Substitute House Bill No. 5254 seeks to overhaul the regulatory review process for Connecticut state agencies by eliminating the previous requirement for legislative committees to set review dates every seven years. Instead, the bill assigns the responsibility of establishing individual review timetables to the Governor's office for agencies under its purview, while agencies not reporting to the Governor will set their own timelines. The new review process must be completed by February 1, 2027, and every seven years thereafter. Agencies are required to submit a summary of their review results, including recommendations for reducing or eliminating obsolete regulations, to relevant committees, and they must also provide a public comment period for proposed repeals.

The bill also modifies the definition of "existing regulation" to include only those regulations adopted no later than one year prior to the scheduled review date. It allows legislative committees to conduct reviews if an agency fails to submit its summary or if the review is deemed unsatisfactory. Additionally, the bill emphasizes transparency by requiring agencies to post recommended repeals on their websites and the eRegulations System. The effective date for these changes is set for October 1, 2026. Overall, the bill streamlines the regulatory review process while enhancing public engagement and oversight.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 4-189i
GOS Joint Favorable Substitute: 4-189i
File No. 320: 4-189i