📣 Sine Die: Wins, Challenges & What’s Next for Hospitality
Sine Die in Connecticut!
At midnight last Wednesday, the Connecticut General Assembly adjourned Sine Die and the 2026 Legislative Session came to a close — read more below to get the specifics on what did and didn’t pass in this year’s session.
The Connecticut Restaurant & Hospitality Association represented our industry across many pieces of proposed legislation. With the support of our members, we successfully supported legislation to ensure the strength of prosperity of restaurants and hospitality businesses across the state, while also successfully stopping numerous bills that would have harmed our member businesses.
Team CRHA outside the Capitol after this year’s Night at the Capitol event! L-to-R: Chase Prentiss, 24/25 CRHA intern, Sophia Andrade, 25/26 CRHA intern, Liz Barry, Membership & Events Manager, Yvette M. Tavares, VP of Sales & Operations, Katie Gerber, Communications & Engagement Manager, Shannon Murphy, Workforce Development Coordinator, Scott Dolch, President & CEO.
Huge thank you to CRHA Members for your strategic engagement that helped advance key legislation and stop harmful proposals in their tracks — proof of the power of an informed and united industry voice.
Members can stay informed of further details from the 2026 Legislative Session via the member exclusive Advocacy in Action email series, and can register now for the upcoming Session Summary Webinar next Wednesday! (More details below)
For now, here are some highlights:
SB 305: An Act Establishing a Working Group to Study Statewide Marketing & Tourism in the State
PASSED
The CRHA supported this bill that establishes a working group to study statewide marketing and tourism.
The study will include, but not limited to, a review of investment and participation in statewide marketing and tourism for the purpose of positioning the state as a prime destination for travel and encouraging strategic investment in such sectors.
HB 5003: An Act Concerning Workforce Development & Working Conditions in the State
PASSED
Among other things, this bill requires an employer to:
- Disclose a position’s wage range and benefits
- Provide reasonable break times for employers who are nursing
- Create a guide for employees on pay codes for overtime and pay differentials
In a win for the restaurants statewide, this bill also allows restaurants to sell smaller sized lobster legally purchased from out of state waters.
SB 5: An Act Concerning Online Safety
PASSED
This bill regulates AI for businesses across the state.
SB 2: An Act Supporting Local Commerce
DID NOT PASS
This bill would have allocated a portion of the revenue from the 1% meals and beverage tax to statewide tourism marketing and municipalities.
HB 5537: An Act Establishing a Working Group to Study Ways to Fund a Universal Free School Meals Program
DID NOT PASS
This bill would have impose a tax on certain sweetened beverages, syrups and powders, and dedicate the revenue generated to a universal free school meals program.
SB 436: An Act Concerning Advanced Notice of Employee’s Work Schedule by an Employer
DID NOT PASS
This bill would have required employers to provide advanced notice to certain employees of such employee’s work schedule and work schedule changes, and create a cause of action for violations of advanced notice requirements.
HB 5492: An Act Concerning Limitations on the Use on Noncompete Agreements
DID NOT PASS
This bill would have prohibited the use of noncompete agreements and exclusivity agreements unless they meet certain criteria.
HB 5524: An Act Concerning The State’s Materials Management System
DID NOT PASS
Among other things, this bill would have prohibited the use of polystyrene containers, single-use food service items unless requested by a consumer, and the distribution of single-use straws.
HB 5536: An Act Establishing a State Short-Term Rental Registry
DID NOT PASS
This bill would have established a state short-term rental registry, and authorize an optional municipal supplemental tax on short-term rentals, requiring short-term rental return filings to include disaggregated sales tax information.
Register Now: Legislative Session Summary Webinar
2026 Legislative Session Summary Webinar
🗓️ Wednesday, May 20 2026
🕘 9:30AM
👉 Registration Required
💸 Free for CRHA Members
CRHA President & CEO, Scott Dolch, will be joined by CRHA Lobbyist, Nicole Griffin of Powers, Griffin & Hill, and Attorney, Ryan O’Donnell of Pullman & Comley, for this end-of-session summary webinar, covering all you need to know from the 2026 Legislative Session.
Thank You!
Thank you to our CRHA Members for using your voice to help shape legislation, protect our industry, and make a real difference. Your presence drove meaningful change and protected what matters most to our industry.
This included testifying at the Capitol - thank you Aubrey LaMonica and Ben Webster - to speaking at press events - thank you Michelle Nicholson and Bruce Becker - to attending advocacy events such as Night at the Capitol, and press events across the state.
A special thank you to our contract lobbyist Nicole Griffin and her team from Powers, Griffin & Hill for all of their efforts at the Capitol this session and throughout the year.
In addition, thank you to the National Restaurant Association team for supporting us in our advocacy efforts, and for providing resources throughout session and beyond.
Bill Tracker
The Connecticut Restaurant & Hospitality Association actively monitored a wide range of legislation throughout the 2026 legislative session. It's important to note that the introduction of a bill does not guarantee its passage.
The CRHA Bill Tracker gives you a sense of the breadth and variety of legislation we track throughout session, as well as an overview on the status of each bill.
Advocacy in Action Archive
Curious about the Connecticut Restaurant Association’s efforts during the 2026 Legislative Session? Explore our Advocacy in Action archive to see how your voice helped shape policy this year.
We’ll continue to keep you informed with monthly Advocacy in Action bulletins throughout the year — ramping up to weekly updates once the 2027 Legislative Session begins.