AN ACT ESTABLISHING A NET EQUALITY PROGRAM.
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SB 514 — AN ACT ESTABLISHING A NET EQUALITY PROGRAM.
Last action — HOUSE CALENDAR NUMBER 633
No card. One bill, free forever — alerts when it moves.
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✓Introduced
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✓In Committee
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3Passed Senate
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4Passed House
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5To Executive
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6Enacted
This bill died with 2025 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
326 added · 173 removed326 line(s) added, 173 removed.
Senate General Assembly CommitteeFile Bill No.
514571 January Session, 2025 LCOSubstitute Senate Bill No.
4595514 ReferredSenate, toApril 8, 2025 The Committee on GENERALGeneral LAWLaw Introducedreported by:through SEN.
(GL)MARONEY ANof ACTthe ESTABLISHING14th ADist., NETChairperson EQUALITYof PROGRAM.the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A NET EQUALITY PROGRAM.
(2) "Broadband Internet access service" (A) means a mass-market retail service that, by wire or radio, provides the capability to transmit data to, and receive data from, all or substantially all Internet endpoints, including, but not limited to, any capability that is incidental to, and enables the operation of, such service, (B) includes any service that is provided to customers in this state and is functionally equivalent to the service described in subparagraph (A) of this subdivision, and (C) excludes (i) dial-up Internet access service;service, and (ii) any service that is functionally equivalent to the service described in subparagraph (A) of sSB514 / File No.
571 1 sSB514 File No.
571 thissubdivisionbut servesendusersprimarily by using mobilestations;
LCO(4) No."Eligible household" means (A) a resident of a group home or congregate care facility that (i) is participating in a qualified public assistance program, and (ii) is located within a qualified broadband Internet access service provider's service territory in this state, and (B) a household (i) in which at least oneresident isparticipating in a qualified public assistance program, and (ii) that is located within a qualified broadband Internet access service provider's service territory in this state;
4595(5) 1"Person" ofmeans 7an Committeeindividual, Billcorporation, No.514business (4)trust, "Commissioner"estate meanstrust, thepartnership, Commissionerassociation, ofjoint Consumerventure Protection;or any other legal or commercial entity;
(5)(6) "Department""Qualified broadband Internet access service provider" means thea Departmentbroadband ofInternet Consumeraccess Protection;service provider that is doing business in this state and with any state agency, including, but not limited to, through a procurement contract;
(6)(7) "Eligible"Qualified household"public assistance program" means (A) athe residentConnecticut energy assistance program administered by the Department of aSocial groupServices homepursuant orto congregatethe careLow-Income facilityHome thatEnergy (i)Assistance isAct participatingof in1981, aas qualifiedamended publicfrom assistancetime program,to andtime, (ii)(B) isthe locatedNational withinSchool aLunch qualifiedProgramestablishedpursuanttotheNationalSchoolLunchAct,42USC broadband1751 Internetet accessseq., serviceas provider'samended servicefrom territorytime into thistime, state,(C) the temporary assistance for needy families program administered by the Department of Social Services pursuant to the Personal Responsibility and (B)Work aOpportunity householdReconciliation (i)Act inof which1996, atas leastamended oneresidentfrom isparticipatingtime into atime, qualified(D) publicthe supplemental nutrition assistance program,program administered by the Department of Social Services pursuant to the Food and (ii)Nutrition thatAct isof located2008, withinas aamended qualifiedfrom broadbandtime Internetto accesstime, service(E) provider'sthe serviceCovered territoryConnecticut program established under section 19a-754c of the general statutes, (F) HUSKY Health, as defined in thissection state;17b-290 of the general statutes, (G) sSB514 / File No.
