Bill > SB01564

This bill amends a previous special act that originally conveyed approximately 34.44 acres of land in Newtown to the Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation, Inc. for use as an animal sanctuary or wildlife preserve. The bill modifies the original restrictions on the land by allowing the foundation to use the parcel as collateral for a loan to finance the construction of an educational barn, main facility, and veterinary intake facility. Previously, the land would have reverted to the state if the foundation leased any portion of the property or did not use it for nature preservation purposes. Now, the foundation can commit all or part of the parcel as loan security and potentially be subject to foreclosure, with a requirement that any foreclosing entity must first offer the land to the state and then to the town of Newtown before selling to a third party. The bill retains the state's reserved 50-foot wide easement along the parcel's northerly line for agricultural access and preserves the State Properties Review Board's role in approving the land conveyance. The amendment aims to provide financial flexibility for the Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation while maintaining protections for the land's intended use.

Government Affairs

Government Oversight Committee (J)

https://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=SB01564&which_year=2025