A bill in the senate has aroused concern for the industry. The International Window Film Association (IWFA) sent out an alert to its members concerning Connecticut Senate Bill 586, which was introduced on January 18, 2023. If passed, SB 586 will prohibit the installation of “any transparent material on the front windshield or on the front side windows of any motor vehicle.”

IWFA analysis includes:

“Background: Currently Connecticut law permits window film on front side windows. The visible light transmission (VLT) standard for front side windows in Connecticut is 35 percent. That is, Connecticut law permits the application of window film to restrict light entering a vehicle in order to promote the health and safety of Connecticut drivers and vehicle occupants.

Impact: Dozens of Connecticut small businesses rely on the installation of vehicle window tinting for their income. Connecticut has supported these small businesses by maintaining a reasonable vehicle window tint VLT standard. This measure will hurt Connecticut small businesses, according to the IWFA.

Status: SB 586 has been referred to the Transportation Committee. The bill’s sponsor, Senator Rick Lopes (D) is a member of that committee. As of this writing, there have been no hearings scheduled for the bill.

Sponsor: Senator Lopes represents Connecticut’s sixth senatorial district (Berlin, New Britain and parts of Farmington). There are no other sponsors assigned as of January 23, 2023. Senator Lopes can be reached at:

ricklopes@cga.ct.gov
860 240 0099

Outlook: Senator Lopes, is a vice chair of the Transportation Committee. Senator Lopes needs to hear from consumers and the window tint industry in opposition to his bill.

Action: IWFA will track this bill and keep its Connecticut members informed of any hearings or committee actions.”

Please reach out to the IWFA at info@iwfa.com for additional information and assistance.