Constitution of Connecticut (2025 publisher edition) — Article TENTH

Publisher edition notice: The publisher identifies this compilation as revised to January 1, 2025. It preserves the annotated original 1965 text and all ratified amendments, alongside the Revisors' unofficial convenience version incorporating extant amendments. The latter does not supersede the original Constitution and amendments; later changes have not been independently verified.

Article TENTH Revisors’ compilation incorporating extant amendments; publisher convenience version.

ARTICLE TENTH.
OF HOME RULE.
(Delegation of legislative authority to political subdivisions. Terms of town, city
and borough elective officers. Special legislation.)
Sec. 1. The general assembly shall by general law delegate such legislative author-
ity as from time to time it deems appropriate to towns, cities and boroughs relative
to the powers, organization, and form of government of such political subdivisions.
The general assembly shall from time to time by general law determine the maximum
terms of office of the various town, city and borough elective offices. After July 1,
1969, the general assembly shall enact no special legislation relative to the powers,
organization, terms of elective offices or form of government of any single town, city
or borough, except as to (a) borrowing power, (b) validating acts, and (c) formation,
consolidation or dissolution of any town, city or borough, unless in the delegation of
legislative authority by general law the general assembly shall have failed to prescribe
the powers necessary to effect the purpose of such special legislation.
(Regional governments and compacts.)
Sec. 2. The general assembly may prescribe the methods by which towns, cities and
boroughs may establish regional governments and the methods by which towns, cities,
boroughs and regional governments may enter into compacts. The general assembly
shall prescribe the powers, organization, form, and method of dissolution of any gov-
ernment so established.

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Art. XI CODIFIED CONSTITUTION 269
OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT
INCORPORATING ALL EXTANT AMENDMENTS

Article TENTH Original 1965 text and publisher annotations; retained historical context.

ARTICLE TENTH.
OF HOME RULE.
(Delegation of legislative authority to political subdivisions. Terms of town, city
and borough elective officers. Special legislation.)
Sec. 1.1 The general assembly shall by general law delegate such legislative author-
ity as from time to time it deems appropriate to towns, cities and boroughs relative
to the powers, organization, and form of government of such political subdivisions.
The general assembly shall from time to time by general law determine the maximum
terms of office of the various town, city and borough elective offices. After July 1,
1969, the general assembly shall enact no special legislation relative to the powers,
organization, terms of elective offices or form of government of any single town, city
or borough, except as to (a) borrowing power, (b) validating acts, and (c) formation,
consolidation or dissolution of any town, city or borough, unless in the delegation of

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Art. XI CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT 183
legislative authority by general law the general assembly shall have failed to prescribe
the powers necessary to effect the purpose of such special legislation.2
1 Under former constitutional provision: Whether a town can lawfully elect a single selectman, quaere. 32 C. 109.
Not applicable to assessors. 52 C. 216. Nor to members of school committee. 59 C. 60. Origin of provision for annual
election of selectmen. 75 C. 462. Meaning of “officers of local police”. Id., 347. Nature of office of selectman; 71 C. 724;
as agents of town and agents of the law. 64 C. 100; 85 C. 498; 88 C. 306. Article authorizes delegation of responsibility
for raising large part of funds for education to towns. 172 C. 615 (Diss. Op.). Legislature has the authority to grant sub-
poena power to municipalities. 180 C. 243. Cited. 182 C. 93; 185 C. 88; 192 C. 399. Does not follow from constitutional
commitment to home rule that the legislature is precluded from addressing problems of state-wide concern whenever
the remedy affects a single locality. 193 C. 506. Cited. 196 C. 623. Home rule cited. Id. Cited. 197 C. 554; 205 C. 495.
Deprivation of fundamental state constitutional rights cited. Id. Sec. 22a-458 in this instance prevails over town charter
and does not violate this constitutional provision. 216 C. 436. Home rule provision of Connecticut Constitution cited.
Id. Cited. 234 C. 217.
Cited. 10 CA 80; 16 CA 213; 29 CA 207.
Cited. 43 CS 470.
2 Cited. 195 C. 524; 216 C. 112.
(Regional governments and compacts.)
Sec. 2. The general assembly may prescribe the methods by which towns, cities and
boroughs may establish regional governments and the methods by which towns, cities,
boroughs and regional governments may enter into compacts. The general assembly
shall prescribe the powers, organization, form, and method of dissolution of any gov-
ernment so established.