HB 5031 - An Act Reducing Costs to Municipalities

• Establishes a "costly state mandate" threshold requiring a two-thirds vote in both houses of the General Assembly to enact mandates imposing costs equal to the lesser of $100,000 or one-half of one percent of a municipality's general operating budget, effective January 1, 2011.

• Permits municipalities to post town reports, public notices, meeting warnings, zoning decisions, tax notices, and election-related publications on municipal websites in lieu of newspaper publication, provided all other legal requirements are met.

• Transfers responsibility for storing and selling evicted persons' possessions from town officials to state marshals, with proceeds going to the State Treasurer instead of town treasuries after 30 days if unclaimed.

• Authorizes state agencies to post required notices on agency websites instead of newspapers, and requires state agencies to accept electronic records and signatures from municipalities.

• Establishes the Connecticut Municipal Employee Retirement Fund C by July 1, 2011, to provide lower-cost retirement benefits to member municipalities, with a report due January 15, 2011.