The State of Connecticut Launches a Connecticut Youth Innovation Platform for the Young People in Connecticut

Summary. The State of Connecticut is invited to launch a cross-cutting Connecticut Youth Innovation Platform (CYIP).  CYIP would equip young people in Connecticut, particularly young people who lack opportunity, to have new kinds of positive life experiences that may also serve the common good.  

What New Kinds of Positive Life Experiences?  CYIP would orient youth to understand the basic concepts of having and presenting new ideas, and coach them on how to offer their own ideas for the common good in a structured way on a platform managed by the State of Connecticut. CYIP would also collaborate, in meaningful ways, with the Connecticut Invention Convention, an “education non-profit deploying K-12 innovation and entrepreneurship programs for 12,000+ young innovators annually.” The Connecticut Invention Convention, Inc. - Home

The Connecticut Legislature has Opened the Door for this Concept Note to be Considered. At my request, State Representative David Rutigliano (R-123) introduced H.B. 06449, an “Act Establishing The New Ideas For Connecticut Platform” to be considered during the 2025 Connecticut legislative session. H.R. 06449 has been assigned to the Commerce Committee. If the General Assembly enacts H.B. 06449, Connecticut will be the first state in the nation to launch a platform that incentivizes state residents to easily propose ideas for the common good: ideas to improve government services and operating efficiencies and to increase revenues and eliminate waste. The Commerce Committee has not yet scheduled a public hearing for H.B. 06449. See the H.B. 06449 legislative summary below.

The platform, as submitted, would have an adult portal and a student portal. Everyone participating will receive a small payment for the first two ideas submitted each year, and significant additional payments if the idea is selected and designed. For implemented ideas, the idea originator will receive a percentage of the State of Connecticut income/cost savings for 10 years.