AN ACT STUDYING EFFORTS TO INCREASE VOTER PARTICIPATION AND AUTHORIZING MUNICIPAL PILOT PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE SUCH EFFORTS.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Hector Arzeno and 27 co-sponsors

Directs a formal study of ways to boost voter participation and allows municipalities to run pilots to test those turnout‑boosting strategies.

FILE NO. 927

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Overview / Purpose

HB 7242, introduced March 19, 2025, is titled "An Act Studying Efforts to Increase Voter Participation and Authorizing Municipal Pilot Programs to Promote Such Efforts." Its primary purpose is to (1) study strategies to increase voter participation and (2) permit municipalities to run pilot programs that test or implement those strategies. The bill is framed to encourage evidence‑based, localized experiments aimed at boosting turnout and civic engagement.

Key provisions (as indicated by the bill title and legislative record)

Note: The full bill text is not included here; the following summarizes the bill’s intent and the types of provisions typically associated with this title and legislative actions recorded.

Establishes a formal study or review of existing and potential methods to increase voter participation (may direct a legislative committee, Office of Legislative Research, or other entity to carry out the study).

Authorizes municipalities to operate pilot programs designed to increase voter turnout. Such pilots are likely limited in scope (specific towns/cities, defined time period) and may test measures such as outreach, education, registration drives, early voting enhancements, or ballot access changes.

Anticipates requirements for evaluation and reporting — municipalities running pilots would likely submit results or data to the legislature or an assigned agency to inform statewide policy decisions.

May include provisions on eligibility, duration, funding or reimbursement for municipal pilots, and data collection standards. (Specifics to be confirmed in the bill text.)

Who would be affected

Voters: potential access to new or expanded voting services in participating municipalities.

Municipal governments/election officials: authority and operational responsibility to design and run pilot programs; possible additional administrative duties and data reporting.

State agencies and legislative committees: responsible for studying, evaluating, and compiling findings; Office of Fiscal Analysis involvement suggests fiscal impacts will be assessed.

Potentially the state budget if pilots require funding or if municipalities are reimbursed.

Procedural status and timeline

Introduced: March 19, 2025; referred to Joint Committee on Government Administration and Elections.

Public hearing held: March 24, 2025.

Joint Favorable Substitute filed and LCO filing: March 27, 2025.

Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis: April 3–8, 2025.

House favorable report and calendar actions: April–May 2025.

House passed the bill with Amendment Schedule A (House rejected Schedule B); actions on May 13, 2025.

Senate: Favorable report and placed on Senate calendar as File No. 927 (May 15, 2025). Awaiting further Senate action.

Notes and next steps

The summary above is based on the bill title and legislative docket entries. For precise language, legal obligations, funding details, pilot eligibility criteria, and reporting deadlines, consult the bill text (HB 7242 as filed and with adopted amendments) and the Office of Fiscal Analysis/OLR reports.

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