Bill
HB 6914
HB 6914 revises the Harbor Management Act to update commissions, harbor plans, permits, and funding, shaping harbor governance and approvals for boaters and coastal communities.
Status snapshot
- Bill No.: HB 6914 (File No. 398)
- Title: An Act Concerning Revisions to the Harbor Management Act
- Introduced: February 10, 2025
- Committee: Referred to the Joint Committee on Environment
- Key procedural actions:
- Public hearing: 02/19/2025
- Joint Favorable Substitute reported: 03/14/2025
- Filed with LCO: 03/17/2025
- Referred to Office of Legislative Research & Office of Fiscal Analysis: 03/25/2025
- Reported out of LCO / Favorably reported & tabled for House calendar: 04/01/2025 (House Calendar No. 259; File No. 398)
What the bill is about (purpose)
- The bill’s stated purpose is to make revisions to the Harbor Management Act. The Harbor Management Act governs local and regional harbor management commissions, harbor area plans, and certain harbor-related activities (e.g., moorings, docks, navigation safety, and shoreline uses). This bill intends to update or clarify statutory provisions that guide harbor management in the state.
Key provisions (high-level)
- The official bill text was not provided with the document you shared. Based on the title and the usual scope of Harbor Management Act amendments, HB 6914 likely addresses one or more of the following types of changes:
- Updates to the duties, composition, appointment process, or powers of municipal or regional harbor management commissions.
- Revisions to requirements for harbor management plans (content, approval, or updates) and intergovernmental coordination (local, state agencies, and federal entities).
- Clarifications on permitting, enforcement, or regulatory authority related to moorings, docks, safe navigation, and waterfront structures.
- Changes to funding mechanisms, cost‑sharing, or grant eligibility for harbor projects and capital improvements.
- Procedural or technical edits to align the statute with current environmental, safety, or land-use laws.
Who would be affected
- Directly affected:
- Municipal and regional harbor management commissions and local governments that operate or oversee harbors.
- Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) or other state agencies engaged in coastal/harbor regulation.
- Indirectly affected:
- Commercial and recreational boaters, marina operators, waterfront property owners, developers, and local businesses relying on harbor access.
- Environmental organizations, fisheries, and coastal community stakeholders.
- Permit applicants and any entities involved in harbor infrastructure projects.
Potential impacts
- Administrative: Changes could alter commission governance, reporting, or coordination duties, affecting local operations.
- Regulatory: Modifications to permit or enforcement authority could speed or slow approvals for moorings, docks, and harbor projects.
- Fiscal: If the bill creates or changes grant programs, cost-sharing, or requires new administrative tasks, it may have budgetary implications to be detailed in the Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA) report.
- Environmental/public-safety: Revisions could strengthen or weaken protections related to navigation safety, water quality, and shoreline management depending on language.
Next steps / where to read more
- The bill was favorably reported and placed on the House calendar (File No. 398). The next legislative steps would be House floor consideration, possible amendment, and subsequent Senate action if passed.
- For the full text, fiscal note, and official analyses, consult:
- Connecticut General Assembly website (bill search by HB 6914 or File No. 398)
- Office of Legislative Research (OLR) report and Office of Fiscal Analysis (OFA) fiscal note prepared after 03/25/2025
If you want, I can:
- Retrieve and summarize the full bill text (if you paste it here or authorize me to fetch it), or
- Provide likely impacts of specific types of statutory changes if you tell me which aspect (e.g., commission membership, mooring regulation, funding) you’re most interested in.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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