Substitute House Bill No. 6249 amends Section 22a-19 of the Connecticut General Statutes to introduce a new subsection (c) that establishes a process for expedited hearings in judicial reviews of residential building permit applications. Under this bill, any party involved in such a judicial review can request an expedited hearing within thirty days of filing. During this hearing, intervening parties must demonstrate a prima facie case that the alleged unreasonable pollution is reasonably likely to occur. If they fail to make this showing, the court is required to dismiss the matter. The bill defines "residential building permit application" as any application related to the construction or renovation of a structure containing one or more dwelling units.

The bill is designed to streamline the judicial review process under the Connecticut Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) by limiting the grounds for appeals related to residential building permits. It does not alter existing requirements for parties seeking to intervene, who must still file a verified pleading with specific factual allegations. The changes are procedural and are not expected to have any fiscal impact on the state or municipalities. The effective date for this bill is set for October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Committee Bill:
ENV Joint Favorable Substitute:
File No. 680: