Connecticut Bills | MyRepTracker

signed · Connecticut · House May 26, 2026

HB 5567: AN ACT CONCERNING HEALTH CARE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION FACILITIES.

This bill establishes an Office of the Correction Ombuds within the Office of Governmental Accountability to oversee health care and other services for incarcerated individuals in the Department of Correction. The Ombuds will have the authority to evaluate service delivery, conduct unannounced facility visits, review nonemergency procedures, and receive complaints from incarcerated people through free telephone calls and email. The office will also publish semiannual reports on its activities and has the power to recommend policy changes while remaining independent from departmental control.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare

Steven Winter (D) Aundré Bumgardner (D) Pat Dillon (D) Jill Gilchrest (D) Roland Lemar (D)

signed · Connecticut · House May 26, 2026

HB 5468: AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROVISION OF PARENT-MANAGED LEARNING.

This bill updates Connecticut's compulsory education laws to allow parents to choose between public school, private school, or home-based equivalent instruction for children aged five to seventeen. It requires parents to formally notify their local school district each year of their chosen educational path and mandates that districts provide information about available educational options. The legislation also raises the age at which students can voluntarily withdraw from school from seventeen to eighteen years old and clarifies definitions for equivalent instruction and nonpublic schools.

Topics ✓ Education

signed · Connecticut · House May 26, 2026

HB 5450: AN ACT DISSOLVING THE BROOKLYN FIRE DISTRICT.

This bill dissolves the Brooklyn Fire District and transfers its funds and property to the town of Brooklyn, effective October 1, 2026. The legislation repeals the 1899 special act that originally created the district and shifts responsibility for fire services from the district to the town government. As a result, the town of Brooklyn will assume both the assets held by the district and the costs of providing fire protection services previously managed by the district.

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 90: AN ACT REVISING AND CONSOLIDATING THE HATE CRIMES STATUTES.

SB 90 revises Connecticut's hate crime laws by expanding protected categories and clarifying offenses. It adds "gender identity or expression" and "protective hairstyles" to the list of protected social categories, while updating definitions of disability, religion, and sex. The bill maintains three offense levels: causing physical injury (class C felony, $3,000+ fine), causing physical contact (class D felony, $1,000+ fine), and damaging property (similar penalties), all with mandatory minimum fines. These changes directly affect anyone committing bias-motivated crimes against individuals or groups based on expanded protected categories like gender identity or hairstyle.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Connecticut · House May 26, 2026

HB 5311: AN ACT CONCERNING THE NONISSUANCE OF A STANDING CRIMINAL PROTECTIVE ORDER IN THE CASE OF A FAMILY VIOLENCE CRIME.

HB 5311 requires courts to state their specific reasons on the record when they decline to issue a standing criminal protective order in family violence cases. This applies to defendants convicted of or found not guilty by reason of mental disease for specific family violence crimes, as defined by law (including offenses under sections 53a-70b, 53a-192a, and others listed in the bill). The bill, effective October 1, 2026, mandates this transparency to ensure judges provide clear justification for not issuing these protective orders, which are designed to safeguard victims from repeat harm. It does not change when orders may be issued but focuses solely on documenting court decisions when they are withheld.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 155: AN ACT CONCERNING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND THE DATA LINK CONNECTICUT SYSTEM.

SB 155 requires Connecticut's Department of Children and Families to submit annual reports to the legislature starting October 2027. The reports must include specific data on service utilization by race/ethnicity, sibling visitation in foster care, facility operations, child abuse reports, family assessment program outcomes, and foster care licensing compliance. These reports must avoid personally identifying information and cover metrics like racial disparities in service access, foster home safety records, and diversion from juvenile justice systems. The bill directly affects the Department of Children and Families, mandating greater transparency in its child welfare operations. It takes effect July 1, 2026, with the first report due October 15, 2027.

signed · Connecticut · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 291: AN ACT CONCERNING THE RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES OF THE STATE MARSHAL COMMISSION, THE STATE MARSHALS ADVISORY BOARD AND STATE MARSHALS.

