The proposed legislation, General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5528, mandates that all employees of public agencies in Connecticut attend training sessions conducted by the Freedom of Information Commission (FOIC) regarding the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The bill amends subsection (e) of section 1-205 of the general statutes, which is set to take effect on October 1, 2026. The revised law stipulates that the FOIC will hold annual training sessions to educate public agency members on the requirements of the FOIA and related sections.

Additionally, the bill introduces a requirement for all public agency employees to complete this training, with existing employees required to do so by March 1, 2027, and new hires needing to complete the training within six months of their employment start date. The FOIC is also authorized to create video or digital recordings to facilitate the training process. The bill removes several outdated references from the current law, streamlining the sections that pertain to the training requirements.