(7)571 "Person"2 meanssSB514 anFile individual,No. corporation, business trust, estate trust, partnership, association, joint venture or any other legal or commercial entity;
(8)571 "Qualifiedthe broadbandstate Internetsupplement accessprogram serviceto provider"the meansfederal aSupplemental broadbandSecurity InternetIncome accessProgram serviceadministered providerby thatthe isDepartment doingof businessSocial inServices thispursuant stateto andthe withSocial anySecurity stateAct, agency,as including,amended butfrom nottime limitedto to,time, throughand a(H) procurementany contract;program providing need-based financial aid for post-secondary education;
(9) "Qualified public assistance program" means (A) the Connecticut energy assistance program administered by the Department of Social Services pursuant to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981, as amended from time to time, (B) the National School Lunch ProgramestablishedpursuanttotheNationalSchoolLunchAct,42USC 1751 et seq., as amended from time to time, (C) the temporary assistance for needy families program administered by the Department of Social Services pursuant to the Personal Responsibility and Work(8) Opportunity"State Reconciliationagency" Acthas of 1996, as amended from time to time, (D) the supplementalsame nutritionmeaning assistance program administered by the Department of Social Services pursuant to the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, as amendedprovided fromin time to time, (E) the Covered Connecticut program established under section 19a-754c1-79 of the general statutes,statutes. (F) LCO No.
4595(b) 2The ofOffice 7 Committee Bill No.514 HUSKY Health, as defined in section 17b-290 of theConsumer generalCounsel statutes,shall (G)develop, theestablish stateand supplementadministeraprogramthatshallbeknownasthe"NetEqualityProgram" programfor to the federalpurposes Supplementalset Securityforth Incomein Programthis administeredsection. by the Department of Social Services pursuant to the Social Security Act, as amended from time to time, and (H) any program providing need-based financial aid for post-secondary education;
and (10) "State agency" has the same meaning as provided in section 1-79 of the general statutes.
(b) The Department of Consumer Protection shall develop, establish and administer a program that shall be known as the "Net Equality Program" for the purposes set forth in this section.
(1) The departmentOffice of Consumer Counsel shall monitor progress toward achieving the objectives set forth in subparagraph (C)(i) of subdivision (2) of this subsection;
(A) Beginning on October 1, 2025, allow any resident or household described in subdivision (6)(4) of subsection (a) of this section, during any month in which such resident or household qualifies as an eligible household, to immediately convert to affordable broadband Internet access service provided by such qualified broadband Internet access service provider;
(C) Not later than December 31, 2025, and annually thereafter, hold a public meeting with key stakeholders to (i) ensure that (I) at least ninety per cent of eligible households receive affordable broadband Internet LCOaccess service not later than January 1, 2026, and (II) at least ninety-five per cent of eligible households receive affordable broadband Internet access service not later than January 1, 2029, and (ii) explore options to sSB514 / File No.
4595571 3 ofsSB514 7File CommitteeNo. Bill No.514 access service not later than January 1, 2026, and (II) at least ninety-five per cent of eligible households receive affordable broadband Internet access service not later than January 1, 2029, and (ii) explore options to establish and advance strategic and effective public-private partnerships;
(D)571 Notestablish later than April 1, 2026, and annuallyadvance thereafter,strategic submit to the department, in a form and mannereffective prescribedpublic-private bypartnerships; the commissioner, a report disclosing (i) the number of eligible households that signed up for affordable broadband Internet access service provided by such qualified broadband Internet access service provider during the year that is the subject of the report, and (ii) the total number of eligible households that received affordable broadband Internet access service provided by such qualified broadband Internet access service provider during the year that is the subject of such report;
(D) Not later than April 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, submit to the Office of Consumer Counsel, in a form and manner prescribed by said office, a report disclosing (i) the number of eligible households that signed up for affordable broadband Internet access service provided by such qualified broadband Internet access service provider during the year that is the subject of the report, and (ii) the total number of eligible households that received affordable broadband Internet access service provided by such qualified broadband Internet access service provider during the year that is the subject of such report;
LCO(c) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, the monthly cost charged by a qualified broadband Internet access service provider to an eligible household for affordable broadband Internet sSB514 / File No.
4595571 4 ofsSB514 7File CommitteeNo. Bill No.514 (c) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, the monthly cost charged by a qualified broadband Internet access service provider to an eligible household for affordable broadband Internet access service provided pursuant to this section shall not exceed forty dollars.
