A public act is "[a] bill passed by both chambers of the legislature that amends the general Statutes."* Public acts are codified as statutes which govern how Connecticut residents, businesses, and some governing bodies behave; they are separate from regulations, which govern the internal procedures of Connecticut state agencies. Until approximately 1945, bills that were passed in the legislature were given chapter numbers instead of act numbers. Currently, a public act is generally abbreviated PA and followed by the last two digits of the year it was passed and then the act number, as shown here: PA 98-120.
A special act is "[a] law that has a limited application or is of limited duration, not incorporated into the Connecticut General Statutes."* A special act might apply to a single organization's charter, the creation of a task force or study, and bond authorizations, among other unique things. There are typically far fewer special acts than public acts. A special act is generally abbreviated SA and followed by the last two digits of the year in which it was passed and then the act number, as shown here: SA 99-4.
*Connecticut General Assembly Glossary