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2025 Legislative Session
Show up for arts, culture, and creativity in 2025!
2025 is an important session for Connecticut. The biennial budget is being decided for FY 2026 and 2027, and the fiscal guardrails in place make this a tough legislative session. Combined with the federal uncertainty of funding, it is more important than ever to voice your support for the creative economy that makes this state a vibrant place to live and work.
Action Items
SB 1551, AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT'S SPENDING ON ARTS AND HUMANITIES ACTIVITIES
There are several bills proposed this session that will take 1% of the Meals Tax and use the proceeds to fund Arts, Culture and Tourism funding at an increased level. CT Arts Alliance, CT Humanities, CT Tourism Coalition, and CT Retail Association are all advocating for this. SB 1551 is the Appropriations Committee Bill supporting this.
Our joint proposal would allow us to increase investment in the arts, culture and tourism sectors meeting our goal of at least $5 million for the arts, $5 million for culture, and $12 million for tourism marketing. It is also our hope to restore line-item funding through this proposal as well.
We are asking for written testimony in support of this bill.
We need you to show the profound and meaningful impact that arts, culture, and tourism funding has had on your organization and, importantly, to your visitors and your community. In particular, we would appreciate your focusing on the economic reverberations of funding – how it impacts not only your organization, but also your community, restaurants, and businesses. We also need you to show how more reliable funding through a percentage of the existing meals tax would help your community’s economic vitality. CT Humanities has a great AEP6 Connecticut calculator that can help you in determining your organization’s economic impact.
In addition to economic impact, we're calling on our partners to help us demonstrate how the cultural sector contributes to Connecticut’s success in the following ways, if you received CT Office of the Arts or CT Humanities funding how has it helped you contribute in one or more of the following ways?
- Workforce Development: Investment in our sector helps retain jobs and hire new staff members, keeping CT residents employed and bringing in talent from other states;
- Economic Development: Investment in our sector brings dollars into cultural organizations, restaurants, hotels, and other businesses (See CT Humanities' AEP 6 Calculator)
- Educational Attainment: How do you or your program support schools and teachers by providing classroom materials, field trips, and educational opportunities/digital resources;
- Out of State Investment: How has funding from Office of the Arts or CT Humanities increased your ability to leverage federal and private funds to advance your mission;
- Cultural Vibrancy: Cultural organizations make your town a place that people want to live in and visit, tell your story about how you impact your community!
- Engagement: How do you foster a sense of community and keep residents more informed and engaged, fostering empathy and building relationships?
We’ve linked to a sample testimony below if you need!
Both CAA and CT Humanities also have many resources that can help you compose your testimony!
Public Hearing Date: Thursday, April 3, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Written Testimony Due: Wednesday, April 2, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Use the On-line Testimony Submission Form to upload your Word or PDF document (or copy and paste text into the text box.)
Choose April 3, 2025 11:00 AM for the Hearing Date and Time and select SB 1551 AAC THE DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT'S SPENDING ON ARTS AND HUMANITIES ACTIVITIES as the Bill. Select that you are submitting testimony Supporting the bill.
Written testimony can be submitted anonymously, using "Anonymous" as both the first and last name.
2025 Session Bills Tracked
HB 7176 AAC SALES AND USE TAXES RELATED TO CERTAIN VEHICLES AND AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY JOINT VENTURES, THE DEDICATION OF A PORTION OF THE MEALS TAX REVENUE AND THE DUES TAX THRESHOLD
There are several bills proposed this session that will take 1% of the Meals Tax and use the proceeds to fund Arts, Culture and Tourism funding at an increased level. CT Arts Alliance, CT Humanities, CT Tourism Coalition, and CT Retail Association are all advocating for this. HB 7176 is the Finance Committee Bill supporting this.
Public Hearing Date: Friday, March 14, 2025 at 11:00 AM
SB 1456 AN ACT DEDICATING A PORTION OF THE MEALS TAX REVENUE TO ARTS, CULTURE, AND TOURISM
There are several bills proposed this session that will take 1% of the Meals Tax and use the proceeds to fund Arts, Culture and Tourism funding at an increased level. CT Arts Alliance, CT Humanities, CT Tourism Coalition, and CT Retail Association are all advocating for this. SB 1456 is the Commerce Bill supporting this.
Our joint proposal would break down 1% of the Meals Tax in this way:
- 50% to the municipalities where the tax occurred
- 30% to Arts, Culture, and Tourism Funding with the breakdown being at least:
- $5 million for Arts funding
- $5 million for Cultural funding
- $12 million for Tourism Marketing
- 20% to Workforce Development
H.B. 6864: An Act Adjusting the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2027
The governor's proposed budget eliminates funding to 9 orgs in the "Various Grants" line item in the Tourism fund, and reduces funding to 30 earmarked organizations by 17.5% for a total reduction in arts and culture funding of $2,043,552. We oppose any reduction in arts and culture funding and are seeking increased funding to this sector as proposed below.
Public Hearing Date: Wednesday, February 26, 2025 - 4:30 PM
- There was 9 hours of testimony, over 40% of the testimony was from Arts, Culture and Tourism groups!
Link to CAA's Submitted Testimony
H.B. 6881: An Act Concerning Arts, Culture, and Tourism
This bill requires DECD to study arts, culture and tourism in our state. CAA testified and gave general comments on the bill offering our support in getting the committee the data and infromation they were looking for.