HB 7135 protects patients and healthcare providers in Connecticut who receive or provide reproductive and gender-affirming health care services permitted under Connecticut law. The bill allows individuals to recover damages if sued in another state for such services, even if the patient was not physically in Connecticut during treatment. It also strengthens patient privacy by prohibiting healthcare providers from disclosing records related to these services without written consent, and requires them to notify Connecticut's Attorney General if served with a subpoena for such information. The law applies to all covered healthcare entities and takes effect July 1, 2025.
SB 1442 replaces definitions in Connecticut's discrimination law to clarify terms used in legal proceedings by the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. It adds specific definitions for "protective hairstyles" (including cornrows, locs, and afros), "gender identity or expression," and "race" (explicitly covering hair texture and protective hairstyles). These definitions apply to all discrimination cases heard by the Commission and courts, ensuring consistent interpretation of protections. The bill does not create new rights but updates terminology to align with current legal standards and inclusive language.
SB 1185 increases the maximum fine municipalities can impose for violating local regulations and ordinances from $250 to $500, effective October 1, 2025. This change applies to general municipal ordinances but does not affect specific areas already subject to lower statutory caps, such as dirt bike operation, rental properties, blight, or cannabis regulations. The bill does not alter enforcement procedures, including the requirement for a written warning before issuing a citation for most violations (except for dirt bike-related offenses). This policy change allows municipalities to collect higher fines for standard violations, potentially increasing local revenue as seen in prior years ($51,810 collected from 3,357 violations in fiscal year 2024).
SB 1321 creates new criminal offenses for "organized retail theft" and "accessory to organized retail theft" in Connecticut. It targets individuals who commit shoplifting of retail property (new items sold in stores) with a total value exceeding $2,000 over 365 days, or who knowingly buy or distribute stolen goods from such thefts - especially through online platforms. The bill defines a "retail property fence" as someone who purchases stolen items with intent to distribute or facilitate further theft, and imposes class D felony penalties (or class C if financial gain reaches $10,000+). This directly affects shoplifters, resellers of stolen goods, and online platforms facilitating such transactions, while clarifying that claiming stolen goods were obtained legally is not a defense.
HB 7194 modifies a law that previously could have led to misdemeanor charges for discharging firearms in ways likely to cause injury. It explicitly adds that lawful self-defense or defending others is exempt from this rule, preventing misdemeanor charges for such discharges. This directly affects individuals using firearms for self-defense or to protect others in potentially dangerous situations. The bill clarifies existing self-defense principles by removing a potential legal conflict, without changing broader self-defense standards.
SB 1504 creates a State-Wide Firearms Crimes and Tracing Task Force within the Division of State Police to combat illegal firearm trafficking. The task force, composed of municipal, state, and federal law enforcement officers, will investigate illegal firearm distribution, track illegally sold firearms, and coordinate with other agencies across state lines. It requires annual reports to the Governor and legislature detailing arrests, firearms seized, and resource needs, with the first report due by February 1, 2026. The bill also updates firearm sales record-keeping requirements, mandating vendors to maintain records accessible to the task force and state/federal investigators. This bill affects law enforcement agencies, firearm vendors, and individuals involved in illegal firearm transactions.
SB 1437 requires most health care institutions (excluding some mental health facilities and the Albert J. Solnit Children's Center) to provide electronic copies of a patient's medical records to other institutions within 6 business days for urgent requests or 7 business days otherwise, and to the patient's attorney within 20 business days. The bill caps fees for these records at the greater of the federal standard (45 CFR 164.524(c)(4)) or $250 plus postage and imaging costs. Institutions do not need specific patient consent to share records under these rules but are exempt from sharing records that would violate federal privacy law or in response to third-party requests. This bill applies to health care institutions defined under section 19a-490 and takes effect October 1, 2025.
SB 1440 makes it illegal to intentionally share AI-generated intimate images (like deepfakes) of another person without their consent, knowing the image is synthetic and meant to deceive viewers into believing it’s real. It specifically targets cases where the victim suffers harm, such as emotional distress, financial loss, or physical injury, and covers images of genitals, pubic areas, breasts (for females), or sexual acts. The law excludes images from public sexual activity or when the person isn’t clearly identifiable. Violations range from a class D misdemeanor (single-person sharing) to a class D felony (intentional harm), but tech platforms are protected from liability for user-shared content.
HB 7068 allows at least 10% of unit owners in a common interest community (like an HOA) to petition a court for an independent financial audit if they meet specific conditions: they must certify a good faith belief of financial misconduct, obtain a CPA's written opinion identifying evidence of fraud or misuse, hold 10% of relevant voting proxies, and confirm no audit occurred in the past year. The petitioning group covers all audit costs. The bill also updates property disclosure forms to require clearer information about community dues, special districts, and litigation related to common interest communities, emphasizing that buyers in larger communities must obtain a "resale certificate" from the association. This directly affects HOA members seeking financial transparency and homebuyers in communities with shared governance structures.
HB 7258 requires Connecticut's Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to study whether setting specific blood THC (cannabis) and psilocybin levels would allow for automatic legal presumption of driving under the influence, similar to current blood alcohol content limits for alcohol. The study must examine approaches used in Colorado, Illinois, Montana, Nevada, Ohio, and Washington, and report findings with recommendations by February 1, 2026. This bill does not create new laws or penalties but prepares the state for potential future policy decisions regarding cannabis and psilocybin impairment. It directly affects future legislative and regulatory decisions about DUI standards, not current drivers. The study has no anticipated fiscal impact as it uses existing department expertise.
HB 7209 prohibits landlords and property managers from using competitors' sensitive data or automated pricing algorithms to set rental prices, directly affecting rental housing providers who rely on such methods. The bill empowers the Attorney General to investigate violations, pursue civil lawsuits for injunctive relief or damages, and impose penalties of up to $2,500 per violation for proven violations. It requires court-ordered damages to go directly to affected renters and maintains existing complaint processes with the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. The law takes effect October 1, 2025, targeting specific pricing practices that could lead to unfair rent increases without creating new housing rights.
SB 1502 allows courts to consider sentence reductions for individuals convicted of felonies who are survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking. It directly affects defendants who can provide documented evidence (like court records, protective orders, or professional affidavits) showing their trauma was a contributing factor in their offense. The bill requires courts to review such requests before sentencing, using specific evidence standards outlined in the law. This change takes effect January 1, 2026, and applies to all felony convictions after that date.
