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HB 5351

AN ACT ESTABLISHING A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY THE COST TO THE STATE TO PROVIDE SERVICES BENEFITING UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Tim Ackert and 11 co-sponsors

Connecticut creates a working group to study and measure state spending on services used by undocumented immigrants, providing fiscal data for future policymaking.

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Appropriations
#aliens #studies
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Bill Summary · HB 5351

Legislative bill overview

HB 5351 establishes a working group tasked with studying and quantifying the costs that Connecticut state government incurs when providing services to undocumented immigrants. The bill does not itself appropriate funds or create new policies, but rather creates an investigative body to gather fiscal data on existing state spending in this area.

Why is this important

Understanding the actual fiscal impact of state services used by undocumented immigrants is relevant to budget planning and informed policymaking. The data generated could inform future legislative decisions about resource allocation, service eligibility, and state-level immigration policy regardless of which direction that policy takes.

Potential points of contention

  • Framing and intent: Opponents may view the study as preliminary to restricting services, while supporters may argue it's simply about fiscal transparency and data-driven governance
  • Definitional challenges: Determining which services qualify as "benefiting" undocumented immigrants versus incidental use is complex (e.g., public safety, emergency services, education)
  • Political messaging: The bill's sponsorship by conservative legislators and its focus on costs may be perceived as targeting a vulnerable population, even though the measure itself is purely investigative

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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