CT HB06547

Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall convene and chair a working group to develop a plan for supporting historic preservation efforts by municipalities, historical societies, and nonprofit entities for buildings and structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places or designated as historically significant.

Plan shall include a method for administering a revolving fund to facilitate acquisition of preservation easements and purchasing or acquiring options to purchase historic properties for resale to qualified buyers committed to preservation, restoration, and adaptive reuse.

Working group shall consist of eight representatives from local historical societies (four appointed by House Speaker covering Litchfield, Hartford, Tolland, and Windham counties; four appointed by Senate President Pro Tempore covering Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London counties), plus representatives from Connecticut Economic Resource Center, State Historic Preservation Office, Preservation Connecticut, and Connecticut League of History Organizations.

First meeting shall be held no later than September 1, 2021, with administrative support provided by the joint standing committee having cognizance of commerce matters.

Working group shall submit a report on findings and recommendations to the commerce committee no later than February 1, 2022, and shall terminate on the date of report submission or February 1, 2022, whichever is later.