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SB 307CONNECTICUTSession 2026State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Connecticut Re-brands Small Business Boost Program, Expands Financial Assistance Caps, and Prohibits Scholarship Displacement at Public Colleges

Original title: AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REVISIONS TO THE COMMERCE STATUTES AND PROHIBITING SCHOLARSHIP DISPLACEMENT FOR CERTAIN STUDENTS AT PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION.

Last action · June 2, 2026: Signed by the GovernorSponsors: Savet Constantine and 3 others

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
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What This Bill Does

Public Act 26-122 revises commerce statutes by renaming the Small Business Express program to the Connecticut Small Business Boost program, expanding eligibility for certain business opportunity funds, doubling the financial assistance award cap requiring legislative approval to $25 million, and prohibiting public institutions of higher education from reducing institutional aid when certain students receive private scholarships.

Why it matters

Small business owners seeking state financial assistance face updated fund criteria and expanded loan program names, while public college students receiving Pell grants or Roberta B. Willis Scholarships are protected from having their institutional aid reduced upon receipt of private scholarships, provided total aid does not exceed the .

Background
  • The Connecticut General Assembly is the state legislature responsible for enacting public acts concerning economic development, state commerce statutes, and higher education policies. context
  • The Department of Economic and Community Development serves as the state's lead agency for business assistance, community development, and tourism promotion. context

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

small businesses

Small businesses applying for state financial assistance are subject to renamed program guidelines, updated fund criteria under the Connecticut opportunity fund, and revised relocation and tax compliance requirements.

Directly affected

students at public institutions of higher education

Students receiving federal Pell grants or Roberta B. Willis Scholarships are protected from having their financial aid reduced when they are awarded private scholarships.

Directly affected

Department of Economic and Community Development

The department absorbs the operational duties of several former specialized offices, administers the renamed Small Business Boost program, and updates annual reporting schedules.

Directly affected

business development entities

Nonprofit community development financial institutions receive grants-in-aid to administer Connecticut opportunity funds and must submit annual financial audits.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens to my financial aid if I receive a private scholarship while attending a public college in Connecticut?
Public institutions of higher education are prohibited from reducing your institutional financial aid if you receive a federal Pell grant or a Roberta B. Willis Scholarship, provided your total aid does not exceed your . Private scholarship funds must first be applied to your unmet need and then used to reduce student loans.
What is the new name of the Small Business Express program?
The program has been renamed the Connecticut Small Business Boost program.
What is the threshold for state financial assistance requiring legislative approval?
No state agency may award more than a total of $25 million of financial assistance during any two-year period to an applicant or for a business project without specific authorization from the General Assembly.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

26 actions
  1. Jun 2, 2026Governor of ConnecticutEnrolled
    Signed by the Governor
  2. May 27, 2026Governor of Connecticut
    Transmitted by Secretary of the State to Governor
  3. May 27, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    Transmitted to the Secretary of State
  4. May 20, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyEnrolled
    Public Act 26-122
  5. May 6, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    In Concurrence
  6. May 6, 2026HouseFloor
    House Passed as Amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A,B
Show 20 earlier actions
  1. May 6, 2026HouseFloor
    House Adopted Senate Amendment Schedule A,B
  2. May 6, 2026House
    House Calendar Number 583
  3. May 6, 2026House
    Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, House
  4. May 6, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    Rules Suspended
  5. May 6, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    Transmitted Pursuant To Joint Rule 17
  6. May 6, 2026SenateFloor
    Senate Passed as Amended by Senate Amendment Schedule A,B
  7. May 6, 2026SenateFloor
    Senate Adopted Senate Amendment Schedule B 6249
  8. May 6, 2026SenateFloor
    Senate Adopted Senate Amendment Schedule A 6114
  9. May 4, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    Matter Pass Retained
  10. May 4, 2026Senate
    Removed from the Foot of the Calendar, Senate
  11. Apr 23, 2026Senate
    Moved to Foot of the Calendar, Senate
  12. Apr 9, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    File Number 561
  13. Apr 9, 2026Senate
    Senate Calendar Number 327
  14. Apr 9, 2026Senate
    Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate
  15. Apr 9, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
  16. Apr 2, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/08/26 5:00 PM
  17. Mar 24, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office
  18. Mar 24, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    Joint Favorable Substitute
  19. Feb 27, 2026Connecticut General Assembly
    Public Hearing 03/03
  20. Feb 26, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyCommittee
    Referred to Joint Committee on Commerce

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Savet ConstantineHouse · District 42DemocraticCosponsor
Tony HwangSenate · District 28RepublicanCosponsor
John SantanellaHouse · District 58DemocraticCosponsor
Tom DelnickiHouse · District 14RepublicanCosponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift99% confidence

Consolidation of Specialized Offices

The act systematically repeals several standalone statutory offices (such as the Office of Film, Television and Digital Media, Office of Brownfield Remediation and Development, and Office of Data Infrastructure Administration and Security) and folds their functions directly into the Department of Economic and Community Development.

Department of Economic and Community Development

Connected Entities

Connecticut Clean Economy Council, First Generation and Emerging Business Initiative Advisory Board, Department of Economic and Community Development and 6 more
OrganizationConnecticut Clean Economy Council“Council advising on climate and clean energy economic development strategies.”Map →
OrganizationFirst Generation and Emerging Business Initiative Advisory Board“Advisory board renamed and restructured to promote equitable growth.”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Economic and Community Development“State agency responsible for administering economic development programs and com”Map →
OrganizationGeneral Assembly“Legislative body enacting the public act.”Map →
OrganizationConnecticut Tourism Council“Council established within the Department of Economic and Community Development.”Map →
OrganizationState Bond Commission“Commission authorized to issue state bonds.”Map →
OrganizationConnecticut Innovations, Incorporated“Quasi-public agency collaborating on various economic and financial assistance c”Map →
OrganizationManufacturing Innovation Advisory Board“Advisory board subject to membership and policy revisions under the act.”Map →
otherRoberta B. Willis Scholarship program“Scholarship program referenced regarding student financial aid protections.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

cga.ct.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance85
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy15
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz30
    Current news / social attention level

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