(a) For the purposes described in subsection (b) of this section, the State Bond Commission shall have the power, from time to time to authorize the issuance of bonds of the state in one or more series and in principal amounts not exceeding in the aggregate forty-two million dollars, provided ten million dollars of said authorization shall be effective July 1, 2024.

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(b) The proceeds of the sale of said bonds, to the extent of the amount stated in subsection (a) of this section, shall be used by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection for the purpose of establishing a Connecticut bikeway, pedestrian walkway, recreational trail and greenway grant program for grants-in-aid to municipalities, private organizations that are exempt from taxation pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time amended, agencies, districts and other organizations. For the purposes of this section, “bikeway” means any road, street, path or way which is specifically designated for bicycle travel, even if such road, street, path or way is shared with other modes of transportation.

(c) Such grants shall be used for planning, design, land acquisition, construction, construction administration, equipment, trail amenities, trail facilities, parking lots, toilet buildings, signs, benches and publications for bikeways, pedestrian walkways, greenways and multiuse trails, and for development and maintenance of recreational trails and trail-related facilities for both motorized and nonmotorized uses. Eligible projects may include: (1) Bicycle trails that complete sections of the Connecticut portion of the East Coast Greenway, (2) bikeways that connect to the East Coast Greenway, (3) bikeways or other multiuse paths established within the State Recreational Trails Plan, and (4) other locally supported trails and trail systems.

(d) Eligibility criteria for such grants shall include, but not be limited to: (1) A match of twenty per cent, such match may be provided by municipal, federal, other state, nonprofit or private funds, in-kind services, and for applications for trails in more than one municipality or applicant, the match requirement shall be ten per cent, (2) responsibility for maintenance of such bikeways or other trails, (3) public input, and (4) for bikeways, designs that comply with the 1999 American Association of State Highway Transportation Official’s “Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities”. Such grant money may be used to match federal funds being used for the purposes listed in subsection (c) of this section.

(e) The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection may use not more than five per cent of the total allocation for administrative purposes. The Connecticut Greenways Council established under section 23-102 shall advise on the allocation of such funds. The Department of Transportation shall, in accordance with the provisions of title 13a, work with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection in furtherance of such program.

(f) All provisions of section 3-20, or the exercise of any right or power granted thereby, which are not inconsistent with the provisions of this section are hereby adopted and shall apply to all bonds authorized by the State Bond Commission pursuant to this section, and temporary notes in anticipation of the money to be derived from the sale of any such bonds so authorized may be issued in accordance with said section 3-20 and from time to time renewed. Such bonds shall mature at such time or times not exceeding twenty years from their respective dates as may be provided in or pursuant to the resolution or resolutions of the State Bond Commission authorizing such bonds. None of said bonds shall be authorized except upon a finding by the State Bond Commission that there has been filed with it a request for such authorization which is signed by or on behalf of the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management and states such terms and conditions as said commission, in its discretion, may require. Said bonds issued pursuant to this section shall be general obligations of the state and the full faith and credit of the state of Connecticut are pledged for the payment of the principal of and interest on said bonds as the same become due, and accordingly and as part of the contract of the state with the holders of said bonds, appropriation of all amounts necessary for punctual payment of such principal and interest is hereby made, and the State Treasurer shall pay such principal and interest as the same become due.