The proposed General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 7110 aims to allocate funds for housing initiatives specifically for state-recognized Native American tribes in Connecticut. Each tribe is required to conduct a comprehensive study to evaluate their housing and community building needs through 2040, which includes surveying their reservation lands for development suitability and producing a detailed report. The Department of Housing will distribute one million dollars to each of the five tribes, with the studies managed by their respective housing authorities. The bill also mandates that findings and plans be submitted to the Commissioner of Housing and relevant legislative committees by July 1, 2027.

In addition to funding provisions, the bill modifies existing legal language regarding the management of reservation lands. It replaces the previous oversight requirement by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection with a new provision allowing tribes to manage their lands in consultation with the Indian Affairs Council and the Commissioner. The bill also establishes a public body corporate for each tribe, known as the "housing authority," which can operate only if deemed necessary by the tribe's governing council. Furthermore, it appropriates $5 million from the General Fund to support these initiatives and repeals outdated sections of the general statutes to streamline the legal framework governing tribal housing authorities.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 47-65, 47-66, 47-66a, 47-66d
HSG Joint Favorable Change of Reference: 47-65, 47-66, 47-66a, 47-66d