Advocacy in Action | April 23, 2026
2026 Legislative Tracker
The Connecticut Restaurant & Hospitality Association actively monitors a wide range of legislation throughout each 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. This tracker will get updated regularly with the latest information coming out of session.
Join us at Night at the Capitol next Wednesday! This event brings restaurants, hotels, and hospitality leaders from across the state will be together under one roof, reflecting the power of our industry and what it means to Connecticut.
Night at the Capitol
🗓️ April 29, 2026
đź•“ 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
đź“Ť State Capitol, North Lobby
We’re asking you to attend Night at the Capitol to represent our industry talent and power in numbers. Your presence sends a clear message in the final days of session: our industry matters.
| RSVP Here | View Participating Restaurants |
Last chance to table - last spaces remaining!
Showcase your business at the event! Member restaurants, hotels, and foodservice businesses are invited to host a table. Restaurants may feature signature food and drink tastings, while hotels can highlight their property and hospitality experiences.
SB 2 is an act that takes the 1% meals and beverage tax Connecticut already collects — over $100 million a year — and returns half to the towns that generated it, while dedicating the other half to marketing Connecticut as a destination worth visiting.
Senate Bill 2 fixes the meals tax. It does not raise taxes on consumers or businesses. It simply changes where the money already being collected goes, and helps protect Main Streets across all 169 towns in CT.
Since 2019, when the meals tax was raised from 6.35% to 7.35%, ALL additional revenue from that 1% surcharge has gone directly to the State General Fund. Towns get nothing. Tourism gets nothing. The industry gets nothing. Over $100 million is generated annually, and $0 has been reinvested into local communities, and just $4.5 million has been invested in statewide tourism marketing.
SB 2 redirects 50% of the 1% meals and beverage tax revenue back to the municipality where it was collected, and dedicates the remaining 50% to the tourism fund, which includes marketing the state as a vibrant place to live, work, and visit.
TAKE ACTION: Take 2 minutes to email your representatives to VOTE YES on SB2 here.
Overhaul of CT's Cannabis Regulations Passed the House
A bill to overhaul Connecticut’s cannabis regulations passed the House after a contentious debate over whether it responsibly modernizes the market or weakens important safeguards.
Supporters argue the legislation updates outdated rules, removes barriers for businesses, and helps Connecticut compete with neighboring states like New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
The bill would raise or eliminate THC limits on certain products, expand offerings to include items like infused beverages, topicals, and capsules, and allow out-of-state medical patients to purchase cannabis.
Proponents say these changes will strengthen the legal market, create jobs, generate revenue, and draw consumers away from unregulated and potentially unsafe products. This bill now moves to the Senate.
Related News: Trump Administration loosens restrictions on medical marijuana. The rule moves F.D.A approved marijuana and slate-regulated marijuana out of the Schedule 1 category, which includes drugs like heroin. Read more.
Final Regulations: No Tax on Tips Provision
The US Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service has issued final regulations on the “No Tax on Tips” provision.
The One, Big, Beautiful Bill final regulations provide the list of occupations that receive tips (including beverage & food service, entertainment & events, and hospitality & guest services), and define “qualified tips” that eligible taxpayers may claim as a deduction.
90 Second Update: Reducing Swipe Fees
We’re seeing meaningful progress on one of the National Restaurant Association’s top policy priorities this year: reducing swipe fees for restaurant operators.
Lawmakers in fifteen states across the country are advancing legislation that would prohibit interchange fees from being charged on sales taxes and tips. National Restaurant Association’s Executive VP of Public Affairs, Sean Kennedy, provides his latest 90-Second Update breaking down what’s been happening, why it matters, and how restaurant owners can benefit.
Last week, without warning, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), submitted an interim final rule (IFR) that would block the Illinois’ law limiting swipe fees on tips and taxes. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is now reviewing “Order Preempting the Illinois Interchange Fee Prohibition Act.”
If finalized, the rule would invalidate a state law that was passed in 2024 and successfully upheld in federal court, raising significant concerns about federal overreach and process.
