SB 448

General Assembly  Substitute Bill No. 448
  February Session, 2026
 AN ACT AMENDING THE CHARTER OF THE METROPOLITAN
 DISTRICT OF HARTFORD COUNTY.
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
 Assembly convened:
1Section 1. Section 2 of number 562 of the special acts of 1937, as
2    amended by section 14 of public act 93-380, is amended to read as
3    follows (Effective October 1, 2026):
4      Unless otherwise expressly provided by law, each board, bureau,
5   committee and commission of The Metropolitan District shall have full
6   power to organize by the appointment from its own number [or
7   otherwise of] a chairman and vice chairman and such other officers as
8   may be deemed necessary and expedient. [In case such appointment
9   shall not be made from the membership of the respective boards, any
10   officer so appointed shall have no vote in the proceedings of such
11   board.] An employee of the district shall not be a member of the board
12   of commissioners nor any committee or commission established by the
13   board of commissioners or the charter.
14Sec. 2. Section 33 of number 511 of the special acts of 1929, as
15   amended by section 2 of special act 77-54 and section 1 of special act 01-
16   3, is amended to read as follows (Effective October 1, 2026):
17(a) The district [commission] board shall conduct a public hearing on
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18 any proposed ordinance or revision to an ordinance at which parties in
19 interest and citizens shall have an opportunity to be heard. Notice of the
20 time and place of such hearing shall be published in a newspaper having
21 a substantial circulation in [the metropolitan district] The Metropolitan
22 District at least twice at intervals of not less than two days, the first not
23 more than fifteen days nor less than ten days before such hearing, and
24 the last not less than two days before such hearing. The proposed
25 ordinance or revision to an ordinance shall be filed in the office of the
26 town clerk in each municipality that is a member of the district for public
27 inspection at least ten days before such hearing. [The proposed
28 ordinance or revision to an ordinance may be published in full in such
29 newspaper.]
30    (b) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, the
31 district board shall publish each such proposed ordinance or revision to
32 an ordinance in full in a newspaper having substantial circulation in The
33 Metropolitan District.
34    (2) The district board may provide, by ordinance, that summaries of
35 proposed ordinances or revisions to ordinances may be published,
36 except that no proposed ordinance or revision to an ordinance that
37 makes or requires an appropriation shall be summarized. Any such
38 summary shall include the following statement: "This summary is
39 prepared for the benefit of the public, solely for purposes of information,
40 summarization and explanation. This summary does not represent the
41 intent of the legislative body of The Metropolitan District for any
42 purpose." In the event that such a summary is published, the district
43 clerk shall make a copy of such proposed ordinance or revision to an
44 ordinance available for public inspection, and shall, upon request, mail
45 a copy of such proposed ordinance or revision to an ordinance to any
46 person requesting such copy, at no charge to such person.
47    (c) No ordinance passed by the district board shall take effect until
48 ten days from the passage of such ordinance nor until it has been
49 published in full or summarized, as applicable, twice in [one or more
50 daily papers issued within the metropolitan district] a newspaper
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51 having substantial circulation in The Metropolitan District and the clerk
52 of said district shall cause each ordinance passed by the said district
53 board to be published without unnecessary delay, and a certificate of
54 the district clerk upon the record of such ordinance that the same has
55 been so published shall be prima facie evidence thereof in any suit or
56 proceeding, and no ordinance shall be valid if repugnant to the laws of
57 the state.
58    Sec. 3. Section 34 of number 511 of the special acts of 1929, as
59 amended by section 2 of special act 01-3, is amended to read as follows
60 (Effective October 1, 2026):
61   The district board of [the metropolitan district] The Metropolitan
62 District may, from time to time, revise the ordinances of said district
63 combining therein existing ordinances and making such alterations as it
64 may deem necessary.
65    Sec. 4. Number 283 of the special acts of 1949 is amended to read as
66 follows (Effective October 1, 2026):
67    The [city and police court of the city] superior court for the judicial
68 district of Hartford and any town, city, city and police, borough, or
69 police court or trial justice shall have jurisdiction to enforce any
70 ordinance, by-law or regulation of The Metropolitan District and may
71 punish any offender by a fine not exceeding [fifty] two hundred fifty
72 dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding thirty days or by both such
73 fine and imprisonment.
74    Sec. 5. Section 35 of number 511 of the special acts of 1929 is amended
75 to read as follows (Effective October 1, 2026):
76    There shall be an attorney chosen by the district board who shall be
77 counsel to the district and whose duties and compensation shall by fixed
78 by a by-law or ordinance of said district. [He] The district counsel shall
79 be an attorney of at least five years' practice and shall be a resident of
80 the district or a district nonmember municipality. The district counsel of
81 said district shall hold office during the pleasure of the board. The board
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82 may also provide, by ordinance or otherwise, for the appointment by
83 the counsel of such assistance as the board shall [approved] approve.
