House Bill No. 5247, also known as Public Act No. 26-131, establishes a Test Bed Technologies Program aimed at facilitating the pilot testing of technologies, products, or processes within state agencies to assess their potential for reducing operational costs. The bill mandates the Governor to direct the Commissioner of Administrative Services to create an online portal by January 1, 2027, for this purpose. The Commissioner, in consultation with Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated, will evaluate proposed technologies and recommend pilot tests if they meet specific criteria, including safety, commercial availability, and documentation of intellectual property. The pilot tests will be temporary, lasting between 30 to 60 days, and the costs will be borne by the applicants.

Additionally, the bill allows state agency commissioners to administer their own pilot testing programs and requires applicants to submit assessments conducted by independent consulting firms. The Commissioner of Administrative Services will evaluate applications within 90 days and can recommend pilot tests that may lead to procurement of successful technologies. The bill also includes provisions for exempting proprietary information from public disclosure and allows for the testing of technologies previously validated by municipalities. The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2026.