Judiciary

SB 391 requires the Commissioner of Correction to arrange breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment services for women in state custody at licensed healthcare facilities closer to their correctional facility than the University of Connecticut Health Center. The bill specifically allows for on-site mammograms when possible, but if unavailable, permits arranging services at nearer facilities instead of defaulting to UConn Health Center. This applies to all women committed to correctional custody and takes effect July 1, 2026. The law directly expands access to timely breast cancer care by prioritizing proximity to correctional facilities.

SB 400 updates Connecticut Probate Court procedures by redefining which cases count as "children's matters," clarifying appeal timelines, and expanding protections for sensitive family records. The bill allows individuals with federal firearm disabilities stemming from state court orders to petition the Probate Court for relief, while making records related to parental rights, adoption, guardianship, and emancipation confidential to protect privacy. It also standardizes electronic service definitions and adjusts appeal filing deadlines, requiring most appeals to be filed within 30 days of a court order, with exceptions for certain family law cases that have a 45-day window. These changes directly affect families involved in child welfare cases, guardianship proceedings, and individuals seeking to restore firearm rights after mental health adjudications.

This bill updates Connecticut's distracted driving laws by clarifying definitions of mobile phone use and restricting hand-held phone usage while driving. It directly affects all motor vehicle operators by prohibiting the use of hand-held mobile phones to make calls or operate mobile electronic devices like text messaging apps while operating a vehicle on highways. Key provisions establish a rebuttable presumption that holding a phone to or near the ear constitutes call engagement, while allowing exceptions for emergency communications, official duties of first responders and military personnel, and hands-free phone use. The law takes effect on October 1, 2026, and does not authorize confiscation of phones unless other laws permit it.

This bill modifies how the Connecticut Judicial Branch manages building repairs and unclaimed property, while also speeding up medical record sharing across state institutions. For construction projects, it allows the Office of the Chief Court Administrator to approve repairs and alterations under $500,000 without needing permission from the Commissioner of Administrative Services, whereas other state agencies must get approval for projects up to $1 million. The bill also requires state institutions to return unclaimed inmate property to owners for three years before selling it, with proceeds from sales going to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Fund. Additionally, it mandates that medical facilities provide electronic copies of patient records within six days for urgent requests or seven business days for non-urgent ones, without needing specific patient consent. These changes affect the Judicial Branch, state correctional facilities, and other medical institutions by streamlining administrative processes and improving access to medical information.

This bill establishes a new crime called digital forgery, which applies to anyone who creates and shares fake images or audio recordings of people with the intent to cause financial harm. The law defines a digitally forged likeness as content that looks or sounds real but was created using computer systems without the person's consent. It makes this a misdemeanor or felony depending on whether the act was part of a larger scheme, but it exempts law enforcement officers acting in their official duties. The bill also protects online platforms from liability unless they knew the content was being created or shared illegally.