Substitute Bill No. 1522 proposes to rename the existing Community Investment Account to the "Donald E. Williams, Jr. Community Investment Account" and significantly increase its funding. The bill repeals the current Section 4-66aa and replaces it with new provisions that detail the distribution of funds, including raising annual allocations for the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation from $380,000 to $475,000 and for the agricultural viability grant program from $500,000 to $625,000. Additionally, it introduces a new annual allocation of $125,000 to promote the sale of Connecticut-grown food. The bill also modifies the fees for recording documents in land records, increasing the fee from $40 to $50, and adjusts the distribution of these fees to ensure a larger portion is directed to the newly named community investment account.

Furthermore, the bill aims to enhance the promotion of Connecticut-grown farm products through a comprehensive advertising campaign, which includes media advertisements and a continuously updated website listing local farmers' markets and agri-tourism events. It also seeks to connect farmers with institutional buyers by creating a platform for interaction and organizing promotional events. The commissioner of the Department of Agriculture is tasked with these initiatives and is encouraged to seek private matching funds. The bill modifies existing law by deleting the reference to "subsection (a) of" in section 4-66aa and replacing it with "as amended by this act." An annual report on the progress of these initiatives, including details on private funding, is required to be submitted to the General Assembly. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and will amend several sections of the law, specifically sections 4-66aa, 7-34a(e), 49-10(h), and 22-38a.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 4-66aa, 22-38a
GAE Joint Favorable Substitute: 4-66aa, 22-38a
File No. 641: 4-66aa, 22-38a
APP Joint Favorable: 4-66aa, 22-38a