(2)571 Not later than June 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Consumer Protection shall adjust the maximum monthly cost that a qualifiedbroadbandInternet accessservice provider may charge to an eligible household for affordable broadband Internet access service provided pursuant to this section duringshall thenot twelve-exceed monthforty perioddollars. beginning on July first of the same calendar year in accordance with any change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers for the preceding calendar year, as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
(2) Not later than June 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the Office of Consumer Counsel shall adjust the maximum monthly cost that a qualified broadband Internet access service provider may charge to an eligible household for affordable broadband Internet access service provided pursuant to this section during the twelve-month period beginning on July first of the same calendar year in accordance with any change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers for the preceding calendar year, as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
(A) Speeds that are at least as fast as (i) twenty-fiveone megabitshundred per second downstream, and (ii) three megabits per secondseconddownstream,and(ii)twenty upstream;megabitsper secondupstream;
(2) Beginning on June 1, 2027, and not more frequently than biennially thereafter, theCommissionerthe ofConsumerOffice Protectionmay,inof Consumer Counsel may, in consultation with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, increase the minimum speeds set forth in subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of this subsection for the two-year period beginning on July first of the same calendar year.
The CommissionerOffice of Consumer ProtectionCounsel and the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority shall post such increased speeds on the DepartmentOffice of Consumer Protection'sCounsel's and Public Utilities Regulatory Authority's Internet web sites.
LCO(3) The Office of Consumer Counsel may authorize a deviation from the requirements established in this subsection for the purpose of complying with applicable state or federal law, except said office shall not authorize any deviation from such requirements to allow any sSB514 / File No.
4595571 5 ofsSB514 7File CommitteeNo. Bill No.514 (3) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection may authorize a deviation from the requirements established in this subsection for the purpose of complying with applicable state or federal law, except the commissioner shallnot authorizeany deviationfromsuchrequirements to allow any affordable broadband Internet access service provided pursuant to this section to provide speeds that are slower than the speedssetforthinsubparagraph(A)ofsubdivision(1)ofthissubsection or established by the Commissioner of Consumer Protection, in consultation with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection, whichever speeds are higher.
571 affordable broadband Internet access service provided pursuant to this section to provide speeds that are slower than the speeds set forth in subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of this subsection or established by theOffice ofConsumer Counsel,in consultationwiththePublic Utilities Regulatory Authority, pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection, whichever speeds are faster.
Section 1 July 1, 2025 New section Statement of Purpose:Legislative Commissioners:
ToIn requireSubsec. certain broadband Internet access service providers to provide affordable broadband Internet access service.
LCO(d)(3), No."higher" was changed to "faster" for consistency.
4595GL 6Joint ofFavorable 7Subst. Committee Bill No.
514sSB514 [Proposed/ deletionsFile areNo. enclosed in brackets.
Proposed571 additions6 aresSB514 indicatedFile byNo. underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.] Co-Sponsors:
Show all 110 changed lines (70 more)
SEN.571 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.
DUFF,In 25thgeneral, Dist.fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.
S.B.Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.
514OFA LCOFiscal No.Note State Impact:
4595None 7Municipal ofImpact: 7
None Explanation The bill requires the Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC) to develop and administer the Net Equality Program to provide affordable broadband Internet to eligible families receiving certain government assistance.
This is not anticipated to result in a fiscal impact as OCC has the staff and expertise necessary to administer the program.
Rate Payer Impact Broadband Internet access service providers are not regulated utilities, as their costs are driven by market dynamics rather than the cost-of-service regulations.
Therefore, there is no direct rate payer impact associated with the bill.
The Out Years State Impact:
None Municipal Impact:
None sSB514 / File No.
571 7 sSB514 File No.
571 OLR Bill Analysis sSB 514 AN ACT ESTABLISHING A NET EQUALITY PROGRAM.
SUMMARY This bill requires the Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC) to develop, establish, and administer the Net Equality Program to provide affordable broadband Internet to eligible families receiving certain government assistance.
It generally limits the affordable broadband Internet access service (“affordable broadband”) maximum monthly charge to $40 and requires the minimum speeds to be 100 megabits per second (Mbps) download speed and 20 Mbps upload speed.
