2018 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 32 - Commerce and Economic and Community Development
Chapter 578 - Department of Economic and Community Development
Section 32-1o - State economic strategic plan.

(a) On or before July 1, 2015, and every four years thereafter, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, within available appropriations, shall prepare an economic development strategic plan for the state in consultation with the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, the Commissioners of Energy and Environmental Protection and Transportation, the Labor Commissioner, the chairperson of the Culture and Tourism Advisory Committee, the executive directors of the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority and the Connecticut Health and Educational Facilities Authority, and the chief executive officer of Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated, or their respective designees, and any other agencies the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development deems appropriate.

(b) In developing the plan, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall:

(1) Ensure that the plan is consistent with (A) the text and locational guide map of the state plan of conservation and development adopted pursuant to chapter 297, and (B) the state’s consolidated plan for housing and community development prepared pursuant to section 8-37t;

(2) Consult regional councils of governments, regional planning organizations, regional economic development agencies, interested state and local officials, entities involved in economic and community development, stakeholders and business, economic, labor, community and housing organizations;

(3) Consider (A) regional economic, community and housing development plans, and (B) applicable state and local workforce investment strategies;

(4) Assess and evaluate the economic development challenges and opportunities of the state and against the economic development competitiveness of other states and regions; and

(5) Host regional forums to provide for public involvement in the planning process.

(c) The strategic plan required under this section shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) A review and evaluation of the economy of the state, including its strengths;

(2) A review and analysis of factors, issues and forces that impact or impede economic development and responsible growth in Connecticut and its constituent regions;

(3) An analysis of targeted industry sectors in the state that (A) identifies those industry sectors that are of current or future importance to the growth of the state’s economy and to its global competitive position, (B) identifies what those industry sectors need for continued growth, and (C) identifies those industry sectors’ current and potential impediments to growth;

(4) Establishment and articulation of a vision for Connecticut that identifies where the state should be in the future;

(5) Establishment of prioritized, clear and measurable goals and objectives for the state and regions and clear steps and strategies to achieve said goals and objectives, which may include, but shall not be limited to: (A) The promotion of economic development and opportunity, (B) the fostering of effective transportation access and choice including the use of airports and ports for economic development, (C) enhancement and protection of the environment, (D) maximization of the effective development and use of the workforce consistent with applicable state or local workforce investment strategy, (E) promotion of the use of technology in economic development, including access to high-speed telecommunications, and (F) the balance of resources through sound management of physical development;

(6) Establishment of relevant measures that clearly identify and quantify (A) whether a goal and objective is being met at the state, regional, local and private sector level, and (B) cause and effect relationships, and provide a clear and replicable measurement methodology;

(7) Recommendations on how the state can best achieve goals under the strategic plan; and

(8) Any other responsible growth information that the commissioner deems appropriate.

(d) On or before July 1, 2019, and every four years thereafter, the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development shall submit the economic development strategic plan for the state to the Governor for approval. The Governor shall review and approve or disapprove such plan not more than sixty days after submission. The plan shall be effective upon approval by the Governor or sixty days after the date of submission.

(e) Upon approval, the commissioner shall submit the economic development strategic plan to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to commerce, planning and development, appropriations and the budgets of state agencies and finance, revenue and bonding. Not later than thirty days after such submission, the commissioner shall post the plan on the web site of the Department of Economic and Community Development.

(f) The commissioner, from time to time, may revise and update the strategic plan upon approval of the Governor. The commissioner shall post any such revisions on the web site of the Department of Economic and Community Development.

(P.A. 07-239, S. 4; P.A. 09-234, S. 2; P.A. 10-32, S. 107; P.A. 11-48, S. 96; 11-61, S. 28; 11-80, S. 86; 11-124, S. 8; 11-140, S. 23; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1, S. 157; P.A. 13-247, S. 71; P.A. 14-79, S. 3; P.A. 17-219, S. 9.)

History: P.A. 07-239 effective July 11, 2007; P.A. 09-234 amended Subsec. (c) by adding new Subdiv. (11) re review and evaluation of urban jobs program, enterprise zones, railroad depot zones, qualified manufacturing plants, entertainment districts and enterprise corridor zones, and redesignating existing Subdiv. (11) as Subdiv. (12), effective July 1, 2009; P.A. 10-32 made technical changes in Subsecs. (a), (b)(1) and (c)(1), (4) and (9), effective May 10, 2010; P.A. 11-48 amended Subsec. (a) by deleting references to executive director of Commission on Culture and Tourism and president of Office of Workforce Competitiveness and inserting reference to chairperson of Culture and Tourism Advisory Committee, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-61 amended Subsec. (b)(1) to delete former Subpara. (C) re transportation strategy adopted pursuant to Sec. 13b-57g, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-80 amended Subsec. (a) to replace “Commissioner of Environmental Protection” with “Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection”, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 11-124 amended Subsec. (b)(1) by replacing “long-range state housing plan adopted” with “state’s consolidated plan for housing and community development prepared”; P.A. 11-140 amended Subsec. (c) by adding new Subdiv. (12) re development, research and economic assistance matching grant program and redesignating existing Subdiv. (12) as Subdiv. (13), effective July 1, 2011; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1 amended Subsec. (a) to delete “the Connecticut Development Authority”, effective July 1, 2012; P.A. 13-247 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing “2009” with “2015”, changing plan preparation from every 5 years to every 4 years and changing “economic strategic plan” to “economic development strategic plan”, effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 14-79 amended Subsec. (a) by replacing reference to executive director of Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated, with reference to chief executive officer of Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated, effective June 3, 2014; P.A. 17-219 amended Subsec. (c) by deleting provision re analyses to be included in plan and adding “including its strengths” in Subdiv. (1), deleting provision re factors issues or forces in Subdiv. (2), deleting former Subdiv. (3) re identification and analysis of economic clusters and redesignating existing Subdiv. (4) as new Subdiv. (3), deleting former Subdiv. (5) re review and evaluation of economic development structure in the state, redesignating existing Subdiv. (6) as new Subdiv. (4) and amending same by replacing “five, ten, fifteen and twenty years” with “the future”, redesignating existing Subdiv. (7) as new Subdiv. (5) and amending same by adding “prioritized”, replacing “, to meet the short and long-term goals established under this section and provide” with “and” and replacing “including, but not limited to, the following” with “which may include, but shall not be limited to”, deleting former Subdiv. (8) re prioritization of goals and objectives and redesignating existing Subdiv. (9) as new Subdiv. (6), redesignating existing Subdiv. (10) as new Subdiv. (7) and amending same by deleting provision re cost estimates for implementation of plan, deleting former Subdiv. (11) re review and evaluation of urban jobs program and deleting former Subdiv. (12) re assessment of economic assistance matching grant program, redesignating existing Subdiv. (13) as new Subdiv. (8), amended Subsec. (d) by replacing “July 1, 2009, and every five years thereafter” with “July 1, 2019, and every four years thereafter”, and made technical and conforming changes.