Merit Institute Merit

The Connecticut Pro-Worker AI Workforce Act (CT-AI-Workforce)

Connecticut state companion to the federal AI Workforce Act. Leverages Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 208 credits, the Office of Higher Education, and CTNext/Connecticut Innovations with labor-protective training credits and public-option R&D matching grants.

THE CONNECTICUT PRO-WORKER AI WORKFORCE ACT (CT-AI-WORKFORCE)

Vehicle: State passage. Connecticut General Assembly, regular session. Primary referral to Joint Committee on Commerce / Labor and Public Employees / Finance, Revenue and Bonding.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Connecticut Pro-Worker AI Workforce Act (CT-AI-Workforce).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that AI adoption is an opportunity to raise wages and worker voice; that Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 208 authorizes tax credits; that the Office of Higher Education operates under Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 185; that Connecticut Innovations operates under Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 581; and that Conn. Gen. Stat. Title 31 protects workers.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH CONNECTICUT LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “AI-adjacent occupation” is aligned to the federal AI Workforce Act.
  2. (b) “Labor-management partnership” means a jointly administered training program.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Connecticut Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 208 (corporation business tax).
  • Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 185 (Office of Higher Education).
  • Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 581 (Connecticut Innovations).
  • Conn. Gen. Stat. Title 31 (labor).

TITLE II — WORKER-MERIT AI TRAINING CREDIT (Labor-Protective Rewire)

Sec. 201. Pro-Worker AI Training Credit

  1. (a) A new credit is added to Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 208 equal to a percentage of qualified training expenditures for Connecticut-resident workers training in AI-adjacent occupations.
  2. (b) Enhanced rate where delivered through a labor-management partnership, registered apprenticeship under Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 31-22m et seq., or community-college through the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities.
  3. (c) Coordinated with federal IRC Sec. 45BB; aggregate cap.
  4. (d) Department of Revenue Services administers.

TITLE III — CONNECTICUT AI APPRENTICESHIPS

Sec. 301. Registered Apprenticeship Priority

  1. (a) The Connecticut Department of Labor shall prioritize registered AI-adjacent apprenticeships under Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 31-22m et seq.

TITLE IV — PUBLIC-OPTION R&D MATCHING GRANTS

Sec. 401. Connecticut Innovations Matching Grants

  1. (a) Connecticut Innovations shall operate a Connecticut AI R&D Matching Grant Program funding open-source, public-interest AI research aligned to federal public-option infrastructure, with priority to labor-management partnerships and MSIs/community-college providers on neutral, competency-based criteria.

TITLE V — WORKER VOICE AND TRANSPARENCY

Sec. 501. Worker Voice

  1. (a) Conn. Gen. Stat. Title 31 protections preserved; credits conditioned on non-interference with protected concerted activity.

Sec. 502. Data Transparency

  1. (a) Published dashboard through the Office of Higher Education and Governor’s Workforce Council, crosswalked to the Federal NLMF.

TITLE VI — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 601. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 602. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect on July 1 of the year following enactment, except that Sec. 201 shall apply to income years beginning on or after January 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: AI Workforce Act. Other Connecticut bills: CT-ACSA, CT-MEWRA, CT-GT&P.