House Bill No. 5247 establishes a Test Bed Technologies Program designed to reduce operational costs for state agencies by utilizing innovative technologies, products, or processes. The bill creates a Test Bed Technologies Advisory Board, appointed by various state officials, which will evaluate proposed technologies and recommend pilot test bed programs for validation. The board is required to meet at least twice a year and submit a report on the evaluations by October 1, 2030. Additionally, the bill repeals Section 32-7t of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes, replacing it with new definitions and provisions for the JobsCT Tax Rebate Program, which aims to incentivize job creation in Connecticut. The changes will take effect on October 1, 2026, and apply to taxable years starting January 1, 2027.

The bill modifies the JobsCT tax rebate program by introducing new definitions and eligibility criteria, including the removal of a two-year employment restriction for new full-time equivalent (FTE) positions, which must now be created after January 1, 2020. It sets a minimum wage threshold of $37,500 for qualifying positions and details the application process for businesses seeking rebates. Significant deletions include the removal of the requirement for new FTEs to reside in concentrated poverty census tracts, focusing instead on hiring individuals with disabilities. The rebate structure is adjusted to allow businesses employing at least 25 new FTEs or 15 new FTEs with at least one individual with an intellectual disability to receive rebates, capped at $5,000 per calendar year. The bill also mandates annual reporting on the program's expenses and the number of FTEs created, with provisions for claiming rebates against tax liabilities under chapter 228z.