SB 291 reorganizes Connecticut's State Marshal Commission, replacing its current structure with a larger 11-member body effective January 1, 2027. The bill specifies appointments: the Chief Justice appoints one judge, legislative leaders appoint four members, the Governor appoints two (including a chair requiring Senate approval), and the State Marshals Advisory Board appoints two experienced marshals. It establishes new qualifications for members, requiring expertise in areas like civil litigation or state marshal duties, and defines terms (three years for most, one year for advisory board appointees). This bill directly affects the commission members, state marshals (through advisory board appointments), and the oversight process for service of court orders and enforcement.

signed · Connecticut · House May 26, 2026

HB 5312: AN ACT ESTABLISHING A CIVIL ACTION FOR THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL AND A PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION FOR VICTIMS OF UNLAWFUL DISSEMINATION OF A SYNTHETICALLY CREATED INTIMATE IMAGE.

HB 5312 establishes a private right for victims and a civil action for Connecticut's Attorney General to address unlawful sharing of synthetically created intimate images (like deepfakes). Victims can sue in Superior Court for damages, emotional distress, and attorney fees, while the Attorney General can pursue civil penalties up to $50,000 per day against online platforms that fail to remove such content after knowing it violates the law. The law specifically protects minors under 18, even if the image is synthetic, and applies to platforms like social media or apps that host user-generated content. It takes effect October 1, 2026, and complements existing legal remedies without limiting other rights.

Topics ✓ Technology

signed · Connecticut · House May 26, 2026

HB 5043: AN ACT CONCERNING CONVERTIBLE PISTOLS, UNFINISHED FRAMES OR UNFINISHED LOWER RECEIVERS, VOLUNTARY RELINQUISHMENT OF FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION AND REFUNDABILITY OF PERMITS FOR SALE AT RETAIL OF FIREARMS AND FOR CARRYING OF PISTOLS AND REVOLVERS.

HB 5043 prohibits the manufacture, sale, and distribution of "convertible pistols" - semiautomatic pistols that can be rapidly converted into machine guns using common household tools like screwdrivers. It defines these as pistols with a specific "cruciform trigger bar" that can be modified with a "pistol converter," excluding certain shielded designs. Selling or distributing such weapons would be classified as a class D felony, with exceptions for law enforcement, military personnel, and licensed gun dealers. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

signed · Connecticut · House May 26, 2026

HB 5004: AN ACT CONCERNING CHILD WELFARE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.

HB 5004 requires child welfare agencies to conduct background checks before placing a child with a relative or non-licensed caregiver in an emergency situation. Specifically, agencies must complete a federal criminal history search and check the child abuse registry within 10 days, followed by state/national criminal records checks; refusal to provide fingerprints triggers immediate child removal. The bill also mandates that courts prioritize placing children with relatives or "fictive kin" (close family friends) over other options when safety allows, and requires written documentation for all placement decisions. This directly affects child welfare agencies, relatives/fictive kin caregivers, and courts handling emergency child safety cases.

signed · Connecticut · House May 26, 2026

HB 5406: AN ACT CONCERNING ASSORTED MEASURES RECOGNIZING AND HONORING THE HEROISM OF VETERANS AND MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND MAKING VARIOUS REVISIONS TO STATUTES RELATED TO VETERANS' AND MILITARY AFFAIRS.

HB 5406 establishes a new ribbon and medal to honor Connecticut veterans and reserve members who served during wartime while residing in the state or being domiciled there at the time of the award. It creates eligibility for veterans called to active duty in wartime or reserve members serving during wartime, with awards potentially given posthumously to those who died after November 12, 1918. The Commissioner of Veterans Affairs and Adjutant General will administer the award process, including designing the ribbon/medal and distributing it using existing military funds. This bill amends Connecticut General Statute §27-73e to implement the honorific award, with no financial or benefit changes beyond the ceremonial recognition.

Topics ✓ Veterans

signed · Connecticut · House May 26, 2026

HB 5313: AN ACT CONCERNING THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A PLAN FOR THE USE OF UNIFORM STATE-WIDE CASE IDENTIFICATION CODES IN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASES.

HB 5313 requires the Chief Court Administrator to develop a plan by January 1, 2027, creating uniform state-wide case identification codes for domestic violence cases across three state systems: the Judicial Branch, Division of Criminal Justice, and Department of Emergency Services. The codes must consistently track all domestic violence cases (defined as family violence between household members under state law) in electronic case files, improving statewide data collection for reporting and policy analysis while maintaining confidentiality. This plan must be reported to legislative committees by February 1, 2027. The bill directly affects how state agencies track and manage domestic violence case data, aiming to standardize identification without changing legal definitions or services.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice