Substitute Senate Bill No. 1243 seeks to improve public transportation access for veterans and high school students in Connecticut, effective July 1, 2025. The bill exempts veterans from paying fares on state-owned or controlled buses if they present valid identification indicating their veteran status. Additionally, it requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to create a program by August 1, 2025, allowing high school students in grades nine to twelve from participating school boards to use these bus services at no cost or a reduced fare. School boards will need to apply for bus passes, and the DOT will negotiate terms, ensuring that the agreements do not increase costs for the department.

The bill also mandates that the DOT publish information about the program on its website and submit annual reports to the Office of Policy and Management starting August 1, 2026, detailing financial data and pass utilization. New legal language clarifies that contracts between the DOT and school boards must not lead to increased public transportation expenditures, with initial contracts limited to one year and potential renewals contingent on reassessing compensation based on prior usage. Furthermore, the bill addresses veterans released under specific conditions, aligning with other legislative efforts to support veterans, such as waiving renewal fees for driver’s licenses and fare exemptions on Veterans’ Day. The Transportation Committee has favorably reported the bill with a vote of 30 in favor and 4 against.