research for which the commission awarded research funding grants, (3) the number of applications the commission received from research faculty for research funding grants, and (4) recommendations for policy changes and amendments to the general statutes necessary to expand the impact of research funding grants on the scope of academic research conducted in the state and on the state economy.

2 July 1, 2026 New section Statement of Purpose:Legislative Commissioners:

ToIn establishSection the1(f), Academic"and Researchmembers Fundingappointed Commissionby" towas distributedeleted researchand fundsreferences to facultyappointments atmade institutionsby the chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to higher education and employment advancement were moved to earlier in the state.sentence, for consistency.

thatHED whenJoint theFavorable entireSubst.-LCO textC/R ofAPP aLCO bill5 or resolution or a section of a5 bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.] LCO No.

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