Connecticut: New Bill to Reduce Cost of Transportation, Help HCAs and Consumers

​Last week, the Connecticut General Assembly and Governor approved legislation to reduce transportation costs, which may help home care agencies, caregivers and consumers. 

House Bill (HB) 6001 allocates ARPA funds to the Connecticut Department of Transportation to continue to provide free bus service until April 2023. It also:

• suspends the 25-cent-per-gallon motor vehicle fuels tax on gasoline and gasohol through December 2022;
• reimposes the tax at five cents per gallon beginning Jan. 1, 2023;
• increases the tax by five cents for each of the next three months until the 25-cent rate resumes beginning May 1, 2023;
• and continues to require retail fuel dealers to correspondingly reduce their sale prices based on the tax changes.

 
Both policies were set to expire on Nov. 30, 2022.
 
HB 6001 also increases bonuses for some essential workers to provide more immediate relief to consumers, according to Governor Lamont in a press release. The policies in the bill may also provide relief to many HCAs.
 
Also last week, the Homemaker Companion Task Force discussed a number of recommendations. The Task Force may seek an extension to the January 1, 2023, reporting deadline. Its next meeting is scheduled for Friday, December 16.