OMB has up to 60 days to review the IFR, with the option to extend its review by an additional 30 days.
The National Restaurant Association strongly opposes any federal effort to preempt the Illinois interchange law and is actively engaging with the White House, Congress, and allied organizations to push back. More updates will be shared as the process unfolds.
NFL Sunday Ticket Moves to Streaming-Only for Bars & Restaurants
NFL Sunday Ticket is officially transitioning from satellite to streaming, raising prices. for bars and restaurants to broadcast games.
EverPass Media says it will become the exclusive commercial provider of NFL Sunday Ticket, ending the three-year arrangement that also allowed DirecTV to distribute the package. Restaurants should be aware that DIRECTV’s licensing may expire before the upcoming season. Pricing will continue to vary based on venue size.
Switching to a streaming-based model may require new hardware for every TV and significant broadband upgrades.
Just last week, DOJ announced an investigation into the NFL for the way they stream games. The NFL, and other professional sports leagues, enjoy unique anti-trust immunity not afforded to other businesses. This immunity is now leading to increasing costs for businesses who rely on sporting events to draw customers.
The National Restaurant Association is in partnership with all state restaurant associations across the US to reach out to Congress to act.
In a related effort, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin has introduced the For the Fans Act, a bill designed to simplify access to home state team's televised games. For restaurant owners, this could mean significantly lower overhead and fewer technical headaches when trying to air local games.
What could this bill mean for your business?
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The bill prohibits league-owned services (like MLB.TV or NBA League Pass) from blacking out local games. If you pay for the service, you’ll actually be able to show the home team.
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Leagues would be required to provide a single, free viewing option for all in-state professional games. This could be via local over-the-air TV or a free, ad-supported streaming service.
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By ending exclusive paywalls (like games only available on Amazon Prime or Netflix), the bill aims to consolidate where you find the game, potentially saving businesses thousands in annual subscription fees.
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The act applies to the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS.
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If passed, this legislation would eliminate the need for a dozen different logins and "exclusive" subscriptions, allowing you to broadcast local sports through a more affordable and streamlined system.
The legislation is intended to impact professional sports leagues (NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, WNBA, MLS, NWSL) nationwide, aimed at reducing viewer costs, eliminating regional blackouts, and ensuring free local access to games across the US.
Action May Be Required: US Customs Opens IEEPA Tariff Refund Portal
Recently the U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed that it will begin accepting IEEPA tariff refunds. The portal is now OPEN.
If your business paid these tariffs, you may now be eligible to get that money back.
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Step 1: Make sure you’re set up to file
To submit a refund claim, you must:- Be the importer of record (or a designated filer)
- Have an account on the ACE portal
- Have ACH (electronic payment) set up to receive refunds
- Get started here.
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Step 2: Check if you’re eligible in Phase 1
The first phase includes:- Entries that are unliquidated, or entries within 80 days of liquidation. (For most businesses, this likely includes imports from roughly the past 314 days.)
- You can check your entry status directly in the ACE portal
- Step 3: Submit your refund request
CBP has launched a new system inside ACE (called CAPE) to process refunds. To file:
- Download the upload template spreadsheet
- Enter your 11-digit entry numbers (this is the only required field)
- Upload the file and certify your claim
- Step-by-step instructions are available here
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Step 4: Track your claim
Once submitted, you’ll be able to track:- Claim status and CBP review outcome
- Approved refunds are expected within 60–90 days and will be issued via ACH
Comments Requested: Fee Practices Used by Online Food Delivery Platforms
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has launched an information request seeking data and public comment on fee practices used by online food delivery platforms, including third‑party delivery apps.
This could be the first step toward a new federal rule aimed at addressing what the FTC describes as potentially “hidden or misleading” fees charged to consumers on delivery platforms.
This action does not target restaurant‑set fees like credit card surcharges or service charges. Those practices were expressly protected after the National Restaurant Association successfully pushed back an FTC proposal in 2024.
Comments are due May 18.