PA 23-207. An act establishing a tax abatement for certain conservation easements and addressing housing affordability for residents in the State.
A new tool is available to encourage long-term preservation of Connecticut’s robust trail network. The
Connecticut General Assembly passed Public Act 23-207 which, in part, allows municipalities to abate
real estate taxes for certain types of recreational trails starting October 1, 2023. The bill received
support from a number of conservation organizations, many of whom act as stewards for the blazed
trail systems found throughout the state. Click here to see the bill.
HR1668. Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act. Introduced by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, March 2023
The new bill is named after Sarah Debbink Langenkamp, a U.S. diplomat and mother of two boys who had been evacuated from Ukraine in the summer of 2022 only to be killed weeks later while riding her bike back home after dropping off her kids at school.
Crashes like the one that took Sarah’s life reflect a national roadway safety crisis. 966 people were killed while biking in 2021 — the highest number since 1975. With the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, there is an opportunity to build networks of safe bike lanes and pedestrian walkways that would not only save lives, but add to the quality of life in our community. First, we must make it easier for states and local governments to receive the funding.
| HR 1668, The Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Act, does not ask for any new money or create any new mandates; it adjusts current policies to: 1) Give states flexibility to spend federal safety dollars on local priorities, 2) Give states flexibility to fund bicycle and walking safety projects with up to 100% federal funds 3) Fill in gaps in biking and walking networks by making them eligible for funding with safety dollars from the recent infrastructure bill. Follow status at Congress.gov |
RAISED BILL 998. AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TAX ABATEMENT FOR CERTAIN CONSERVATION EASEMENTS (Formerly SB129)
1) Authorizes municipalities to abate property taxes on a trail corridor protected by a conservation easement (and describes the process). Municipalities would have to adopt a local ordinance to do this, it is not mandatory; and
2) Clarifies that the Public Act 490 Open Space property tax reduction benefit can be used on a state-designated Greenway on private land. This new section of the bill is very helpful, and in some communities may be a shorter path (so to speak) to incentivizing landowners who host trails.
Introduced by: Planning and Development Committee, Jan. 2023
Follow status at Connecticut General Assembly, CGA Bill Status
SB129 (Formerly Raised Bill 5477). AN ACT ESTABLISHING A TAX ABATEMENT FOR CERTAIN CONSERVATION EASEMENTS
To authorize municipalities to exempt from real property taxes any portion of land that (1) qualifies as a greenway, (2) is a terrestrial recreational trail that does not exceed one hundred feet in width, (3) is the subject of a conservation easement conveyed by the owner of the land to a municipality, the state or a nonprofit land conservation organization.
Introduced by: Planning and Development Committee
Follow status at Connecticut General Assembly, CGA Bill Status
HOUSE BILL 5291. AN ACT AUTHORIZING BONDING FOR BIKEWAYS, GREENWAYS AND RECREATIONAL TRAILS
Follow status at Legiscan.com/CT
SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. NO. 4
AN ACT CONCERNING THE CONNECTICUT CLEAN AIR ACT.
To reduce carbon emissions by expanding public and private utilization of electric vehicles in Connecticut to protect human health and the environment.
Follow status at Connecticut General Assembly, CGA Bill Status
S.4122 – HOUSATONIC WILD AND SCENIC RIVER ACT OF 2022
A bill to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain segments of the Housatonic River in the State of Connecticut as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes.