Substitute House Bill No. 7195 seeks to amend the unemployment benefits provisions for paraeducators in Connecticut, with changes set to take effect on July 1, 2025. The bill repeals and replaces subsection (d) of section 31-227 of the general statutes, removing previous language that provided benefits for individuals in instructional, research, or administrative roles during breaks between academic years. It introduces new criteria for determining "reasonable assurance" of continued employment for paraeducators, which includes the requirement for a written, oral, or implied offer of employment for the subsequent academic year or term, guaranteeing at least 90% of previous wages. The bill also specifies that offers cannot be contingent on factors within the school district's control and must reflect a high probability of return to work.

Additionally, the bill mandates local and regional boards of education, regional educational service centers, and other educational entities to submit lists to the Department of Labor (DOL) at least ten days before the end of an academic year. These lists must identify paraeducators with and without reasonable assurance of returning to work, along with details on how that assurance was communicated. The DOL will assess these factors on a case-by-case basis, but the information provided will not be considered conclusive evidence without further supporting documentation. Overall, the bill aims to provide clearer guidelines and protections for paraeducators regarding unemployment benefits while potentially incurring costs for the DOL and local school districts due to new reporting requirements and increased claims.