Connecticut Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations

Compendium of Statutory and Regulatory Mandates on Municipalities in Connecticut

Section 2-79a of the Connecticut General Statutes requires that every four years, beginning in 1998, the Connecticut Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (ACIR) submit a report to the General Assembly listing each state mandate imposed upon municipalities. 

As defined in Sec. 2-32b(2) of the Connecticut General Statutes, "state mandate" means any state initiated constitutional, statutory or executive action that requires a local government to establish, expand or modify its activities in such a way as to necessitate additional expenditures from local revenues, excluding any order issued by a state court and any legislation necessary to comply with a federal mandate.”  Many of the requirements described in this report have a significant impact individually, while others have a significant impact only for particular municipalities or, even if they have only a minimal impact individually, cumulatively have a significant impact on municipalities. 

Compendiums categorize the mandates as to type, provide a brief history of the mandates along with its enactment date, and analyze the cost incurred by local governments in implementing the mandates. In the intervening  three years, the ACIR is required to publish a supplement to the report identifying any changes to statutory mandates enacted during the most recent legislative session, as well as any changes to regulatory mandates made during the year.

This listing of mandates should not be considered to be a "hit list" of bad statutes.  State and local officials concur that some degree of state guidelines and direction is appropriate under our system of government from both legal and practical standpoints.  Legally, the state is the sovereign entity and the municipalities are creatures of the state.  There are many governmental issues that are administered by local governments but for which statewide uniformity is important.  These issues range from standards for elections to property assessment to police training to education administration and beyond.  The appropriateness of particular requirements and their associated costs have been, are now and will continue to be the subject of discussion and debate.

Users should be mindful that this publication is intended only to be a listing of municipal mandates that the ACIR has identified in CT statutes and regulations.  It cannot be relied on as a guide to all statutory and regulatory obligations on municipalities.

Download:

2024 Compendium

 

 

Cost Estimates for Selected Statutory Mandates on Municipalities in Connecticut (1995)

 

For further information please email ACIR@ct.gov

Bruce Wittchen
Phone: 860-418-6323