Among other things, establishes a combined General Fund and Transportation Fund expenditures of $19.6 billion.  This equates to an increase of $770 million (4.0%) over the FY 15 budget.

Overall, increases municipal aid by $42.7 million (1.3%) in FY 16 versus FY 15.  The budget includes an increase of $56.5 million (2.1%) in education funding compared to the current year.  Non-education funding is decreased by $13.8 million (-3.0%).

Below is additional funding in the FY 16 budget.

• STEAP grants will be bond-funded at $20 million in FY 16, the same as FY 15.
• Urban Act grants will be bond-funded at $50 million in FY 16, a decrease of $50 million from FY 15.
• Bond funding for school construction will be $533 million in FY 16, an increase of $58.8 million from FY 15.
• There is bond funding of $50 million  for Alliance Districts in FY 16 to improve school buildings.
• Bond funding of $105.5 million in FY 16 is provided for grants and revolving loans under the Clean Water Fund.
• The Local Bridge Fund will receive bond funding of $10 million in FY 16, the same as FY 15.
• The budget provides $20 million in bond funding in FY 16 for grants to municipalities to encourage low-impact design of green municipal infrastructure.
• The budget provides $10 million in bond funding for the School Security Infrastructure Competitive Grant Program in FY 16.
• The budget includes $10 million in bond funding for open space acquisition grants.

The state budget also changes the funding structure of the Resident State Trooper Program.  Participating towns will now have to pay 85 percent of costs for the first two troopers assigned to the town and 100 percent of costs for any additional troopers.  CCM is working with DESPP to implement the most manageable mechanism for towns in designating which would be the first two troopers.  Towns would also have to pay 100  percent  of  any  overtime  costs  and  such  portion  of  fringe benefits  directly  associated  with  those  overtime  costs.  These changes became effective on July 1, 2015.  It is still indeterminate how these changes will be reflected in individual, municipal contracts.

Please see CCM's in-depth budget analysis for specific changes to:

• PILOT Funding
• Motor Vehicle Tax
• Municipal Revenue Sharing
• Council of Government Funding
• Regional Tax Base Sharing Program
• Municipal Spending Cap
• Other

For more information regarding the state budget, please contact George Rafael or Ron Thomas of CCM.

PA 15-125 (HB 6796) - SCHOOL NURSES
Would have required each local or regional board of education to maintain a staffing ratio in its school district of at least one school nurse or nurse practitioner for every 750 students.  There was a provision that allows a local or regional board of education to apply for a one-year waiver to adhere to the staffing ratio.  Along with existing requirements, each school nurse would have needed to complete the school nurse orientation program.

PA 15-145 (SB 1056) - EXCESS COST THRESHOLD FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION
Would have mandated local and regional school districts to report the following to the State Department of Education (SDE): (1) total expenditures for special education of the board of education, (2) expenditures for special education as a percentage of total school district expenditures, and (3) individual expenditures for each child requiring special education who is under the jurisdiction of the board of education.

Governor's veto message

PA 15-5 (Effective 4/22/15) SCHOOL SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM

Extends the school security infrastructure grant program an additional year, until June 30, 2016. 

PA 15-17 (Effective 7/1/15) LABOR AND FREE MARKET CAPITALISM CURRICULUM

Requires the State Department of Education (SDE) to assist and encourage local and regional school boards to include in their curricula (1) the history of organized labor, the collective bargaining process, and existing legal protections in the workplace; (2) the history and economics of free-market capitalism and entrepreneurialism; and (3) the role of labor and capitalism in developing the American and world economies.

PA 15-59 (Effective 10/1/15) SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTERS

Among other things, defines "school-based health centers" as being located in or on the grounds of a school facility of a school district, school board, Indian tribe, or tribal organization; and providing comprehensive on-site medical and behavioral health services to children and adolescents according to state and local law. 

PA 15-94 (Various Effective Dates) REQUIRED CPR, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND COMPUTER TRAINING CURRICULUM

Requires cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training (effective 7/1/15), safe uses of social media, and computer programming instructions be included in public school subject area curriculum, starting in the school year 2016-2017. 

PA 15-96 (Effective 7/1/15) OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSION AND EXPLUSION

Among other things, prohibits local and regional school boards from using out-of school suspension, and expulsion, as forms of discipline for students in kindergarten through grade two.

