CBIA’s 2026 Policy Solutions: Championing Small Businesses

More than nine in 10 Connecticut businesses are small businesses—the backbone of our state’s economy.

They anchor main streets, employ almost half of the state’s private sector workforce, and fuel innovation across our state.

As employers, entrepreneurs, and community partners, those small businesses directly shape our economy and quality of life.

When small businesses succeed, the state’s economy, communities, and families succeed with them.

CBIA’s 2026 policy solutions reflect the collective priorities of Connecticut’s small business community, focused on growth, stability, and innovation—policies that foster opportunity, expand prosperity, and build a more resilient economy.

The solutions are specifically designed to: 

• Restore the pass-through entity tax credit to give direct relief to small businesses 
• Eliminate the sales tax on energy and gas bills to reduce operating costs 
• Expand eligibility for R&D and apprenticeship tax credits to support innovation and workforce development 
• Allow the creation of association health plans to broaden access to high-quality, affordable healthcare 
• Establish a small business concierge at DECD to improve access to state resources 
• Launch a state-funded AI adoption grant program to help businesses integrate technologies 
• Streamline permitting and certification programs to reduce delays and improve regulatory predictability 
• Mandate regular agency reviews of existing regulations to eliminate outdated or ineffective requirements 
• Incentivize comprehensive schools to offer career and technical education to expand workforce pipelines 
• Remove barriers to occupational licensing to help workers enter high demand fields more easily