An Act Appropriating Funds For Housing To State-recognized Tribes, Requiring Each Tribe To Conduct A Study And Create A Report And Concerning The Care And Management Of Reservation Lands And Tribal Funds.
HB 7110 appropriates $5 million from the General Fund to the Department of Housing to support housing planning for Connecticut’s five state-recognized Native American tribes. The bill directs each tribe to receive $1 million to study current and future housing and community-building needs through 2040, survey reservation and tribal-owned lands for development suitability, and prepare a report and development plan. The required work includes land-use, environmental, infrastructure, affordability, and feasibility analyses, with attention to housing for individuals, families, and elders, as well as community spaces, sustainability, and alternative energy options.
The bill also revises state statutes governing reservation lands, tribal funds, and Indian housing authorities. It shifts care and management of reservation lands and reservation buildings more directly to each tribe’s governing body or housing authority, while retaining advisory roles for the Indian Affairs Council and the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection. It updates the legal framework for tribal housing authorities, preserves their municipal-authority-like powers, and repeals a related statute, section 47-66d. The bill requires the tribes to submit their studies, surveys, and reports to the Commissioner of Housing, the housing committee, and the Governor by July 1, 2027.
The bill would create a new state-funded tribal housing planning program and amend multiple sections of the general statutes governing tribal land and housing administration. It changes who has care and management authority over reservation lands and buildings, clarifies that tribal governing bodies or housing authorities manage reservation buildings, and updates the statutory treatment of tribal funds and Indian housing authorities. It also establishes a direct appropriation to the Department of Housing for distribution to the five state-recognized tribes, with funds tied to contracted studies, surveys, and planning deliverables.
The available voting history suggests the bill was generally well received in committee, passing the Housing Committee on a 16-2 vote for a joint favorable change of reference. No committee transcript is available, but the strong vote indicates broad support for the bill’s housing investment and planning goals. The bill’s structure also suggests an emphasis on collaboration with tribal governments rather than state-imposed development decisions.
The main points of potential contention are likely the scope of state spending, the extent of statutory changes to reservation governance, and the degree of state oversight versus tribal control. Some members may have concerns about appropriating $5 million before specific projects are identified, while others may question whether the bill gives tribes sufficient flexibility or imposes too many study and reporting requirements. The shift in management authority from state officials to tribal governing bodies or housing authorities may also be a point of discussion, especially regarding the role of the Indian Affairs Council and the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection.