SB 333 — AN ACT CONCERNING LOCAL CHARTER REVISIONS.

Substitute Senate GeneralBill Assembly File No.

387333 FebruaryPublic Session,Act 2024 Substitute Senate Bill No.

33324-51 Senate,AN AprilACT 10,CONCERNING 2024LOCAL TheCHARTER CommitteeREVISIONS. on Planning and Development reported through SEN.

RAHMAN of the 4th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING LOCAL CHARTER REVISIONS.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of any special act, municipal charter or ordinance to the contrary, [a] no municipality, as defined in section 7-401, [may not modify] shall amend a municipal charter [in a manner that (1) modifies] to modify (1) the manner in which any petitionpetitionisfiledwitha islocallegislative filed with a local legislative body ororazoning aboardofappeals zoning board of appeals to challenge a decision of a planning commission, zoning commission or combined planning and zoning commission, including, but not limited to, the number of signatures required upon such petition, the manner of obtaining such signatures, or residency or location requirements concerning real property owned by persons signing any such petition, as set forth in this title or title 8;

or (2) [modifies] any regulations sSB333concerning /any Fileplanning commission, zoning commission or combined planning and zoning commission set forth in this title or title 8, except a municipal charter may establish a combined planning and zoning commission or separate planning and zoning commissions, and may specify the composition of any such commission, provided Substitute Senate Bill No.

387333 1such sSB333composition Filecomplies No.with the requirements of sections 8-1 and 8- 19;

387(3) concerning[modifies] any planningvote commission,requirement zoningconcerning commissionthe initiation or combinedcompletion planningof andthe zoningprocess commissionof eminent domain, or otherwise modifies the public notice or hearing requirements of such process, set forth in this title or title 8.8;

[;or (4) [modifies] any vote requirement concerning the disposition of municipal property, or otherwise modifies the public notice or hearing requirements concerning such disposition, set forth in this title or title 8.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions (3) modifiesand any(4) of subsection (a) of this section, a municipality that has adopted a vote requirement concerninggreater than a simple majority regarding the initiation or completion of the process of eminent domain, or otherwisefor modifies the publicdisposition noticeof ormunicipal hearingproperty, requirementsprior ofto July 1, 2023, (1) may continue to enforce such process,vote setrequirement, forth(2) may reduce such vote requirement, provided such reduction does not establish a vote requirement that is less than a simple majority, and (3) shall not increase such vote requirement except as provided in thissubdivision title(3) or titlesubdivision 8;(4) of subsection (a) of this section.

orApproved (4)May modifies28, any2024 votePublic requirementAct concerningNo. the disposition of municipal property, or otherwise modifies the public notice or hearing requirements concerning such disposition, set forth in this title or title 8.] This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

Section24-51 12 Octoberof 1,2 2024 7-191c PD Joint Favorable Subst.

sSB333 / File No.

387 2 sSB333 File No.

387 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:

None Municipal Impact:

None Explanation The bill, which eliminates certain voting requirements, does not result in a fiscal impact to municipalities.

The Out Years State Impact:

None Municipal Impact:

None sSB333 / File No.

387 3 sSB333 File No.

387 OLR Bill Analysis sSB 333 AN ACT CONCERNING LOCAL CHARTER REVISIONS.

SUMMARY Current law prohibits municipalities from amending their charters to change four specified aspects governed by title 7 or 8 (i.e., state statutes on municipal powers and planning and zoning matters, among others).

This bill eliminates the two prohibitions on amendments changing certain voting requirements, specifically those to:

1.

start or complete an eminent domain process, including any public notice or hearing requirements;

and 2.

dispose of municipal property, including any public notice or hearing requirements.

The bill retains the law’s remaining two prohibitions on amendments that change, as set forth in those titles, (1) regulations on the planning commission, zoning commission, or combined planning and zoning commission (each referred to herein as “commission”) and (2) requirements for filing petitions with the local legislative body or zoning board of appeals to challenge a commission decision (e.g., how signaturesare collected,thenumber ofsignaturesrequired,orresidency requirements for signors).

It also makes minor changes.

Under the bill, “municipalities” include towns, cities, boroughs, school districts, and special taxing districts, as well as other municipal corporations and organizations.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

October 1, 2024 COMMITTEE ACTION Planning and Development Committee Joint Favorable Substitute Yea 21 Nay 0 (03/22/2024) sSB333 / File No.

387 4