Hartford — Members of the state's Veterans' Affairs Committee on Wednesday were making an eleventh hour push to get a number of their initiatives passed after little movement was made on veteran-related bills this legislative session.

The 2016 legislative session ends at midnight Wednesday.

No bills relating to veterans have yet been signed by the governor, but legislation will continued to be signed in the ensuing weeks.

As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, only two veteran-related bills had passed both chambers of the Connecticut General Assembly.

House Bill 5416 directs the labor commissioner to create a database that matches the specialized skills of veterans and members of the armed services with available job opportunities.

Veterans and service members would be categorized in the database by their military training and skills, and that information would be cross-referenced with available jobs to match them with possible opportunities.

To be included in the database, veterans or service members would submit "evidence" of their military training and describe any particular knowledge or skillsets they acquired. Veterans would also submit their discharge documents to show they received a discharge other than dishonorable.

The bill requires the commissioner to update the database weekly and publish it on the labor department's website. Employers interested in hiring a veteran or service member in the database would reach out to the department, which would facilitate contact between the two parties.

State Labor Commissioner Scott Jackson testified against the bill saying the website CTHires.com, administered by his department, "has the capacity to match a veterans' military experience with certain professional opportunities."

"DOL believes that our existing CTHires system provides the necessary assistance to veterans as outlined in this bill," Jackson testified. "Due to additional costs that are not included in the budget, DOL must respectfully oppose any move that expands CTHires or creates a new web based labor exchange system."

The other bill to pass both chambers, House Bill 5358, would allow the state-owned and maintained Horse Guard facilities in Avon and Newtown to be leased. Revenue generated from the leases would go to Governor's Horse Guard budget.

Connecticut has two cavalry units, which fall under the Connecticut National Guard. One of the units has been around since the Revolutionary War.

"This bill will provide the Military Department more flexibility to generate funds for the continued existence of the Governor's Horse Guards, potentially as a self-funding state militia unit," Maj. Gen. Thad Martin, adjutant general of the guard, said in written testimony in support of the legislation.

The fiscal note attached to the bill said its passage would result "in a revenue gain of up to $235,000 to the Governor's Guard Horse accounts. ..." It says that 56 horse stalls could be rented, and that at current rates $350 could be charged for each stall.

This legislative session, the Veterans' Committee voted to send 36 bills and resolutions in total to the full legislature.

j.bergman@theday.com