PA 15-99 (Effective 7/1/15) MINIMUM BUDGET REQUIREMENT (MBR) RELIEF

Changes the allowable reductions in MBR by allowing districts with decreased enrollment to reduce their education funding by 50 percent of the net current expenditure per pupil (NCEP) times the difference in enrollment.  Districts with 20 percent or more of their students qualifying for free and reduced price lunch (FRPL) can reduce their MBR by up to 1.5 percent.  Districts with less than 20 percent of students eligible for FRPL can reduce their MBR by up to 3.0 percent.

PA 15-133 (Effective 7/1/15) ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION

Among other things, defines "alternative education" as local or regional programs offered in non-traditional settings that addresses certain students' social, behavior and academic needs.  Also, allows local and regional school boards to provide alternative education programs within existing school space, or within a designated new school; and permits two or more school boards to establish cooperative arrangements in order to provide such programs.

PA 15-138 (Effective 10/1/15) FINANCIAL LITERACY EDUCATION

Requires the SDE to expand suggested subject matters of learning and to make available curriculum materials for local and regional school boards to provide students with an education on financial literacy.

PA 15-141 (Effective 7/1/17) SECLUSION AND RESTRAINT IN SCHOOLS

Among other things, requires local and regional boards of education to provide training to teachers, administrators and pupil personnel on various topics related to seclusion and restraint in schools, and to notify parents and guardians of any physical restraining or seclusion of the child within 24 hours. 

PA 15-168 (Effective 7/1/15) AGREEMENTS WITH SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS
Among other things, requires towns and cities that have sworn police officers within schools, to execute memorandums of understanding (MOUs) between the local police department, or the Division of State Police, and local and regional school boards that stipulates such officers' roles and responsibilities.

PA 15-173 (Effective 6/2/15) COMMUNICATION REGARDING REFERENDA

Allows regional school boards to use their member municipalities' community notification systems to notify residents of an upcoming regional school district referendum.  The utilization of the systems must be agreed to by the member CEO and the document subject of approval by the municipal attorney. 

PA 15-205 (Various Effective Dates) MANDATED REPORTERS IN SCHOOLS

Expands mandated reporter responsibilities and training for school employees, and increases the penalty for not reporting a claim of child abuse or neglect.  Compliance of mandated reporter training will need to be certified with the SDE.   It expands the mandated reporter law protection to high school students who are over age 18. 

Also, requires each board of education to (1) update its written policy for employees, by February 1, 2016, to include the new school employee reporting requirements and (2) establish a confidential rapid response team, by January 1, 2016, to coordinate with DCF to ensure prompt reporting.

PA 15-209 (Effective 7/1/2015) YOUTH WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Requires the SDE to provide local and regional school boards with information stipulating rights for children receiving special education services.  The local and regional school boards must distribute such bill of rights to parents of the children, or the pupil themselves if they are 18 years of age or older, by mail.

PA 15-215 (Effective 7/1/15) SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

Among other things, requires the SDE to provide local and regional school boards information, by October 1, 2015, regarding the application process for the supplemental nutrition assistance program.  Local and regional school boards will then be required to provide such information to parents, guardians and students about the nutrition program. 

PA 15-225 (Effective 7/1/15) CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM

Among other things, requires the SDE, along with the Interagency Council for Ending the Achievement Gap, to develop a chronic absenteeism prevention and intervention plan for use by local and regional school boards to reduce chronic absenteeism.  Such plan is required to be completed by January 1, 2016. 

PA 15-227 (Effective 7/1/15) OFFICE OF EARLY CHILDHOOD

Among other things, (1) mandates that any preschool program created or expanded using Smart Start grants to have a classroom staffed with a teacher who holds professional certification, rather than any type of teaching certificate; (2) mandates that local and regional boards of education include the Office of Early Childhood's (OEC) preschool experience survey in kindergarten registration material; (3) grandfathers certain school readiness staff into heightened staff qualifications until June 30, 2025; and (4) requires OEC to redesign the Smart Start program grants as up-front payments rather than reimbursements.

PA 15-232 (Effective 10/1/15) TRAUMA-INFORMED PRACTICE TRAINING IN SCHOOLS

Requires the SDE to make materials available to local and regional boards of educations to provide in-service training programs for teachers, administrators and pupil personnel who hold the initial educator, provisional educator or professional educator certificate on various topics related to drug abuse, mental health risks, teen dating violence, and other situations which may induce trauma.

