SJ 193 — RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS.

Senate General Assembly SenateFile Joint Resolution No.

193486 February Session, 2024 LCOSubstitute Senate Joint Resolution No.

2413193 ReferredSenate, toApril 15, 2024 The Committee on GOVERNMENTGovernment ADMINISTRATIONAdministration ANDand ELECTIONSElections Introducedreported by:through SEN.

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

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

TheRecognizing state shall serve as trustee of all of the naturalresidents resources of thisthe state, including itspresent waters, air, flora, fauna, soils, and climate,future andgenerations, shallas conserve,sSJ193 protect,/ LCOFile No.

2413486 1 ofsSJ193 2File SenateNo. Joint Resolution No193 and maintain these resources for the benefit of all people, including present and future generations.

Any486 fundsthe supportingbeneficiaries of a healthy environment, the state inshall itsconserve, obligationsprotect asand trusteemaintain, asfor statedthese inbeneficiaries, thisall sectionof shallthe notnatural beresources divertedof forConnecticut, nontrustincluding purposes.its waters, air, flora, fauna, soils and climate.

Any funds supporting protection of the state's natural resources shall not be diverted.

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 andhealthyand healthy air, water,soil,water, ecosystemsandenvironment,soil, andasafeandecosystems and environment, and a safe and stable climate for the benefit of public health, safety and the general welfare, andthat is equivalent to placeall certainother obligationsinalienable onrights, (2) require the state asto trusteeconserve, ofprotect and maintain the state's natural resources, and (3) prohibit the diversion of funds supporting protection of such resources?" LCOGAE No.Joint Favorable Subst.

2413sSJ193 2/ ofFile 2No.

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486 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 25 $ FY 26 $ Secretary of the State GF - Cost 10,000 None Note:

GF=General Fund Municipal Impact:

None Explanation Theresolutionplacesaproposedamendmentontheballotduringthe November 2024 election resulting in a one-time cost of $10,000 in FY 25.

This cost is associated with rising printing costs.

The Out Years The fiscal impact described above is one-time only and will conclude in FY 25.

sSJ193 / File No.

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486 OLR Bill Analysis sSJ 193 RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS.

SUMMARY This resolution proposes a 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 the state from infringing on these rights and requires it 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 of the state’s natural resources for its residents (present and future), including its waters, air, flora, fauna, soils, and climate.

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 the general election is:

Shall the Constitution of the 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) require the state to conserve, 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 sSJ193 / File No.

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486 of the membership of each house of the General Assembly, it will be placed on the 2024 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 2025 session of the legislature.

If it passes in that session by a majority of each house, it will appear on the 2026 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 Substitute Yea 13 Nay 6 (03/26/2024) sSJ193 / File No.