House Bill No. 5295, also known as Public Act No. 26-97, designates the state military readiness center located in Putnam as the John N. Dempsey Putnam National Guard Readiness Center. This naming honors John N. Dempsey for his contributions as the mayor and state representative of Putnam, as well as his role as the eighty-first governor and captain-general of Connecticut. The new legal language inserted into the law specifies the name change and is set to take effect on October 1, 2026.

Additionally, the bill includes a provision that repeals Section 17 of Public Act 26-35, which will take effect on July 1, 2026. This deletion indicates a legislative adjustment that may relate to the previous naming or designation of military readiness centers in the state. The bill was approved by the governor on June 4, 2026.