Substitute House Bill No. 5170 revises the training requirements for members and employees of inland wetlands agencies in the state, repealing the previous requirement for at least one member or staff person to complete a comprehensive training program. Instead, starting January 1, 2025, every member and staff person must complete the training developed by the commissioner pursuant to section 22a-39. Those already serving or employed by an agency as of the effective date must complete the training by January 1, 2026, and then every four years or once per term, whichever is longer. New members or staff are required to complete the training within one year of joining and subsequently at the same intervals.

The bill also requires the training program to be accessible on the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's website and mandates inland wetlands agencies to submit an annual statement confirming compliance with the training requirement. Non-compliance by any member or staff person does not invalidate the actions of an inland wetlands agency. The bill has fiscal implications for the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and potential revenue for the University of Connecticut due to increased online training participation. The bill, effective from October 1, 2024, amends section 22a-42(d) of the general statutes and was reported favorably by the Planning and Development Committee.