Special Session PA 15-3 (Various Effective Dates) SCHOOL BUILDING GRANT AND CONSTRUCTION

Among other things, establishes a school building project clearinghouse, as well as makes changes to the school building construction grant commitment requirements for municipalities.  This will allow local officials greater flexibility to improve and streamline the school building construction grant process.  Specifically, it allows municipalities the opportunity to submit a grant application before local funding is secured.  This would be accomplished by allowing municipalities that have a referendum bonding approval process, to submit the grant application by the June 30 deadline, and allow municipalities to secure those funds by November 15. Essentially, allowing municipalities the ability to have a referendum during November elections, rather than having special elections.

Requires the State Librarian to report on the recommendations of the advisory committee on Municipal Land Use Records Retention.

PA 15-22 (Effective 10/1/15) FARMLAND RESTORATION AND VACANT LANDS PROGRAMS

Among other things the bill increases the maximum reimbursement to the lesser of $20,000 or 90% of a plan's cost under the program for management or restoration plans for certain state or municipal lands.

PA 15-23 (Effective 6/4/15) THE WATERSHED LAND ACQUISITION PROGRAM

Increases to 90% of fair market value, the amount of state and federal funds Open Space and Watershed Land Acquisition Grant Program grantees may use to fund projects. Additionally, allows the DEEP commissioner under certain conditions, to approve the use state and federal funds to cover 100% of the fair market value of their projects.

PA 15-33 (Effective 6/4/15) MUNICIPAL BONDS AND THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Extends, from 20 years to 40 years, the maximum term of municipal bonds issued in connection with a community facility loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

PA 15-57 (Effective 10/1/15) TAX INCREMENT FINANCING DISTRICTS

Allows municipalities to establish a tax increment finance (TIF) district to fund economic development projects in areas that meet certain criteria, and establishes the process required for the creation such TIF districts.

PA 15-68 (Effective 7/1/15) NOTICE REQUIREMENTS FOR ZONING APPLICANTS

Among other things, streamlines the process for municipal land use commissions to take in order to identify property owners abutting land that is the subject of a public hearing related to a petition, application, request, or appeal. 

PA 15-95 (Effective 7/1/15) MUNICIPAL PLANS OF CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Extends, from July 1, 2015 to July 1, 2016, the deadline by which municipalities must resume complying with the statutory requirement to update their plans of conservation and development every 10 years to remain eligible for discretionary state funding.  Additionally, requires that plans scheduled for adoption on or after July 1, 2015, identify the general location and extent of areas where sewer systems exist, are planned, and are to be avoided.

PA 15-119 (Effective 7/1/15) POLITICAL ACTIVITIES IN PUBLIC HOUSING

Prohibits municipalities, and others operating public housing projects, from preventing tenants from using common facilities or community rooms for political activities.

PA 15-131 (Effective 6/1/15) DEMOLITION LICENSURE & PERMITS

Exempts from demolition-related licensure, permitting, and insurance requirements people who disassemble a building's nonstructural material for reuse and recycling.  In doing so, requires an applicant for a demolition permit to provide a written declaration, instead of attesting on the required demolition insurance certificate, that the municipality where the demolition is taking place will be held harmless from claims arising from the negligence of the applicant.

PA 15-147 (Effective 10/1/15) DISCONTINUANCE OF ROADS & HIGHWAYS

Among other things, requires municipal CEOs to notify abutting property owners of proposals and final action to discontinue all or part of a highway or private way, or land dedicated for such use.  It allows a property owner aggrieved because he or she did not receive the required meeting notice to apply to the Superior Court for relief within 120 days after the discontinuance notice is recorded on the land records.

PA 15-151 (Effective 10/1/15) UNUSED GRANT AWARDS FROM DECD

Requires the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) to include the date by which unused funds must be returned, or an additional application to apply the unused funding for another purpose, in any agreement for grant funding.

PA 15-153 (Effective 10/1/15) RESIDENCE MOBILITY COUNSELING FOR SUBSIDIZED HOUSING

Requires the Department of Housing (DOH) to provide counseling to assist families in relocating to areas with increased economic opportunities.

PA 15-155 (Effective 10/1/15) REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS

Increases the number of regional economic development districts that can be established in the state, from 8 to 9, and eliminates the requirement that each district meet certain economic distress criteria established by federal regulations.