84    Sec. 6. Subsection (b) of section 39 of number 511 of the special acts of
85 1929, as amended by special act 80-14, special act 90-14, section 1 of
86 special act 08-9 and section 1 of public act 15-114, is amended to read as
87 follows (Effective October 1, 2026):
88    (b) Whenever any work shall be necessary to execute or perfect any
89 public work or improvement, or whenever any supplies for the district
90 shall be needed for any particular purpose and such work or supplies
91 shall involve the expenditure of more than [twenty-five] fifty thousand
92 dollars, except in the case of an emergency to be determined by the
93 district board, a written contract for such work or supplies shall be made
94 under such regulations or ordinances as the district board may establish,
95 which contract shall be based on sealed bids. At least ten calendar days
96 prior to the time designated for opening competitive bids or proposals,
97 the district shall solicit competitive bids or proposals by (1) publishing
98 notice in daily and weekly newspapers servicing the member
99 municipalities provided a description of such legal notice containing a
100 brief summary of the competitive bid or proposal being noticed and a
101 reference to the Internet web site of the newspaper in which such legal
102 notice is placed may be published in lieu of the full legal notice, and (2)
103 posting notice on the Internet web site of the district. Any newspaper
104 that offers publication of such legal notices on an Internet web site shall
105 post the full legal notice in a conspicuous location on such web site and
106 make any such full legal notice available to the public free of charge. The
107 district may send such notice to trade associations or other groups active
108 in the business or service solicited. Each contract awarded by the district
109 shall be awarded to the lowest qualified bidder with bid requirements,
110 except as provided in this subsection.
111    Sec. 7. Section 15 of number 511 of the special acts of 1929 is amended
112 to read as follows (Effective October 1, 2026):
113   Upon the acceptance and approval of such budget and upon the
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114 completion of the grand lists, the district board, acting on the
115 recommendation of the board of finance, may lay a tax upon the towns
116 composing the district in a manner similar to that provided for by
117 section 1224 of the general statutes, revision of 1918. The total amount
118 of such tax shall be at least sufficient to pay the net estimated expenses
119 and current charges of the district for the ensuing year and the same
120 shall be divided among the towns in the proportion provided for which
121 the total revenue received yearly from direct taxation in each town,
122 including that received by all taxing districts therein, and including also
123 that which would have been received from all property exempted from
124 taxation under the provisions of any special act, or by town vote as
125 provided by sections 1161 and 1162 of the general statutes, revision of
126 1918, as averaged for the three fiscal years next preceding is to the total
127 revenue so determined at such time as averaged in all the towns in the
128 district. Each town's average total revenue shall be determined on the
129 basis of the annual audits of financial statements required pursuant to
130 chapter 111 of the general statutes for the three fiscal years next
131 preceding, including any revenue that would have otherwise been
132 received in any such fiscal year from any property exempted from
133 taxation under the provisions of any special act or by town vote as
134 provided by sections 1161 and 1162 of the general statutes, revision of
135 1918. If any town fails to file a statement of such town's accounts and
136 finances pursuant to such chapter in any of such three fiscal years, and
137 such town's average total revenue for the three fiscal years next
138 preceding and proportional share of such tax cannot be accurately
139 calculated, the tax laid upon such town shall be determined on the basis
140 of the most recent audit submitted by such town, to which an amount
141 equal to ten per cent of such revenue shall be added for each applicable
142 fiscal year for which such town failed to file such statement, which
143 amount shall be compounded from year to year. Such tax shall be
144 payable at such time as the district board may prescribe and the
145 chairman shall draw and sign an order upon each town for its tax so
146 imposed in favor of the district treasurer, notice of which shall forthwith
147 be given by the district clerk to each town or city clerk and if any town
148 shall neglect to pay its tax by the time prescribed, said treasurer shall
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149 report such neglect to the clerk of the superior court for the judicial
150 district of Hartford, [county,] who shall record it and issue an execution
151 against the goods and estate of the inhabitants of such town in the name
152 of the district treasurer, returnable in sixty days, directed to [the sheriff
153 of said county or his deputy] a state marshal, for the amount of the tax
154 remaining unpaid to be proceeded with as executions in civil actions.
155 The towns and cities composing said metropolitan district are
156 empowered in any such case to include in the tax collections for the
157 current year an amount sufficient to pay such district tax.
