Substitute House Bill No. 7195 seeks to amend unemployment benefits regulations for paraeducators by repealing and replacing subsection (d) of section 31-227 of the general statutes, effective July 1, 2025. The bill introduces new legal language that clarifies the criteria for determining "reasonable assurance" of continued employment for paraeducators, who are defined as individuals employed by various educational institutions. Key provisions include the requirement for a written, oral, or implied offer of employment that is comparable in capacity and compensation to the previous year, and that such offers cannot be contingent on factors within the control of the educational institution. The bill also modifies existing provisions regarding unemployment benefits during breaks and vacation periods, ensuring that paraeducators denied benefits due to reasonable assurance but not offered a position will receive retroactive payments for filed claims.

Additionally, the bill mandates that local and regional boards of education, as well as other educational authorities, submit lists to the Department of Labor (DOL) at least ten days before the end of an academic year. These lists must categorize paraeducators based on their reasonable assurance status and detail how that assurance was communicated. The DOL will utilize this information to make determinations regarding unemployment benefits, although it will not be considered conclusive without further evidence. The anticipated costs for implementing these changes include $36,561 in FY 26 and $8,855 in FY 27 for technology updates, with potential significant costs for school districts related to reimbursing the Unemployment Compensation Fund for benefits paid to paraeducators.