Substitute House Bill No. 5330 seeks to strengthen wildlife conservation efforts in Connecticut by amending existing laws related to wildlife action plans. The bill establishes a comprehensive conservation program under the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection, which will now include habitat conservation, monitoring of environmental and climate change impacts, and the conservation of endangered species. A significant addition is the requirement for a wildlife veterinarian to oversee the program's implementation. The bill also repeals the previous requirement for an annual report and instead creates a working group responsible for identifying funding and implementation strategies for the conservation program. The working group will be formed by the Environment Committee's cochairpersons, in consultation with ranking members and DEEP officials, and will include representatives from various organizations, such as conservation advocacy groups and state colleges. This group is mandated to hold its first meeting by November 30, 2026, and submit a report with findings and recommendations by January 15, 2027. Additionally, the bill clarifies that any donations made for the conservation program will be deposited into the General Fund and allocated according to existing laws regarding DEEP's wildlife-related revenues. The implementation of these changes is expected to incur costs of approximately $189,982 annually, starting in FY 27, and the bill is set to take effect on October 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 26-107h, 26-107i
ENV Joint Favorable Substitute: 26-107h, 26-107i
File No. 191: 26-107h, 26-107i