158    Sec. 8. Section 50 of number 511 of the special acts of 1929, as
159 amended by section 4 of special act 77-54, is amended to read as follows
160 (Effective October 1, 2026):
161    The water bureau of [the metropolitan district] The Metropolitan
162 District is empowered to make such by-laws or regulations for the
163 preservation, protection and management of the waterworks of said
164 district as may be deemed advisable and enforce the same by suitable
165 penalties; and, when such by-laws or regulations have been approved
166 by the district board and shall have been published ten days at least in
167 a daily newspaper issued within said district, they shall be of binding
168 validity, and said bureau may bring, in the name of The Metropolitan
169 District, actions of debt on such by-laws before the [court of common
170 pleas for Hartford county] superior court for the judicial district of
171 Hartford to recover any penalty for the breach of the same. The police
172 court of the city of Hartford or any town court within said district shall
173 also have jurisdiction over any breach of such by-laws or regulations
174 and may punish the offender by a fine not exceeding [thirty] two
175 hundred fifty dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding thirty days or
176 by both fine and imprisonment. The water bureau shall have power to
177 establish rates for the use of water, subject to the approval of the district
178 board, and whenever any water rent shall remain unpaid after the time
179 prescribed and limited for payment by the rules and regulations of said
180 bureau, said bureau may charge and receive additional percentage for
181 collecting the same, provided the conditions of such percentage be
182 published as aforesaid in the rules of said bureau.
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183    Sec. 9. Number 282 of the special acts of 1949, as amended by special
184 act 80-25, is amended to read as follows (Effective October 1, 2026):
185    The Metropolitan District may make rules, bylaws and ordinances
186 with respect to connections with, the use of and discharge of substances
187 into drains, sewers and their appurtenances which belong to or are
188 under the jurisdiction or control of said district. The Metropolitan
189 District may enter into agreements with property owners, which may
190 be in the nature of a lien to be filed in the land records of the town in
191 which the property is located, to secure payment of sanitary sewer
192 connection charges which may be deferred for a period of up to [fifteen]
193 twenty years, with interest thereon at such rate as the district board of
194 said district shall, by ordinance, prescribe. Such lien shall be a lien upon
195 the land that is benefitted by such sanitary sewer connection and shall
196 attach to such land upon recordation of such agreement, signed by said
197 property owner and the clerk of said district, describing the premises
198 and the nature and amount of such connection charge, in the land
199 records of the town in which the property is located.
200    Sec. 10. Section 60 of number 511 of the special acts of 1929, as
201 amended by section 2 of number 312 of the special acts of 1945 and
202 section 5 of special act 77-54, is amended to read as follows (Effective
203 October 1, 2026):
204    Upon the final layout or completion of the construction of any public
205 work or improvement, the bureau of public works shall give notice
206 thereof and that such benefits are due and payable, by publication twice
207 in a daily newspaper published in said metropolitan district, and all
208 benefits assessed therefor shall be immediately due and payable. If the
209 actual cost of the construction of any public work or improvement shall
210 be less than the sum estimated by the bureau of public works and
211 assessed upon the parties benefitted, each of the parties so assessed shall
212 be entitled to a proportionate deduction from his assessments. Such
213 benefits shall be a lien upon the land on account of which they were
214 assessed, which liens shall commence and attach to such land from the
215 time of passage by the district board of the vote laying out or ordering
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216 the construction of such work or improvement; provided, within [thirty]
217 ninety days from such passage, a caveat or certificate briefly describing
218 the public work or improvement for which the benefits were assessed
219 and the property upon which such assessment is a lien, together with
220 the names of the owners thereof and the amount of benefits assessed
221 against it, shall have been delivered for record to the town clerk of the
222 town in which the property subject to said lien is located, and further
223 provided the same shall not remain in a lien thereon for a longer period
224 than three months from the date of the last publication of the notice of
225 the final layout or completion of such work or improvement and the
226 benefits assessed therefor shall be due and payable, unless the bureau
227 of public works shall, within that time, deliver for record to the town
228 clerk of the town wherein such property is located a certificate signed
229 by the clerk of said bureau describing said premises, the amount
230 assessed and the public work or improvement for which it was assessed.
  This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
  sections:
  Section 1    October 1, 2026  Number 562 of the
  special acts of 1937, Sec.
2
  Sec. 2       October 1, 2026  Number 511 of the
  special acts of 1929, Sec.
33
  Sec. 3       October 1, 2026  Number 511 of the
  special acts of 1929, Sec.
34
  Sec. 4       October 1, 2026  Number 283 of the
  special acts of 1949
  Sec. 5       October 1, 2026  Number 511 of the
  special acts of 1929, Sec.
35
  Sec. 6       October 1, 2026  Number 511 of the
  special acts of 1929, Sec.
  39(b)
  Sec. 7       October 1, 2026  Number 511 of the
  special acts of 1929, Sec.
15
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Sec. 8       October 1, 2026       Number 511 of the
  special acts of 1929, Sec.
50
Sec. 9       October 1, 2026       Number 282 of the
  special acts of 1949
Sec. 10      October 1, 2026       Number 511 of the
  special acts of 1929, Sec.
60
PD        Joint Favorable Subst.
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