Overview
- The House approved the housing bill 90-56 after roughly seven hours of largely party-line debate.
- Senators opened debate on the housing package while separately voting 27-8 to create a $500 million emergency fund to backstop federal programs.
- The bill tasks regional councils of government with drafting housing plans and offers incentives for towns that participate, replacing earlier municipal mandates.
- It permits certain commercial properties to be converted to housing as of right without land use board approval, drawing Republican objections over local control and parking rules.
- The special session package also advances changes requiring warrants for courthouse arrests and banning masks in courthouses, and the House cleared a UConn Health borrowing plan of up to $390 million for Waterbury Hospital.