Senate Bill No. 1154 mandates the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to collaborate with helium industry representatives, including manufacturers and distributors, to create a schedule for phasing out the use of helium in filling lighter-than-air balloons in Connecticut. This schedule must be developed by October 1, 2025, and aims to completely end the use of helium for this purpose by December 31, 2027. Additionally, the DEEP commissioner is required to submit a report to the Environment Committee by February 1, 2026, detailing the progress made towards this goal and any further legislative recommendations related to lighter-than-air balloons.

The bill introduces new legal language that establishes the timeline and responsibilities for the phase-out process, while there are no deletions from current law noted in the text. The fiscal impact of the bill is expected to be negligible, as DEEP has the necessary resources to implement the requirements without incurring additional costs. The act is set to take effect upon passage.