Bill Text: CT HJ00099 | 2017 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Resolution Proposing An Amendment To The State Constitution To Protect The Funding Of Programs Through The Community Investment Account.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-04-10 - Tabled for the Calendar, House [HJ00099 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2017-HJ00099-Introduced.html

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General Assembly		House Joint Resolution No. 99
January Session, 2017		LCO No. 4368
		*_____HJ00099GAE___040717____*
Referred to Committee on ENVIRONMENT
Introduced by:
(ENV)

RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE STATE CONSTITUTION TO PROTECT THE FUNDING OF PROGRAMS THROUGH THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT ACCOUNT.

Resolved by this Assembly:

Section 1. That the following be proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the State, which, when approved and adopted in the manner provided by the Constitution, shall, to all intents and purposes, become a part thereof:

Article third of the Constitution is amended by adding section 19 as follows:

(NEW) Sec. 19. There is established, within the General Fund, a separate, nonlapsing account to be known as the "community investment account". The account shall contain any moneys required by law to be deposited in the account. The funds in the account shall be distributed every three months as follows: (1) Ten dollars of each fee credited to said account shall be deposited into the agriculture sustainability account established pursuant to section 4-66cc of the general statutes and, then, of the remaining funds; (2) twenty-five per cent to the Department of Economic and Community Development to use as follows: (A) Three hundred eighty thousand dollars, annually, to supplement the technical assistance and preservation activities of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, established pursuant to special act 75-93, and (B) the remainder to supplement historic preservation activities as provided in sections 10-409 to 10-415, inclusive, of the general statutes; (3) twenty-five per cent to the Department of Housing to supplement new or existing affordable housing programs; (4) twenty-five per cent to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for municipal open space grants; and (5) twenty-five per cent to the Department of Agriculture to use as follows: (A) Five hundred thousand dollars annually for the agricultural viability grant program established pursuant to section 22-26j of the general statutes; (B) five hundred thousand dollars annually for the farm transition program established pursuant to section 22-26k of the general statutes; (C) one hundred thousand dollars annually to encourage the sale of Connecticut-grown food to schools, restaurants, retailers and other institutions and businesses in the state; (D) seventy-five thousand dollars annually for the Connecticut farm link program established pursuant to section 22-26l of the general statutes; (E) forty-seven thousand five hundred dollars annually for the Seafood Advisory Council established pursuant to section 22-455 of the general statutes; (F) forty-seven thousand five hundred dollars annually for the Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council established pursuant to section 22-26c of the general statutes; (G) twenty-five thousand dollars annually to the Connecticut Food Policy Council established pursuant to section 22-456 of the general statutes; and (H) the remainder for farmland preservation programs pursuant to chapter 422 of the general statutes. Each agency receiving funds under this provision may use not more than ten per cent of such funds for administration of the programs for which the funds were provided.

RESOLVED: That the foregoing proposed amendment to the Constitution be continued to the next session of the General Assembly elected at the general election to be held on November 6, 2018, and published with the laws passed at the present session, or be presented to the electors at the general election to be held on November 6, 2018, whichever the case may be, according to article sixth of the amendments to the Constitution. The designation of said proposed amendment to be used on the ballots at such election shall be "Shall the Constitution of the State be amended to: establish a Community Investment Account to provide funding for agricultural, environmental, affordable housing and historical preservation programs?"

ENV	Joint Favorable
GAE	Joint Favorable