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 confirming their veteran status. Additionally, it requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to create a program by August 1, 2025, allowing high school students from participating local or regional school boards to use bus services for free or at a reduced cost. School boards will be able to apply for bus passes to distribute or sell to students, with the DOT responsible for negotiating the terms of these contracts.

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. Importantly, the bill includes new legal language defining "veteran" and "fare inspection duties," while deleting any conflicting provisions from current law. It ensures that compensation or reimbursement from school boards does not increase the DOT's public transportation service costs, and it establishes guidelines for contract duration and renewal based on prior utilization and expenditures. The Transportation Committee has favorably reported the bill with a vote of 30 in favor and 4 against.