Under the bill, OCC must monitor the progress towards achieving the goal of at least 90% of eligible households receiving affordable broadband by January 1, 2026, and at least 95% of them receiving it by January 1, 2029.
The bill generally prohibits state agencies, beginning October 1, 2025, from doing business, or entering procurement contracts, with a broadband Internet access service provider doing business in the state unless the provider offers affordable broadband to eligible households.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
July 1, 2025 PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND DEFINITIONS The bill requires each qualified broadband Internet access service provider (i.e.
a provider that does business in the state and with any state agency), beginning onOctober1,2025,toalloweligiblehouseholds to immediately convert to affordable broadband during any month in which the household qualifies for it.
A “broadband Internet access service provider” is any person (i.e.
sSB514 / File No.
571 8 sSB514 File No.
571 individual or entity) that provides “broadband Internet access service” in Connecticut, which means a mass-market retail service that, by wire or radio, provides the capability to transmit and receive data to and from substantially all Internet endpoints, including any capability that is incidental to, and enables the operation of, the service.
The service includes any service that is provided to Connecticut customers and is functionally equivalent to the mass-market retail service described above but does not include dial-up Internet access service, and any service that is functionally equivalent to the mass-market retail service above but serves end users primarily by using mobile stations (e.g., cell phones).
“Eligible household” means a (1) resident of a group home or congregate care facility that participates in a qualified public assistance program and (2) household in which at least one resident participates in a qualified public assistance program, that are in a qualified broadband Internet access service provider’s territory in the state.
“Qualified public assistance program” includes the following Department of Social Services-administered programs:
Connecticut Energy Assistance program, temporary family assistance (TFA) and supplemental nutrition assistance (SNAP) programs, state supplemental security income program, Husky Health (e.g., Medicaid), and the Covered Connecticut health insurance program.
It also includes the National School Lunch Program, and any program that provides need-based financial aid for post-secondary education.
The bill also requires providers to do the following by:
1.
October 1, 2025, establish and maintain a telephone number that eligible households may use to contact trained personnel to sign up for affordable broadband within 30 minutes after the start of the call;
2.
December 31, 2025, and then annually, hold a public meeting with key stakeholders to (a) explore options to establish and advance strategic and effective public-private partnerships and sSB514 / File No.
571 9 sSB514 File No.
571 (b) ensure that at least 90% of eligible households receive affordable broadband by January 1, 2026, and at least 95% of them receive it by January 1, 2029;
3.
April 1, 2026, and then annually, submit to OCC a report disclosing the (a) number of eligible households that signed up for affordable broadband from the provider during the reporting year and (b) total number of eligible households that received affordable broadband from the provider during the reporting year;
and 4.
October 1, 2025, place advertisements with public and nongovernmental organizations, in print and online in multiple languages, about the availability of (a) affordable broadband from the provider and (b) the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program or an equivalent program the FCC offers.
Under the bill, these required advertisements must include the telephone number eligible households may use to contact trained personnel to sign up for affordable broadband within 30 minutes following the start of the call.
Additionally, the bill allows each qualified provider to stop the advertisements if a reputable statewide survey demonstrates that at least (1) 80% of eligiblehouseholds are aware that affordable broadband is available or (2) 95% of eligible households are connected to the Internet at home.
MONTHLY PRICE The bill generally limits a qualified broadband Internet access service provider’s maximum monthly charge to an eligible household for affordable broadband Internet access service to $40.
However, under the bill, starting by June 1, 2026, OCC must annually adjust the maximum monthly cost for the 12-month period starting July of the same calendar year based on any change in the consumer price sSB514 / File No.
571 10 sSB514 File No.
571 index for all urban consumers for the preceding calendar year, as published by the U.S.
Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
SERVICE SPEEDS Additionally, thebill requiresthat allaffordablebroadbandprovided under the bill’s provisions provide, at minimum, 100 Mbps download speed and 20 Mbps upload speed.
In all cases, service speeds and latency must be sufficient to support distance learning and telehealth services.
Beginning June 1, 2027, and then not more frequently than biennially, the bill allows OCC, in consultation with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), to increase the minimum speeds the affordable broadband plans must provide for the two-year period beginning July of the same calendar year.
