The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Connecticut regulates legislatively directed funds and restricts Other Expenses grants
Last action · May 19, 2026: Signed by the GovernorSponsors: REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR PURSUANT TO JOINT RULE 9 and 37 others
Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.
What This Bill Does
Connecticut law now requires the Office of Policy and Management to establish uniform oversight, distribution rules, and reporting for and prohibits state agencies from using '' appropriations for grants or pass-through payments without specific legislative acts.
State agencies, municipalities, nonprofits, and community-based organizations receiving state funds face new disbursement schedules, advance payment limits, reimbursement documentation rules, and mandatory annual reporting.
- House Bill 5039 was introduced pursuant to a request of the Governor under joint rule 9 to implement budget recommendations. context
- Legislatively directed funds are targeted state appropriations often colloquially referred to as earmarks or community project grants allocated by the General Assembly. context
- The Office of Policy and Management serves as the Governor's principal staff agency responsible for formulating and implementing the state budget. 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.
recipients of legislatively directed funds
Recipients must execute written agreements, comply with standardized reimbursement and documentation procedures, and submit annual utilization reports.
state agencies
State agencies must administer funds according to new OPM policies, participate in pre-award conferences, process reimbursements within 45 days, and adhere to Other Expenses restrictions.
nonprofit organizations
Nonprofits receiving state funds are subject to standardized reimbursement rules designed to avoid administrative barriers while ensuring oversight.
Auditors of Public Accounts
The auditors must annually review state agency Other Expenses expenditures and report any grant-like expenses to the Secretary and legislative committees.
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 are 'legislatively directed funds' under this law?
How are fund disbursements handled for amounts over $150,000?
Can state agencies use operating funds for grants?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
22 actions- May 19, 2026Governor of ConnecticutEnrolledSigned by the Governor
- May 15, 2026Governor of ConnecticutTransmitted by Secretary of the State to Governor
- May 15, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyTransmitted to the Secretary of State
- May 14, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyEnrolledPublic Act 26-27
- May 4, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyIn Concurrence
- May 4, 2026HouseFloorSenate Passed as Amended by House Amendment Schedule A
Show 16 earlier actions
- May 4, 2026SenateSenate Rejected Senate Amendment Schedule A 5896
- May 4, 2026HouseFloorSenate Adopted House Amendment Schedule A
- Apr 13, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyFile Number 605
- Apr 13, 2026SenateSenate Calendar Number 367
- Apr 13, 2026SenateFavorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate
- Apr 9, 2026HouseFloorHouse Passed as Amended by House Amendment Schedule A
- Apr 9, 2026HouseFloorHouse Adopted House Amendment Schedule A 3954
- Mar 18, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyFile Number 66
- Mar 18, 2026HouseHouse Calendar Number 71
- Mar 18, 2026HouseFavorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, House
- Mar 18, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyReported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office
- Mar 18, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyReferred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 03/23/26 5:00 PM
- Mar 17, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyFiled with Legislative Commissioners' Office
- Mar 17, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyJoint Favorable
- Feb 20, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyPublic Hearing 02/24
- Feb 5, 2026Connecticut General AssemblyCommitteeReferred to Joint Committee on Government Oversight
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →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
Show 33 more sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Shift from Unregulated Pass-Throughs to Strict OPM Oversight
The legislation ends informal or ad-hoc grant distributions through general operating accounts by mandating rigorous OPM policies, written agreements, and public database tracking.
Connected Entities
Sources
cga.ct.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
Publisher tools