Merit Institute Merit

The Connecticut Government Transparency & Performance Act (CT-GT&P)

Connecticut state companion to GT&P. Strengthens the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act, inspector-general independence, and extends state-law whistleblower rewards under the Connecticut False Claims Act (Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 4-274 et seq.).

THE CONNECTICUT GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY & PERFORMANCE ACT (CT-GT&P)

Vehicle: State passage. Connecticut General Assembly, regular session. Primary referral to Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections / Judiciary.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Connecticut Government Transparency & Performance Act (CT-GT&P).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act operates under Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 14; that the Auditors of Public Accounts operate under Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 2-90 et seq.; and that the Connecticut False Claims Act, Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 4-274 et seq. (as expanded beyond Medicaid by P.A. 23-129), authorizes qui tam relators. This Act extends these frameworks consistent with collective bargaining and merit-system protections.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH CONNECTICUT LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Connecticut FOIA” means Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 14.
  2. (b) “CTFCA” means the Connecticut False Claims Act, Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 4-274 et seq.
  3. (c) “State performance data” means outcome measures published by State agencies.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Connecticut Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapter 14 (FOIA).
  • Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 4-274 et seq. (CTFCA).
  • Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 4-61dd (whistleblower).
  • Collective bargaining rights under Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapters 67, 68.

TITLE II — STATE PERFORMANCE DASHBOARD

Sec. 201. Dashboard

  1. (a) The Office of Policy and Management shall publish a Connecticut Performance Dashboard in machine-readable form, updated at least quarterly, crosswalked to Federal FPD.

TITLE III — OPEN RECORDS

Sec. 301. FOIA Strengthening

  1. (a) Reduce response time to 4 business days for acknowledgment and 20 business days for production absent extraordinary circumstances.
  2. (b) Mandatory fee waivers for public-interest requesters under Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 1-212.
  3. (c) Freedom of Information Commission expanded authority consistent with Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 1-205 et seq.

TITLE IV — INSPECTOR-GENERAL INDEPENDENCE

Sec. 401. Inspector-General Protections

  1. (a) Removal for cause only; findings reported to Presiding Officers.
  2. (b) Budgetary and staffing independence for agency inspectors general and the Inspector General under Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 51-277e.

TITLE V — WHISTLEBLOWER AND QUI TAM

Sec. 501. CTFCA Strengthening

  1. (a) Amendments to Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 4-274 et seq. to (i) confirm relator share ranges, (ii) strengthen retaliation remedies under Conn. Gen. Stat. Sec. 4-61dd, (iii) clarify public-disclosure bar.
  2. (b) Full collective-bargaining protections preserved under Conn. Gen. Stat. Chapters 67, 68.

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 October 1 of the year following enactment.

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