OCC and PURA must post the increased speeds on their respective websites.
The bill allows OCC to approve a deviation from the service speed requirements to comply with applicable state or federal law.
However, it prohibits the office from approving any deviation that would provide affordable broadband service speeds that are slower than 100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload speeds or those established by OCC and PURA, whichever speeds are higher.
CONDUCTING BUSINESS WITH STATE AGENCIES The bill generally prohibits state agencies, beginning October 1, 2025, from doing business, or entering into procurement contracts, with a broadband Internet access service provider doing business in the state unless the provider offers affordable broadband to eligible households as required by the bill.
Under the bill, “state agency” is any office;
department;
board;
council;
commission;
institution;
constituent unit of the state’s higher education system;
technical education and career school;
or other executive, legislative, or judicial branch agency.
The bill states that it does not impair any contract that exists on October 1, 2025.
Further, it exempts the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection from this restriction.
sSB514 / File No.
571 11 sSB514 File No.
571 COMMITTEE ACTION General Law Committee Joint Favorable Substitute Yea 14 Nay 7 (03/21/2025) sSB514 / File No.
571 12
Show all 110 changed rows (70 more)
View plain text versions (4)
- File No. 571 View text pdf
- Committee Bill View text pdf
- Proposed Bill View text Current pdf
- Substitute GL Joint Favorable Substitute pdf
Action History
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HOUSE CALENDAR NUMBER 633
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FAV. RPT., TABLED FOR HOUSE CALENDAR
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SEN. PASSED, SEN. AMEND. SCH. A
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SEN. ADOPTED SEN. AMEND. SCH. A
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FILE NO. 571
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SENATE CALENDAR NUMBER 314
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FAV. RPT., TAB. FOR CAL., SEN.
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RPTD. OUT OF LCO
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REFERRED TO Office of Legislative Research AND Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/07/25
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FILED WITH LCO
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Joint Favorable Substitute
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PUBLIC HEARING 0219
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REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON General Law
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DRAFTED BY COMMITTEE
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Vote to Draft
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REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON General Law
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →0 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 187 not signed on · 7 voted No
Sponsors (0)
None.
Co-sponsors (0)
None.
Not signed on (187)
187 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 187 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Republican | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 29 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| % of votes cast | 81% | 19% | 0% | 0% |
How each member voted (36)
| Member | Party | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Bob Duff | Democratic | Yea |
| Catherine A. Osten | Democratic | Yea |
| Ceci Maher | Democratic | Yea |
| Christine Cohen | Democratic | Yea |
| Derek Slap | Democratic | Yea |
| Douglas McCrory | Democratic | Yea |
| Gary A. Winfield | Democratic | Yea |
| Herron Gaston | Democratic | Yea |
| James J. Maroney | Democratic | Yea |
| Jan Hochadel | Democratic | Yea |
| Joan V. Hartley | Democratic | Yea |
| John W. Fonfara | Democratic | Yea |
| Jorge Cabrera | Democratic | Yea |
| Julie Kushner | Democratic | Yea |
| MD Rahman | Democratic | Yea |
| Mae Flexer | Democratic | Yea |
| Martha Marx | Democratic | Yea |
| Martin M. Looney | Democratic | Yea |
| Matthew L. Lesser | Democratic | Yea |
| Norman Needleman | Democratic | Yea |
| Patricia Billie Miller | Democratic | Yea |
| Paul Honig | Democratic | Yea |
| Rick Lopes | Democratic | Yea |
| Saud Anwar | Democratic | Yea |
| Sujata Gadkar-Wilcox | Democratic | Yea |
| Eric C. Berthel | Republican | Nay |
| Heather S. Somers | Republican | Nay |
| Henri Martin | Republican | Nay |
| Jason Perillo | Republican | Yea |
| Jeff Gordon | Republican | Nay |
| John A. Kissel | Republican | Yea |
| Paul Cicarella | Republican | Yea |
| Rob Sampson | Republican | Nay |
| Ryan Fazio | Republican | Nay |
| Stephen G. Harding | Republican | Nay |
| Tony Hwang | Republican | Yea |
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
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